DESPITE suffering two heavy Championship defeats to Tyrone and Kildare this summer, Antrim new boy James McAuley insists the Saffrons have the potential to start climbing the NFL divisions and compete with the better teams in the country.
The Naomh Enna, Glengormley clubman has experienced some incredible highs and desperate lows this season after earning a late call-up to Lenny Harbinson’s senior team.
The versatile 23-year-old was a key player in his club’s dramatic run to an All-Ireland Intermediate final, where they lost to Kerry side Kilcummin at Croke Park in February.
“It’s been pretty full on for the last 12 months,” McAuley acknowledged.
“Over the past year I’ve won an Ulster Championship and played in an All-Ireland final and played for my county. It’s a year I won’t forget.
“I’m only 23-years-of-age – I don’t want to stop there. I want to be pushing on with the club and county and win championships with them.”
McAuley praised the physicality of Kildare after Saturday’s 14-point All-Ireland Qualifier defeat – but believes Antrim are on the right road and have plenty of quality to be more competitive.
“Kildare have some big men,” he said.
“Their gameplan was based around being big, strong, physical athletes and you could feel that in the hits out there. But we had the speed to get around them and you saw that in fits and starts. It was one gameplan pitted against another and Kildare are obviously much further along in their development plan.
“The strength and conditioning that we’re doing I’ve no doubt we’ll be close to that in a year or two’s time because the strength and conditioning that we’re doing is good.”
He added: “I know a lot has been said about how unlucky we were not to get promoted having suffered three one-point defeats [in Division Four], but you’re coming to training with Antrim and you’re playing with some of the best players in Ireland – the likes of Fitzy [Matthew Fitzpatrick], Patrick McBride and Ryan Murray. I believe there is a group here that will go on and do something for Antrim.
“I want to be playing Division Three and Division Two football with Antrim.”
