ANTRIM manager Lenny Harbinson could be facing a battle to keep the talented Matthew Fitzpatrick on his squad for 2018.

The St John’s man has become a target of the Irish League soccer side Ballymena United.

Fitzpatrick is no stranger to soccer having played with Glentoran in the Irish League a few years ago. He has since stepped back from that career and enjoyed success on the Gaelic Football field with St Marys with whom he won a Sigerson cup.

He still plays soccer with lower league side Immaculata, and it was while he was playing with that Belfast club that the Ballymena united scouts took interest in him.

They watched him play with Immacualata a couple of times and then asked him to come on trial with them.
They then asked him to train with tem until January but he turned them down.

Last week they were in contact with him again, and they are preparing a new offer for him.

For the moment though, it appears that Fitzpatrick is sticking with Gaelic Football and Antrim. However, Lenny Harbinson may have a few sleepless nights, as if Fitzpatrick changes his mind then Antrim will lose one of their brightest prospects.