Antrim Football Thread

[country bumpkin]

Just back from Ballybofey and although hugely disappointed at senior demise really enjoyed the minor game and a tremendous Saffron victory.
The young lads showed skill aplenty with guts and character underling a super win.
However hear minor management were forced to dig into their own pockets to supplement payment for the squad's post game meal.
ffs....only in Antrim.

You hear a lot

Yep I do and perhaps if u had been bothered to travel u may well have heard as well.
But hey make enquiries of ur club mate who was a part of the team or maybe ask management.....or if all that fails ask ur mate .....the former ref.....or the little message boy....

[Milltown Row2]

Just back from Ballybofey and although hugely disappointed at senior demise really enjoyed the minor game and a tremendous Saffron victory.
The young lads showed skill aplenty with guts and character underling a super win.
However hear minor management were forced to dig into their own pockets to supplement payment for the squad's post game meal.
ffs....only in Antrim.

You hear a lot

Yep I do and perhaps if u had been bothered to travel u may well have heard as well.
But hey make enquiries of ur club mate who was a part of the team or maybe ask management.....or if all that fails ask ur mate .....the former ref.....or the little message boy....

Sure why not get it on the back of the Irish news.. I was bothered helping the county out in other ways... not coming on a public forum and lambasting them at every opportunity seems to be your form

[BrendanAntrim]

Milltown has a point. Our minors have given us something to be proud of today.
Let's embrace that without letting some sideshow (which will no doubt get sorted) take away from it.

This ☝️ 100%. FFS....

[bogieman]

Just back from Ballybofey and although hugely disappointed at senior demise really enjoyed the minor game and a tremendous Saffron victory.
The young lads showed skill aplenty with guts and character underling a super win.
However hear minor management were forced to dig into their own pockets to supplement payment for the squad's post game meal.
ffs....only in Antrim.

You hear a lot

Yep I do and perhaps if u had been bothered to travel u may well have heard as well.
But hey make enquiries of ur club mate who was a part of the team or maybe ask management.....or if all that fails ask ur mate .....the former ref.....or the little message boy....

Sure why not get it on the back of the Irish news.. I was B bothered helping the county out in other ways... not coming on a public forum and lambasting them at every opportunity seems to be your form

Separate thread lads, please

[Rasharkin Gael]

Fantastic display by our minor footballers. The work rate of the two midfielders had to be seen to be believed and over all the team has an excellent balance. Quinn was unmarkable in the first half and when Donegal got to grips with him after the break Tiernan McAteer and Ronan Kelly took up the challenge. Very well managed from the sideline, made changes when needed and had no fear of using the bench. A huge positive on a day that went down hill very quickly after the minor game.

[Spike]

Relegation to Div 4, no stadium, the worst championship 2nd half in living memory.......but hey the minors won so we should all be positive and ask no questions about what went wrong or is continuing to go wrong with Antrim Seniors. That was a shameful result

ps the minor win was thoroughly well deserved and a fantastic performance from all involved - players & management.

[Saffrongael]

Yeah seems like the senior game didn't happen 

[Hectic]

Sadly not surprised at yesterdays outcome.  While relegated from Div 3 we held our own in nearly every game and I had hoped that maybe we would be able to dig deep yesterday but at the same time I feared that the sight of the Donegal jersey would ensure that we went into our shells and so it proved.  We seem to still be at the stage where our county champions are poorly represented on our senior county team.  This was the case for years with St Galls and now Cargin are equally under represented.  While most of us did not expect a win we would maybe have been entitled to think that we would at least go out and ruffle a few feathers a maybe surprise a few in terms of getting close but hey ho.

Great work by the minors, lets keep it going in the next round.

[Milltown Row2]

Jesus lads, Div 1 team beats a now div 4 team... What were you expecting? Had they taken their goal chance early on and continued with their pressure they applied for most of the first half then we might have had a better impact... Until Antrim become a div 1/2 team then we can expect a beating like that, just like Monaghan beat Fermanagh

[redhandefender]

Tyrone man who went up to the game today, lets be honest when is the last time anyone has beat Donegal on that ground! Hate that pitch altogether so wouldn't be overly worried.

See people above complaining about on going problems but that minor team is some outfit. Seen them play tyrone in the minors earlier in the year and they looked really good. Surely this is a chance to build for future of antrim football now, get in behind them, get supporters on board, get the money men on board and get the county sorted. Do your utmost to keep these boys at home and build from there.

Ulster needs a strong antrim! could we see a Brolly Jr v Canavan Jr down the line

[Kickham csc]

Sadly not surprised at yesterdays outcome.  While relegated from Div 3 we held our own in nearly every game and I had hoped that maybe we would be able to dig deep yesterday but at the same time I feared that the sight of the Donegal jersey would ensure that we went into our shells and so it proved.  .  While most of us did not expect a win we would maybe have been entitled to think that we would at least We seem to still be at the stage where our county champions are poorly represented on our senior county team.  This was the case for years with St Galls and now Cargin are equally under representedgo out and ruffle a few feathers a maybe surprise a few in terms of getting close but hey ho.

Great work by the minors, lets keep it going in the next round.

We as a county seem to be obsessed about the number of representatives from the county champions. It doesn't matter. Look at other counties, Burren  in the 80's and 90's had 2 on the Down team, Lavey in the 80's and 90's had 2/3 on the team and 2 more subs, Kerry, 2/3 from the champions, Dublin, a couple, Donegal, a couple???

What's important is that we are getting the best talent from throughout the county on the team. So e have 2 from Cargin, and possibly should have another 2/3 on the panel, St Galls have 3, Creggan 2, LD 2 etc.  Are we now seeing the benefit of development squads and talent now being identified through out the county.

So instead of talking about the number of club representatives, should we not be talking about who are the best players within the county at various positions. Then lets be honest with ourselves and ask the million dollar question; "is the talent in Antrim of Div 1,2,3 or 4 standard?"

[country bumpkin]

Tyrone man who went up to the game today, lets be honest when is the last time anyone has beat Donegal on that ground! Hate that pitch altogether so wouldn't be overly worried.

See people above complaining about on going problems but that minor team is some outfit. Seen them play tyrone in the minors earlier in the year and they looked really good. Surely this is a chance to build for future of antrim football now, get in behind them, get supporters on board, get the money men on board and get the county sorted. Do your utmost to keep these boys at home and build from there.

Ulster needs a strong antrim! could we see a Brolly Jr v Canavan Jr down the line

Antrim went to Ballybofey in 2009 under the Baker to defeat Donegal, and went on to brush aside Cavan in the semi final to make an Ulster decider RHD before losing out to the Red Hands but not without giving them a run for their money in the final.
The Baker Boys did come up against Kerry in the 'qualifiers' and certainly lost nothing in defeat ensuring the Kingdom had to come from off the pace to gain a narrow verdict.....2-12 to 1-10.
Tomas Mc Cann was the sole survivor from that side but in fact most of that team, are still going strong in Antrim leagues and from my observations more than a few would still make the start list.
Baker has gone and we are back in the basement struggling to erase the 'easy touch' tag...........support is poor in the extreme with a couple of hundred in attendance the norm in league games in 2017, despite being held in West Belfast.
You were in Ballybofey yesterday ......then consider the huge cheer which greeted the arrival of the Donegal minors into the arena on Sunday and make comparison to the silence as the young Saffron's arrived.
Indeed when the youngsters trooped around the ground to their respective seats to view the senior affair the vanquished again were treated to loud applause whilst the valiant Antrim side receive little in the way of acclaim.

We do have a smashing minor team to build on but the facts are that few in our county are quite unaware of their talents because the simple fact is they have never seen them play.

Hope does spring but do not hold ur breath.........

[Hectic]

Sadly not surprised at yesterdays outcome.  While relegated from Div 3 we held our own in nearly every game and I had hoped that maybe we would be able to dig deep yesterday but at the same time I feared that the sight of the Donegal jersey would ensure that we went into our shells and so it proved.  .  While most of us did not expect a win we would maybe have been entitled to think that we would at least We seem to still be at the stage where our county champions are poorly represented on our senior county team.  This was the case for years with St Galls and now Cargin are equally under representedgo out and ruffle a few feathers a maybe surprise a few in terms of getting close but hey ho.

Great work by the minors, lets keep it going in the next round.

We as a county seem to be obsessed about the number of representatives from the county champions. It doesn't matter. Look at other counties, Burren  in the 80's and 90's had 2 on the Down team, Lavey in the 80's and 90's had 2/3 on the team and 2 more subs, Kerry, 2/3 from the champions, Dublin, a couple, Donegal, a couple???

What's important is that we are getting the best talent from throughout the county on the team. So e have 2 from Cargin, and possibly should have another 2/3 on the panel, St Galls have 3, Creggan 2, LD 2 etc.  Are we now seeing the benefit of development squads and talent now being identified through out the county.

So instead of talking about the number of club representatives, should we not be talking about who are the best players within the county at various positions. Then lets be honest with ourselves and ask the million dollar question; "is the talent in Antrim of Div 1,2,3 or 4 standard?"

When we have started the last 15-20 club Championships with St Galls and Cargin a distance out in front of the rest in the betting it would suggest that Antrim has two teams that are way stronger than the rest including know how of how to win Championship games.  Most years you look for the draw to see if St Galls and Cargin will meet before the final - this is the reality.  I am not saying this is the only reason but at the same time it would be nice to have our top championship performers in the trenches for these games.  Its not as if it is a new problem.

[Spike]

Jesus lads, Div 1 team beats a now div 4 team... What were you expecting? Had they taken their goal chance early on and continued with their pressure they applied for most of the first half then we might have had a better impact... Until Antrim become a div 1/2 team then we can expect a beating like that, just like Monaghan beat Fermanagh

Ostrich with its head in the sand mentality. Defending the indefensible. If, buts, maybes and hard luck stories. I heard enough of them when people were on here earlier in the year saying we were unlucky to go down! And now we're going to sit for the next 10 years making excuses and hoping this good minor team will be our saviours??

I wasn't expecting a win but I certainly wasn't expecting a complete and utter disgrace of a performance. The management should walk immediately after a result like that - Overreaction? No.  A six point defeat would be poor but could be explained, 10 points embarrassing, 16 points (with the aid of a last minute goal) is a complete disgrace. A club side would have done better.     Lest we forget we are now in the 3rd year of this project and getting worse.

Even if we are at the bottom of Div 4 we should never expect an Ulster Championship defeat like that. Surely someone watched Donegal play, knew the players, came up with a system - even a damage limitation exercise. 

Of course there will be 'don't knock them, get behind them' posts, but the giddy highs of 2009 seem a long long time ago and the last few campaigns with Dawson and Fitzy have been moral sapping.   Is it any wonder the crowds stay away when the standard of play is of such a lamentable standard, we've been relegated and we've no stadium.   

CB made a good point that there are aging footballers playing club football that could still do a job - probably true as the current crop aren't up to it. filling the team full of the county champions isn't the answer but the dearth of talent based on yesterdays team sheet is worrying.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

its about time football started going the way of hurling and started looking outside of the top teams for players who could do a job for the county.

you have lads from Armoy, St Pauls, Sarsfields all playing county hurling and will be in 1B next year amongst lads from the Div1 clubs and they fully merit their places on the team.

We won the minor championship last year and not one single fella was on the county panel. Following year the U21's squad for ulster and not one single fella asked to come along.Are they not good enough? did anyone come along and see them play? or is it a case of 'your not playing Div 1 therefore your not good enough?'

Im pretty sure theres plenty of lads out there playing in Antrim would love the chance to represent their county but have not been asked. Its time the footballers took the same approach as the hurling and realise where its at and try and build itself up against.

The hurlers may not be the best but they have a great team spirit in the panel and are starting to get it right again.

All this nonsense about not enough representation by the county champions etc look at the hurling, 2 starting from Loughgiel, 1 from Dunloy, 4 from Cushendall & 2 from Ballycastle. All the top 4 clubs in Antrim.