Scullion: Antrim won’t ease off

HAVING already qualified for the semi-finals of the Division Four National League ahead of their final round tie against Derry, it would be easy for Antrim to take their foot off the gas, but that won’t be the case says joint-manager Chris Scullion.

The Saffrons have been seriously impressive in the league campaign, stringing together a run of six successive victories, while this weekend’s opponents Derry only recorded their first win of the season last weekend.

Antrim go into the game as heavy favourites to record another victory and finish the campaign as league leaders.

“Our approach doesn’t change,” said Scullion ahead of Sunday’s showdown at Owenbeg.

“We treat every game with the same respect and focus, just as we have since day one. We have a highly competitive squad, and every player is pushing each other to earn the right to start.

“That intensity and drive within the group are what keep us improving, and we’ll be aiming to bring that again this weekend. We’ve had a good run so far, and while we’d love to continue that, we know that nothing comes easy in this competition.

“Derry will be determined to put in a strong performance at home, so we will just stress to the players the need to stay focused and put in the hard work to give ourselves the best chance of getting a result.”

Scullion, who manages the team alongside Michael Devlin, is hoping to have a full panel of players to pick from by the time the weekend comes around and will have to keep an eye on things in the build up to the encounter.

“We’ll assess things in training this week and keep an eye on how everyone is managing their workloads,” he added.

“We have players involved in university games, as well as some competing in international netball, so we’re hopeful they come through those unscathed.

“With so many players representing different teams and sports, it’s all about managing their schedules and ensuring they’re in the right shape for the game.

“That said, the team we select for this weekend will be the one we believe is best equipped to put in a big performance, and every player chosen is a key part of that.

“We have complete confidence in the squad, and those selected know they are the right players for the job.”