Northern Switchgear Antrim SFC final
Aghagallon v Cargin (Corrigan Park, Sunday, 3pm)
 
AFTER 24 games in the Antrim Senior Football Championship in 2022, it all comes down to 60 minutes to see just who will have their name engraved on the Padraic MacNamee Cup.

Aghagallon and Cargin both needed extra-time to win their respective semi-finals and both left it to the death to get over the line in those games as they were pushed to the limit by Portglenone and Creggan respectively.

For Aghagallon, this is their second consecutive final appearance having lost out last year against Creggan.

They will have spent the past 12 months with a lot of regrets at how they underperformed on the day, but have regrouped and got back to the decider where they will hope the experience of the big day will stand to them this time around.

Many had written Audi Kelly’s side off before a ball was kicked in this year’s championship given their poor league form and indeed, they still have a promotion/relegation playoff against Ballymena still to come.

Perhaps that situation arose due to a squad that was missing a number of players for a variety of reasons, but will all back in harness they have looked a lot more like themselves as Eunan Walsh, Ruairi McCann, Gareth Magee, the McAlernons and their last-gasp goalscoring hero in the semi-final, Adam Loughran, all back on top form at just the right time.

Their never-say-die attitude can’t be questioned, but of course, they would much prefer not having to fight back from the brink as a rally in the final last year came to nothing after failing to fire for much too long.

This time, they will need to take the game to a Cargin side that knows all about how to win the county title having won five of the previous seven editions.

Cargin were celebrating Antrim SFC success as recently as 2020
2Gallery

Cargin were celebrating Antrim SFC success as recently as 2020

Ronan Devlin has taken over from Damian Cassidy this year having previously acted as coach, and that smooth transition has resulted in the Erin’s Own men marching on seamlessly.

The personnel is familiar to anyone with even a passing interest in Antrim football with James Laverty, Justin Crozier, Kevin O’Boyle, John Carron and the McCanns including Michael and Tomás who was the match-winner against Creggan remaining the backbone of the team.

But the emergence of fresh talent over the past few years in Jamie Gribbin, Pat Shivers, Sean O’Neill, Ciaran Bradley, Cathaoir Donnelly and many more of the successful recent minor teams has proven the conveyor belt in Toome shows no sign of slowing and driven on by defeat at the semi-final stage last season, they will be as hungry as ever for success.

Cargin are bidding for title number 11 in contrast to Aghagallon who are yet to win the senior title and reputation as-well-as championship know-how has Cargin as favourites for many people.

They have been there and done it, whereas Aghagallon are yet to prove they have what it takes to win the big one.

The St Mary’s men will likely show a lot better in the final than what they did a year ago, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to take down Cargin who always seem to find a way.
 
Glenravel and Dunloy set for Intermediate decider

OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship final
Glenravel v Dunloy  (Dunsilly, Saturday, 3pm)

The Intermediate Football title will be decided at Dunsilly on Saturday when Glenravel and Dunloy meet.

Both have impressed throughout the competition with Glenravel scoring an eye-catching win over Sarsfield’s in a semi-final that was due to be close run, but the Glensmen ripped up that script with Ryan McQuillan, Eamon Fyfe, Eoin Hynds and the midfield pairing of Callum and David Higgins all leading the way.

That showing may have them as favourites for many against a Dunloy side that was no less convincing in their semi-final, restricting Davitt’s to just four points and producing the goods when needed.

Backboned by many dual players including Conal Cunning who has been in incredible scoring form, Keelan Molloy and the Elliotts, the big day holds no fears for them although they will be sweating on the fitness of Deaglan Smyth who injured his ankle in last weekend’s hurling semi-final win over St John’s.

The winner will end a lengthy famine, so it will be a hugely competitive hour and one where whoever imposes their will that bit better will triumph.