WHILE there will be few who give an Antrim team that played in division four this year a chance of beating Division one side Armagh, Saffron manager Enda McGinley said that his underdogs approach will focus on using the right mindset.

When Enda McGinley was a player for Tyrone, he was often on the side of the favourites in championship matches so he knows the mindset that Armagh will have, but he also understands how the Antrim team have to think about this game if they want to pull off a shock.

“I know that level, I have played at that level and you can by surprisingly vulnerable at that level to teams who come in with a really good mindset. So it is our job to come in with a good mindset and hope that Armagh have an off day. I could sit and look at Armagh and admire them. There is no point in doing that. I have to set up our team to negate their strengths, and also make sure that we are trying to play to some of our own strengths. So there is a balancing act there to not be scared of them, and not be overawed by them.”

Yet it is hard not to be overawed by the Orchard county. They maintained their place in Division One by beating Monaghan and drawing with Donegal.

Kieran McGeeney is in his sixth year in charge of his county, and McGinley says that the team have been building gradually every season.

“They have been pretty impressive. Their forward line is probably the best in Ulster. I have been on record saying that previously, I am not just saying that now. Their model of development has been excellent.

“Kieran would have wanted them to progress at the first opportunity each time but because they didn’t that has made them more resilient now that they are in the top flight.

“Last year they got beat well by Donegal in the end although it came down to a narrow margin, a small window in that game when the damage was done. They seemed to take huge learning from that. They have stepped up in division one and have looked comfortable. They were unlucky not to be in the top.

“Their next step is to push on for honours and I am sure they feel they are in a position to do that.

“They play a really good brand of football. They are exceptionally well developed strength wise, speed wise as well. They have a lot of strengths.”

McGinley’s Antrim are not without their positives. They come into this year’s championship on the back of a successful league campaign as they were promoted to Division three.

They had been trying to achieve that for the previous three seasons, but were unsuccessful. McGinley said that when he started he chose to look forward and not look back.

“To a certain extent you have to ignore what happened before. You have to get them at that point in time and get the most out of them as you can and deal with the circumstances.

“We had the excuse of the northern group in the league being particularly tough, or with covid not allowing us preparations. So there are plenty of excuses there, but as a team we decided we would refuse to use any excuses. We would do it to the best of our ability and it worked for us.”

ATTITUDE… Enda McGinley says that Antrim’s attitude must be right against Armagh