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Messages - bannside

#31
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
March 04, 2024, 09:47:54 AM
Re Fibrus MOM, all that's needed is a slight change in the wording...Fibrus Antrim Player of the Match.

Surely this is a welcome development, a way of 8/10 players per year getting a reward for their efforts.

Surely these initiatives should be applauded.
#32
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
March 04, 2024, 08:47:35 AM
Wouldn't say turgid Kidder, that was indeed the case last week in Sligo, but yesterday I thought we had a proper go, and died with our boots on.

Players working their way into squad/team such as Kavan Keenan and last year's newbies Colm McLarnon and Ronan Boyle all did well yesterday, amongst our better performers.

On yesterday's display we should have enough to beat Wicklow in our last game  and anything we get against Clare (away) is a bonus.
#33
Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling
March 02, 2024, 10:21:12 PM
Up the Tower. Well done 👏
#34
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 27, 2024, 08:13:07 AM
Some of those teams still need to play each other, so they will pick up points. I feel we need one more point (draw) to be mathematically safe.. a bonus if its not necessary.

I think Peter Healy isn't far away, would be some addition at this stage. Believe he's the closest.
#35
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 26, 2024, 05:22:15 PM
Caesar, we all have opinions about who should be playing and who shouldn't and who should be on the team that's not, or who's missing from the panel altogether.

The one thing I do know is that no two people would agree on it.

We need to get behind those who are there, and hope that one by one the team/panel increases in player strength as the year goes on.

Take MF as an example where none of Small, Stewart, Quinn or Hynds are available atm. Stephen Beattie played there too - for Lenny, and never let himself down...but he got hurt against Fermanagh earlier this year to compound our midfield options.

So McAleer and McLarnon are thrown in, and it's a tough place to find yourself at inter County level, right in at the deep end.

Big Jack actually came on and got his hands on a couple, again out there doing his best for the cause, fair play.

I'd love what's there to maintain our division three status, against the odds. No one could have foreseen these circumstances.










#36
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 26, 2024, 02:34:20 PM
Quote from: EOC1923 on February 26, 2024, 02:13:44 PM
Quote from: bannside on February 25, 2024, 09:14:06 PMYes. Apart from a great 10 minute spell before half time when we scored five unanswered point, Sligo were just better than us. Nothing easy looking about our next two games either, Wicklow at home in last fixture could be make or break.
Antrim twitter feed yesterday at 15.24 - 'Big Jack Dowling also on for Colm McLarnon'.
The standard of player just isn't available for Antrim to progress any higher than staying in Div 3, if they stay up its clearly a bonus. Not insulting anyone its just the reality of the current situation.

That's the reality EOC, and the players representing us are working hard at training and out there doing their best. We have a lot of quality missing, and on that basis it really would be creditable if we can maintain division three status with the hand that we were dealt.

Even just take the Cargin contingent for example. From 7 panellists last year and this, there were medium or longer term injuries to Jamie, CJ, Eunan, Sean ONeill, now Benen, and I think I've even missed someone!

The class of Adam, Ryan, Aghagallon McCann and Peter Healy arnt easily replaced, and throw in last years midfield pairing Stew and Kevin Small. And even that's not nearly the full list.

To be fair I don't see the usual cheap shots I was expecting after a few defeats. The reality is no one could have anticipated the loss of so many influential players, and being optimistic, with the wind behind us we should have a far stronger panel next year.

#37
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 25, 2024, 09:14:06 PM
Yes. Apart from a great 10 minute spell before half time when we scored five unanswered point, Sligo were just better than us. Nothing easy looking about our next two games either, Wicklow at home in last fixture could be make or break.
#38
Quite Frankly, that's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a very long time. It's a lazy narrative going back to previous administrations, but since a group of visionaries (under the banner of Saffron Vision) got together around 7 years ago, tangible improvement is clear to see, and ambition levels are firmly intact.

#39
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 18, 2024, 11:05:11 PM
Agree Brendan, stay in Div 3 with up to 9 of last years mainstays missing will be very creditable, if that occurs. Hopefully some of the currently unavailable will be back for championship.

At eight each I was well enough pleased that we were making it competitive, disappointed that the final defecit was nine. On plus side a lot of players getting game time which going forward will lead to healthy competition for places when many of the unavailables return.
#40
GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Colleges
February 12, 2024, 06:50:56 PM
Tyrone schools football at an all time high. Must be serious work going on in clubs, then schools pick up the mantle in year 8.

Holy Trinity & St Joseph's Donaghmore both stepping up in recent years too...

Only show in town amongst the bushes...fair play.
#41
Buy from the bargain bucket, or get players on loan that are out of favour somewhere else. That's the plan and hope that the drop in grade allows them to find a new lease of life or fulfil their original promise.

Celtic are more like a functioning corporate, existing for financial profit than any kind of club with aspirations to achieve at a high level.

Buy cheap, get lucky with the odd Moravchik, Larsson or Van Dyke, and do just about enough to qualify for a few big nights in Europe under the lights.

Lawell gets his annual bonus which allows him to be one of the highest paid employees in European Soccer and....rinse and repeat.

Even the most loyal and dedicated supporters are starting to see through this charade.

Ange came along and lifted the gloom with by working his magic, playing great football and winning trophies...but the cracks are resurfacing quicker than we could have imagined.

#42
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 05, 2024, 12:14:10 PM
There's more than that out presently!

Ryan Murray, Conchiur Johnston, Conor Stewart, Patrick Finnegan, and Stephen Beattie come to mind, all hopeful of playing some part as they year goes on.


Most or all of these 5 would be hoping to start/play championship under normal circumstances!

Kevin Small maybe won't make it back this year at all.
#43
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 05, 2024, 10:24:52 AM
Was intrigued to see how Kavan Keenan would perform at corner back, with it being a fairly specialised position and Kavan in all liklihood never played there in his life before these last few weeks.

This on top of Eunan at FB (again, a player with natural instinct for attacking/scoring!

Both did well with Kavans touch tight man marking on Offaly dangerman No 14 a feature, and I was glad to be proved wide of the mark in my pre match analysis.

Just shows how much the game has changed - positions mean very little these days, and what Andy is obviously doing is filling jerseys with lads who have an engine for making yards all over the pitch, literally any player, keepers included, could be on any part of the pitch at any time.
#44
General discussion / Re: The DUP thread
February 04, 2024, 08:57:24 PM
What's this even doing on DUP thread?
#45
Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread
February 04, 2024, 08:34:31 PM
I would have taken your arm off for a one point victory before the game. Wasn't pretty, but with backs to the wall we managed to hang in and come out with 2 points. Seen those points dropped many times, well done to Andy and lads for digging in and grabbing both points.