All-Ireland Junior champions Antrim pose significant threat to Leitrim's League dreams

If any county knows not to count their chickens before they hatch, it is Leitrim and you can be sure that the County's Ladies team will take the challenge of Antrim very seriously indeed in next Sunday's Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final.

It is not that Leitrim are doubting themselves, they've felt deep in their bones they shouldn't be in the bottom basement of League football ever since they were relegated but each and every year, a different opponent has risen to thwart their dreams of promotion.

Two years ago, Louth did the damage in the Final in Clones while last year, Offaly stunned the Green & Gold in an extra time epic and if anything, Leitrim's experience against Fermanagh in the semi-final should keep them well grounded.

Get your tickets for Leitrim's Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final next Sunday

Leitrim needed extra time to get the better of their neighbours but in the last game of Group A, Antrim cruised to a 1-13 to 1-6 win over a Fermanagh side that took their to a replay in the final of last year's All-Ireland Junior championship.

Antrim then scored a very comprehensive 3-16 to 1-11 victory over a Limerick team who the Green & Gold had to scramble late on to grab a draw with in the group stages.

Leitrim's attacking return has been off the charts in the League but Antrim's average of 30.25 points a game is far superior to Leitrim's 27 points a game. In defence, Leitrim had a small edge, conceding just 10.6 points a game compared to the 11.5 points Antrim conceded in their four games  to Leitrim's five.

All that tells us is that Antrim's attack is going to be the best the Green & Gold have come up against so far while their defence is equally mean so scores are going to be very difficult to come by.

Leitrim emerge from extra time thriller to book place in Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final

LEITRIM 1-12 FERMANAGH 1-10 (AET)

Leitrim's attack has had a greater spread of scorers this year under Jonny Garrity but when the pressure is on, the burden will revert to captain Michelle Guckian but on a hard fast pitch, the surging runs from deep of Elise Bruen and Laura O'Dowd may be a match winner.

Gut feeling, I'm going for Leitrim but I'm very wary of Antrim who seem to be building up a nice head of steam. Leitrim will need their best performance of the year next Sunday but there is something about them this year and I expect them to end their five year sojourn in Division 4.