Quietly she goes about her business, on and off the field. 22 year-old Sarah McCarville has been involved in the Fermanagh set-up since 2016, and was part of the 2017 and 2020 teams that won the Junior All Ireland.

Interestingly, the Aghadrumsee player was the sub goalkeeper on the 2017 side that beat Derry in the replay but in 2020 she took up a more familiar role in the half back line.

McCarville is a player that possesses great speed on the counter attack, is reliable in defence and works hard for her team. Her job will be to curtail the impact of players like Maria O’Neill, Cathy Carey and Orlaith Prenter. The last day out she played more of a ‘sweeper’ role and may well be employed to cut out ball into Antrim’s potent attack once again.

With the replay taking place in Armagh, McCarville is hoping she settles into the game quicker than she did in Croke Park;
“There were some nerves and settling into the game was a bit slow, but being in Croke Park, it was a big day,” she said.

Asked if she felt nervous, she admitted she did;

“I did. As much as I tried to say that I didn’t, I definitely did.

“The whole surroundings, it was very hard to settle into the game.

“It took me about 20 minutes to settle in and get into a normal headspace of a game.”

Knowing the replay is in the Athletic Grounds is some comfort, albeit she has never played there before herself;

“I have never played in Armagh but a few of the girls have and they have been saying that it is a great pitch.

“Any time that they have played there, they have really enjoyed it, so that it always a good sign,” says the Western Brand specification technologist.

Antrim provide a formidable opposition but McCarville believes they have what it takes to overcome them this time around;

“It will take hard work and even the first match in Croke Park, we didn’t give up until the end and it is going to take that workrate and same positive attitude, that we never give up, that we are relentless and keep going.

“They (Antrim) will be fighting right to the end because they will want to go out and prove a point, especially after getting to the final last year and losing out to Wicklow.

“They will be going for the win too, but we will just have to put it to them.”

Asked what it would mean to win on Saturday, she simply said; “It is what you dream of,” adding; “Especially with this group of girls, it has been a really good year for us so it would be nice to finish off the year by getting the medal.”