In the build up to Antrim’s opening game in the National Football League Division 4 game against Carlow on Sunday, Paddy McIlwaine from the Saffron Gael speaks to new Antrim manger, Mark Doran.

I began by posing the question. “Mark, you have been in charge of Antrim for only a short period of time. How have preparations been going for this week’s National League opener against Carlow”?

Mark answered. “Preparations have been going well. Been very busy but a good busy. We have tried to look at as many lads as we could.

Boys have worked really hard and we had our two McKenna cup games as well so that has been a help in exposing a lot of new lads to that level of football along with getting minutes into the more experienced men. I think over the 2 games we got to look at 31 players” 

I continued. “We attended both McKenna Cup games, against Derry at Owenbeg and Donegal in Cargin. In both games Antrim were competitive for periods, particularly against Derry when they might well have been ahead going into the final quarter. In both games they faded in the later stages and scored only 7 points in each game. Could scoring be a problem for the Saffrons this season”?

He replied. “Yes I’d agree with what you’re saying, we were competitive for around 45 minutes but we did fall off in the last 15 minutes which we wouldn’t be happy about. 

I think it’s important to note the quality of the opposition in both games and you can see there is a gap in conditioning levels but that’s something we hope to improve on but that’s not going to be a quick fix. That’s something you build over a number of years. 

While there was a lot of positive things over the two games probably the one thing as a management & players we would not have been happy with was only scoring 7 points in the 2 games but we did create a lot of chances. I’d be worried if we weren’t creating them chances but we are and as long as we keep creating chances, we can get a wee bit more ruthless in front of goals. I’d be very confident scoring won’t be a problem this year” 

I posed the question. “Who have been the new faces who have impressed you since preparations have started this year and how has training gone in general?

He replied, “A lot of the new faces have done really well. 

John McNabb has been very solid in goals. Kevin McCann has had 2 very good McKenna cup games and Ronan Quinn, Sean O Neill, Tiernan McCormick & Tom McFerran, along with Tom Shivers are five young lads who have shown up really well along with Gerald O’Neill from St Galls. 

I then made the suggestion. “After a few years in division 3 Antrim find themselves back in division 4. I’ve always felt that we are too good for the lower division but that wasn’t born out by results last year. Division 4 leaves little room for error. In division 3 if you lost a couple of games it became a fight for survival but, realistically a couple of defeats in division 4 would put paid to promotion ambitions. How do you see it?

The Down native answered. “At the minute we are where we are and that’s Division 4 and unfortunately we are in Division 4 because of results last year so in that regard that’s where we deserve to be. 

Division 4 will be a real dog fight and if you look at the Wicklow’s, Carlow, Leitrim’s & Tipperary there is no easy way out of it. A lot of very good teams in it. So in that regard we have seven championship games but it’s all about taking one game at a time and trying to put your best foot forward”. 

I asked. “The action gets underway this Sunday with a home game against Carlow. What do you know about Carlow and how vital is it to get off to a winning start?

The new Antrim manger has clearly been doing his homework. “Yes first up is Carlow in Portglenone and that’s a really tough start for us. Joe Murphy has done a really good job since coming in half way through last year. Last Friday night they won the O’Byrne Shield and beat Wicklow in the final. They have won their last 3 games beating Laois Saturday week ago & Wexford a week before that. These were two Division 3 sides”. 

I’ve been to watch them twice over the last few weeks. A big strong team and have a lot of pace up front with a lot of very good players.  Sean Murphy, Mickey Bramwick, Ross Dunphy. If you look at their results they are scoring very heavily. 

Last year in the Tailteann Cup they went an beat Fermanagh up in Brewster park scoring 3-18, Mickey Bramwick scoring 1-12 so we are under no illusion what is ahead of us this Sunday but we are really looking forward to it. 

It would be great if we could get off to a good start on Sunday but it won’t be easy”. 

I then went on to ask. “We are told that Peter Healey is unavailable due to a recurring long term injury and Paddy McAleer and Ryan Murray are amongst the players who haven’t seen action yet this year. What is the state of injuries in the camp and who is unlikely to be available”?

He replied: “Yes unfortunately Peter Healy picked up an injury before Ballyboben’s All Ireland semi-final and looks like he will miss a large chunk of the league which is a blow for Peter & Antrim. 

Paddy McAleer is back training and we are hoping he will be available for Sunday. 

Unfortunately Ryan Murray, Adam Loughran, Colm McGirr, Conor Hand & Jamie Gribben will all miss out on Sunday.  They just haven’t been able to recover in time and these things happen so we just hope we have the squad depth to cope with it”. 

I finished by wishing Mark Doran and Antrim all the best for Sunday and for the forthcoming league campaign. “Mark the Saffron Gael will be there to cover your game on Sunday and we wish you and Antrim every success in the coming season and intend to carry coverage of all you’re games”.