Antrim Football Thread

[OverThePostsAWide]

Sidelines
What happens then if the ball does not go into play?
Possession goes to the other team?

What would have happened before when the ball was (illegally) taken from infield and went over the sideline? It was always regarded as a sideline to the other team in my experience?

I am not a hurling man, but presumably this is what would happen with a sideline cut? (i.e. the sliother is regarded as being in play once it is struck?). Although a sideline cut going straight down (and behind) the line would be pretty rare I would imagine!

My view is that, the ball should be deemed to have been taken from the point on the line where it originally crossed, even if actually struck behind this. Technically, a sideline ball should be taken from exactly the point on the line where it crossed but as it is not taken from the ground, and the prevailing discretion was being abused, the authorities sought to clarify what can't  be done. I agree that they failed to specify exactly when and where the ball should be regarded as in play but that ambiguity always existed. Regardless, there is no provision in Gaelic for the sideline to be retaken (or any kick for that matter from the same spot other than a penalty). The current rules specify that the kick for a sideline must be executed behind the line. Surely, as with every other free kick (in its loosest definition), the game restarts the moment the ball is kicked regardless of where it goes?

Any referees care to put their tuppence worth in? ManInBlackandGreen?

"10 yards"
Just a bit of pedantry from you there then... The yard rule applies but its 14 insead of 10.

No problem with a "yard rule" being applied or called for. But if expecting Gaelic players not to show their ignorance of their own sport by continually confusing a gaelic rule with one from another sport, then I am happy to be a pedant. I was just relieved that St John's didn't vocally dispute the "offside" awarded against them when one of their players went into the "wee penalty box" before the ball in the 2nd half 

I'm with the Johnnies subs on this one...a fair few of them were man mountains so probably best to take their side on this.

You should take up refereeing in Antrim then - you'd fit right in 

[OverThePostsAWide]

OTPAW I still think your missing the point, and would suggest you read the rule book on duties of a linesman and umpire! Then a fair assessment would be to then question the Referees appointment committee, and the lack of direction, education, support and finance from the county to the group of lads who actually do step up to the mark and those who don't! We have probably maybe 10-12 good referees in the county across both codes, the rest need direction to say the least. So i summing up I agree it should be a top down approach, if you want to improve something it needs time, commitment, support and finance, something our county secretary would know little about, unless there's a deal to be done of course

But I have 

3.1 DUTIES OF THE LINESMEN
(v) The Linesmen shall bring to the attention
of the referee, during a break in play, any
instances of foul play, in particular rough or
dangerous play, striking, hitting, or kicking, or
unauthorised incursions onto the field of play,
which have not been noticed by the Referee.

I witnessed one incident in particular in the Lamh Dhearg match involving knees that was verging on dangerous play (and I am not even talking about the incident involving the Cargin goalkeeper). It happened "on the ball" in a crowd of players on the sideline below the stand. The referee was almost definitely blindsided but the linesman almost definitely wasn't. It happened no more than 2 yards in front of him in his line of sight but he never flinched. Never looked to the referee to see if he saw it. In short, it looked like he didn't want to know. Now, maybe he was miked up? But he must have the skills of a master ventriloquist if he managed to communicate unnoticed with the referee in this instance. There were plenty of other examples over the weekend where I got the impression that the linesmen were just happy to call the line balls and to not actually be seen to assist the referee in controlling the match. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe the referees did notice everything and the linesmen therefore weren't required to intervene?   

Anyway, I am not meaning to just have a pop at referees for the sake of it, but unless referees and their assistants are strong, firm, and consistant with the rules regarding rough play in particular, ill-discipline will just get worse and their (already difficult) jobs harder as a result.

Two examples from the St John's and Lamh Dhearg matches. In both, a player was rugby tackled to the ground in a "professional" foul to buy time/prevent a goal. Both tackles were ugly but neither were in my view dangerous. Nothing remarkable there. The "victims" both reacted in clear view of the referee and nearest linesman. One swung his arm back and struck, the other threw the ball at (and hit) the head of his assailant. The unambiguous penalty for these (re)actions is a red/yellow card and at the very least a hop ball. Both foulers were (correctly) yellow carded and nothing else was done. The laws of "natural justice" were allowed to prevail rather than those specified explicitly in the rule book. The problem with referees doing that is that they are (maybe literally) making a rod for their own backs? In both cases, I thought the referees bottled it. Probably not unique to Antrim but on my occasional visits, it seems pretty ingrained there?

As I say, I would understand it in a league match in the backend of nowhere, but if Antrim referees are not happy to make these sorts of calls in championship quarter-finals played at the County's headquarters then I would have to question the County's commitment to supporting referees in the county, particularly regarding matters of (ill)discipline.

[SambaSaffron]

Sidelines
What happens then if the ball does not go into play?
Possession goes to the other team?

What would have happened before when the ball was (illegally) taken from infield and went over the sideline? It was always regarded as a sideline to the other team in my experience?

I am not a hurling man, but presumably this is what would happen with a sideline cut? (i.e. the sliother is regarded as being in play once it is struck?). Although a sideline cut going straight down (and behind) the line would be pretty rare I would imagine!

My view is that, the ball should be deemed to have been taken from the point on the line where it originally crossed, even if actually struck behind this. Technically, a sideline ball should be taken from exactly the point on the line where it crossed but as it is not taken from the ground, and the prevailing discretion was being abused, the authorities sought to clarify what can't  be done. I agree that they failed to specify exactly when and where the ball should be regarded as in play but that ambiguity always existed. Regardless, there is no provision in Gaelic for the sideline to be retaken (or any kick for that matter from the same spot other than a penalty). The current rules specify that the kick for a sideline must be executed behind the line. Surely, as with every other free kick (in its loosest definition), the game restarts the moment the ball is kicked regardless of where it goes?

Any referees care to put their tuppence worth in? ManInBlackandGreen?

"10 yards"
Just a bit of pedantry from you there then... The yard rule applies but its 14 insead of 10.

No problem with a "yard rule" being applied or called for. But if expecting Gaelic players not to show their ignorance of their own sport by continually confusing a gaelic rule with one from another sport, then I am happy to be a pedant. I was just relieved that St John's didn't vocally dispute the "offside" awarded against them when one of their players went into the "wee penalty box" before the ball in the 2nd half 

I'm with the Johnnies subs on this one...a fair few of them were man mountains so probably best to take their side on this.

You should take up refereeing in Antrim then - you'd fit right in 

I don't think the yards thing is anything to do with any other sport, what port has a 10 yard ruling? I think it's more to with the old measurements.

[OverThePostsAWide]

I don't think the yards thing is anything to do with any other sport, what port has a 10 yard ruling? I think it's more to with the old measurements.

You're obviously not from West Belfast then 

Ever heard of soccer? It's a sort of ground gaelic...

[Milltown Row2]

Of the two cases yesterday Raymond Doone was ok, give Moneyglass a couple of handy frees i thought near the end but was consistant. Maybe not up with play a lot but fitter than most refereeing at this time.

The second referee was doing ok until the game started to get tight (last 4 minutes, last 8 of injury!!) there was a few off the ball stuff, nothing of real note till the end. I saw at least two deliberate strikes and if the referee didn't see it  I definitely seen both lines men call the referee over and consult him, it is then down to the referee to either dish out a red or yellow card depending on his own judgement.

OverThePostsAWide  you said you never seen the linesmen doing anything but i clearly seen them call him over

[OverThePostsAWide]

Of the two cases yesterday Raymond Doone was ok, give Moneyglass a couple of handy frees i thought near the end but was consistant. Maybe not up with play a lot but fitter than most refereeing at this time.

The second referee was doing ok until the game started to get tight (last 4 minutes, last 8 of injury!!) there was a few off the ball stuff, nothing of real note till the end. I saw at least two deliberate strikes and if the referee didn't see it  I definitely seen both lines men call the referee over and consult him, it is then down to the referee to either dish out a red or yellow card depending on his own judgement.

OverThePostsAWide  you said you never seen the linesmen doing anything but i clearly seen them call him over

Fair enough. Happy to be corrected.

I presume you didn't mean to say Doone for your match? He was refereeing the second match wasn't he?

[Milltown Row2]

Yes, my mistake

[rogueryhill]

No O'Neill, McClean, and CJ came on late as a sub. The panel is very strong at the minute, 3 new lads got a run out  today and Seany Burns managed two scores when he came on for his 21st season!! Bloody Peter Pan

Was he hit off the ball too? 

[rogueryhill]

There will be no hiding though, wee Joe has it all on VT! Lets hope the CHC (Terrible and friends) has the balls to deal with what the CCC hand out, which should be substantial to both clubs.

Who is wee Joe and what does CHC (Terrible and friends) mean?

[aontroim]

No O'Neill, McClean, and CJ came on late as a sub. The panel is very strong at the minute, 3 new lads got a run out  today and Seany Burns managed two scores when he came on for his 21st season!! Bloody Peter Pan

Was he hit off the ball too? 

At least the Cargin men had a bit of 'fight' in them - unlike Moneyglass 

[rogueryhill]

No O'Neill, McClean, and CJ came on late as a sub. The panel is very strong at the minute, 3 new lads got a run out  today and Seany Burns managed two scores when he came on for his 21st season!! Bloody Peter Pan

Was he hit off the ball too? 

At least the Cargin men had a bit of 'fight' in them - unlike Moneyglass 

Ur right there. With all those boxing medals and a couple of reserve championships, you are the envy of every club in Antrim 

Except maybe St Gall's. Moneyglass gave them a couple of sly digs and late tackles and what did St Gall's do? Nadda! They just put the ball down and played on. They're just pure yella and will win nothin playing like that. 

[The Worker]

Are there any highlights of yesterdays games available?

was jerome quinn in attendance with his video camera?

[Gold]

Gregory Walsh is best ref by a mile. A nice fella with no chip on his shoulder or unjust hatred of any team.

Any time i've seen him he calls the game fair, which is all any team wants but unfortunetly the exception, rather than the rule.

[OverThePostsAWide]

Antrim Div 1 Football Fixtures
St Galls  Cargin  St. Galls 24/08/2011 19:30 Brendan Toland Round 16

Was this the fixture last year when CJ and Niblock took a half each in goals and Gallagher played FF?

Will it be played?

[Milltown Row2]

Why not? We have a reserve hurling championship that night. Christ knows where it will be played as we are homeless!!