Ulster SFC 2024: Antrim stalwart Patrick McBride out to end 'annoying' 10-year hoodoo

McBride admits Antrim were nowhere near good enough when they faced Down in Division Three earlier this year

Patrick McBride has been togging out for Antrim long enough to be able to say two things: he has played at Casement Park and he has won an Ulster Championship match.

There aren't many active Antrim players who can say that, but McBride has been battling for the Saffrons cause for 12 years.

It is an inter-county career which, remarkably, has yielded just a single win for McBride in the provincial arena. That came against Fermanagh in the quarter-finals in 2014.

So, while Rory McIlroy will attempt to win his first major title since 2014 at the Masters this weekend, Antrim will be looking to end their own 10-year hoodoo when face Down at Pairc Esler in Saturday's opening quarter-final.

McBride has seen pretty much all there is to see with Antrim. He's been everywhere with the county, from Croke Park to Ruislip, and has endured his fair share of frustrating days: games Antrim deserved to win, games they didn't and games they'd just like to forget.

Saffrons boss Andy McEntee has blooded several youngsters in 2024, but in St John's club-man McBride he has a talented and versatile player whose desire to once again taste a championship win burns as strongly as ever.

"The 10 years thing, I wouldn't have thought that," admits McBride.

"I would have thought it was maybe six or so. It's a shock to hear that, but it's annoying to think it's been that long.

"It's not good enough from us to go that long without winning a game in the championship.

"There's no big views or anything like that from us. We just need to get one free crack at a match and end that annoying streak of defeats.

"It needs to happen soon and the plan obviously is for it to happen on Saturday."

McBride scored four points the last time Antrim faced Down in the Ulster Championship - a 1-14 to 1-8 loss in Newry in 2018

Thankfully for Antrim, they got a good look at Down just two months ago when the Mournemen travelled to Corrigan Park.

It was an afternoon that dented Antrim's hopes of escaping Division Three and a defeat that clearly still rankles McBride.

"We were not good enough that day at all," he recalls of a game Down won 1-16 to 1-5.

"Down were definitely better. They deserved to win. We came away disappointed in ourselves. It would have been different if we'd given everything and lost but we know there's much more in us and the plan is to rectify it on Saturday.

"We want to show what we can do. That's our biggest takeaway from that Down game. We didn't learn much about ourselves other than we just didn't step up when it was needed.

"We were flat and didn't show the desire that was needed."

It hasn't been all doom and gloom for Antrim, though. While a mixed bag of a league campaign produced three wins and four defeats, victory over Wicklow in their final fixture ensured at least another year in Division Three.

Like so many, they were without key figures during the league, including captain Peter Healy and experienced forward Ryan Murray, but in the likes of McBride, Pat Shivers and Dominic McEnhill they have the players to deepen the wounds of a Down side coming off a Division Three final loss to Westmeath.

With Aghagallon's Ruairi McCann also having returned at the end of the league campaign, McBride feels the county are on the right track.

"We are constantly improving," insists McBride.

"When you hear things like 'you can put it up to teams', we want to win. We're not going out hoping to just put it up to anyone, we're going out to win this match.

"That's our sole focus. We have nothing to lose. That underdog tag, I do like that. I like knowing that you're going to have to dig deep to get the result.

"We're looking forward to it. I've played in games in the past when people have said 'ah you did well just to lose by five' or whatever and that annoys me.

"The plan is to win. Anything less than that would be disappointing for me."

Antrim's Ulster Championship results since last win

2015: Fermanagh 1-13 Antrim 0-8 (prelim, Brewster Park)

2016: Fermanagh 1-12 Antrim 0-9 (prelim, Brewster Park)

2017: Donegal 3-19 Antrim 1-9 (quarter-final, Ballybofey)

2018: Down 1-18 Antrim 1-14 (quarter-final, Pairc Esler)

2019: Antrim 2-9 Tyrone 2-23 (quarter-final, Athletic Grounds)

2020: Antrim 0-9 Cavan 0-13 (quarter-final, Breffni Park)

2021: Armagh 4-15 Antrim 0-14 (quarter-final, Clones)

2022: Antrim 0-10 Cavan 1-20 (quarter-final, Corrigan Park)

2023: Armagh 1-20 Antrim 0-8 (prelim, Athletic Grounds)