Antrim Football Thread

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

I'm all ears as to how our county even begins to turn it around as I honestly don't see how we ever will.

We slag and bicker about Belfast and SW and who is dominating but what does it matter? Neither is raising the standard of our county. In fact, we're in a race to the bottom.

We hear the cliches of exposure to MacRory football etc etc but the majority of that U20 team played MacRory football I think, yet they are as far away as any team before them.

[imtommygunn]

Our senior setups are considerably more professional than they ever were tbh but the underage seems to be the same, and worse, than ever. Tyrone are probably up there with the best teams in Ireland at this age group but still.

[bannside]

Today exposed once again the gap that exists, that was a humbling experience. Tyrone an absolute joy to watch, we just weren't anywhere near the same level, unfortunately.

We need a football sub committee formed immediately to even start to think about how we can start closing the gap. We won't sort it out here, that's for sure.

Otherwise we will be having this same conversation in another 20 years.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Today exposed once again the gap that exists, that was a humbling experience. Tyrone an absolute joy to watch, we just weren't anywhere near the same level, unfortunately.

We need a football sub committee formed immediately to even start to think about how we can start closing the gap. We won't sort it out here, that's for sure.

Otherwise we will be having this same conversation in another 20 years.

We will be. No doubt about it.

Or, there will be B & C grades introduced at underage level and we'll accept our lot at whatever one we fall into and will forget about ever trying to compete with the top teams in Ulster.

[Sportacus]

Regardless of the opposition, it's a desperate score line.  Many many factors including a half-arsed U20 club competition dogged by apathy.

[ONeill]

That's an alarming scoreline, on top of the minors recently.

Can anyone succinctly describe why this is happening, evening allowing the use of sweeping statements?

[SambaSaffron]

I'm all ears as to how our county even begins to turn it around as I honestly don't see how we ever will.

We slag and bicker about Belfast and SW and who is dominating but what does it matter? Neither is raising the standard of our county. In fact, we're in a race to the bottom.

We hear the cliches of exposure to MacRory football etc etc but the majority of that U20 team played MacRory football I think, yet they are as far away as any team before them.
[/quote

I'm all ears as to how our county even begins to turn it around as I honestly don't see how we ever will.

We slag and bicker about Belfast and SW and who is dominating but what does it matter? Neither is raising the standard of our county. In fact, we're in a race to the bottom.

We hear the cliches of exposure to MacRory football etc etc but the majority of that U20 team played MacRory football I think, yet they are as far away as any team before them.

Majority is some stretch. Exposure to MacRory is hardly a cliche, its a fact.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

How many of the starting 15 went to Maghera/Magherafelt/St Ronan's?

It's not a fact that it makes any difference to us.

[Sportacus]

I might be wrong, but I think that age group got wiped out by Donegal in the minor championship a couple of years ago and we had the same debate

[Derryman forever]

I might be wrong, but I think that age group got wiped out by Donegal in the minor championship a couple of years ago and we had the same debate

was it not Tyrone minors  in Healy park put 8 goals past them in 2022.

[blindside]

I might be wrong, but I think that age group got wiped out by Donegal in the minor championship a couple of years ago and we had the same debate

Yes 2021 u17

Donegal 4-22 Antrim 0-8

[bannside]

This group have definitely had their share of hammerings over the years, and that being the case we are all to blame. Let's not put this at the door of the management or even the players, they're out there doing their best.

Here's the ironic thing...and it's only my opinion....we could get 4 or 5 county seniors from this squad. I've seen some year groups we get a lot less than that.

Potentially Manus McCrossan and Niall Hynds would be midfield (in this team) and two Cargin seniors Conan and Conchuir Johnston were also missing yesterday.Cargins Big Charley McCann will turn into a baller before hes finished.

Tiernan McCormick has a massive future in Saffron if he can develop a bit more end product to match the flying runs.

I'm not deliberately cherry picking here, yesterday was hard to watch, but there's a batch here that need our support  not our derision.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Yeah, every chance we'll get more senior county players from our team than Tyrone will from theirs.

Not sure that's a good thing.

Omagh in the Hogan final next week will have had them missing players yesterday.

Absolutely it's not on those players & management. It runs way deeper than that.

[Sportacus]

Totally agree. Looking at the team sheet there are some very good footballers in that team. But there are levels - good players in their own club environment, but collectively against a Tyrone or a Derry we are miles off.  I still think Conchuir Johnston is our best chance and he would've been a big miss yesterday.  He can't turn the ship around single handedly, but he's the nearest thing we have to a special player that a team could be built around.

[imtommygunn]

What is his injury? He seems to have been out a while. (In fact every single player we have injured in both football and hurling seems to have been out for an eternity!)