NEVER has Division Four of the National League carried so much stardust on the sidelines, but Antrim defender Ricky Johnston is hoping to help shut down one of the main attractions on the pitch as the Saffrons open their account away to Louth on Saturday afternoon.
The four management teams on show in Division Four North have more silverware than you can shake a stick at.
Antrim are managed by Enda McGinley and he, along with his assistant Stevie O’Neill, knows all about winning at the top level with Tyrone.
Their opposite number this week is Mickey Harte, the man who led the Red Hands to the Promised Land on his way to becoming one of the most successful managers in the history of the game.
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The other two teams in the mini division aren’t too bad off either. Sligo are managed by Tony McEntee who has won All-Irelands at club and county as a player, and with Crossmaglen as a manager.
The Armagh man guided the Rangers to Andy Merrigan Cup triumphs in 2011 and ’12, and in those same seasons current Leitrim boss Terry Hyland was helping Cavan to back-to-back Ulster U21 titles.
However, when the ball throws in on Saturday, the focus on the pitch will undoubtedly be on new Louth captain Sam Mulroy.
The Naomh Mairtin clubman is the most exciting player to emerge from the 'Wee' County in years. Last season he grabbed Louth’s entire 1-7 haul in their Leinster defeat to Longford while a few months before that he was the star of the show as his club won their first-ever Louth Senior Championship title.
Johnston said that while aware of Mulroy’s attributes, he is too long in the tooth now to get preoccupied by potential direct opponents.
“Louth, Mickey Harte or not, are always a good side,” said the Creggan clubman. “Mickey is going to bring his winning mentality. He’ll bring that professionalism across to them.
“We’ve Enda and Stevie on our side and Mickey on the other, so that makes it a very interesting battle.
“The aim is to get out of Division Four so we will go down and give our best.
“When it comes to opposition attackers you just learn to block that out. I just try and get my own mindset right, how I am going to play.
“He is a great forward and when you’re playing in the full-back line you can’t switch off for a split-second.”
It may be smaller divisions this season, but the aim for Antrim remains the same – to gain promotion.
Last year they looked in a great position to go up as they won three and drew one of their first five games before the Covid-19 pandemic put the season on hold.
On its resumption seven months later, one nightmare-inducing afternoon in Aughrim put paid to those ambitions as they allowed Wicklow in for seven goals.
“Off the back of last year’s disappointment - what happened in Wicklow wasn’t so good - it means that getting out of Division Four is still the main aim,” Johnston said.
“Given the year that it is, we have only been back training the last number of weeks. It’s a new set-up for a team.”
Niall McKeever is back on board while the likes of Johnston’s clubmate Kevin Small and Cargin’s Pat Shivers should bolster their options. The full-back also hopes that McGinley and O’Neill’s winning mentality with Tyrone can be passed on to their new county.
“There are new lads coming in now and hopefully those new faces are what can get us over the line.
“The new management come with a winning mentality and hopefully that seeps through to Antrim."
