By Michael McMullan

CREGGAN manager Joe Cassidy said Friday’s first championship group game against All Saints is vital for both teams.

Lámh Dhearg and St Gall’s make up the group with the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals.

“We’ve a tough group,” Cassidy said. “You could probably go to the other three and name the team that will win the group and, in most other cases, who will finish second.”

He refers to last season when paired with St Brigid’s and St Gall’s. The latter finished fourth but rocketed to victory in the relegation play-offs.

“If you lose your first game, you’re in bother and that’s the same for both of us,” he said of Friday’s encounter with All Saints, a repeat of the league final won by Creggan.

Before a ball was kicked, winning the league wasn’t a Creggan focus. Winning the next game was and it took them to second place.

When St Brigid’s conceded the league semi-final, Creggan found themselves in the final with All Saints who beat Cargin on penalties.

Cassidy can see a value on play-offs for relegation with clubs missing county players during the season. At the top, whoever finishes top should be champions.

“The league was what the league was but it’s just a million miles away from what Friday night’s about,” said Cassidy, who won an intermediate title with Glenravel, coming up against All Saints along the way.

“Ballymena are a decent outfit, they’d four or five lads with the county panel and they had Derrylaughan beat last year in the Ulster Club.

“’Baker’ (manager Liam Bradley) has been with them for four years and has them well organised.

“They’ve got a real goal threat because of their pace and the new rules. It’s all systems go for Friday night. We’d be delighted to come on out of there with a one-point win.”

Antrim’s league season, after the first three weeks, turns into a frantic rush of games every Wednesday and Sunday.

Throw in a hurling game and a reserve football game, and preparation is a series of recovery sessions and walk-throughs.

“The good thing is you get plenty of football, so, from that point of view, the league games really become your training,” he said of the core part of the season’s preparation.

Creggan had blooded five new players who played the odd game last season.

Two from last year’s minor team and three current minors.

“Some of them have probably 13 or 14 league games under their belts, the rest of them all have nine or ten,” Cassidy said.

When the ball throws in on Friday night, under the slopes of Slemish, the league final nine days earlier will be irrelevant. Championship time is here.