Antrim Football Thread

[Mourne Rover]

The BBC website has a headline saying that `St Gall's crashed out' of the Antrim SFC tonight, which would be quite a story. Closer inspection reveals that that it was St Paul's who lost, so Antrim should really put a stop to these teams with rhyming names.

[fred the red]

The BBC website has a headline saying that `St Gall's crashed out' of the Antrim SFC tonight, which would be quite a story. Closer inspection reveals that that it was St Paul's who lost, so Antrim should really put a stop to these teams with rhyming names.

You have to take every gaa story on the bbc website with a pinch of salt!

[Mourne Rover]

The BBC has now corrected it, so someone is paying attention.

[milkman mk II]

championship games this weekend, any previews, predicitons?

[aontroim]

From BBC NI Website - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7574130.stm

GAA visionary
By Jerome Quinn

Paddy O'Hara worked with BBC NI for more than 25 years

"Score again Derry 2-10 Donegal 1-8".

That's how Paddy O'Hara always finished his Radio Ulster reports.

"Score again" And I mean always. A BBC producer once complained about this habit, but there was no changing Paddy.

On another occasion, I suggested that he include things like the attendance and scoring statistics in his reports.

Paddy resisted, saying that he would use the allocated one minute to simply tell listeners "who won and why".

At the time I was a fresh-faced radio producer trying to tell a legend how to do reports the new way, but in hindsight I'd have to say Paddy was right. Listeners tuned in to hear his opinion, simple as that.

After all, 'Wee Paddy' had been there, done that, and worn the tee-shirt with six different counties, not just Antrim.

Among his successes was an All Ireland Junior Championship with Fermanagh in 1959.

The Erne connection developed partly through his beloved Queen's where he was popular with Fermanagh students.

Paddy joked that this was because he was the only one about Belfast in those days with a car big enough to take them all home for training!

He also spent a short time in Donegal, where they weren't quite ready for his modern coaching methods.

When officials asked Paddy what he required for training the county team, he asked for fifteen footballs.

"Jaysus Paddy, sure we don't have 15 footballs in the whole county!"

Paddy was ahead of his time, just like the Antrim team he played on 20 years earlier.

Raymond Smith's 'Football Immortals' book states that the new Ulster champions of 1946 had "stormed through the championship with their weaving style of open handpassing, breaking a 33-years Cavan spell of dominance".

Kerry put a stop to Antrim's free-flowing game in the All Ireland Semi-finals with methods that provoked an objection to Croke Park from the county board.

Only for that, Antrim might well have created history by bringing Sam over the border, 14 years before Down achieved the feat.

The Saffrons tried again in 1951 but Meath went ten points clear early in the second-half.

A mighty effort saw the gap close to two by the finish and Antrim were left to rue a disallowed goal, recalled by Paddy's team-mate Harry O'Neill.

"Pat O'Hara saw that a Meath defender was going to trip him and with clever anticipation he hopped over the outstretched foot and kicked the ball to the net," said Harry.

"The whistle went almost simultaneously with the kick in the one of the clearest instances where the application of the Advantage Rule would have made all the difference."

With that dream gone, Paddy helped others achieve their dreams - Sigerson winners at Queen's University and Down players like his great friend Sean O'Neill.

In the 1970s, the BBC enlisted Paddy as a GAA reporter and for the next quarter of a century his name and distinctive voice became as popular and respected in the northern part of the island as Micheál Ó Hehir and Micheal O Muircheartaigh.

And, in smoke-filled hotel rooms in Dublin, he battled it out with the leading journalists of the day to select the annual All Star football and hurling teams.

These 'debates' ran into the early hours and often became heated, but Paddy was always very clear on one point - sportsmanship was a prime factor in any player winning an award.

Let's just say he wasn't pleased when the rules were changed to allow players to win All Stars even if they had been sent off in the same year.

Around the same time, I had the pleasure of travelling round several Ulster counties with Paddy as part of research for a book.

His charm, craic and incredible recall brought the best out in everyone we met, from Ross Carr in Newry to Jimmy Smyth in Lurgan and Art McRory in Dungannon.

When I think of Paddy, I have a picture in my mind of him in a pin stripe suit and runners.

He liked to look sharp and yet be on his toes. Mind you, he needed to be because everyone wanted to shake his hand and stop for a chat at games when Paddy had deadlines to meet.

Still, he always had a beaming smile, a hearty hello and genuine concern for them all.

That was Paddy O'Hara, Belfast, Queen's and Antrim.

[imtommygunn]

Rasharkin beat St Pauls last night. Great win for them.

St Galls and St Johns should be a messy affair. St Galls by 8.

[aontroim]

Was anyone at any of the championship games over the weekend? Any reports / controversy??

[bannside]

Saw two c`ship games, both intermediate.

Ahoghill and All Saints good close fought game, plenty local rivalry, and then the PL factor. Ballymena won by a few points with some good performances. Good to see the two Walshes out going well, Aidan and Tiernan, and Peter Mc Nicholl, a player with great talent, ex international baskerballer, and not far short of county standard. Having said that lowly Ahoghill made them fight every inch of the way.

Also at Moneyglass V Glenavy on Sunday. A really polished performance from Moneyglass that would have beaten most senior teams. To beat Glenavy by 13, who had earlier put away Rossa easily, was no mean feat. Kevin Brady rolled back the years, pulling all the strings, top class, with very impressive displays by big Mc Keefrey and Kevin Marron, now possibly the strongest midfield pairing in the county. Also impressed with Ryan Doyle at full forward and would see Ryan Boyd a good player with a few pounds off.

Apparently Glenavy had three big players absent, inc Dominic Gallagher, and thats a big loss to any side. Impressed with Conor Creaney and Neil Mc Cann, poss one for the future.

Moneyglass to go well in Ulster intermediate on last nights performance.

Hardstation, we would kind of know the St Galls players at this stage, but did any St Johns players step up yesterday, look like potential co players. Bam, Mc Glinch, Kelly etc?

[bannside]

Rate Gill very highly HS, def another worth a look at, at a higher level, but didnt really get on to my radar last night. Maybe it was me not looking hard enough!

[saffron sam2]

Saw two c`ship games, both intermediate.

Ahoghill and All Saints good close fought game, plenty local rivalry, and then the PL factor. Ballymena won by a few points with some good performances. Good to see the two Walshes out going well, Aidan and Tiernan, and Peter Mc Nicholl, a player with great talent, ex international baskerballer, and not far short of county standard. Having said that lowly Ahoghill made them fight every inch of the way.

Also at Moneyglass V Glenavy on Sunday. A really polished performance from Moneyglass that would have beaten most senior teams. To beat Glenavy by 13, who had earlier put away Rossa easily, was no mean feat. Kevin Brady rolled back the years, pulling all the strings, top class, with very impressive displays by big Mc Keefrey and Kevin Marron, now possibly the strongest midfield pairing in the county. Also impressed with Ryan Doyle at full forward and would see Ryan Boyd a good player with a few pounds off.

Apparently Glenavy had three big players absent, inc Dominic Gallagher, and thats a big loss to any side. Impressed with Conor Creaney and Neil Mc Cann, poss one for the future.

Moneyglass to go well in Ulster intermediate on last nights performance.

Hardstation, we would kind of know the St Galls players at this stage, but did any St Johns players step up yesterday, look like potential co players. Bam, Mc Glinch, Kelly etc?

Are they any relation of Brian's? He wouldn't have any boys that age yet, would he?

[bannside]

Naw SS2, Brians lads not that age yet.

[saffron sam2]

Didn't think so. Is he still playing himself?

[bannside]

Managing u 16 and doing a decent job. Top lad.

[gallsman]

From my memories of Bam at U16 and Minor, he was like numerous other Johnnies at the time, incredibly talented yet incredibly mouthy and incapable of playing as part of a team- never seemed to trust the talent of others. In the 2005 Minor Championship we bate them out of Corrigan by 20 odd points and I think he scored the entire Johnny total of 1-05. Was thinking about the Johnnies a few weeks ago and was wondering if Sean Rooney ever made it to their senior team?

Was in school with Eoghan Gill. Very, very good footballer. Quick, strong, skillful, with a geat pair of hands. Did a lot of running back in school so was always very fit. He went off the rails a bit on drink, didn't know he was still playing football- good to see.

[culchy1]

great result for rasharkin on friday night beating a much fancied st pauls team.
they got out of the blocks far quicker than st pauls and really should have been up by more at half-time, they led 1-6 to 0-2, i think.
st pauls got back into it at start of second half & got back on level terms with about ten mins to go.
i thought rasharkin would have shit the nest at that stage but they were able to just keep themselves in front as they had done for the whole match..
well fought and hard earned win, but lamh dhearg will be another tough match for them.

think the standard of reffing in both sfc matches was poor, boths ways, very inconsistent.

in the galls match kevin mcgourty got closelined, ref gave free against him for overcarrying, some very disgruntled milltown men in stand.

both games next week should be tight enough affairs, thought they could have played them as double header but sure that would make too much sense.