TG4 All-Ireland Ladies’ IFC Group 4, round three
Antrim v Longford (Sunday, Cargin, 2pm)
ANTRIM can make history this weekend by qualifying for the All-Ireland intermediate quarter-finals. Only a defeat by 11 points or more would see them fail.
However, it’s a win that manager Emma Kelly (right) wants, even though a draw would do. Victory would guarantee the Ulster champions top spot in the group and a home quarter-final against a second-placed team from one of the three other groups.
The Saffrons are in control of their own fate. Despite a number of injuries ruling out players like Theresa Mellon, Aine Devlin and Niamh McIntosh, Kelly feels they have the momentum and strength in depth to claim victory.
“The score difference is going in our favour but we won’t be taking anything for granted,” she said.
“We will get our match-ups right and go at it just like every other game. We want to try and continue winning and grow in confidence,”
“Everybody is aware that we have a lot of injuries at the minute. We are waiting on a couple of girls to get back in. The game is just a week too soon, but we have to get on
with it.”
The momentum is certainly in Antrim’s favour going into this final group game. After following up their maiden Ulster intermediate title with a win over a former senior side in Westmeath in their first group game of this All-Ireland series, they will be favourites to come away with the win on home soil in Cargin.
Longford are an experienced intermediate championship side, having been at this level for the last seven years and they reached the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland last year.
However, this year has not been without its difficulties – they were relegated from Division Three and, ironically, it’s Antrim taking their place in that league next year.
They didn’t manage to reach the knock-out stages of Leinster championship, but they did beat Carlow, a junior team participating in the Leinster intermediate championship, in the group stages.
The last time the sides met was in the 2017 league, with Longford winning easily, while their last championship meeting was in the 2016 All-Ireland junior final.
Kelly is not allowing complacency to set in, however, and they come packed with experience.
“Longford have been an intermediate team for a number of years. They might be going through a bit of a transition now, but have been playing at that level and in Division Three for a while.
“All that experience will stand to them and we have to prepare well, get our match-ups right and put in a good home performance.
“Longford have some brilliant players and we do have some girls to worry about. We won’t be complacent.”
