O’Neill enjoying busy schedule

By Michael McMullan

ANTRIM are aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to Division Three when they welcome Ulster rivals Fermanagh on Sunday.

The Saffrons were on the road for the last two games, drawing with Roscommon in their last outing.

Central to their upward curve in recent seasons has been the form of Moneyglass sharpshooter Maria O’Neill.

Between club and county, she has been balancing final year of her accountancy with law studies with playing football for Ulster University.

“It’s really, really busy. You don’t really get any time to yourself because when you’re not playing football, you’re at training or you’re studying,” O’Neill said, before quickly expressing her love of playing.

“We only really got a few weeks off (after the Moneyglass season) but I wouldn’t have it another way, I like being busy.”

Her downtime is heading down to the pitch in Moneyglass, to kick a bit of ball among friends. She points to the close-knit nature of both the club and county teams she is involved with. Times are brilliant and preparing for games, that’s what living looks like.

Since their magical club run to the All-Ireland final, there has been a family ski trip and a few nights out.

Antrim were comfortable winners over Clare and Limerick before their 2-8 draw with Roscommon. It feeds into Sunday’s clash with Fermanagh, a team they know better than most.

“Over the last few years, it feels like Fermanagh is the only team we ever actually do get to play,” O’Neill joked.

The sides met last year in Tempo before getting promoted after a league Antrim won on their rampant run to an Ulster title and the All-Ireland final.

“They have some really great players, the likes of Eimear Smyth, Bláithín Bogue and Brenda Bannon,” O’Neill said of Sunday’s opponents.

“They have a really strong panel and they actually drew with Roscommon as well.

“We’re looking to really push on in the league and see if we can finish top two and maybe compete in a league final.

“Staying up was an objective of Division Three,” O’Neill pointed out. “Then we realised that we’re here to compete in it.

“Hopefully we can get a win against Fermanagh, but it’s not going to be easy.”

Antrim nearly had the perfect season in 2025 but were beaten by Louth in the All-Ireland final. It’s a defeat that hurt but it gives them something to get their teeth into when the All-Ireland phase of the season rolls around.

Looking back to Moneyglass and their run to Croke Park, a first-ever Ulster final and the excitement in O’Neill’s voice tells more than words can. They set a target of defending the county title before locking in on Ulster.

Littered with talent and experience, they kept on winning. O’Neill spoke of how the Antrim season helped prep them for Moneyglass and vice versa.

“We’re bringing the same attitude into this county season,” she said. “Last year was an unbelievable county season as well and it really geared us up well for the club season.

“We learned from last year that every game is winnable, it’s all about the performance on the day.

“I feel like we’ve really brought what we learned last year in the club season into the county season so far.”