Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Championship Qualifying round one: Armagh v Antrim (tonight, 6pm, Athletic Grounds)
ANTRIM minors face another daunting task when they travel to the Athletic Grounds to take on Armagh this evening in the Ulster Minor Football Championship Qualifiers.
Last week, amid Storm Hannah, the Saffrons were narrowly pipped by defending Ulster champions Monaghan in an almost farcical encounter at Corrigan Park.
A late goal from midfielder Joe McNally wasn’t enough to prevent Collie McAllister’s men slipping to a 0-6 to 1-2 defeat, but the performance of his men has given the Antrim boss reason to believe they can compete with Armagh in the Qualifying Round.
After all, they lost out by a whopping 22 points when they faced Monaghan in the Jim McGuigan Cup earlier in the season and only a point separated the sides last Saturday, albeit in challenging conditions.
Armagh also hosted Antrim in the opening round of the Ulster Minor League with the Orchard County recording a comfortable 1-17 to 1-7 win at the Athletic Grounds and McAllister isn’t too concerned about having to return to the Cathedral City.
“The thing about playing away from home it that you get a chance to play at the bigger grounds,”stated McAllister.
“With Casement Park not being available, we don’t have a base in a sense. We played in Corrigan Park last weekend, but Monaghan had as much experience of playing at Corrigan because they played Antrim there last year.
“It is a challenge playing away from home, but it isn’t much of an issue. “Armagh beat us by 10 points in the league. They’ve a rich history behind them of winning All-Ireland and they’ve a high-profile manager in Ciaran McKeever.
“They are also back-boned by the St Ronan’s Lurgan Rannafast Cup team and the St Pat’s Armagh MacRory team.
“When you put those factors together, it would point to another easy Armagh win.”
McAllister felt his player’s received a much-needed confidence boost last weekend against the Farneymen.
Antrim suffered four defeats from four games in the league and they are determined to make the most of their second chance in the Championship.
“The conditions were probably a bit of a leveller against Monaghan and we know Armagh are a formidable team,” added the St Gall’s clubman.
“It is another challenge, but the boys are up for it. Our boys were happy that they performed to a higher level than they did against Monaghan in the league, but they know there was a chance to beat the Ulster champions.
“Maybe with an extra minute or two, which I felt could have been added on, we’d have gotten something out of the game.
“They have their tails back up again and they know they have another crack at it.”
McAllister has made two changes to his starting 15 from last Saturday with Aidan Scullion and Liam Russell coming in for Daniel McNicholl and Calum Higgins.
Paudie McLaughlin moves out to midfield with Russell joining Ryan Lennon and Ronan Boyle in the full-forward line.
Armagh were also on the wrong side of a narrow defeat last Saturday with Derry claiming a 1-5 to 0-4 victory at the Athletic Grounds in similarly difficult playing conditions.
Armagh boss Ciaran McKeever has also made two switches to his team with Rory Kearney coming in for Orin McKeown at left corner-back while Niall Dummigan replaces Sean Quigley at left half-forward.
Both Armagh and Antrim probably paid the price for being too cautious last Saturday, but it wasn’t a night for judging players too harshly.
Conditions this evening should be much more favourable for the players and the Orchardmen will fancy their chances of confirming the form with the Saffrons.
Armagh: S Magill; P McGrane, R Shortt, R Kearney; L Rice, S McVerry, R French; J Walsh, D O’Callaghan; M McConville, C Donnelly, N Dummigan; C Reavey, M McKeever, O King
Antrim: J Rodgers: R Carleton, E Irvine, M Ferris; R Hagan, E Higgins, S O’Callaghan; J McNally, P McLaughlin; R McKillop, S Madden, A Scullion; L Russell, R Boyle, R Lennon
