Fitzsimons sure club success will boost Antrim

FORMER Antrim football manager Frank Fitzsimons is currently in hot pursuit of more success in a rather different environment.

When he stepped down from the inter-county scene, Lamh Dhearg clubman Fitzsimons was persuaded to take over the reins at St Enda’s, Glengormley.

With the Antrim Intermediate Championship title already under lock and key, St Enda’s now have their sights set on the Ulster crown and Fitzsimons believes that his team’s forthcoming provincial semi-final against Tyrone champions Tattyreagh will prove a seminal test.

Fitzsimons was a more than interested spectator at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh on Saturday night when Tattyreagh just about managed to get the better of a plucky St Peter’s, Lurgan outfit in a thrilling quarter-final tie.

“I thought that both teams played some very good football, I was very impressed with their pace and technique but Tattyreagh deserved to win and now they will be a real handful for us,” states Fitzsimons.

“I have never been involved in any way with a club outside of Lamh Dhearg until now but the commitment and enthusiasm of the St Enda’s lads is simply unbelievable.

“They are a very driven bunch and in boys like Peter Healy, Odhran Eastwood, Joe Maskey, Ruairi Scott and Eoin Nagle they have real leaders who help to set the tone for the team’s performances.”

Fitzsimons believes that St Enda’s progress to date this year underlines the fact that there is a lot of latent talent in Antrim that is now beginning to come to the surface.

“I have always thought that there are quality players in the county and obviously the big challenge is to put a side that can win consistently out on the field,” points out Fitzsimons.

“Antrim are in Division Four again next year and the prime target will be to try and gain promotion.

“It won’t be easy of course but I think a little success at club level can help to provide the spur for better performances at the higher level.

“For the moment, though, our focus is totally on this match with Tattyreagh who will be very much up for battle following their win last Saturday,” commented Fitzsimons.

Meanwhile, Armagh man Jason McGahon has been appointed as the full-time Kerry strength and conditioning coach.

McGahan, who hails from Tullysaran where he began his career with the local club, has been a key member of Kildare manager Cian O’Neill’s backroom team in recent years and has been hailed for his input into the fitness revealed by the side.

His capture by Kerry is seen as another significant move in the county’s bid to attempt to break Dublin’s stranglehold on the Sam Maguire Cup which they will bid to land for a fifth successive time in 2019.

McGahan brings a wealth of experience to his new role and will be responsible for implementing training structures at different levels within Kerry where new manager Peter Keane is already setting his plans in motion for 2019.

Keane has taken over from Eamon Fitzmaurice and it has already been clearly indicated that ambitious Kerry officials see his brief as reclaiming the All-Ireland crown.

A number of new players will be in the squad and McGahan will have the task of bringing them to concert pitch.

It is an exciting new challenge for McGahan, with Kerry determined to halt Dublin’s great run, particularly as the Kingdom won four All-Irelands in a row up to 1981. Title aim: Frank Fitzsimons is eyeing Ulster final slot