Football

Antrim midfielder Jack Dowling feels Saffrons can beat Armagh

Antrim's Jack Dowling (centre) puts Tipperary's Robbie Kiely under pressure. Pic Seamus Loughran
Antrim's Jack Dowling (centre) puts Tipperary's Robbie Kiely under pressure. Pic Seamus Loughran Antrim's Jack Dowling (centre) puts Tipperary's Robbie Kiely under pressure. Pic Seamus Loughran

BELIEF is seeping back into Saffron supporters and their players – or so Jack Dowling believes.

Indeed, although Armagh are the form team in Division Three, having put 6-22 and 3-15 past Offaly and Louth respectively - both of whom beat his Antrim side – the big midfielder reckons Antrim can cause a shock in the Athletic Grounds this Saturday night.

Antrim edged past Laois last Sunday, and although the St Brigid's, Belfast clubman knows Kieran McGeeney's men will present a very tough test, he commented: "Obviously at the start of the year Armagh would have been favourites to go straight up – but Laois beat them.

"It'll be tough, no doubt, and they'll have a big crowd out to support them on Saturday night in Armagh.

"We'll have to keep it defensive, don't let them put up a big score. I have no doubt we can beat them, we've got the players."

Those players should include a very experienced midfielder, who returned to action, along with another senior player, in Sunday's home victory over Laois, to Dowling's delight:

"That was the first time 'Snowy', Sean McVeigh, played in about six months, it's great to have him back, Niall Delargy, great to have him back, competition is very tight for places.

"We should have 'KOBO' [Kevin O'Boyle] back soon, he's training hard with the physio, Ryan Murray is injured as well, hopefully he'll be back for the Armagh game; they are big, big players, have been playing Championship football for five or six years."

Indeed Championship quickly gets another mention, with Dowling anticipating a great atmosphere in the cathedral city this weekend, for what will be a rare night game in recent times for him and his colleagues:

"It'll be nice, it'll have a bit of a Championship buzz about it going down there, big crowd on Saturday night – but doesn't matter what day it is, what time it is, it's a game of football.

"There's obviously still a lot of pressure, we're nowhere near safe, but it'll be nice to go there and hopefully we'll bring a good crowd too.

"There was a bigger crowd [for the Laois match] than against Sligo, so I think people are starting to have a bit of belief in us and we'll keep pushing on."

Replaced in the 64th minute against Laois, the closing stages made for a nervous watch for Dowling and the Antrim support and management, he acknowledged:

"We gave away a few ropey balls in the last 10 minutes, I was holding my breath, but the boys just ground it out in the end. CJ [McGourty] scored that last free, [Chris] Kerr caught a ball that was going over the bar; all those wee things add up to a big two points."

The strong wind made for a difficult day, especially with Laois having it at their backs in the second half, but Dowling joked that they've dealt with far worse:

"Conditions were better than they were against Sligo; we may as well have been playing in Croke Park out there, it was bad against Sligo.

"It was tough, especially in the first half. Most of our play came down the right side and we were trying to kick across it [the wind]. We got a couple of scores but in the second half we played it a bit smarter, tried to run the ball a bit more, kept possession – got over the line, that's the main thing."

Dowling was also pleased by how he and his team-mates deployed different tactics as required, pointing out: "I'd say we have some of the best runners in Ulster, like Paddy McBride, Conor Murray, Paddy McAleer, so you just keep them on the ball. That has worked this year, just give them the ball and let them do the work, or when the long ball is on, you hit it. We haven't restricted ourselves to short passes, we hit the long balls in when they're on.

"We went in at half-time two points up; obviously their red card was a boost to us, but getting a red card can go either way for the opposition team, sometimes it really galvanises them. I think we just kept our cool and didn't become complacent; that's what we talked about at half-time, and working harder than them."

Cool heads and hard work will be required against Armagh – and belief.