Carey Faughs face a tough task when they travel to Carrickmore on Sunday to take on the Tyrone champions in the Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship quarter final. As all of the Antrim teams know who played in the Ulster Intermediate Championship there are no easy games in this competition.

Many people have queried how Carrickmore were allowed to play the game on their own pitch, but the hurling club Eire Og and the football club St Colmcilles are separate and the match is being played at St Colmcille Park.

The last time the Faughs played in Ulster they fell at the first hurdle against Sunday’s opponents. This time around it is not going to be any easier, and with the Tyrone men still seeking their first provincial crown they  will feel they have a great chance of repeating that 2021 result. However you feel there is a bit more steel about the Faughs this year and the management duo of Eddie McCloskey and Benny McCarry have given them back their self-belief.

They lost just once in the league stages of the Antrim championship, conceding a late goal to Cloughmills in the final minute in Carey. That result meant they were really up against it but they showed great character to win their last threegames, beating St Gall’s by 2-20 to 2-15 in Belfast and following that up with a 0-23 to 1-18 win over Oisins in Glenariffe.

Their 3-23 to 2-24 win over Cloney Gaels in the semi-final set them up for another tilt at Oisins in the final where they produced a great final quarter to win by five point and claim the trophy. The build up to Sunday’s game has continued the buzz around the parish and there was a great crowd in the hall on Wednesday evening when the all the young fans got a chance to meet the team and get jerseys and souvenires signed. The club is really looking forward to this big game and they will travel in big numbers. It is going to be a tough task for the Faughs but the form they have shown this year shows they are capable of taking on anyone. Let’s all get behind them on Sunday