Hi °C | Lo °C Antrim football boss Jody Gormley, anxious to see his side improve their status in the National League, will be a more than interested observer at Sunday's County final between St Galls and Portglenone at Casement Park, Belfast.
Antrim's sojourn in Division Four last year meant they were deprived of an opportunity of playing in the All Ireland qualifiers and instead found themselves automatically entering the Tommy Murphy Cup.
Even the fact that they got to the final of this competition - and had the opportunity to play in Croke Park - failed to diminish the sense of frustration felt by the management and players at missing out on the qualifiers.
Gormley, the former Tyrone midfield ace who currently plays with the Bredagh club in south Belfast, is particularly keen to see Antrim move out of the bottom tier of the league next year.
"There is a big challenge there for us and we want to try and meet it head on," he says.
"There is still a depth of talent within the county and if we could get a few encouraging results it would certainly provide encouragement for our overall campaign."
On Sunday, Gormley will again run his eye over one of his most exciting young talents.
CJ McGourty will be a key figure in the St Galls attack which will also include the more seasoned Terry O'Neill and Karl Stewart.
McGourty's brother, Kevin, will also be in the side while Sean Kelly's experience will underpin the defence.
Gormley too, will assess Portglenone's Martin McGarry and Paul Doherty who have also been in the Antrim panel and he will be particularly keen to spot fresh talent.
"I'm keeping my options open. We were very unfortunate to lose out to Wicklow in the Tommy Murphy Cup final but the extra matches we got in that competition did not do us any harm. We have to try and take it to the next level now - that's the test for all of us," asserts Gormley.
Antrim's secretary, Jim Murray, believes that, while St Galls have been installed as firm favourites, to land their sixth title since the dawn of the new millennium, Portglenone may offer rather stiffer opposition than some people anticipate.
"I think we have a very attractive double bill and with the Dunloy-Loughguile hurling final following the football, there will certainly be plenty to interest the fans," added Murray.
