Antrim Football Thread

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

If you look at what happened their hurlers towards the tail end of the season it makes sense. they lost a lot of players to america and other commitments which meant towards the end they were shipping a lot of scores.

They have been relegated in that as well to D2.

As you say its a bit of a surprise considering how good they were at Minor and U21 last season.

[Hectic]

Takes a few yrs sometimes for lads to mature into senior competition and certainly losing key personnel not easy for any side.

[Hectic]

Takes a few yrs sometimes for lads to mature into senior competition and certainly losing key personnel not easy for any side.

Though Div 2 no walk in the park for getting back out of.

[themac_23]

Takes a few yrs sometimes for lads to mature into senior competition and certainly losing key personnel not easy for any side.

Though Div 2 no walk in the park for getting back out of.

Anyone remember last year the county released a draft of proposals for a league change, wonder will they look at that again next year?

[Hectic]

What were last years proposals does anyone remember?

I think any restructuring needs to be laid out at the beginning of the year so that teams know what they are playing for.

Otherwise you could have a situation where teams have got to now and been eliminated from promotion and wish to field their U21s ahead of next months Championship only to find out that had they maybe fielded their strongest team and finished a position or two higher in the league they would in fact have been promoted.

Yes there is always the argument that for the integrity of competitions every side should be giving their all in training and matches until a season ends but given the amateur nature of our game and commitment involved it is understandable also that teams tail off when they think they have nothing left to play for.

[Hectic]

And just looking at tables not sure what resteucturing would work.  Maybe 3 up from Div 3 and 1 down from Div 2 would help St Pauls. Create a 2 way league of 14 games in Div 3 and a one way league of 13 games in Div 2.  Then free up some time to play U21 on the assumption Div 2 and Div 3 teams potentially having more u21s in starting 15.

Jaysus could actually see this working. Play the U21 football Championship when there is the lull in fixtures ahead of Ulster Championship and into June when county involvement has passed.  Impact on Div 1 teams should be mininal and space cleared up in Div 2 and Div 3 fixtures.

[themac_23]

I'm sure St Paul's are already plotting and scheming about changing league formats given their relegation to Division 3. Isnt that how the hurling leagues were messed up a few years ago into a 19 team Division 3 because of their 'proud hurling tradition'?

This was the exact reason i was thinking it might raise its head again.

[themac_23]

I seem to recall that a motion was passed a few years ago that league structures passed had to remain in place for 2 years and also that any changes proposed would have a one year delay added to them to avoid exactly clubs chopping and changing to suit themselves.

I would leave well alone. Division 1 is where it should be at. Division 2 is as competitive as ever. Division 3 is what it is unfortunately. A couple of teams maybe capable of playing Division 2 and Intermediate but fairly weak if we're all honest. It's up to those clubs to get up to a good standard. I don't think we are able to legislate them into being better.

Clubs like LLL, Pearses etc will probably always be in the bottom tiers. ODs made the step up last year and are on -2 points for the year. St Paul's need to take their medicine.

I cant really remember to be honest but i THINK it was an 8 team 1a 8 team 1b 8 team div 2 and rest div 3? i think it was something like that.

I completely agree with you by the way, if anything St Pauls are being given a good chance to get themselves back to basics, there are 3 clubs playing Div 1 football who went to div 3 and rebuilt, St Teresas, Aghagallon and St Endas all built their foundations in Div 3, sometimes it takes to be winning games to develop a style of play and let some of your younger players break through playing winning football rather than trying to just gather enough points to avoid relegation in div 2

[Hectic]

Div 2 has been the most competitive league for a long time now. Div 1 and Div 3 have massive disparity in top and bottom half. Still could have decent leagues with the bottom half of 1 and top half of 2 and likewise 2 and 3. Problem with that is you have not enough numbers at top of Div 1 or bottom of Div 3 to make up another 2 competitive leagues.

Not sure what happened ODees this year. They were always going to be up against it but they got absolutely mauled in both the league and Championship. Antrim last year I thought put it up to a lot of teams in Div 2 and could maybe have kicked on had they gained a foothold. I thought if they could have bounced back up for a 2nd year in 3 in Div 2 they might still have kicked on. Instead they seem to have gone backwards this year.  Funny thing is Antrims manager went to ODees if I am correct. Maybe better all round if he had stayed put.  Hard to know.

[Belfast GAA man]

I'm sure St Paul's are already plotting and scheming about changing league formats given their relegation to Division 3. Isnt that how the hurling leagues were messed up a few years ago into a 19 team Division 3 because of their 'proud hurling tradition'?

This was the exact reason i was thinking it might raise its head again.

How could St Pauls gerrymander the leagues on their own? surely not possible....

[Hectic]

Of course everything should be laid out at the beginning of the season but history tells us that is not always how it works.

[bannside]

Any new proposals to league format would need a club to propose the motion or referral, a club member to make a strong argument to support the proposal. And this sequence of events, all club delegates get a chance to vote for or against the said proposal. It's called  democracy. In fairness the St Paul's hurlers case was a very lengthy in depth discussion and was secured mostly because of a sincere and emotional plea (supported by an argument that found enough support in the room) by a St Paul's delegate with plenty of clout.

[bannside]

In any event the only way around the topic of discussion (How to keep league's competitive) would be a top 8 division one, with 14 games ( seven home/seven away) with two relegated each year.

That may leave a 16 team division Two, with one round of 15 games. Two up and two down would leave that league very competitive too.

[bannside]

Excitement building in the SW for its first ever all country final. Expect a big crowd with no more than a point or two between the sides, who need no introduction to each other.

I think Cargins experience of being here before, plus the return of three or four big players recently to the training, might give them the edge. Equally I wouldnt be surprised if Creggan pull it off, to provide Kevin Madden (and Gerard Mc Nulty) with an unprecedented quad of four titles in 2018.

May the best team on the day win, and let's hope it is a good advertisement for football in South West Antrim.

[Hectic]

Any new proposals to league format would need a club to propose the motion or referral, a club member to make a strong argument to support the proposal. And this sequence of events, all club delegates get a chance to vote for or against the said proposal. It's called  democracy. In fairness the St Paul's hurlers case was a very lengthy in depth discussion and was secured mostly because of a sincere and emotional plea (supported by an argument that found enough support in the room) by a St Paul's delegate with plenty of clout.

Useful insight.

Any insight on why U21 deferred? While I am not a fan of it being played at the tail end of the year I do think in this instance common sense has prevailed with a fair bit of important action still to be played out at senior level.