Louth captain Breen "under no illusions" ahead of LGFA final

Louth captain Áine Breen remains 100% focused on the LGFA Lidl National Football League Division Three final against Antrim this afternoon in Crossmaglen.

Speaking ahead of the game, the skipper said: “No, of course, I think when there's any opportunity to get silverware, you're going to go after it. Of course, firstly, the main goal was promotion, but anytime you get to a final, you want to win.”

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The Wee County's league campaign has been strong, with just one defeat to Laois that still lingers in the squad’s thinking.

“We probably were a bit annoyed, probably more so than when we should have been. Obviously, the team was a little bit different, the set-up was a bit different, and the girls got opportunities.

“But I think on the day, we just essentially didn't perform, and I think it actually probably will hopefully stand to us because we know we can't play like that again.

“If we play like that against Antrim, they'll beat us on the day, there's no doubt about it. I think it was a good game to learn from. We've reflected on it, and going into the final, we just know that we can't show up like that.”

There were mitigating factors, as promotion had already been secured.

“When you know you have promotion in the bag and essentially the game probably didn't mean anything to us in one sense, and it meant everything to them to get over the line, it's very hard to probably go out and perform as well as we had been doing,” she said.

“And it's been a long few weeks playing week on week and performing at that level, so it probably was a little bit of both.”

Antrim arrive with momentum of their own, having secured back-to-back promotions and the Reds are under no illusions about the challenge they face.

“It's an incredible achievement from Antrim's point of view to go straight up from Division Four to Division Two. We've been trying to get out of here the last few years,” Breen said.

“Both of us they're going into a Junior Championship, we're going into an Intermediate. Both of us want to set that up on a winning streak. It means that much to us that we want to win on the day, essentially.”

Recent history offers little comfort, as Louth have beaten Antrim twice in the past year, in the league and the All-Ireland Junior final, but Breen expects a very different contest.

“We're under no illusion that it's going to be a completely different team that is going to show today,” she said.

“I suppose there probably will be that bit from them in terms of revenge, but we want to win just as much, and hopefully it'll make for a good game on the day.”

Familiarity between the sides adds another layer.

“When you play a team so many times in the last 12 months, you probably know each other quite well. You know how they're going to set up. They probably know how we're going to set up.

“They're probably thinking, we've lost to these twice. We're not doing it a third time, we'd be thinking the exact same. But I would say it'll be just completely who shows up on the day.”

For Breen, the occasion also carries personal pride as it is her first National League final as captain.

“It's absolutely fantastic that Kevin (Larkin) named me as captain again this year. It's always an honour to lead the team,” she said.

“This was our first goal for the year. We've achieved that, and it means everything. There's so many leaders on the team that it's an honour to lead them out.”

Beyond the final, Breen sees growing belief within Louth football.

“For so many years, we probably were the team that everyone would want to play, thinking they can beat us. We know we're a brilliant team,” she said.

“We continuously want to be playing at a higher level. Obviously, we're Division Two next year, and we know that's a step up. I think it's a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase what we are capable of.”

Her message to supporters for the final is simple.

“There's no excuse for people not to come out and support us. It’s a great opportunity for people to come show how we can play football and start to build that support going into the Championship.”