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Have the county board started the hunt for a new manager?

It is early to be looking but im sure they would want to give the manager a chance to watch the club championship.

[You can also field intermediate and junior teams the same that happens in many counties]

Creating 5 super clubs in west Belfast should bring county championships to the city. If that is what you see as important in the GAA.

Losing a vast amount of players to other sports because they couldn't get a game of football or hurling is not my idea of success however.

You don't grow a sport by greatly reducing the number of available playing opportunities. There are a lot of players in west Belfast who are getting enjoyment from playing our games, be it Junior football, reserve, South Antrim. In my view, that's what our association was founded to do.

And if the 5 super clubs aren't cutting the mustard anymore, I imagine the great plan would be to reduce the number of clubs towards 1?

Why stop at Belfast? Outside of Cargin, we have had only 1 SW championship winner in over 50 years. Do we combine all of those SW teams down to 5 as well?

- Dublin (city) have 27 clubs for 600k population
-The have mass numbers of teams across each age group so you wouldn't be reducing access or cutting numbers. It would likely have the opposite impact on participation. There would be bigger numbers taking part
-You can also field intermediate and junior teams the same that happens in many counties


This model drives participation and engagement underage
Promotes and develops better use of limited resources
Caters for all levels and abilities
Drives high performance (for those who want it) at elite level
It would also most likely increase the county success

It's always failed me as to why Antrim don't look to Dublin as the model of success for all things GAA. That's including Gaelfast as a strategy. Why did we reinvent the wheel?

Regardless of the funds put into Dublin, their model works for urban GAA success and this is clear to see on both hurling a football fronts in Club and County


If you look at the development and plans within SW clubs, the numbers they have underage per team. you'll see that it's more future proofing that's all

You can pick out the small details and find the ifs buts and maybes but it's hard to argue against the concept in its totality

Can't do it in Antrim for some strange reason Cargin res got 5 games last year, better this year with 9 but seems to be Bride's have played all their games with 11 played. But nearly every team in the Div 1 Res league have nearly played a different amount of games. Don't see why clubs who can field every week in reserves are not allowed to enter teams into senior leagues.

Its allowed in Hurling within the county, but why not football?

I get what you are saying but you are adding these players to a group of high quality players who are approaching the end of their careers. Once they go the quality goes with them, it is fair play to them that they have made this model work.

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Cargin have been in 23 finals in the past 38 years, how long do you think this group of 'high quality players' have been around?


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Was just about to point this out   

St Galls were a truly outstanding team but the club didn't have the "conveyor belt" of young talent coming through to keep them at the top. The interesting thing about Cargin at the moment is the amount of youth already being blooded into their senior team.

As I've said before, this is a Cargin team supposedly in transition and even if St Brigids or Creeggan get over the line this year, I'd expect Cargin to remain the team to beat for a long time yet.

Genuine question, where is that assumption coming from?
I might have missed it but I don't see Cargin competing strongly at any of the juvenile ages groups. So when that group of experienced players eventually go, there just doesn't seem to be the quality to replace.

Or maybe I have missed something?

See this is the difference in Cargin and other clubs. Although Cargin have been at the top of the tree now for a few years now but when St Galls were the main team Cargin were still always second best, since probaly 1995 (or earlier) Cargin have been one of the top 2 teams. But we have not always been the strongest at Juvenile one or two good teams through the years back to back minor championships 2019/2020. But what makes the difference Cargin will get as many senior players from a bad minor team as they get from a good Minor team.

You don't need a conveyor belt of minor championships, you need a conveyor belt of 3/4 good players in every team to develop through to senior teams.

You can count PG1 out of the championship now. Cargin got stuck in and hit them hard they lay down and threw away a 6 point lead.

By laying down i literally mean it, their full back caught the ball and looked like something out of the premier league he let out this cry and held his hand to his face. Collie to his credit was having none of it he fisted it to david johnston who stuck it in the net. Embarrassing stuff.

Everything goes through their blow in he is their only threat in the forward line if he gets injured they wont make it out of the group. Outside of McKeever they were full strength, BS is playing it off if i was a PG1 man id be very worried.

Who are the top refs in the county ? is there a ranking as to who gets big games or what way does it work?

Theres a ranking system.

Whoever takes Toland on the most Coffee dates throughout the season.
Minimum of 10 or he does the final himself.

If it happens 2 or more take him on the same amount of dates it will then go to the Ref who spent most money buying coffees for him.

If that ref happens to be from a club in the final it will go to the ref who took Brendan on the 2nd most dates.

And so its an easy system to follow.

Upwards of a minute? Wise up. Parke was grand yesterday, and no scrums on show! Gave a yellow instead of the most blatant black card you'll ever see for Cargins penalty (which we missed anyway) but apart from that he had a decent game.

St Brigids impressive enough too, could make for a good game come the business end, hopefully it won't take 20 odd minutes for a score.

I can recall at least 2 scrums. Never said he had a bad game making the point that he needs to be pulled for letting the scrums happen for much longer than they should before a game ends in a brawl that he is in charge of.

Strong enough Cargin team based on the saffron Gael report I would say. Maybe Conor Johnston and Kevin O'Boyle the only nailed on starters missing?

St Brigids had all their Derry men by the looks of things but still have a lot of strength to come in with the finnegans, morgan and boyle from the county. They'll gather pace now in the coming weeks. Could be their year.

First league defeat of the year, Cargin wont be too worried

On Kevin Pakre someone needs to pull him on these scrums he lets go on. Against Creggan on Wedensday he let on go for for upwards of a minute until the ball just spilled out one man laying on top of the ball men pushing shoving trying to kick the ball out. Its going to end in an all out brawl in some game.

Will we move all the other games to Sat also that are for Sunday too?

Forfeit the wexford game, who gives a toss about it anyway.

What presentation was on at the weekend?

I see Paul Duffin got u20 player of the year, great player shows real leadership for a player of his age.

So by your logic Lár na páirce, a player can only be county standard if he plays for a top club team? There's plenty of examples up and down the country to prove that as nonsense.

Yeah "up and down the country" Antrim's Intermediate and Junior divisions are up their with the worst standard in the country.

Good riddance Andy, clueless!

not that he will care his pockets are lined.

was at the game and it was brutal. 5/6 players not county standard plain and simple. also to many players that blow hot and cold, i would say we are into the final few weeks of Andys reign over Antrim.

5/6 is being kind

Westmeath away
Limerick home
London neutral venue

Not the worst draw for TC group stages.

Where will the neutral venue for London be.... The Isle of Man??

[What was the story about the free to Creggan straight after their point in the second half (when the keeper went down? Was it for talking back by one of our players? I assumed thats what it was for at the time.]

As good of a league display iv seen from dunloy. Decky Smith as good as any footballer in the county.

There is a maturity with his game now that has come on in leaps and bounds, he controlled that game and everything played through him.

We never judge how  a game is going to unfold,  but looking at both teams with regards to availability it was going to be a tough game for Dunloy, but in fairness Creggan were not at full pelt either so a even enough game on the day and goals and two pointers win games now!

I would say that should be a serious wake up call, how many would Dunloy be missing from their first 15 at the moment?

Creggan would regard themselves at what a top 4 Div 1 one team? And we wonder on here why the County team aren't competing 

Like I said, Creggan probably missing a strong spine through the middle of that team. But that being said, Dunloy's footballing has come one a lot, that's no disrespect to how they were playing before, they have added retention of the ball better, building attacks and defending better, they still have that direct running at goal, which resulted in 3 goals yesterday so that attacking flare hasn't changed.. 

Thought we played much better than ive seen in past seasons minus the hurlers/injured players. Deaglan Smith is really a quality player and his two pointers in a row def steadied the ship towards the end.

To be fair Creggan didnt look too bothered at losing it as its just a league game, nothing more. Creggan took some lovely scores against the wind in the second half and they move the ball a lot easier in the forwards than we can.

What was the story about the free to Creggan straight after their point in the second half (when the keeper went down? Was it for talking back by one of our players? I assumed thats what it was for at the time.

Fair play to you for trying to see everything that goes on over the pitch MR2 as youd need to be like an owl to check on the three players inside the half 

So the rule is if there is dissent after the ball goes out the restart will be free in front of the goal, there was a bitta chit chat I gave reasons for the foul, then it continued. so I restarted with a free. Its to prevent players/officials  giving you more dissent after you having given a free against them.. I think its a goodin

There was a stage Creggan quite clearly had only 2 men back, Dunloy sideline was bringing it to your attention but it was took as dissent and Creggan got a free close in. I know you'd need eyes in the back of your head  with them rules but there's going to be frustration when a teams breaking them.

Unless there's linesmen or umpires it's a hard one to keep an eye on.

It's only clearly seen when the ref can see it. This is discussed before the game, I'll say to the captains I'll only call them when I see it.


The other thing is being over under 4 meters and not involved with play is ok, complaining to the ref regardless if you're correct is dissent. Frustrating as it is it costs scores, so it's probably best to say nothing.

With regards to linesmen umpires you'll need them mic's up for it to work, otherwise getting my attention is as difficult. Think there's maybe two sets in the county, expensive kit

These rules have not been made for the local club game. Not enough ref's to cover all games, It's been explained several times and collectively in all counties it's a case of if we see it we'll call it, our attention can only be in one place.

Fair enough there is alot of new rules and it is tough on the refs, but this is just taken the ball and running with it, the management pointing out there is a clear breach in the rules which is straight forward is not dissent. the minute you give the free against them and they complain its dissent, but them pointing something out to you is not.

So basically what you are saying is your never going to give a free for 3 up rule unless its straight forward like 15 men behind the ball as you dont have eyes in the back of your head, and if the management or players make you aware of it, it is going to be a free against them?

for reference dissent in the cambridge dictionary is "a strong difference of opinion on a particular subject, especially about an official suggestion or plan or a popular belief"