By Michael Devlin

St Enda’s captain James McAuley had to pinch himself at the end of his side’s Ulster Intermediate Football Championship semi-final a fortnight ago.

He could scarcely believe the scenes at the final whistle as young jubilant supporters flocked onto Armagh’s Athletic Grounds field following a pulsating 0-13 to 1-8 victory over Tyrone champions Tattyreagh.

The Glengormley club now stand on the brink of an Ulster Intermediate title, one game away from becoming the first Antrim club ever to win the honour.

“The scenes at the end of that game, you see the amount of young members coming running out onto the pitch treating us as heroes, it’s unbelievable,” centre half-back McAuley told GAA.ie. “None of us have never really experienced that before. Hopefully there’ll be scenes like that again in the Athletic Grounds this weekend.”

On Saturday, St Enda’s take on Cavan winners Mullahoran, who endured through two periods of extra-time to eventually beat Banagher by free-kick shootout in their semi-final. The Dreadnoughts quarter-final against Bredagh of Down also went to extra-time, while St Enda’s overcame Monaghan champions Doohamlet. Does McAuley believe though that Mullahoran’s taxing path to the final will have a bearing on the game?

“I suppose you can look at it both ways. You can say Mullahoran, they’ve been to extra time twice and it might affect their legs, but you could also say they can tire a team out as well. The character that they showed to get to the final, it’s undoubted, so no doubt it will be a tough game.”

St Enda’s have also shown no small amount of grit and resolve to book their place in the decider. In the semi-final the Antrim men were just about edging proceedings before a Joe Cartin goal in 55th minute put victory in sight for Tattyreagh.

With the clock ticking down, St Enda’s looked to the cool heads of Odhran Eastwood and Conor McAuley to pull the game back level, before substitute Mickey Morgan sealed the win with two stoppage-time points.

“The Tattyreagh game was uncharted waters for us. It was a strange match to play because we took the lead early in the game then they came back again and again. It was a case of finding our feet and that probably took the majority of the match. They got the goal and that put them ahead, and we probably hit the ground running then.”

Former Antrim manager Frank Fitzsomins has been the man at the helm for St Enda’s this year, and McAuley believes his inter-county expertise has been key to developing a youthful Glengormley side brimming with potential.

“Frank came in at the start of the year and it’s been unbelievable. His backroom team as well, Pat Hughes and Colm McNulty, it’s just been a great year altogether. Frank’s obviously been a central role in all that.

“A lot of our team at the minute would have played from Under 12 to Minor, and it might have helped this year to get a new face in and amongst it and maybe push players out of their comfort zones, and that’s why we’re sitting where we are now.

“I think the average age of our squad is maybe only 22. Out of the starting 15 the last day, there was maybe only three that were over 25. So it’s been good to get the breakthrough this year - we’ll see where we end up.”

As the days run down towards Saturday’s game, McAuley is careful not to get caught up in the noise and excitement that surrounds an Ulster final. He maintains the key for his side is to stay calm and focused ahead of what could turn out to be the most memorable day in the club’s 62-year history.

“We’ll try to keep it as relaxed as possible, but at the end of the day it’s an Ulster final and there’s only so relaxed you can keep yourself.

“There’s no sort of special routine we’ve had through the championship, we’ve just tried to keep things as normal as possible so that you’re not psyching yourself out. You can think because it’s a final you have to do something different, but we’ll keep everything normal.

“Our mentality through the Championship this year has been game-by-game and see how we go. Hopefully one more step and we’re Ulster Intermediate champions.”