All Saints take aim on going one better than last year

By Michael McMullan

WHEN Liam Bradley looks around the All Saints’ huddle on Saturday, he’ll have more options to help grasp a first intermediate title since 2011.

The Ballymena side take on St Teresa’s with the memory of last year and missing six players going into their final defeat to Glenravel.

Fast-forward 12 months and they’re in a better place. Last year, their absentees included county players Paddy McAleer and Conor Stewart.

They were also without Kavan Keenan who had an excellent debut season in 2024 for Antrim. Bradley confirmed Keenan’s availability after missing the semi-final.

Another plus point was Ballymena’s impressive run to third spot in Division One. With only 16 players available during the holiday period, they went under to eventual winners St Brigid’s in the semi-final.

“We put up a good show against Glenravel,” Bradley said of last year’s final.

“We knew that we weren’t that far away. They restructured the leagues and momentum that we’d built up over that (2023) championship just continued.”

A run of six wins on the bounce at the end of the league ensured they smashed their first target of staying in the top flight.

After hitting three goals to sink Gort na Mona in the opening championship game, they were beaten by a point against Sarsfields.

Their disallowed goal still sticks in Bradley’s throat but, looking back, the defeat wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Their league form had cemented their favourites’ tag.

“It was probably the kick up the backside our boys needed because they were probably feeling cock a hoop about themselves,” the former Saffron boss admits.

After wins over Davitt’s and Glenavy, Ballymena were semi-final winners against St Paul’s after hitting five early unanswered points.

While his side will be favourites, ‘Baker’ has been around enough corners to know it counts for little.

“We’re making no bones about it, at the start of the year we wanted Division One safety and to win this championship,” he said.

“We’re in the final but we’re not taking St Teresa’s for granted. They finished second in Division Two and we know what way they play – a keep-ball team and very, very experienced.

“They caused us a lot of bother in the semi-final last year but we got through.

“We’re going to have to definitely perform if we’re going to take home a bit of silverware.”