TG4 Ulster Intermediate Championship
ANTRIM manager Emma Kelly believes that an Ulster intermediate final is not out of their reach as the Saffrons begin their provincial campaign away to Monaghan on Sunday (Aghabog, 2pm).
It’s their first foray back into the middle tier competition since their 2012 All-Ireland junior triumph and Kelly is determined that they remain here now they are back up again after last year’s junior title.
It will be an interesting test for Antrim, who last month clinched the Division Four league title, to see where they are against a former senior team and a Division Two team. Monaghan began their championship last weekend against Tyrone but came away from Healy Park with a two-point defeat.
The Farney must win if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the intermediate final alive. Defeat will mean it will be Antrim who book their place in the final against Tyrone with one game still to play.
“It’s great to be up in intermediate. We know it’s going to be a new test for us, a new challenge. The girls are well up for it and can’t wait to test themselves against bigger, better, stronger teams,” said Kelly.
“We believe we have nothing to fear. We are the underdogs and we will go out and play the way we have been and can. If we put in a performance I think we could bother any team on our day.
“If we get the win on Sunday then we are in the final. Is it possible? Yes. I never put out a team thinking that we can’t win. If the girls go out with the mindset that they are just as good and they look after the ball, the backs do their job and the forwards take their chances then I believe we could win. There’s nothing stopping us.”
Monaghan, says, Kelly were one of the teams they looked up to and set the standard for Ulster football and while they have the utmost respect for them, they will not fear them.
“They are one of the teams that we would have looked up to over the years with the players that they have and what they have done. We know it’s going to be a tough, tough test.
“Reaching an Ulster final in intermediate would be class, to be honest. It’s something that is not out of our reach. We are looking forward to it. We have been pushing on and improving. There is a strong belief in the squad that we can do damage if we turn up and we can. It would be really really good if we could get across the line on Sunday,” she added.
