Odds should not be stacked against Saffrons, insists Crozier

ANTRIM’S Justin Crozier believes the odds being offered for this weekend’s Ulster SFC final are ‘ridiculous’ and vowed the Saffrons will take the game to Tyrone at St Tiernach’s Park.

Liam Bradley has brought Antrim to their first senior provincial final in almost four decades after wins away to Donegal and Cavan, but bookmakers are unconvinced by their credentials.

“The bookies have been giving out odds that are a wee bit ridiculous,” said Crozier who captained the county minors to an Ulster decider in 2006. “Figures like 16/1 on are a wee bit excessive. It’s 15 against 15.

“We’re coming off the back of back-to-back wins, just like Tyrone, even if they are coming from a higher level. But it is all to play for.”

Much has been made, quite rightly, about Antrim’s emergence onto the big stage this summer and, with plans to re-energise the GAA scene in Belfast, the potential for the county in the years to come is obvious. Victory over the All-Ireland champions would do as much, if not more, for the association’s battle for hearts and minds as any strategic plan although Crozier hasn’t time to be considering the wider picture just now. Like any great side, Tyrone don’t trade in sentimentality and the fear is Antrim could find themselves swimming out of their depth in Clones if they don’t hit the ground running on Sunday.

With that in mind, the temptation must be there to concentrate on a damage-limitation exercise, at least initially, but Crozier is determined to make the most of what could still be their one day in the sun.

“Tyrone play total football. A lot of teams have used very defensive systems against them in recent years, but Tyrone always seem to have a way of overcoming that. We might just have to go at them man on man.

“I certainly think we should have a go at them. Sticking 13 men behind the ball won’t work. Who knows when we will be in an Ulster final again so we may as well go and have right good shot at it.”

The odyssey started with the win over Donegal in Ballybofey, but Bradley was quick to stamp on any delirium. At the team meeting that evening he put it straight to his players. “We don’t celebrate first round victories,” he said.

It was something that probably needed to be said because Ulster Championship victories have been thin on the ground for a county that went 18 long years without one not too long ago. Bradley knew the bones of something was there all along, having seen his Glenullin side beaten by St Gall’s in the Ulster Club SFC four years ago. And there were other pointers.

Antrim were pipped by Wicklow in the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup final before claiming the cup 12 months later. And then there was the wealth of experience his panel possessed from the Sigerson Cup where Queens and UUJ have both been prominent in recent years with Antrim men playing their part in successes in 2007 and again last year. Crozier, Paddy Cunningham and Tomás McCann all collected winners’ medals. Twelve of the starting team that defeated Cavan have Sigerson experience and that number rises to 18 in the panel as a whole.

Said Crozier: “We have played alongside and against all these boys from other counties and, to be honest, we would be thinking there is no difference. If them boys could do it why couldn’t we?”