By Kevin Herron 

Aghagallon manager Kevin Murray insists his side aren’t going into Sundays Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship final blinded.

It is the clubs first ever senior football decider in their 114-year history in comparison to Creggan who have made the decider on six occasions previous to the weekend. 

Their most recent was last year’s three-point defeat to Cargin after extra-time and the duo alsomeet in the 2018 final. 

Murray highlights their experience and is under no illusions that his side will need to be at their best to overcome the Staffordstown Road outfit. 

“We’re not going into this blind, we know that Creggan are a top, top team” acknowledges Murray. 

“They’ve proven that in the last number of years, they’ve a lot of talent and they’ve been here before in finals. They’ve been in quite a considerable number of finals, and they’ve played on the big occasions- so we know that we’re going to be at our best. 

“Games can take a direction of themselves, as was the case with the Portglenone game. They’ll have their homework done, we’ll we have it done and it’s about the performance on the day. It’s going to be the big thing and we’re going to focus on that really”. 

Murray believes that their semi-final victory over Portglenone was a big step forward for the group. 

The Aghagallon boss had had sympathy with Portglenone- who decided against appealing the outcome of the game after regulations dictated the semi-final shouldn’t have went to an additional period of extra-time- but was pleased that the outcome stood and common sense prevailed. 

“Getting through that game was a big step forward for this group” Murray admits. 

“The fact that it went to extra, extra time was challenging in itself and the big focus has just been on getting everyone reset, focused, looking forward to the final as well, trying to tidy up injuries has been the key thing this week”. 

“It was out of our control, Portglenone are a main club and a very successful club and everything that went around that probably wasn’t fair from their end of things. But its water under the bridge now and I think what was agreed on the pitch stayed on the pitch. I think it’s the way forward and thankfully it worked out and there was a bit of sense around it all”. 

Murray has experienced the big occasion as a player and coach with his native Lámh Dhearg down the years and outlined the big difference between preparing as a player and coach. 

“I suppose when you’re playing, you’re only trying to focus on your job and what you have to do for the team” he reflects. 

“You’re trying to get yourself physically and mentally prepared for what you need to do. As a coach and a manager, through Lámh Dhearg and Aghagallon; you’ve a lot more to think about. Your job is to prepare the whole team and have a structure around how you want to play and make sure that every individual player knows what their role is. You’ve the whole hype around finals as well, some players adapt to it pretty well and some players don’t. it’s looking at what works and what gets the best out of each individual player”. 

Five of the Aghagallon players that will hope to feature in Sundays final have already been part of huge occasions down the years. 

In 2018 Luke Mulholland, Jamie Lamont, Jack Lenehan, Mark McAfee and Adam Loughran were all part of the St Ronan’s squad that lifted the MacRory and Hogan Cup and Murray will hope their experience will stand by them. 

“That group of players have been talked about for a good few years now” Murray recalls. 

“What the club have put into the effort of underage structure is – for me coming in as an outsider- I’ve seen that and it’s not easy. The transition, as most clubs know- it’s not easy and good underage players and good schools don’t naturally migrate into senior players. 

“There has been a fair bit of effort put into the senior set-up in the last few years. Getting the balance with issues around lifestyle, technical side of the game, mental side of the game and the physical conditioning side that have all been big factors. That’s what we’ve tried to focus on in the last number of years”. 

Murray admits he hasn’t been around the village much in the build-up, but is reliably informed that the buzz created by minor football and U-15 success is carrying over to the seniors. 

“I haven’t been around the village too much myself” Murray revealed. 

 “But club people have been telling me that they’re building on the minor squad doing well and the U-15 doing well” There is certainly a good buzz around and I know that the club generally will get behind this group and the players as well”. 

Corrigan Park will play host to the final and as much as Murray is delighted with the facilities and praised officials at St Johns for showcasing the hurling final and this week’s game, he believes Casement should always play host and has called on better floodlit facilities within Belfast to play host to future Championship games. 

“I was at the hurling final and there was good buzz about it” recalls Murray. 

“St Johns done a great job and I’m sure they’ll do another great job on Sunday. My personal opinion is that the game should be played at Casement, I would have preferred to see more Antrim championship games played under lights in Belfast. In terms of young people having access to see that in the evenings and obviously in terms of fixtures as well. 

“However, we are where we are with Casement and everyone knows about that. There is a severe lack on floodlit provision in Belfast, but to be fair St Johns have stepped in there and they’ve done a smashing job in county matches I’ve been at and I’m sure the club are looking forward to hosting the football final this weekend”.