Antrim Football Thread

[bannside]

Yes. Apart from a great 10 minute spell before half time when we scored five unanswered point, Sligo were just better than us. Nothing easy looking about our next two games either, Wicklow at home in last fixture could be make or break.

[imtommygunn]

It would be nice to see us with a full team out but that is miles away. Is there a team about with anywhere near the same number of injuries as us? Disappointing but Sligo aren't a bad team either.

[Wee Barky]

It would be nice to see us with a full team out but that is miles away. Is there a team about with anywhere near the same number of injuries as us? Disappointing but Sligo aren't a bad team either.

Liverpool ?

[Round or stuffed]

we are now a fortnight from the first senior league game, why have fixtures not been circulated yet?

[inabsentia]

we are now a fortnight from the first senior league game, why have fixtures not been circulated yet?

It's called the element of surprise.

Aldergrove to catch cargin in the long grass first match of the season

[EOC1923]

Yes. Apart from a great 10 minute spell before half time when we scored five unanswered point, Sligo were just better than us. Nothing easy looking about our next two games either, Wicklow at home in last fixture could be make or break.

Antrim twitter feed yesterday at 15.24 - 'Big Jack Dowling also on for Colm McLarnon'.
The standard of player just isn't available for Antrim to progress any higher than staying in Div 3, if they stay up its clearly a bonus. Not insulting anyone its just the reality of the current situation.

[Caesar]

Maintaining our Division 3 status would be an impressive achievement given the quality and injuries to our current squad.

[bannside]

Yes. Apart from a great 10 minute spell before half time when we scored five unanswered point, Sligo were just better than us. Nothing easy looking about our next two games either, Wicklow at home in last fixture could be make or break.

Antrim twitter feed yesterday at 15.24 - 'Big Jack Dowling also on for Colm McLarnon'.
The standard of player just isn't available for Antrim to progress any higher than staying in Div 3, if they stay up its clearly a bonus. Not insulting anyone its just the reality of the current situation.

That's the reality EOC, and the players representing us are working hard at training and out there doing their best. We have a lot of quality missing, and on that basis it really would be creditable if we can maintain division three status with the hand that we were dealt.

Even just take the Cargin contingent for example. From 7 panellists last year and this, there were medium or longer term injuries to Jamie, CJ, Eunan, Sean ONeill, now Benen, and I think I've even missed someone!

The class of Adam, Ryan, Aghagallon McCann and Peter Healy arnt easily replaced, and throw in last years midfield pairing Stew and Kevin Small. And even that's not nearly the full list.

To be fair I don't see the usual cheap shots I was expecting after a few defeats. The reality is no one could have anticipated the loss of so many influential players, and being optimistic, with the wind behind us we should have a far stronger panel next year.

[EOC1923]

Yes. Apart from a great 10 minute spell before half time when we scored five unanswered point, Sligo were just better than us. Nothing easy looking about our next two games either, Wicklow at home in last fixture could be make or break.

Antrim twitter feed yesterday at 15.24 - 'Big Jack Dowling also on for Colm McLarnon'.
The standard of player just isn't available for Antrim to progress any higher than staying in Div 3, if they stay up its clearly a bonus. Not insulting anyone its just the reality of the current situation.

That's the reality EOC, and the players representing us are working hard at training and out there doing their best. We have a lot of quality missing, and on that basis it really would be creditable if we can maintain division three status with the hand that we were dealt.

Even just take the Cargin contingent for example. From 7 panellists last year and this, there were medium or longer term injuries to Jamie, CJ, Eunan, Sean ONeill, now Benen, and I think I've even missed someone!

The class of Adam, Ryan, Aghagallon McCann and Peter Healy arnt easily replaced, and throw in last years midfield pairing Stew and Kevin Small. And even that's not nearly the full list.

To be fair I don't see the usual cheap shots I was expecting after a few defeats. The reality is no one could have anticipated the loss of so many influential players, and being optimistic, with the wind behind us we should have a far stronger panel next year.

Yes I think just stay up and aim for a better run of luck next year with injuries.

[Caesar]

@Bannside - What about putting together a team selection of injured players? Would be a strong team on paper!

[bannside]

Caesar, we all have opinions about who should be playing and who shouldn't and who should be on the team that's not, or who's missing from the panel altogether.

The one thing I do know is that no two people would agree on it.

We need to get behind those who are there, and hope that one by one the team/panel increases in player strength as the year goes on.

Take MF as an example where none of Small, Stewart, Quinn or Hynds are available atm. Stephen Beattie played there too - for Lenny, and never let himself down...but he got hurt against Fermanagh earlier this year to compound our midfield options.

So McAleer and McLarnon are thrown in, and it's a tough place to find yourself at inter County level, right in at the deep end.

Big Jack actually came on and got his hands on a couple, again out there doing his best for the cause, fair play.

I'd love what's there to maintain our division three status, against the odds. No one could have foreseen these circumstances.

[BrendanAntrim]

It's entirely possible that with the 4 points we already have on the board we will be safe. There are 3 teams with 0 points and we still have to play one of them, Wicklow, at Corrigan. The Irish News this morning described Sundays game v Westmeath as 'must win' which it is not. We maybe do need one more win to be safe, but we have 3 games left.

Then it's onto the Tailteann Cup and hopefully some players back to strengthen the squad.

[imtommygunn]

This. Ideally Limerick and Wicklow draw or Limerick beat Wicklow too. You'd imagine Offaly have enough to get out of it.

[bannside]

Some of those teams still need to play each other, so they will pick up points. I feel we need one more point (draw) to be mathematically safe.. a bonus if its not necessary.

I think Peter Healy isn't far away, would be some addition at this stage. Believe he's the closest.

[antrimman667]

would it make any sense to push the fixtures out to clubs?