By Niall Gartland

ELAINE Dowds has been thrown in the deep end for the beginning of her second stint in charge of the Antrim senior intercounty camogs, but it’s probably a happy complaint to have.

The Saffrons take on Tipperary in Cushendun this Saturday in their first Division One clash, which is where they find themselves having won last year’s Division 1B title.

Dowds was part of the management team alongside Paul McKillen and Jim McKernan that took the county to the 2021 All-Ireland Intermediate title and back into the senior championship for the first time in four decades.

Dowds then steered the ship in the 2022 and 2023 seasons and is now back at the helm, though it won’t be easy to embark on a winning run of games given the calibre of opposition in Division One.

“I am massively excited about it. I cannot wait to get going. This is where you test yourselves, but I’m under no illusions to the challenge ahead.

“We’re going to play the five best teams in Ireland, and are we at that level? Realistically we’re not, but at the same time I’d like to think we can go out and be competitive. We’re certainly not there to make up the numbers.”

Dowds also explained the decision to install Ahoghill’s Catriona Graham as her team captain.

“I thought long and hard about it. Catriona’s an unreal goalkeeper. I was watching back Antrim games from last year, like the league final, and the commentators were saying she’d make any team in Ireland.

“She’s also a great leader. She’s been there since 2020, she has experience, she gets on well with everyone. She’s very laid back but also very competitive.”

Her backroom team includes Loughgiel’s Conor Gillan, Chloe Drain who assisted Dowds on the club scene last year with Sleacht Néill, Martin McLaughlin, who’s part of the Antrim senior hurling set-up, and Curtis Ashcroft on Strength and Conditioning.

But even though the pieces are in place for the start of their competitive season on the personnel front, Dowds admits preparations have been hampered by the woeful weather conditions in recent weeks.

“January was difficult with the weather. We’ve only been out on grass once. I detest 4G with all my heart and soul because it’s so bad for joints, but I’ve had no choice. The only place available has either been St Louis’ 4G or Loughgiel’s 4G. I’m grateful for it but it’s been difficult.

“We played Armagh last Tuesday night, I didn’t care about the weather that night, we were just delighted to get out on grass and see what we’re like.”