Antrim Football Thread

[Newbridge Exile]

And we wonder why we dont win anything

Yeah it's got nothing to do with believing you can win, that'll only give you so much, the personal needs to be there and willing to put their shoulder to the wheel.

Club is king in Antrim, that's the mindset here

On a side note, who's managing Newbridge? 
[/quoteGary

And we wonder why we dont win anything

Yeah it's got nothing to do with believing you can win, that'll only give you so much, the personal needs to be there and willing to put their shoulder to the wheel.

Club is king in Antrim, that's the mindset here

On a side note, who's managing Newbridge? 

Joint managers Gary Heatherington and Kevin Brady

[marty34]

Kevin Brady is a quiet and modest lad.  Goes about his business in an efficient manager.

This will add to his CV.

[imtommygunn]

Didn't realise he was there. That's good to see.

[Take the Mark]

A couple of upsets (in my eyes) in the U21's with St Brigids and St Pauls both losing. Decent game in Glenravel, in poor conditions where I witnessed the referee give a Cargin mentor the middle finger mid match. Classy!

[Spike]

So what would be an acceptable level of performance against Armagh in next year's cship look like?

I think the bigger question on this board sadly is what is an 'unacceptable level'?

Is a 5, 10, 20, 30 point hiding by Armagh in the Ulster Championship unacceptable?

Is relegation to Div 4 unacceptable?   Is a relegation scrap unacceptable? Is midtable in Div 3 unacceptable?

Is failure to reach the Tailteann Cup semi final unacceptable?  Is failure to win the Tailteann cup unacceptable?

Until you know what the floor is, you cant know what constitutes a good season.  I fear there is no floor.

While i think we have went back in the league as past 2 seasons with 2 mediocre campaigns, with the slate wiped clean and taking it from the 2025 season onwards as a new beginning, surely being in the mix for promotion (while not setting outright promotion as a level) is a reasonable level of acceptable?

As much as I deride the competition, winning the Tailteann is progress and a reasonable level of acceptable?

Staying with Armagh, still being in the game (a few scores away) with 20 minutes to go before the benches are emptied, is a reasonable level of acceptable?

[Hectic]

U21 is an age group that is hard to predict.

Like of Brides and Pauls might have had a run of good minor teams but how many of them have been playing regular football at a good level since minor?

It is also an age group that does see a good number of current minors playing but the difference is often the amount of older lads that are regulars in their senior team.

I guess that is what BS was pointing to last night with Portglenone?

Or just reading report - was it played 13 a side?

[Spike]

Looks that way.   all clubs will have a drop off in numbers in certain years, just looks surprising that a few more minors weren't gathered up to complete a team.

[bannside]

So what would be an acceptable level of performance against Armagh in next year's cship look like?

I think the bigger question on this board sadly is what is an 'unacceptable level'?

Is a 5, 10, 20, 30 point hiding by Armagh in the Ulster Championship unacceptable?

Is relegation to Div 4 unacceptable?   Is a relegation scrap unacceptable? Is midtable in Div 3 unacceptable?

Is failure to reach the Tailteann Cup semi final unacceptable?  Is failure to win the Tailteann cup unacceptable?

Until you know what the floor is, you cant know what constitutes a good season.  I fear there is no floor.

While i think we have went back in the league as past 2 seasons with 2 mediocre campaigns, with the slate wiped clean and taking it from the 2025 season onwards as a new beginning, surely being in the mix for promotion (while not setting outright promotion as a level) is a reasonable level of acceptable?

As much as I deride the competition, winning the Tailteann is progress and a reasonable level of acceptable?

Staying with Armagh, still being in the game (a few scores away) with 20 minutes to go before the benches are emptied, is a reasonable level of acceptable?

Your last paragraph answers the question adequately.

The way I judge things is based on performance, even more so than results.

Antrims finest hour in my memory was going toe to toe in Tullamore with Kerry in 09. Well in it with 5 or 6 to go. Kerry went on to lift Sam.

That's my point. I came home happier that day than beating Waterford the day we secured Div 4 a few years ago.

In one game we were superb in defeat, the other pure muck in victory.

Or maybe I always see it from a coaching perspective than a supporter.

Give me quality performances all day long, players playing out of their skin, at the top of their game, on a regular basis, and I'll take whatever results come after that.

But then again that's just me!

[Slemishgael]

You have approx. 30 - 40 players who are 'committed' on a senior county panel. All players are on the panel on merit and are talented club footballers, with further potential. These guys now treat their bodies like temples and are top athletes who dedicate serious commitment to club and county and possibly university teams. Presumably all players have had an interest in GAA from a very young age and have observed how the game is played and how it has evolved also, so our players are steeped in the GAA. In my opinion we live in the strongest football province surrounded by strong counties. The training involved and time that players put into their football in this county is now more than ever, just like every other county in that regard. I know schools football has been discussed previously as an area were we need to improve and club football also – and this is a huge element to improvement overall which will just take time – we know that... But at present we are where we are... however, its just a gut feeling here and nothing else... I think back to that 09 period when Baker led us to the ulster final and we played in Div 2 around that time also – I feel that's were we ought to be now again and I feel the current crop of players are more than capable of that level of football just like back then – what has changed in the period since then? I know the players need to prove it on the pitch with results and hopefully they start to do the talking on the pitch from now on. Belief is a massive thing, and I think Baker instilled that belief back in that period when Antrim football was steadily improving – we also had decent footballers yes – but we currently have decent footballers. Hopefully Andy can get this current team motoring in the new season and with a bit of belief we can take a step up.  I think we ought to be aiming for promotion to division 2 and as has been alluded to we need to get a real good performance in against Armagh – just my opinion. Look at Down in Ulster – they nearly beat Armagh in the championship this year and I'd personally consider Down in and around our level to be honest (I say that knowing Down beat us but recently it has been close enough between Antrim and Down).  We can only improve... I hope!!

[Milltown Row2]

A couple of upsets (in my eyes) in the U21's with St Brigids and St Pauls both losing. Decent game in Glenravel, in poor conditions where I witnessed the referee give a Cargin mentor the middle finger mid match. Classy!

the ref just randomly gave the finger?

[bannside]

Great post Slemish.

Bakers different approach (outsider who took no bullshit) and the addition of Niall Conway who was ahead of his time as a coach, gave the players and county a huge lift, and we got a good two years out of it before the novelty started wearing off.

He inherited a really good group of emerging players too, as well as a further bounce from St Galls quality players who won an all ireland club at the same time.

The stars aligned perfectly.

In contrast Andy lost nearly a dozen players after his "decent" first year. So luck and timing are also ingredients in the mix.

All we can do is hope this year's panel is the best in recent years and can go on and deliver genuinely competitive performances in all their games. And let's all get behind it for a change!

[Would ye whist]

What would justify a ref doing that?

A couple of upsets (in my eyes) in the U21's with St Brigids and St Pauls both losing. Decent game in Glenravel, in poor conditions where I witnessed the referee give a Cargin mentor the middle finger mid match. Classy!

the ref just randomly gave the finger?

[Take the Mark]

A couple of upsets (in my eyes) in the U21's with St Brigids and St Pauls both losing. Decent game in Glenravel, in poor conditions where I witnessed the referee give a Cargin mentor the middle finger mid match. Classy!

the ref just randomly gave the finger?

What a bizarre response to my post. But anyway, if theres anything in the rulebook that states that a ref should do this in response to anything by a mentor, I'd like to read it.

[BigGreenField]

Great post Slemish.

Bakers different approach (outsider who took no bullshit) and the addition of Niall Conway who was ahead of his time as a coach, gave the players and county a huge lift, and we got a good two years out of it before the novelty started wearing off.

He inherited a really good group of emerging players too, as well as a further bounce from St Galls quality players who won an all ireland club at the same time.

The stars aligned perfectly.

In contrast Andy lost nearly a dozen players after his "decent" first year. So luck and timing are also ingredients in the mix.

All we can do is hope this year's panel is the best in recent years and can go on and deliver genuinely competitive performances in all their games. And let's all get behind it for a change!

What does the injury roster look like going into 2025?

[imtommygunn]

The one that sounds like he's out for a long while would be Loughran. You would hope Johnston gets a good run at it next year and Healy too.