28 February 2013
We caught up with Antrim captain Kevin O’Boyle this week when he helped make the draw for the 2013 Antrim club championships. We began by asking about Saturday night matches. Has he any preference for Saturday fixtures over Sundays?
“I like the Saturday night games, it makes for a better atmosphere and usually brings a few more supporters out as well. You saw in the first game how we get a lift from the support so the more people that are there the better. If having a match on a Saturday night helps bring a few extra out then all the better.”
The last time we played Fermanagh was at the beginning of last year in the Mckenna Cup when we came away with a defeat.
“That was Peter’s first game in charge and they have improved a lot since then. They will have momentum coming up from Division 4 and they already have two wins under their belt. However it is a challenge for us to match their intensity and take the game to Fermanagh. In the last game against Sligo we only really played for half of the game and we almost clawed it back. If we play for the whole game this Saturday then obviously we have a real chance.”
Peter Canavan and Kevin O’Boyle are well acquainted, as colleagues in the same school in Cookstown. I asked him if they have discussed this game.
“Not really, we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves when it comes to county football. I might get a wee nudge off him in the corridor the odd time though!”
There is obviously a respect between the two men. Come Saturday night however captain O’Boyle will be looking to get one over on his senior teaching colleague.
Can Antrim win? Yes of course we can. Last time we played Fermanagh in Casement in the league Antrim ran out comfortable winners. Things have changed in the Erne county since then and the arrival of Canavan has injected a new sense of purpose in the county. But things have moved on in Antrim too with the new management team of Frank Dawson and co calling the shots with the Saffrons. This will likely be a much tighter affair than either of the last two meetings between the sides.
In a twenty minute spell in the second half V Cavan, and in the entire second half against Sligo, Antrim demonstrated a will to win, matched with a score getting ability, which, if replicated for sustained periods on Saturday, should see the home side match the visitors on points by the end of the night.
Throw in is 7pm, Club Aontroma volunteers will be selling ballots for a half time draw. Come out and support our saffrons.
Brendan Mulgrew PRO
