ANTRIM number one Anna McCann hopes they can break their duck when it comes to losing league finals and finally land the Division Four title at the fourth attempt.
The Saffrons face Leitrim in Sunday’s Division Four final at Parnell Park (2pm) with the carrot of promotion dangling before both sides, but only the winner will go up and Antrim want it badly.
They have never been out of the bottom tier in league football before and McCann has experienced the loss of three league finals – 2014, 2016 and most recently in 2019 – but this time around, coming in off the back of their Ulster and All-Ireland junior winning 2022 season, they are a more experienced side and hope to make that count.
“The last couple of years we found the group stages difficult. However, this league campaign has been much more positive,” said the 26-year-old.
“Coming off the back of winning the Junior All-Ireland in 2022 we knew we were a lot more confident going into the 2023 league campaign. And knew we had the potential to make it to a league final.
“We have been a lot more consistent during the group stages, as we are working more cohesively as a team. New players have come in to strengthen our squad, they’ve developed and matured over the last four years since our last league final.
“The experience gained in winning last year’s Junior Ulster championship and All-Ireland has stood to us for this year’s league campaign.”
Leitrim will be their toughest test to date and naturally, that is to be expected when you are down to the final two teams. They are an established intermediate championship side but have been in Division Four for the last five years since their 2018 relegation and, like Antrim, know they need to get out of this division if they are to make real progression as a championship side.
McCann, who is in her 10th year on the senior team, knows what is at stake and is trying as best as possible to see it as just another game.
“We treat this like every other game, we all know there’s a bigger prize at the end of it however, we know our roles and will give it our all,” she said.
“It’s definitely going to be our toughest test this year so far, but we will try our best, leave it all on the pitch and hopefully come out the right side of the result.”
