Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

St John's have a standout under 21 team who should give the Creggan (Ulster) tournament a real crack this year.

But the Johnnies have had great underage teams too over the years and didn't kick on. There's something about this group that makes me think most of them might hang around and push on for a senior title in the next few years. A lot of them are second or third generation and I think that makes a big difference.

They are a great team but in my day the Johnnies had a similar team in Wilson, Mclarnon and the rest of a great team.. think they won one senior title

[Peileadoir]

History is littered with great minor teams who never made the breakthrough at senior. I think Stinsons won 4 minor titles on the trot in the mid 90's with players such as Madden, Logan, McCarry, Convery, Doherty et al and they didn't win any senior titles albeit they did come up against the best club side ever to come out of Antrim but they did give sterling service to their club and ensured they were competitive at the top table.

[bannside]

Most of those mentioned started senior football in division three and finished up in three senior county finals. As you say only for St Galls.....

[Spike]

Lets be fair as that Stinsons team was a great minor team but the portglenone side never looked like winning a championship. they caught cargin on the hop one year and that was as good as it got. They never looked in the same league as st galls in the those finals. maybe won one o'cahon cup and no leagues at all?

Now if they could have kept the ahoghill players from that team alongside them then you never know. Rasharkin had an equally as good minor team around that time and they failed to do anything either in fact I think themselves and portglenone battled it out at the top of division 2 for a few years.

[bannside]

Aye you need 20 really decent grade players to have any chance of winning a championship. Portglenone struggled to get that number but from where some of these guys started to where they finished tells it's own tale.

I recall being at a national league match in Tralee and there were 5 Portglenone players playing. Big Marty got a very bad shoulder injury in a tackle with Seamus Moynahan and it never got completely better.

If our next batch provide as many good memories we will be happy. As long as one year they deliver the big one. We like what we see but still a work in progress.

[Hectic]

I would actually have been of the opinion that Portglenone appeared in 3 finals by virtue of being in and around positions 3-6 within the county during that period but getting some favourable draws.  Very decent side for me but not great.

Back to U21's - any point in even playing the competition - maybe better to hand the cup over now and let the rest of the teams finish up for the year.  Still stick by my prediction that no team will get within 10 points of St Johns.

[fatheadpg1]

st johns are a class act

[fatheadpg1]

st marys Aghagallon still the surprise package in the u21 championship. Pg1 on the way to the B final, a final is a final it will do!!!!

[Hectic]

Do not think Aghagallon are that much of a surprise - certainly would expect them to be in the final now - what they will do against St Johns is another matter (no disrespect to St Enda's).

[paddyjohn]

Do not think Aghagallon are that much of a surprise - certainly would expect them to be in the final now - what they will do against St Johns is another matter (no disrespect to St Enda's).

Do Aghagallon get a bye into the final?

[Hectic]

No they play Glenravel but I think they will be much too strong for them.

[fatheadpg1]

hectic- I think st marys have got a few players in from other clubs- Ive heard they have a couple of cracking underage players one going by the name od Cealion 'Sid' Kearny ... Glenravel have a very strong spine and have a lot of u21s on the senior panel to provide experience

[Hectic]

fatheadpg1 no players from other clubs playing for Aghagallon that I am aware of - maybe want to check your sources.

[Peileadoir]

Yeah looks like Aghagallon could be too strong for Glenravel in the semi-final although Glenravel obviously are on a high after winning a very tight match in the quarters. It's just a pity that the two best teams in the competition meet in the other semi-final. Two teams who haven't really been tested to date and which would have made a great final but that's the luck of the draw. Have to fancy the Johnnies though as they are an older more mature U-21 side than St. Enda's side for whom the majority of the side are either minor or U-19. I think both these teams met last year in the semi-final as well with the Johnnies winning convincingly in the end by 9/10.

[Hectic]

Peileadoir I would take Aghagallon to beat St.Endas, possibly comfortably but as you say the draw does not guarantee top teams in final. Last year we had arguably the two strongest teams meet in the grading round when Creggan gave St.Johns their toughest exaination of the competition.