IT’S A CASE of bed early, up early for the week; the All-Ireland junior ladies football final throwing in at 11.45am on Sunday and opening the Croke Park triple-header.

“It’s an early start, but I suppose there are a good few of us used to playing finals at that time,” Fermanagh captain Molly McGloin nods ahead of the all-Ulster meeting with Antrim.

“We are not trying to overthink it either, just trying to get our sleep right and our eating. The day before, you want to try to get your carbs in because it’s obviously going to be hard enough to get a big meal in at that time of the morning.

“We kind of talked about it and agreed that we would try to get up earlier all week, change our sleeping patterns to get ready for Sunday.”

They’ll be leaving Enniskillen bright and early, the Road to Croker hit once again.

This is Fermanagh’s third final in four years. They were beaten by Louth at HQ in 2019, and came out on top against Wicklow at Parnell Park amidst the Covid-hit 2020 season.

McGloin was involved on both occasions, the Ernesiders also triumphing in 2017 after a replay against Derry.

“We have the experience of being in All-Ireland finals, we know what it’s like, we know what to expect,”  she enthuses. “Try to enjoy the occasion, because these days don’t come around too often, but trying to keep the focus on the match at the same time.

It’s every person’s dream if you are a footballer, to play in Croke Park. So it’s a massive achievement but you are trying not to overthink it either, it’s just another pitch at the end of the day and we’re there to do a job.

“Hopefully we’ll get a good support, we know the county are behind us and they’ll be coming down. Hopefully we’ll get over the line.”

With promotion the big prize, McGloin and co. having yo-yo’d between grades in recent years.

“We’ve been up to intermediate, back down to junior, up to intermediate again, back down to junior this year again. I suppose it’s quite frustrating but I think we nearly have a point to prove from last year, we were very unlucky, I think, in the intermediate championship. 

“We were losing out by very small margins in those matches, so I suppose we are using that as drive this year, and it has paid off so far this year by getting to the final.”

Standing in their way are familiar foes Antrim. The sides are no strangers to one another, frequently crossing swords; Fermanagh winning in the league and Antrim enjoying a narrow comeback Ulster final win already this year.

They’ve met so many times in recent seasons, but never on the biggest day in an All-Ireland final.

“I didn’t even consider that,” Saffron captain Cathy Carey grins. “It’s just because you so meet them so often, you never really think about it that way.

“I’m sure it will be a tight, entertaining game. I can’t say otherwise because it’s been so tight between us in all the recent games we’ve played. It will be an interesting one.”

“We know exactly what Antrim are capable of,” McGloin nods. “We know they are a very strong side, but hopefully if we get the match-ups well, then we’ll come out the right end of it, but we know it’s going to be a tough battle.”

32-year-old Carey will be appearing in her fifth All-Ireland junior final, winning two in 2009 and 2012 and losing two in 2017 and 2019. The county are hoping to bridge a 10-year gap, the last victory coming in ’12. 

For Carey, All-Ireland finals day is a constant fixture in the diary, and 2022 was no different.

“I’ve been to every final since I was no age at all,” she beams. “I played at one aged 10, when Down were in the junior final. I was so excited to be there, playing my first game for Antrim at half time.

“It’s what you play for. I’m really interested in ladies football and not going to the final probably wouldn’t enter my head every year. I generally always go, I have a real interest in it and have watched all the matches up that point, it’s just the same as the men’s.”

Antrim v Fermanagh, 2022 All-Ireland junior final — Sunday, 11.45am, live on TG4