Antrim Football Thread

Started by theskull1, November 09, 2006, 11:48:40 PM

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Saffsof82

if Benen kelly, conchuir johnston, tom shivers and tiernan mcormick were all at St Louis that would be some foundation for a McLarnon team.  So how does st louis get these fellas ?

Spike

#23956
Quote from: clootfromthe21 on January 28, 2022, 01:39:00 PM
Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 12:46:39 PM
Simply if St Louis is to thrive at football you need to convince the parents to send their kids there to get quality education (which it is known for) AND quality football education (which it is not known for).

In the 'hotbed' of SW football - the vast majority of parents of Cargin, Creggan, Moneyglass, Tir na nOg send their kids to South Derry Schools - St Marys, St Pats and St Pius, with sizeable numbers from PG1, Ahoghill and Antrim Town also following suit - all 3 schools now have a highly visible GAA culture within the school and a constant presence of the status of football.   For whatever reason St Louis do not seem to promote that adequately and are known in the area as for their academic excellence only - hardly a slight but GAA mad parents see the south derry schools as a major 2 for 1 offer which can only assist their children.

Lots of promotional work needed in the primary schools allied to a huge promotion within the school

Because football is essentially the third game in the school behind hurling and soccer???

If you live the South West and football is a significant factor in where you want to send your son to school, as many posters here have already said, you send your child to Maghera or Magherafelt. If all the "good" footballers are already going to Derry schools, how do you realistically expect St Louis to address that situation?

How do you think St Mary's Magherafelt turned it around from being an academic school only reputation to a school noted for both? They changed the ethos, culture, support, recognition and status within the school, and recruited intelligently for those delivering the sporting codes in both male and female codes - brothers and sisters both would come rather than splitting between St Pats and St Marys.  Initially, before St Pius began A-Levels,  they also assisted greatly those who were coming from St Pius high school to do A-Levels thus boosting their own playing nrs from a school which also had a strong football tradition.  (Unsure whether St Louis have this close relationship with St Pats Ballymena, kilrea, killians or Lourdes Ballymoney etc etc.) 

It wont happen overnight but it can happen with the correct planning and foresight. St Marys is the example of how.

clootfromthe21

Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 02:39:33 PM
Quote from: clootfromthe21 on January 28, 2022, 01:39:00 PM
Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 12:46:39 PM
Simply if St Louis is to thrive at football you need to convince the parents to send their kids there to get quality education (which it is known for) AND quality football education (which it is not known for).

In the 'hotbed' of SW football - the vast majority of parents of Cargin, Creggan, Moneyglass, Tir na nOg send their kids to South Derry Schools - St Marys, St Pats and St Pius, with sizeable numbers from PG1, Ahoghill and Antrim Town also following suit - all 3 schools now have a highly visible GAA culture within the school and a constant presence of the status of football.   For whatever reason St Louis do not seem to promote that adequately and are known in the area as for their academic excellence only - hardly a slight but GAA mad parents see the south derry schools as a major 2 for 1 offer which can only assist their children.

Lots of promotional work needed in the primary schools allied to a huge promotion within the school

Because football is essentially the third game in the school behind hurling and soccer???

If you live the South West and football is a significant factor in where you want to send your son to school, as many posters here have already said, you send your child to Maghera or Magherafelt. If all the "good" footballers are already going to Derry schools, how do you realistically expect St Louis to address that situation?

How do you think St Mary's Magherafelt turned it around from being an academic school only reputation to a school noted for both? They changed the ethos, culture, support, recognition and status within the school, and recruited intelligently for those delivering the sporting codes in both male and female codes - brothers and sisters both would come rather than splitting between St Pats and St Marys.  Initially, before St Pius began A-Levels,  they also assisted greatly those who were coming from St Pius high school to do A-Levels thus boosting their own playing nrs from a school which also had a strong football tradition.  (Unsure whether St Louis have this close relationship with St Pats Ballymena, kilrea, killians or Lourdes Ballymoney etc etc.) 

It wont happen overnight but it can happen with the correct planning and foresight. St Marys is the example of how.

But football has always been the number one game for boys in St Marys, even when it had the reputation as being an "academic school only". As the number one game in the school, it was always ripe for development.

Football has never been even the second game in St Louis, let alone the first.

Sportacus

Quote from: Saffsof82 on January 28, 2022, 12:39:47 PM
if you had money in the pot, would you employ an outside coach to come into st louis to be head coach? Do the same with St Marys Belfast? Who would you get for such a role?
Is that what the fella Devlin is in Magherafelt - paid non-teaching help?  And if he is, does anyone know the funding model?

Saffsof82

no idea sportacus tbh. Sexton back in the back was only interested in soccer at St Louis, did have some fine soccer teams back in the day.  Alot of kids transfer to St Louis to do A levels and Btech from St Benedicts, st pats ballymena, OLOL, ST Olcans

Milltown Row2

Guys I love my GAA and all that but would you not be sending your kids to the school that will give them the best education? Hurling/football aint going to pay the wages
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Spike

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 28, 2022, 03:14:23 PM
Guys I love my GAA and all that but would you not be sending your kids to the school that will give them the best education? Hurling/football aint going to pay the wages

That's the thing MR - they're all good schools - spoilt for choice

Saffsof82

Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 03:17:20 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 28, 2022, 03:14:23 PM
Guys I love my GAA and all that but would you not be sending your kids to the school that will give them the best education? Hurling/football aint going to pay the wages

That's the thing MR - they're all good schools - spoilt for choice

100% Spike, all good educational schools, the Derry ones offer top class Gaa action on top, so the question remains, how does St Louis get them to sign on with them???  Bring in a top class coach dedicated to football, what else?

Milltown Row2

Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 03:17:20 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 28, 2022, 03:14:23 PM
Guys I love my GAA and all that but would you not be sending your kids to the school that will give them the best education? Hurling/football aint going to pay the wages

That's the thing MR - they're all good schools - spoilt for choice

They are I know they poll well in the scores, for me picking a school was location and how well they perform, I didnt want a school where I had to hike to bring them to meet friends and pick ups and all the other crap ya don't think of at the time lol!

I suppose in the country they are travelling all the time, Its probably easier to go to south Derry than Ballymena for Cargin and Moneyglass ones
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Spike

#23964
But football has always been the number one game for boys in St Marys, even when it had the reputation as being an "academic school only". As the number one game in the school, it was always ripe for development.

Football has never been even the second game in St Louis, let alone the first.
[/quote]


Attract good footballers, get success, promote that success within and you'd be surprised how quickly the focus changes.   When St Marys started being competitive in the MacLarnon Cup, the hierarchy bought into it.   Before then yes the main sport was football played by the pupils, but its promotion and focus by staff was light years behind St Pats and St Pius.

Spike

#23965
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 28, 2022, 03:24:27 PM
Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 03:17:20 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 28, 2022, 03:14:23 PM
Guys I love my GAA and all that but would you not be sending your kids to the school that will give them the best education? Hurling/football aint going to pay the wages

That's the thing MR - they're all good schools - spoilt for choice

They are I know they poll well in the scores, for me picking a school was location and how well they perform, I didnt want a school where I had to hike to bring them to meet friends and pick ups and all the other crap ya don't think of at the time lol!

I suppose in the country they are travelling all the time, Its probably easier to go to south Derry than Ballymena for Cargin and Moneyglass ones

yeah, you're on a bus either way except there are 5 or 6 go to Magherafelt, 1 I think goes to maghera and 1or2 to Ballymena (guessing here sp fully stand to be corrected). Some brothers / sisters maybe even go to the Rainey Endowed if they weren't able to get into St Marys - a lot of schools in Magherafelt for all the size of the town.   Certainly easier for cargin, moneyglass, creggan and randalstown.   Football is main focus in SW and lots of kid's parents went to derry schools so naturally the eyes wander that direction to the south derry football area and the schools within.

clootfromthe21

Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 03:30:33 PM
But football has always been the number one game for boys in St Marys, even when it had the reputation as being an "academic school only". As the number one game in the school, it was always ripe for development.

Football has never been even the second game in St Louis, let alone the first.


Attract good footballers, get success, promote that success within and you'd be surprised how quickly the focus changes.   When St Marys started being competitive in the MacLarnon Cup, the hierarchy bought into it.   Before then yes the main sport was football played by the pupils, but its promotion and focus by staff was light years behind St Pats and St Pius.
[/quote]

You are assuming that the majority of people attending St Louis and residing in its catchment area want the focus to change to football . . .

Spike

not really sure what you want here Cloot.  Can't relocate St Louis and your posts suggest you feel its mindset cant be changed.

Milltown Row2

As much as football is the main sport in the SW, hurling will be the sport that has and will be for a while to come number one in St Louis, St Mary's and Cross and Passion.

None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Flanker

Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 02:39:33 PM
Quote from: clootfromthe21 on January 28, 2022, 01:39:00 PM
Quote from: Spike on January 28, 2022, 12:46:39 PM
Simply if St Louis is to thrive at football you need to convince the parents to send their kids there to get quality education (which it is known for) AND quality football education (which it is not known for).

In the 'hotbed' of SW football - the vast majority of parents of Cargin, Creggan, Moneyglass, Tir na nOg send their kids to South Derry Schools - St Marys, St Pats and St Pius, with sizeable numbers from PG1, Ahoghill and Antrim Town also following suit - all 3 schools now have a highly visible GAA culture within the school and a constant presence of the status of football.   For whatever reason St Louis do not seem to promote that adequately and are known in the area as for their academic excellence only - hardly a slight but GAA mad parents see the south derry schools as a major 2 for 1 offer which can only assist their children.

Lots of promotional work needed in the primary schools allied to a huge promotion within the school

Because football is essentially the third game in the school behind hurling and soccer???

If you live the South West and football is a significant factor in where you want to send your son to school, as many posters here have already said, you send your child to Maghera or Magherafelt. If all the "good" footballers are already going to Derry schools, how do you realistically expect St Louis to address that situation?

How do you think St Mary's Magherafelt turned it around from being an academic school only reputation to a school noted for both? They changed the ethos, culture, support, recognition and status within the school, and recruited intelligently for those delivering the sporting codes in both male and female codes - brothers and sisters both would come rather than splitting between St Pats and St Marys.  Initially, before St Pius began A-Levels,  they also assisted greatly those who were coming from St Pius high school to do A-Levels thus boosting their own playing nrs from a school which also had a strong football tradition.  (Unsure whether St Louis have this close relationship with St Pats Ballymena, kilrea, killians or Lourdes Ballymoney etc etc.) 

It wont happen overnight but it can happen with the correct planning and foresight. St Marys is the example of how.
Spike above all true but one of the biggest drivers was the focus on underage development at Magherafelt (Rossas).

They really drove the underage development and it mean't St Mary's had a core of 10 to 15 lads virtually every year who were very competitive and successful at underage in Derry. This underpinned the panel and with surrounding clubs providing a handful each you got a very competitive setup. Thus coupled with the points you made developed them from a McLarnon school to a competitive Macrory team. They also got and accepted additional coaching expertise.

There is no reason a similar model wouldn't work with Ballymena being the underpin due to scale and numbers. Despite good work being done at All Saints it hasn't fallen into place. The missing piece may be a top class experienced underage development coach being funded and pitched into the mix.

The pieces of the jigsaw are there they just need to be put together over a period of time