Aside from defending All-Ireland champions Kilcoo, no team in this year’s Ulster Club Championship has more experience of the provincial football series in recent seasons than Cargin.
Unfortunately for the Antrim champions, their experiences have been forgettable and they head into Sunday’s clash with Donegal champions Naomh Conaill seeking to end a run of five straight defeats in the Ulster Club series.
Despite dominating the Antrim Championship with four wins in five seasons and six in the last eight years, Erin’s Own have stumbled at the first hurdle on their last five attempts in Ulster.
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Cargin’s only win in Ulster came back in 1999 when they defeated Carrickmore before losing out to eventual All-Ireland champions Crossmaglen.
In 2006, they lost out to Clontibret of Monaghan after a replay and they’ve suffered first round defeats to Cross (2015), Killyclogher (2016), Gweedore (2018) and Derrygonnelly (2019).
Like Glenties, they didn’t get the chance to feature in Ulster in 2020 when the competition was cancelled due to Covid.
Speaking at last week’s launch of the Ulster Club Championships at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh, Cargin skipper James Laverty hopes they can change their fortune in the provincial arena.
“We’ve experience in the Ulster Championship. Unfortunately we haven’t got over the line, which is something we want to fix this year,” said Laverty.
“Regards experience, we’ve been there, we’ve been in close games, tight games.
“Hopefully, with the experience of them, that will get us over the line this time. We are definitely due one - it is up to us to perform and produce it.”
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