Saffrons Spice Things Up

I only managed to catch the last ten minutes of Saturday night's game in Clones, but if Cavan were playing like that for the whole of the game then they deserved to get beat. And if the first sixty minutes were as bad as the closing stages, then I'm glad I saw very little of it.

But very few people in Antrim will care about the quality of football on offer, as their 39-year wait for an Ulster Final appearance has finally come to an end. Unfortunately, I'll not be holding too much hope for Liam Bradley's side in the decider at Clones. I expect Tyrone to win comfortably enough - they have too many good players all over the pitch for Antrim to stop them. No matter how much the Saffrons huff and puff, the greater quality at the disposal of the Red Hands should shine through without too much resistance.

Antrim would be best advised to forget about who they are playing in the Final. If they get bogged down (as may have happened Derry) in trying to snuff out Tyrone, then they won't let their own strengths come to the fore. Antrim have showed passion, belief and confidence in abundance in the opening two rounds, and retreating back into their shell will do them no favours in a Final, where many people are only predicting the margin of Tyrone's victory.

And they're probably right, because let's face it... the Final could be a massacre.

Where's that handicap market?

And then there was One...

Most football commentators appear to be of the firm opinion that there is no point in playing this year's Ulster Final. In other words, when the silverware is handed out in Clones on 19th July, it'll be into the hands of Tyrone's captain. There's no doubting that in my mind also, but it figures then that tomorrow's Ulster semi-final between Antrim and Cavan is also meaningless.

So, instead of playing an Ulster semi-final tomorrow evening it should be played as some sort of "qualifier qualifier" (if you get my meaning), with the winner going into Round 4 and the loser joining Derry in Round 2. And just forget about the Ulster Final. That would save a lot of time and energy, but the winners still get their rightful reward.

Both sides will obviously point to the fact that they'll be all the better for playing in an Ulster Final, and it will be a great occasion etc. but believe me guys... it won't be great at all. It will be an awful experience.

Just for the record, I think that Cavan should have just about enough for Antrim in tomorrow's game. All round, they are a better balanced side with greater individual talent. They are also a more experienced team; with Antrim (to my knowledge) not having featured at the newly (early 1990s) renovated Clones in a Senior Championship tie. Antrim have players who have won Sigerson and Ulster Club titles, but this is a different level and I wonder how hard it will be for them to repeat their heroics from Ballybofey.

Cavan's edge in the forward line might just prove the telling difference, and with it give the Breffni-men the privilege of getting their backsides handed to them by the Red Hands in July.