“There’s certainly belief within the group” – Grant wants to extend Barrs’ Leinster run

Naomh Fionnbarra have already made history in this year's AIB Leinster Club Junior Football Championship, but senior football manager, Brendan Grant, is determined to make sure the Togher side's provincial campaign goes past the quarter-final stage.

The Louth GAA junior champions face Wicklow's Ballinacor at Echelon Park in Aughrim on Saturday, 14th November at 12.30pm in the hope of building on their historic first Leinster win over Barcelona Gaels in Ardee.

The Barrs' first provincial championship victory marked another milestone for the club, with Grant praising the players and everyone involved in their success.

Speaking to the Dundalk Democrat ahead of Saturday's quarter-final, he said, “It was a great achievement for everyone involved with the club.

“It’s something we’ve been working towards, and to get that first Leinster win was very satisfying. The players deserve a lot of credit for their effort and commitment on the day. It meant a huge amount.

“It’s a great milestone for the club, not just for the players but for the management, supporters and everyone who puts in work behind the scenes. Hopefully it’s something we can build on going forward.”

Performance

The Christy Bellew Cup winner produced an impressive display to defeat Barcelona Gaels at DEFY Páirc Mhuire in Ardee, with Grant particularly pleased by his players' attitude, work rate and determination.

“I think the overall attitude and work rate of the lads pleased me most. They stuck to the task, worked hard for each other and showed good character throughout the game. There were plenty of positives, although there are always things we can improve on.”

Confidence

Having secured county honours and a historic Leinster victory, excitement is growing around Togher. However, Grant is determined to prevent that confidence from developing into complacency.

“I’m sure it has given them a bit of confidence, and rightly so. Any win at that level is a boost. But we know every game brings a different challenge, and we can’t afford to get carried away with what we’ve achieved so far.”

Belief

The Mayobridge native believes his players have shown what they can achieve through hard work, but insists their previous victories will count for little against Ballinacor.

“There’s certainly belief within the group, but I think it’s important to keep our feet on the ground. The Barcelona result showed what we’re capable of when we work hard and play for each other. We just have to take each game as it comes and see where that takes us.”

Preparation

With their opening-round victory secured, Grant and his management team have reviewed the Barcelona performance, identifying areas for improvement ahead of Saturday's clash with the Wicklow champions.

“Preparations have gone well. We’ve had a good look back at the Barcelona game, taken the positives from it and identified a few areas we’d like to improve. Training has been positive, and the lads are looking forward to the next challenge.”

Fitness

Grant is hopeful of having a strong panel available for the trip to Aughrim, although several players are managing minor injury concerns.

“The squad is looking reasonably well at the moment. Like most teams, we’ve a few niggles and knocks to keep an eye on, but hopefully we’ll have a good panel available. We’ll assess everyone closer to the game before making any decisions.”

Opposition

Ballinacor present another difficult game, particularly with home advantage, and Grant expects a competitive encounter against a Wicklow side looking to secure a provincial semi-final place.

“We know they’ll be a strong and competitive side, as you’d expect at this stage of the competition. They’ll be coming into the game with plenty of ambition themselves, so we know we’ll have to be at our best. We’ll give them the respect they deserve and prepare as well as we can.”

Expectations

Making history has raised expectations around Togher, with supporters hoping to go deeper in the Leinster competition. Grant believes their breakthrough has strengthened the squad's confidence without changing their approach.

“I don’t think there’s any less pressure, but perhaps there’s a little more belief now that we’ve shown we can compete at this level.

“We won’t be getting carried away or putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves. We’re just concentrating on preparing properly and giving the best account of ourselves.”

Opportunity

Having won their fourth Louth junior championship title before recording a provincial victory, the Barrs now stand one win away from a Leinster semi-final.

Grant knows another positive result will require the same resilience that brought them success against Dundalk Young Irelands and Barcelona Gaels.

For the Togher manager, the emphasis remains on performance rather than potential rewards, with work rate, discipline and collective effort central to their hopes of extending an already remarkable campaign.

“I think it’ll come down to the basics really: work rate, discipline, winning our individual battles and playing as a team.

“We’ll need everyone to contribute and stay focused for the full game. If we can bring the same attitude and commitment that we showed against Barcelona, we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”