Antrim Football Thread

Started by theskull1, November 09, 2006, 11:48:40 PM

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marty34

Quote from: Belfast GAA man on November 09, 2019, 06:03:43 PM
I wouldn't disagree with you on a hurling only club in Belfast that had a football club nearby for those who wanted to do both. But where does a young lad in south Belfast go to hurl or in Toomebridge.... - one of the great things about GAA is 2 sports to try before settling on 1 in Most cases

But why should they have to settle for 1.  Playing 2 or 3 or 4 sports at underage only make them  better sports people.

imtommygunn

A good few loughgiel and cushendall ones play football underage too. Less so at senior. McManus, graffin etc all played underage football.

Latharna

First post fellas. im a larne man born and bred, now living in south Derry.growing up in larne it was all soccer, no football at all.introduced to it at St. Louis in Ballymena and played a bit there but then back home to nothing.nearest football club is st endas.i know my granda played football for larne,could be wrong on this but think they won an antrim junior championship a long time ago.would be great to see it being introduced in the town and really hope any effort through gaelfast is successful but it's a big ask, literally starting from scratch in terms of the football.that said there are 4-5000 people in larne parish so the numbers are there.but a big challenge.

bannside

Welcome Latharna. Developing Larne is a big ask but not impossible....especially if Gaelfast coaches go in for a few years and light the spark. Maybe start with an under 12 and under 14 team, that would be enough to get started if there were half a dozen mentors capable of looking after this and stepping up to under 16s in a few years. Wouldnt look any further than this to begin with. Good thing about Gaelfast is, they will also coach the coaches, so thats a huge bonus too.


Craigyhill Terror

Quote from: bannside on November 10, 2019, 08:10:50 AM
Welcome Latharna. Developing Larne is a big ask but not impossible....especially if Gaelfast coaches go in for a few years and light the spark. Maybe start with an under 12 and under 14 team, that would be enough to get started if there were half a dozen mentors capable of looking after this and stepping up to under 16s in a few years. Wouldnt look any further than this to begin with. Good thing about Gaelfast is, they will also coach the coaches, so thats a huge bonus too.

It's been difficult enough at times keeping the hurling going, and the hurling club's been there for more than 50 years.

Belfast GAA man

Fair play to you for doing it and I hope Gaelfast will provide support.
Don't know if Gaelfast were involved but Greencastle Wolfe Tones recently played a football challenge game for the first time in years I just heard - great to Hear

Antrim Coaster

I wouldn't think there is much interest in establishing football in the Larne club. They were founded as a hurling club and have always played hurling under difficult circumstances.

At the same time one of the underage lads did play football for St Enda's on the team that won the Paul McGirr Ulster U-16 tournament a few years back.

Also made the county U-16 squad I believe.

The priority in the Larne club is to build on the JHC 'B' victory by establishing an underage hurling structure with the assistance of Gaelfast.

bannside

Maybe the majority of Latharna dont want a football near the place! Back to my point....half a dozen good men is all it takes to get an under 12 and 14 team started. With Gaelfast keeping an eye on coaching for a bit. Is that really too much to ask in a town with a sizeable nationalist population?

Antrim Coaster

Quote from: bannside on November 11, 2019, 07:55:02 AM
[b]Maybe the majority of Latharna dont want a football near the place![/b] Back to my point....half a dozen good men is all it takes to get an under 12 and 14 team started. With Gaelfast keeping an eye on coaching for a bit. Is that really too much to ask in a town with a sizeable nationalist population?

Hit the nail on the head.

Belfast GAA man

Anyone know if Gaelfast have a plan to try and boost these places where support is required or do clubs/people approach Gaelfast? Aontroim ABU

outinfront

Question (I should know this) but is Gaelfast aimed at early years children is that right? Why is specialist coaching needed for basically fundamentals training/child minding?  What is the thinking behind this?
Were other age groups discussed?

Milltown Row2

Quote from: outinfront on November 11, 2019, 02:06:08 PM
Question (I should know this) but is Gaelfast aimed at early years children is that right? Why is specialist coaching needed for basically fundamentals training/child minding?  What is the thinking behind this?
Were other age groups discussed?

It's aimed at (I assume) developing coaches, encouraging clubs, working with schools and developing GAA within these schools, raising GAA profile and increasing numbers from some of the stuff mentioned.

There are millions of things that people what Gaelfest to do and what people think is 'more important' but I'm sure we've employed the right people with the best background and experience to hopefully get us the results we want.

I'm sure there is a blueprint to what they are working from, it might even be available. We are miles behind some cities in Ireland, Cork Dublin Galway and Limerick are streets ahead but we've got to start somewhere.

It won't be a quick fix that's for sure, soccer is taking loads of kids now and these lads are juggling both sports, something is going to give, structured games every weekend and a carrot of playing football in England (a pipe dream though) or fractured leagues, tournaments running into December  games being called off for any excuse you can think off, though in fairness to the CCC they have stamped a lot of this out over recent years..

None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Belfast GAA man

MR2 would be good to see the blueprint so we could all row in behind it but I have to say after a slow start Gaelfast seems to be everywhere atm and really upping their game. Not so long Ago the juvenile Antrim GAA scene finished in Sept for the year but not the case this year - that's my sense of it

Na Glinntí Glasa

all i see is Gaelfast out all the time in various primary schools and clubs. no matter where they are this is a good thing.

so far they seem to be putting in the hard work at the grass routes level
hurl like f**k boi!

johnnycool

Quote from: Dunloy realist on November 13, 2019, 09:04:18 AM
all i see is Gaelfast out all the time in various primary schools and clubs. no matter where they are this is a good thing.

so far they seem to be putting in the hard work at the grass routes level

Building a solid base within the primary schools and creating links to the club scene is definitely the way to go.

It's going to take years before the fruits of their effort is realised but should be more sustainable long term.