Clean bill of health for Antrim

Antrim football manager Liam Bradley is reporting a clean bill of health after his side's Ulster final loss to Tyrone last Sunday.

Antrim football manager Liam Bradley is reporting a clean bill of health after his side's Ulster final loss to Tyrone last Sunday.

The Saffrons lost to the All-Ireland champions by six points and now face a seven-day turnaround, with Kerry next up in a fourth round qualfier in Tullamore this Sunday (throw-in 2pm).

"We will be selecting from a full hand on Sunday. We had a bit of a training session last night and we are lucky enough that all of the players have come through unscathed," Bradley told Radio Kerry.

"We'll train tomorrow night again but at the moment everything looks OK."

Turning his focus to Sunday's clash against last year's beaten All-Ireland finalists, the Saffrons boss believes that Kerry are not in the terminal decline which many people perceive them to be.

"It's a mighty challenge for Antrim. Antrim have played Division 4 league football this year, while Kerry are the Division 1 champions," he said.

"It's a mammoth task (for us). Within seven days you are playing Tyrone and Kerry, the All-Ireland champions of 2007 and 2008.

"People say that Kerry are playing poorly at the minute, but I don't buy into that. I think Kerry are winning games by doing just enough.

"I think if Kerry were playing one of the bigger teams at Croke Park, you would see the true Kerry team."

The game, which had been originally scheduled for a 3pm start, will be refereed by Donegal official Jimmy White.

Sligo made the long journey south to Tralee to face Kerry in last weekend's qualifiers and almost pulled off a shock win.

Bradley believes that the home advantage offered to teams in round three of the qualifiers was a significant help to the outcome of the fixtures.

As well as Kerry battling to a home win, Donegal, Wicklow and Roscommon also claimed victories at their home grounds.

But Bradley, a native of Derry and father of Oak Leaf stars Paddy and Eoin Bradley, reckons that neutral venues should be looked at for all qualifier fixtures.

"It just goes to prove that home advantage in the qualifiers is a great advantage to teams," he said.

"All of the teams who won at the weekend played at home. I think it's something that the GAA should be looking at.

"At this stage of the tournament to give home advantage to teams definitely sends out the wrong signal."

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