THE AHOGHILL team are preparing for a St Brigid’s team with a new addition to the team this weekend.

Recently retired Cork player James Loughrey has transferred back to the Belfast club and after togging out against Portglenone on Wednesday night’s championship opener (yesterday), Ahoghill are expecting him to do so again in their Group Two game at Musgrave Park on Sunday (2pm).

Loughrey transferred to Cork in 2013, and played there up until last season when he decided to retire from intercounty football with the Rebels. As he has been away from Antrim club football he will be unfamiliar with many of the teams in the championship, including Ahoghill. Ahoghill manager Brian Heaney explained that his team have a slight advantage in terms of knowledge.

“We played St Brigid’s in the league and we had six men off. We rested our team. I know about them. I know they had one off. I know that they have Loughrey back. I know a lot about them, but they don’t know a lot about us.”

Heaney explained his ambitions for the team this year.

“I want them to get out of that group. That is my goal. Of the last four games we played, we won three. We won some friendlies. We played Drumsurn and beat them. They hadn’t been beat this year.

“Portglenone and St Brigid’s are the teams that are expected to get through, but I think that we can cause a few upsets.”

Ahoghill play Portglenone the following week, and that is a derby match for the club and one that they will dearly love to win. However, Heaney is keen that his team don’t look ahead to that match.

“If we can turn over St Brigid’s then we have a full week to prepare for Portglenone. And the one team that Ahoghill don’t need time to prepare for it is Portglenone. That game is like throwing meat to a lion for Ahoghill. But I don’t want them to think that. If we can beat St Brigid’s in the first match then we are in a good position.”

Ahoghill have a full squad, bar Donal Graham who has an injury and is unlikely to play. PJ O’Connell is back having not played all year. Pat Graham has been out for most of the season with a shoulder injury. He is back involved.

Ahoghill did not win a game throughout the league because they did not play a full strength team in any match.

Heaney said: “We wanted to get as many boys fit as we could for the championship. Come this weekend we should have a full pick, bar Donal Graham.”

RETURN… James Loughrey