Newtownbutler manager, Darren Chapman, knows the importance of his side’s Ulster Junior Championship game this Sunday.

Not just for the players themselves, but for the First Fermanagh club as a whole.

Success is contagious and he hopes that a win on Sunday will be a massive boost for the club going forward.

“Any success like this is just going to feed the momentum in the club, so Sunday is a very, very important game for us,” he said.

“We are taking it extremely seriously. We have prepared very well at training over the last three weeks.”

The challenge that Newtown face at the weekend comes in the form of Antrim champions, Na Piarsaigh.

And Chapman knows once you step outside your own county to face other county champions, the quality will rise.

The return of a number of players who were unavailable for the Junior championship has bolstered Chapman’s squad and improved the quality of training.

“We have prepared very well.

“Ulster club football is a minefield and we reinforced to the guys you are now playing the county champions so it is going to be very tough.

“The performance against Aughadrumsee, the guts and determination yes, but the quality of the football won’t be enough to win on Sunday.

“We need to be disciplined making sure we keep 15 players on the park and we need to play for 60 minutes because anything can happen.”

Na Piarsaigh will look to the likes of Piaras Donagh and Stephen Fitzsimmons to lead their challenge but Chapman believes if his side perform to the levels they are capable of they should be too strong for the Antrim champions.

“If we play on Sunday we will beat these boys. If we don’t show it is going to be a struggle.

“I think in the level of intensity we are hoping to bring and controlled aggression they won’t have experienced that in Antrim and I don’t think they will be able to cope with it.”

And Chapman knows his side are capable of raising their game to play at that higher level: “We carried a lot of pressure all year being red hot favourites to win junior so actually getting it over the line it would have released the pressure valve a little.

“The boys are excited to be competing at a higher level. In the league games when we have played the likes of Belcoo, Tempo, Irvinestown we have played better so invariably we play better football when we come up against a better level of opponent so hopefully that continues on Sunday.”

Newtownbutler play Na Piarsaigh at 1.30pm on Sunday, November 6 in Brewster Park.