Boyle hoping Antrim can hit the next target

By Michael McMullan

ANTRIM hope to keep doing what they’ve been doing when they face Meath this weekend – winning games.

The Saffrons are league and Ulster champions, so are promoted to the top flight for next season.

After wins over Offaly and Westmeath, Antrim will top the group and book an automatic All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final spot if they avoid defeat on Saturday.

“We want to keep things as straightforward as possible,” said skipper Amy Boyle.

A defeat and the placings would come down to score difference. There would also be a chance of a quarter-final to negotiate.

“We’re exactly where we want to be in the championship, we’ve won our first two group games and we’ll have another tough match,” Boyle added, also happy to be at home after their trek last weekend.

Before the season began, the Antrim camp mapped out their goals. Top the league. Win the league final. Win Ulster. Next up is topping their All-Ireland group.

“You never really know what will happen in a quarter-final so we were always just hoping to top the group,” Boyle explained.

“It would be one match less and, I suppose, it is a long season so you want to avoid overuse injuries.”

Antrim are expecting to be put to the pin of the collar. Meath had a similar win over Westmeath, indicating the need to keep their eyes wide open with their preparations this week.

There was a clear focus or laying down a marker in the Intermediate Championship. As for the league, it was a bonus almost due to so many new players coming into the squad this season.

“This has been probably the most competitive year I’ve ever been involved in the team,” Boyle said when asked how they’ve sustained a winning run since the first game.

“We’ve 29 girls there, all pushing for a place on the team and it’s based on performance at training.”

Anyone who is handed a starting jersey has the opportunity to keep their hands on it.

When ace attacker Caitrín Dobbin picked up an injury in the league final, it opened the door for others.

Katie Malloy and Cassie McArthur have been in flying form with others impressing without being able to break into the starting 15.

That’s a strength in itself, a knowledge of the quality they can bring off the bench for those crucial final plays.

“People are probably looking in, asking how those girls not getting on,” Boyle said. “It’s just the whole just pushing every single person on.”

They’ll need it all this weekend. There is also the important ingredient of the Antrim chemistry inside the group, building on a mixture of craic and hard work.

Both go hand in hand, especially on those tough pre-season nights or last weekend’s trek to Mullingar and the need to dig in despite the rain. Now it’s Meath who’ll test them.

“They’ve always been a fast and physical team,” Boyle said of this weekend’s opponents.

“They always have plenty of skilful players. It’ll be no different than a lot of the other matches and other teams we’ve faced this year.”

Another win and Antrim can start to focus on a chance to play in Croke Park. But they’ll do what they’ve also done, eye up the next hurdle. The rest can wait.