Fired-up Gall’s focused on finally beating the odds

THE men of St Gall’s go into Friday’s All-Ireland Club Final as everybody’s underdogs but, by now, they would not have it any other way.

The Antrim champions have been tipped to fall at every single fence since emerging from their own county and forward Karl Stewart admits that more than a few have benefited from this ability to prove the doubters wrong.

“It suits us going in as underdogs,” said the recently-named Club Player of the Year in Ulster. “No-one ever gives us a chance. We were 33-1 to win the All-Ireland before we won Antrim. A few boys have won a few pounds out of it but the players have stayed away from that in case it put a bit of a jinx on us.”

With five consecutive county titles and an Ulster final appearance in 2003, talent has never been in short supply for the Belfast side. The difference this year, according to Stewart, is their mental strength.

All year, manager John Rafferty has been stoking the fire in their bellies with press clippings predicting their downfall while, at the same time, bombarding them with the mantra that they must bow to no-one.

“We have a very strong character leading us in John Rafferty. His passion for the game is immense. He never stopped making us believe that we could beat (anyone) and that psychology side was very important.

“That’s the only factor holding us back in Antrim at the minute. People fear other teams. We go out fearing no-one and it’s paid off up until now and hopefully it will again on St Patrick’s Day.”

It isn’t difficult to see how that lack of self-confidence in Antrim football has manifested itself when the county team’s performances in recent times are held up to the light for inspection.

It’s that lack of national pedigree that continues to see Gall’s perceived as second best, despite highly-prized scalps including Carrickmore (Tyrone), Mayobridge (Down), Bellaghy (Derry) and Nemo Rangers (Cork).

“It is unfair, but I can understand where it’s coming from because Antrim don’t feature at inter-county level at the minute,” reasoned Stewart. “There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes that people wouldn’t see, and with the qualifiers system in, Antrim are getting a lot more matches. Hopefully we’ll get a better run in this year.”

An All-Ireland title for Gall’s would, he agrees, act like a beacon for the rest of the county, and it would also cement the current team’s spot as the greatest the club has ever produced.

Despite all their successes at minor, U-21 and senior levels down the years, the current crop had to live in the shadow of the 1982 team that had captured the club’s one and only Ulster title.

“They had always gone down as the golden team of the club. We had to prove that wrong, especially after getting beat in the Ulster final a few years ago. We had to put that right.

“It was massive for us. We’d been pushing for it for a few years, since we won our first Antrim Championship in 2001. It has been a long road.”

While the 1982 vintage came a cropper at the semi-final stage, today’s team is now only 70 minutes away from an All-Ireland crown.

Bringing the cup back to Belfast, to a parish where all their biggest rivals - John’s, Rossa, St Paul’s, Sarsfields, McDermott’s, O’Donnell’s - are close neighbours, is the aim now.

“It’s one of my dreams anyway and I know all the boys feel the same. It’s a very young team that’s won a lot of minor and U-21 titles together at hurling and football. We all came through together, went to school together.”

Won together too. On Friday they have the opportunity to vault the highest hurdle of them all.