Reasons to be cheerful

So here we are a few days away from the beginning of another intercounty GAA season. In the past McKenna Cup has not exactly set saffron pulses racing but I think we can expect that a decent sized crowd will turn up in Casement this Sunday at 1pm in what is the football team's first competitive outing since 26th July 2009.That day in Tullamore we almost pulled off the GAA shock of the decade, and travelling the long road home the feeling was one of pride mixed with disappointment.

Last year the prelimary competition saw us losing all three games, with the defeat to Queen's University a particularly heavy one. So we wont predict the future of 2010 on the basis of Sunday's result or the overall performance in the McKenna Cup. but victories are better than defeats so let's hope we get a result and a positive performance.

Reasons to be cheerful in 2010:

1. We haven't lost as many players to colleges this season so our football team should be more coherent as we approach the league.

2. We are missing the St Galls players but for a damn good reason! Imagine them winning the all Ireland club title and those players (we'll leave the question of how many for another day) coming into the squad as we approach the last round of Division 3 matches, just in time to help clinch promotion!

3. Even without the St Galls and university players our football squad already looks strong on paper - and I realise thay gaelic games aren't played on paper.

4. Dinny's back! Hopefully the senior hurling squad can show a dedication to training and playing that matches that of our prodigal coach.

5. In drawing Offaly in the Leinster Hurling Championship we at least come up against a team whcih does not present a psychological hang up. We can and do beat Offaly from time to time.

So if the sight of a saffron jersey lifts your spirits and the sight of a winning Antrim team puts a spring in your step, bookmark Saffron First and let's enjoy 2010.