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Dean Richards
Theo Walcott maybe (I think it was a B cap he got, could be wrong)

I remember something about it when he banged in the hat trick for Wales.

Too easy. Robert Earnshaw.

Aye Fionntamhnach, because it's Planes, Trains and Automobiles stuff to get to that part of the world. I reckon there'd be a few fellas would phone in sick rather than drive two and a half hours to play football.

A journalist should. A web developer can enjoy a bit of leeway 

a) Martin Buchan
b) Clemence, Botham and Keegan.

Whoa Slim, I'm only going on what I've been told! I dinnae follow the Antrim football.

Nice to see I've got a reader! I've been led to believe (and this is all hearsay, I can't prove or disprove) that Hugh took Creggan out of Division II and kept them in Division I throughout his time there - something which they hadn't done in recent memory. Is this right?

Anyone know if information on this is available anywhere on the tinternet yet? The divisions were sorted last week, and the dates and venues were meant to arranged last night.

I hear we've drawn Clontibret, Loup, Aghyaran and Silverbridge. I hope to God we pulled Aghyaran at home.

1 Les Ferdinand
2 Andy Cole
3 Stan Collymore
4 Benito Carbone
5 Ashley Ward
6 Mark Hughes
7 Teddy Sheringham

All definites

Possibly Brian Deane, Darren Huckerby, Nicky Barmby?

Les Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Stan Collymore, Benito Carbone, Ashley Ward and Mark Hughes.

The huge one from the right was Fintan McGreevey. The earlier one was Kevin Gracey.

McGourty kooks atheltic and he saw a lot of ball, but he used it well very rarely. But then again, who would want to play centre-forward on a day like that? It really is impossible to pass judgement on anything that happened yesterday.

I had a bit of a row with one of the gatemen on the way in. I wanted to know how he had the nerve to ask £7 into an uncovered muckpile to watch two 'b' teams playing in the pissing rain. He just kept pointing at the sign. He then tried to charge my disabled cousin for entry, but backed off when the foul language came on the scene.

Seriously though, £7 is an absolute disgrace and the Ulster Council should be ashamed of themselves. They should be encouraging attendances at these games, not trying to screw those who come along.  If it wasn't for the aforementioned cousin's love of all things Down I don't think I'd bother again this year.     

As for the game, well it just wasn't football. Proof once again that Gaelic football should only be played in the summer months. As you would expect, considering they had an experienced enough core in place, Antrim looked the better organised and the more clinical in front of the posts. Even with their plethora of six-footers Down struggled for long periods to gain possession at midfield, and for some reason continually refused to play direct football, even though the conditions were crying out for it, second half with the wind especially. But given that it's the first time most of these lads have been on the field together it was understandable, and like other posters, I'm fully behind what Ross is doing here. If he uncovers just 1 six-foot tall athlete from this experiment, it'll be worthwhile.

I'm still not 100% sure of who some of the fellas were, but of the Down side, Stepen Kearney looked bright before getting injured, Stephen Toner caught they eye at corner-back, Peter Telford and Decky Rooney had their moments, and Aidan Burns and Eoin Henry both brought something to the game when introduced.

It's a fact of life An Gaeilgoir that if you play a contact sport, there is a fair chance you are going to get injured.

Your point is mute. Even had there been a team of surgeons on the sideline, that same fella would still have had to wait 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive before he could have been moved.


By the way, I've been involved in my club's committee for a number of years now and I've yet to hear of a parent stopping their children playing the game because of poor medical precautions. Yet I've heard more than a few complain about the fact that we charge £1 a week for the kids, even though some of them spend up to 8 hours a week effectively in our care.

The question back to you is, where do you draw the line? If an intermediate team deserves a doctor on the sideline for every game, surely do their reserves, minors, u-16s, u-14s, u-12s, u-10s and u-8s not deserve the same? We'd be fast on our way to becoming an elite sport for the rich if that's your answer.

Let's get this straight - you think doctors should be in attendance at intermediate club league games?

I would regard this as:
a) a waste of the club's money
b) a waste of medical practitioner's valuable time

Realistically (and thankfully) the number of incidents in Gaelic Games that require immediate medical attention are few and far between. Realistically as well though, incidents like this most of the time don't require a doctor - they require an ambulance to take the injured party to hospital.