Belcoo go into Saturday’s Intermediate Championship Final as massive underdogs against an impressive Kinawley side but this doesn’t bother Eoin Shiels.

The versatile footballer who has been deployed all over the pitch in Belcoo’s three games in the competition this year feels that coming in under the radar suits his side down to the ground and he is hoping by 9pm on Saturday night Belcoo will have claimed their second Intermediate title in three years.

“We are delighted to be in the final even though it probably wasn’t expected of us to reach this far,” explained Shiels.

It was to be an inconsistent league campaign in which Belcoo probably didn’t have their strongest side out for any single game but Shiels knows that with the return of players to the squad has helped with the run to the final.

“We didn’t have the best start to the league and I suppose it takes getting a stronger squad out which we did for the championship to help the whole thing and it helps you when you are going in as an underdog going into a final to have a strong squad to pick from.

“Being underdog definitely does suit us, down to the ground. In a similar way against Irvinestown we were happy enough being the underdog and it worked to our benefit and we are hoping to catch Kinawley on the hop as they will be massive favourites.”

The 20 year old knows that there is quality running through the Kinawley side and that Belcoo will have to be at their very best if they are going to cause that upset.

“I know they have a lot of men that would need looking after. We wouldn’t want to focus on that too much but at the same time there are a few men that you need to keep an eye on, and the match ups will be key.

“The likes of the Corrigans (Tomás and Ruairi), Tom Keenan coming off the back of a Hogan win and playing good football, Conor Murphy and then you have the experience of Shaun Doherty there as well. There are lot of their players you will need to keep an eye on.”

Having already put one Division One side to the sword in the semi-final, it showed that Belcoo are a dangerous prospect on their day, and for Shiels, it is the ambition of the club to be playing at that level on a more regular basis.

But he is in no doubt that the opposition on Saturday are another step up in quality.

“Kinawley are probably another step up but it is a challenge that you look forward.

“Belcoo want to be playing as a Division One club and we want to be playing at that higher level and in the Senior Championship.

“Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened the last few years so it would be good get up to that level and see how we can compete when we have our full-strength squad out.

On Saturday Shiels and his teammates will know where they will be plying their trade next year, the Senior Championship or another year at Intermediate.

And for Shiels he is hoping for another win for the club at this grade which they last won in 2017 when they overcame Lisnaskea. But for one slight difference, he wants to be able to celebrate it properly.

“Getting another Intermediate would be lovely. The last one I didn’t get a chance to celebrate it as I was concussed from a big hit so I’ve a bit of making up to do,” added Shiels.

And he knows that the only people that can make that happen are the Belcoo players who take to Brewster Park on Saturday night.

And Shiels has full confidence that if they perform to their capabilities, an upset is on the cards.