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4 more games a year will put a bit more of a strain on dual clubs and fixtures committees mind you...

They definitely needed some form of rebalance as how division 3 was run off last year at the beginning provided a lot of very lop sided games. This looks like it could do that I suspect which is good.

Division 1 may have some one sided games but unfortunately the top couple could probably play two teams who would beat other teams even in a 10 team league anyway so no-one's fault.

Is it set in stone that there will be four more matches, i thought there may be the option of two less games with 11 first round games followed by a Top/Bottom half split and another 5 games. even if not the 'bigger clubs' who don't seem to want these extra fixtures or Easier games have a chance to blood their younger players and give their extended squad a run out if the gulf is so big. pick the two teams you dont deem worthy and play your second 15 against them, simple

U may see something like u r talking about come to fruition gizzy, one full round of 11 games, then split in two & another 5 games, so in effect 2 less games than last year, 16 game league with more competitive games for the top teams nearer championship & no gimmes at the end of the year for teams at the bottom either which has happened year in year out.

makes sense in my opinion.

be interesting to see who chairs ccc next year, i hear there is a meeting next week to get old and new together and move forward from there.

brendan a bit of false talk on your behalf, as saffron vision has not been to every club in the county, they may have made a phone call but have not visited every club. it was the backroom team for saffron vision that went against a rule of thumb in gaa that you do not canvass for positions but sure what does that matter. but sure tell everyone what they want to hear. no media campaign u say lol who was it that released a statement initially to clubs, which then amazingly appeared in the papers?! but sure no one from saffron vision prompted them to do so. u mentioned previously about working with the other candidate in a pro comm. so why would you then slate him for promoting himself?!

bannside, im surprised your club didnt forward u on a copy of the convention booklet that was emailed 2 weeks ago. pity u had to read it in todays paper to know what the annual reports say.

anyway, the clubs will vote tonight & we will have a new county management at the end of it. fair play to those who get the votes from the clubs.

Recommendations and motions only ever come from clubs who are affected by the certain thi they aim to change! Cushendall club have a motion in regarding u21 hurling, St Galls about reserve football,etc.

It is every clubs opportunity to do so at county convention.

Division 2 was cut throat this year with any team from 6 that could have went down with 2 games remaining. That is why sarsfields motion has merit, someone mentioned Aghagallon ran away with div 3. So why is sarsfields motion deemed out of the ordinary. How hard would it be to fit another 4 games into the year, start 2 weeks earlier?! There are always dates for refixes pencilled in also.

Sarsfields 2nd proposal that all leagues should be completed before championship also makes sense as no one except teams needing points want games in October or November!

Cj in hurling panel. Wonder would he commit to both.

with his dodgy hip lol no chance!
Think he is on hurling panel as he is not on football one.
Heard a few returns r on the cards Bannside which is certainly heartening but u always lose a man or two in the crossfire!

I don't doubt that ur story didn't happen bannside, not sure about the rule but it was one way out of answering the questions u had.

I would be concerned like yourself at how little support u got or how little club delegates question how our county is ran by the paid official. I also would like a level playing field on budgets where hurling and football r concerned. It is a concern that the men who r involved in the sv tickets r mainly from hurling backgrounds! They have a few token gesture football men.

Casement can't be sorted quick enough, but it is good to c some of the appointments ulster have made includes someone who was involved in previous projects that have now been completed.

Bannside u t good craic I give u that lol

A small bit premature with ur chest thumping victory speech too lol

I didn't realise u attended county meetings to hear what goes on?!
But then terry the phantom caller goes and sure he knows a thing or two about how meetings should run and how manners costs nothing!

Reilly and hart r two who should not get a position as they have done themselves no favours, hart for down right telling a lies on his cv. The fact that McCann only paid his membership recently also sits uneasy with me. All true Gaels u will tell me!

The rest of the positions will be keenly fought!

I hope whoever gets in can sort casement as we all have seen last night and today that the press release says early next year consultation will happen again before plans submitted. Whoever gets in needs to deal with the outstanding issues of Getting agree to with residents and social club alignment.

gizzy maybe if u would read the thread before commenting, i was merely remarking that bannside thought that sv was the best thing to happen for antrim gaa in his lifetime, which is obvious not true, think he has lsot the run of himself a bit lol

where did i say that those two ocassions made everything rosy!

so bannside our footballers reaching the ulster final in 2009 or our hurlers reaching the ai final in 1989 are bypassed by this group amalgamating to clear the decks at county board level lol

u should get out more often bannside!!

so u know these men personally, that explains it, why did they not consider u to stand for a position then, seems to be if ur a friend or a friend of a friend u could get the nod!

who answered the questions last night?!

The thing is the two u named won't be at the top table!
U r a good spin doctor I will give u that Bannside.
U always try to make even the biggest weakness a positive.

How have u never managed our county team as u must do a great interview!
Do u need to be a business man to do that job also lol

Is it true that if the main position is not filled by sv then the whole delegation will withdraw their names from process?!

so u think a chairman who has to look to either side of him to provide answers to questions is the way forward?!
what happens when pinky & the brain are no longer there to hold hands & the vision has to see for themselves!!
doesnt give me hope!

u talked about correct info being circulated to clubs, well the sv candidate for cultural officer should take a wee look at his!

im sure there will be more pr for sv before the big day, as long as they let the right ppl face it up!
i know v little of the chairman elect & would honestly like to hear what he has to say, not his buddies, about our county!

Not a requirement Bogieman. In fact it's something completely new. 
As long as the info is accurate then a bit of general information about some of the people hoping to step up and lead our county can only be a good thing.

As long as something on the CV points to the officials capacity to do the job well then this is a welcome development. Of course expect it to be completely shunned and denounced by the ultra conservative GAA who are happy enough to place a lot of round pegs in square holes, often with little ability to actually do the job properly.

sure u could proof read it first bannside & let them know if it is acceptable to urself lol if u r looking for round pegs in square holes look no further than the vision! is tony/dick for slipping away into the background once the deal has been done?!

u also forgot to say they have to be a professional in that field, ur slipping up a bit recently!!
sure u cant hold a position until u have went to uni, got a degree and work to/for/with someone involved in saffron vision lol

bannside u r being v one sided here, if u had attended the county meeting last night u would have cringed at what happened!
mr reilly attacking our outgoing chairman & vice versa!

is this the way it is going to be?!

i certainly hope not. and our out going chairman is now guaranteed a place on county exec, as the other 2 candidates have withdrawn from the position of development. how will this work?!

i dont think it matter a jot what is said on here anyway as it will be the clubs who decide. sure we all thought pj wouldnt get the job and hey presto!

Aye no need for tit for tat stuff, as u say ur push is my pull.

I'm not sure where this has come from either as South Antrim chair is not running for a position on the county exec. He maybe wanted to air his views in it. He may get another phone call after this.

His correspondence was sent to all clubs in antrim. I do expect saffron vision to reply in one way or another. They will have to up the ante as the other contenders are proving a match for them with their cv's/letters to clubs.

ah now bannside don't take offence he is merely making a few points! If u read his email u will c the great job that they r doing in South Antrim divisional board.

But long winded but here u go, still can't figure out how to post the voicemail he also attached!



A Chara

Following the issue of the "Antrim Vision" letter to clubs and press I would like to make the following points in relation to claims made in the letter.


1/ As can be seen from their letter to the clubs and press they intend to take over the running of all leagues and championships from under 12 to senior leaving the divisional boards with tournaments only. Their paragraph attached

We will seek to manage our fixtures in a way which schedules club games throughout the county, covering all age groups and across both codes. We believe this can be done in a way which accommodates and supports our county teams, including minor and U21 hurling and football teams. 

This effectively means the abolishment of all the divisional boards. South Antrim CCC this year successfully completed 34 competitions with 805 games taking place in both codes from juvenile to senior. Indeed a large number of clubs congratulated our board on the fixtures that were provided.

The South Antrim committee are of the opinion that the structures are not in place to take such drastic action and force clubs into taking part in all county leagues. How will "Antrim vision" grade the league structures and secondly how do they propose to cover the logistics and cost to clubs? Some clubs with 2 teams at some levels and in the case of most South Antrim clubs dual teams at all levels. Antrim vision said they want to promote our games, but without forward planning it will do little more than driving some clubs into the ground in particularly dual clubs. 

Following my initial email to the other divisional chairmen seeking their views on this matter I received a voice mail from a member of the "Antrim Vision" which I have attached.

Is this the calibre of personal we want or need to look after the affairs of Antrim you judge.


2/ The letter speaks about what "Antrim Vision" intend for coaching and games development yet they are not contesting this vital post within Coisti Banisti.


3/ "Antrim vision" appear to be unaware or uninterested in current coaching and games initiatives as witnessed by their total lack of involvement in recent meetings that are putting together a strategy for Development squads which is being led by Ciara ferry and Columb Walsh

4/ The "Antrim Vision" posturing on fixtures is even worse. Firstly they fail to explain how they would administer their fantasy claims with reference to county fixtures as members of the grouping have stated that they have no interest in chairing or serving as secretary to CCC. How they could effect change from outside given the plenary powers of CCC ref fixtures would make it unworkable.

5/ Also totally ignored by "Antrim Vision" is the fact that the decision as to which competitions would be administered by All County CCC and which would be run by divisional boards was made at county convention and could only be changed by2/3 majority at convention.

6/ "Antrim vision" has campaigned disregarding all of the protocols of election to office within the GAA. They have in asking to address clubs and divisional boards sought to usurp the democratic process by seeking such an advantage over the individuals who allow their names to go forward for nomination for individual office, is this an insult to the integrity of our clubs? Since when was the use of the Irish news and other media outlets part of our democratic process?


7/ "Antrim vision" mention in their letter about re-examining our strategy for Dunsilly and Casement Park. But what Antrim Vision fail to mention in their letter is that a number of their grouping where involed in a fund raising committee set-up to raise much needed funds for these projects and in fact one of them chaired the committee for two years.
In this period we are yet to hear what money they have raised and what plans they have for the future.

8/ "Antrim vision" state in their letter that
We will respect all Antrim Gaels.
Every Antrim Gael will be afforded respect and will have the opportunity to make their voice and opinion heard in a transparent and inclusive way.
Dignity and respect among fellow Gaels will be a priority for us.
What they fail to inform you in their letter is that at an Senior football league game this season a member of  "Antrim Vision" called fellow Gaels from another club SCUM

Is this the dignity and respect they talk about if so they can keep it for themselves I for one want no part of it.

9/ In an article in the Hogan Stand a member of this grouping "Antrim Vision" stated that "Antrim Vision" is only interested in putting the county on the right track both on and off the field.

Was this member not also a member of County Executive for 4 years until 2014

What suggestions did he bring during his time to "put the county right"?


Indeed if he thought we needed a major change why did he show so little interest in our county by only attending a very small number of executive and county meetings during his time.

10/ How can "Antrim vision" claim in their letter to be all dedicated Gaels when one of the grouping only renewed his GAA membership after a number of years.


There you have it  "Antrim Vision" Where was the vision in the letter to you the clubs?

Is Mise
Sean o Baoill
An Cathaoirleach
Coiste Aontroim Theas 

A few emails sent out today again!

one form mclarnon who is assistant treasurer running for treasurer, it details a very good cv and shows how experienced he is to do the job.

another one from south antrim chair to ask questions of saffron vision, he makes alot of very valid points in questioning their press release and its content and the fact some of them have been there before and didnt do much then.

he also attached the notorious voicemail lol anyone that hasnt heard it ask ur club secretary to forward the email!

we will need a live debate stephen nolan style shortly in days before convention!