Antrim Football Thread

[GiveItToTheShooters]

I have to admit reading recent posts has punctured my positive view of SW clubs - while I know about the paid coaches I didn't realise there was a Merrygoround of players between the clubs and Bellaghy too - I thought SW had it over the city in terms of you play for local club for life  through bad times and good

Belfast GAA man, there isn't a merry-go-round as has been reported, and Creggan do not have a poaching culture, there isn't a recruiting drive in the pubs in Randalstown!!!

Tir nNog players transferred into Creggan for a number of reasons, including;fallout with Whitehill management, married into Creggan families and moved into the area, and the last one, players who are unhappy with their team's commitment will move to the senior team.

If we look at the final last year, only the goalkeeper was an outsider, who has moved in I believe. All the rest came up through the ranks and the Creggan coaching program.

During the past 10 -15 years, Creggan have lost players to Whitehill, and players to Cargin. The biggest one was Gerard O'Boyle to Cargin, and the driver for him going to Cargin was not poaching, but a fallout within the Creggan club.

Creggan is a split parish club. Out in the Creggan Townland, half of Creggan players would live in the Duneene parish and half in Randalsown. So you get the situation where Kevin O'Boyle grew up within two miles of Creggan pitch and is a Cargin man and the McAteers / Maguire's / McAuley's / Duffins / Mc Canns  live in Cargin's heartland, but are Creggan men.

So the insult about Creggan being a poaching club is BS.

From a rivalry POV, as a Creggan lad who grew up in Cranfield, Cargin is our No 1 rival, while the Creggan townies would view Tir Na Nog as their No 1 rival.

Years ago, the Cargin / Creggan rivalry was fierce, as you had brothers and cousins going up against each other. If you looked at the pictures in the Irish News regarding Millquarter PS, the school was split 50 -50. Caralane and Creggan Ps would vary, but neither would be 100% Creggan or Cargin, and this is where the major rivalry exists.

If you asked the Toome based Cargin lads, they would prob point to Moneyglass being the big rivalry

So long story short,
Creggan as a poaching club = BS
Creggan paying too much on coaches = probably
Creggan - Cargin rivalry = Fierce
Creggan - Whitehill rivalry = Fierce (but from my POV, not as great as Cargin)

Those excuses you gave for boys transferring are a load of shit. Marrying into a family/moving into the parish is no credible reason, anybody normal would play for the club they're at as Creggan is is only 5 mins down the road anyway. "Unhappy at the commitment levels so transfers to the senior club" is laughable, poor excuse for being a glory hunter. Not criticising the club as I'd assume they'd take what they can get, but boys giving these excuses for a transfer need to take a good look at themselves. They're not moving county, they're moving 5 mins down the road.

[Dunsilly King]

You're 100% right Roger Mona, it's time Portglenone delivered too. Definitely a few very middling years finishing 7th 5th and 6th in the league and only one decent championship year in all that time. 2020 a particularly big year for us. But I think we are still on a nice progress curve, a fair bit more to come, and that should leave us "thereabouts" next year. We don't fear anyone now when we have a full team out and we honestly couldnt have said that a few years ago.

The way I see it there is half a dozen good teams that can all beat each other, and even those could lose on any given day to a team in the bottom half. But theres no great team around atm! The St Galls team of a decade ago would beat anything around at the minute out the gate! The same goes for Cargin too. The upside of that is all games are more meaningful, nothing can be taken for granted, and as clubs strive to be the best, hopefully the overall standard of football will keep improving.

Enjoyed reading that. BS half glass full mentality has now progressed to thinking because Casements had a few draws they are ready to deliver😂 They haven't beat any of the big four. St Johns are not in that four, especially under Adams who imo is crap with no ability to change the course of the game. No attacking mind at all. You reference the St Galls team of ten yrs ago, ffs they would have beaten any team in any era. Best club team to have come out of Antrim, GOAT period. The current Cargin team have a championship winning mentality. You say 5/6 teams on a par 😳🙈 Yet Cargin have won four out of the five and on what I seen this year have a manager who can change a game. Your optimism gets ahead of you. Casements now putting themselves under pressure. Do you ever learn. My team Creggan have a bit to go to recover from this year, injuries to our young forwards played it part. I heard one of our posters referencing the O Cahan cup wins.That was cringe worthy reading 🥴 Big year for both our clubs BS. You might be better concentrating on winning a league to build your belief you are ready to step up. Hearing LD management have stepped down which is a surprise considering how close they went, strange call.

[bannside]

Some good points DK. That's interesting about LD management...I didnt know that they stood down. Just because I say PG1 no longer fear anyone dosent mean I'm saying we are going to start winning all round us. Like others we are in the bunch but need as you say to be more  consistent, especially in the league. No problem at all agreeing with that.

[belfastsaff]

You're 100% right Roger Mona, it's time Portglenone delivered too. Definitely a few very middling years finishing 7th 5th and 6th in the league and only one decent championship year in all that time. 2020 a particularly big year for us. But I think we are still on a nice progress curve, a fair bit more to come, and that should leave us "thereabouts" next year. We don't fear anyone now when we have a full team out and we honestly couldnt have said that a few years ago.

The way I see it there is half a dozen good teams that can all beat each other, and even those could lose on any given day to a team in the bottom half. But theres no great team around atm! The St Galls team of a decade ago would beat anything around at the minute out the gate! The same goes for Cargin too. The upside of that is all games are more meaningful, nothing can be taken for granted, and as clubs strive to be the best, hopefully the overall standard of football will keep improving.

Enjoyed reading that. BS half glass full mentality has now progressed to thinking because Casements had a few draws they are ready to deliver😂 They haven't beat any of the big four. St Johns are not in that four, especially under Adams who imo is crap with no ability to change the course of the game. No attacking mind at all. You reference the St Galls team of ten yrs ago, ffs they would have beaten any team in any era. Best club team to have come out of Antrim, GOAT period. The current Cargin team have a championship winning mentality. You say 5/6 teams on a par 😳🙈 Yet Cargin have won four out of the five and on what I seen this year have a manager who can change a game. Your optimism gets ahead of you. Casements now putting themselves under pressure. Do you ever learn. My team Creggan have a bit to go to recover from this year, injuries to our young forwards played it part. I heard one of our posters referencing the O Cahan cup wins.That was cringe worthy reading 🥴 Big year for both our clubs BS. You might be better concentrating on winning a league to build your belief you are ready to step up. Hearing LD management have stepped down which is a surprise considering how close they went, strange call.

I think creggan should concentrate on winning championships and not leagues DK IMO

[Rodger Mona]

Dunsilly King, for a creggan man u speak alot of sense. lol.

Bannside i love your optimism though i fear sometimes you are blinded by it.  PG1 are still a while off yet. they are a good hard working bunch of lads but lack any pedigree up front, and when the games in the balance they lack the know how to get them over the line. They may not fear anyone, but likewise there is not many in the league that fear them. I hope they stay grounded and and kick on from last year, though i suspect a few of their lads may get ahead of themselves. A bit like creggan did after that final last year. The build up to that, reaching the final, winning an O'C cup and level expectation for this year past really took it out of them.

where you had lamh dearg who were disapointed with the year they had prior , played like men possessed this year.

Hats off to cargin, they are a hateful enough bunch but deserve alot of credit. as meat loaf would say... "2 out of 3 (cough) 4 out of 5 aint bad"

[BigBallWeeBall]

I'd be surprised if LD management team stood down.. Unless they 1) married into another parish 2) fell out with club (lmao) or 3) went elsewhere for better commitment from players

[Dunsilly King]

You're 100% right Roger Mona, it's time Portglenone delivered too. Definitely a few very middling years finishing 7th 5th and 6th in the league and only one decent championship year in all that time. 2020 a particularly big year for us. But I think we are still on a nice progress curve, a fair bit more to come, and that should leave us "thereabouts" next year. We don't fear anyone now when we have a full team out and we honestly couldnt have said that a few years ago.

The way I see it there is half a dozen good teams that can all beat each other, and even those could lose on any given day to a team in the bottom half. But theres no great team around atm! The St Galls team of a decade ago would beat anything around at the minute out the gate! The same goes for Cargin too. The upside of that is all games are more meaningful, nothing can be taken for granted, and as clubs strive to be the best, hopefully the overall standard of football will keep improving.

Enjoyed reading that. BS half glass full mentality has now progressed to thinking because Casements had a few draws they are ready to deliver😂 They haven't beat any of the big four. St Johns are not in that four, especially under Adams who imo is crap with no ability to change the course of the game. No attacking mind at all. You reference the St Galls team of ten yrs ago, ffs they would have beaten any team in any era. Best club team to have come out of Antrim, GOAT period. The current Cargin team have a championship winning mentality. You say 5/6 teams on a par 😳🙈 Yet Cargin have won four out of the five and on what I seen this year have a manager who can change a game. Your optimism gets ahead of you. Casements now putting themselves under pressure. Do you ever learn. My team Creggan have a bit to go to recover from this year, injuries to our young forwards played it part. I heard one of our posters referencing the O Cahan cup wins.That was cringe worthy reading 🥴 Big year for both our clubs BS. You might be better concentrating on winning a league to build your belief you are ready to step up. Hearing LD management have stepped down which is a surprise considering how close they went, strange call.

I think creggan should concentrate on winning championships and not leagues DK IMO

Where did you read that I said Creggan should concentrate on winning leagues?

[Cranfield]

In fairness there is some craic on here at the minute.

Dunsilly King pretending to be a Creggan supporter my personal favorite 

[Rodger Mona]

Cranfield how can we be sure you are a creggan supporter and not an ex White Hill'ian?

How can we be sure Bannside is an out and out pg1 man and not an ex All-Saints top scorer?

im taking dunsilly king at his word, if creggan can pull men from Whitehill they may heave stretched on out to the antrim area and if im not mistaken they had a wee lad from st.comgalls who signed last year? seen him play few reserve games and come on a few senior games??

[Cranfield]

Have you never read his posts ye mad man 

The wee lad from antrim that you mentioned trained a couple of times but never kicked a ball for us so don't know what you were watching

[Rodger Mona]

Thats a lie. That lad played reserve cship, reserve league and came on a number of senior games. I think he may however have transferred back to Antrim according to St.Comgalls men. Dont think his move panned out the way he wanted.

[BigBallWeeBall]

The Antrim lad either fell out with management, married back into Antrim or moved back for greater commitment levels.. Lol

[Jeepers Creepers]

The Antrim lad either fell out with management, married back into Antrim or moved back for greater commitment levels.. Lol

Or all three!

[Cranfield]

RM - Are you sure? 

I double checked there and I have been told that that lad did play in the first reserve league game of the year so apologies about that!

He then packed it in. So he definitely didn't play in ANY senior games or in the reserve championship which didn't get going til August

[Rodger Mona]

palyed reserve c'ship and came on v cargin in toome. I was there when visiting in laws so saw it for myself. But sure it doesnt matter. The wee mans away to the place he never should have left.

Cranfield, did uns not have another guy signed for you as last couple years from lissan or somewhere?