Antrim defender Declan Lynch believes that the Saffrons should feel confident ahead of their upcoming Ulster Football Championship face off against Armagh on Saturday. They recently managed to beat Cavan last month, giving them a chance to stay in Division Three and leave the memory of their dismal Westmeath loss further behind. Lynch asserts that the team is able to take encouragement from their 2019 opposition, especially since Antrim were competitive with Armagh even until the final minutes of the contest before two late goals secured the win for the Orchard County.
Since the arrival of manager Andy McEntee last autumn, the Antrim squad has seen a major revamp with a lot of young players coming in. This has allowed the players to truly express themselves on the pitch, something Lynch said the group as a whole is enjoying. Even though the contest against Cavan was followed by a loss at relegated Longford, Antrim are feeling primed and ready, with nothing to lose.
Ryan Murray, an Antrim forward, is hoping to make an appearance in the game, though he is still recovering from injury. This will give him a chance to potentially help the Saffrons in their endeavor for their first Ulster SFC win since 2014, which is the only one Murray has been able to take part in during his 12 seasons of inter-county play.
The bookies aren’t too confident in Antrim’s outlook, however, with a lot placing them in the second-tier Tailteann Cup rather than an unexpected shot at the provincial final. That said, Antrim can look towards the Tailteann Cup’s surprising success last year despite initial misgivings. Unfortunately, the Saffrons were defeated by Leitrim in late May which ended their summer run. Murray has said the team may not have given the new cup enough dedication, something he finds unfortunate on a personal level.
BBC Two NI and BBC iPlayer will be covering the game, with in game clips, report, and highlights being available on BBC Sport’s website. Live text commentary will be provided for those who wish to track developments in real-time.
