By Michael McMullan

SUNDAY’S Ulster Junior Hurling final is Ballinascreen’s third game in 15 days but manager Cathal McDaid is relishing the busy schedule.

As soon as the dust settles on the game, it’s time to get a look at what’s coming next. Any niggles and sores need managed.

This week was about getting a look at East Cavan Gaels’ win over a Rasharkin outfit who McDaid felt were the fancied team as champions of Antrim. He touched base with the sets of eyes he had on their opponents.

“To be hurling in November, you’d take it all day long and every year if you could,” he said.

After clinching the Derry title with victory over Lavey, Ballinascreen have ran up impressive tallies to see off Inniskeen and Ballela. Their secret has been a deep panel.

“We’re in a very lucky position now this year,” he said. “Our bench has been our strength in all our games. We have players on the bench that are every bit as good as the players that are starting and that’s a good situation to find yourself in.”

The early part of the season was a testing one. From last year, they’d lost Anton Scullion, Philip McGlade, Daire Kelly and Aodhan O’Hagan. They had to fly the flag without their county players earlier in the year.

Now, it’s about fusing it all back in with a mix of young and old. They were back on the pitch on the Wednesday after beating Lavey and their wins have helped add some momentum.

“It’s all new ground for us now,” McDaid said of their extended season.

“We’re finding ourselves in a position where we’ve never been before. It’s a learning experience for players and management, but we’re enjoying it.

“When you’re hurling in November, it’s never a bad thing. The lads are enjoying their hurling, training is good and we’re looking forward to Sunday now.

“They’re (East Cavan Gaels) a very good team. They have five or six quality players and Sunday’s going to be enjoyable but it’s going to be a tight game.

“The Antrim champions are always pretty strong in that Junior Championship and East Cavan Gaels beat them by 10 points so they have a lot of quality.”

A title would be a perfect way to cap off their season but the old adage also pops up of an Ulster run shortening the winter.

“When you’re trying to develop young players, they need game time,” McDaid concluded.

“The more games you get, the more they’re going to improve. If you take Sunday’s game, there’s three championship games that we wouldn’t have had any other year. You want to be playing championship hurling

“Lads are enjoying it, there’s a bit of a buzz about the club at the minute because it’s new to us as a club.”