Antrim Football Thread

Milltown Row2 · November 03, 2015, 12:05:18 PM

Quote from: jdyok on November 03, 2015, 11:36:37 AM
MR2, your analysis is usually spot on, but I would have a different opinion regarding the strength of St John's underage teams over the last decade or even two. When the minor football C'ship was won in 2011, it was the first win in 21 years. That team has stayed the distance, winning U-21 football on 2 occasions; it'll take a good team to beat them this year. That squad have been dominant throughout their juvenile years. St John's minors prior to this have been average at best for 20 years and this has been reflected in an inability to compete seriously at senior level. It's careless and easy to say that they have been unable to retain and develop players anymore that any other club. Frankly, the raw materials have not been there. The talent is there currently, but of course it won't translate into success at senior level without a huge effort...

Traditionally St Johns have always had strong juvenile teams and whether winning them or not they usually competed well enough... keeping the players is the toughest test and while as you say this teams is a strong unit they have to bring that to senior and have a manager game enough to let them all go up together... that may or may not happen we'll see

If you go back to the when we started to do well again at senior it was based on winning 4/5 minor in a row as well as 4/5 under 21 in a row... it didn't happen straight away ... we had a couple of decent juvenile teams which all came together at senior.... Cargin don't win too many minor titles but every year they bring out a decent senior team that challenges every year.... that's not luck but effort

Hectic · November 03, 2015, 12:59:00 PM

If you go back to the when we started to do well again at senior it was based on winning 4/5 minor in a row as well as 4/5 under 21 in a row... it didn't happen straight away ... we had a couple of decent juvenile teams which all came together at senior

And acquiring a few boys from elsewhere..........

Milltown Row2 · November 03, 2015, 02:02:32 PM

Quote from: Hectic on November 03, 2015, 12:59:00 PM
If you go back to the when we started to do well again at senior it was based on winning 4/5 minor in a row as well as 4/5 under 21 in a row... it didn't happen straight away ... we had a couple of decent juvenile teams which all came together at senior

And acquiring a few boys from elsewhere..........

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I think you could look at the majority of clubs in Belfast with that view... our juveniles all played for the club for many years before reaching senior and the core of that teams would have won countless titles regardless, but hey that's for another argument

Hectic · November 03, 2015, 02:28:01 PM

Just bantering as that has been thrown by detractors for many year though I know plenty of the guys who were successful and know they were reared in the club.

bannside · November 04, 2015, 11:44:52 PM

Five Antrim players featured tonight in QUB v UUJ clash at the Dub. Not including Niall Mc Keever who allegedly broke his hand at a training session on Monday! All did well enough. Match finished a draw.

paddyjohn · November 05, 2015, 12:05:34 AM

Quote from: bannside on November 04, 2015, 11:44:52 PM
Five Antrim players featured tonight in QUB v UUJ clash at the Dub. Not including Niall Mc Keever who allegedly broke his hand at a training session on Monday! All did well enough. Match finished a draw.

r

Who were they BS?

bannside · November 05, 2015, 12:14:01 AM

Queens had Niall Delargy (5) Ryan Murray (10) and Dermot Mc Aleese (12).

UUJ had Ricky Johnston (3) and Marty Johnston. Captain Niall Mc Keever wasn't available.

All held their own with Ryan Murray up there as the best player on the pitch. Class act.

bannside · November 05, 2015, 12:18:47 AM

UUJ freshers A beat Queens freshers A earlier in the day. For UUJ Peter Mc Parland Davitts had a good game as did Ronan Delargy Portglenone. Ben Reid Lamh Dhearg came on a sub for Queens.

JimStynes · November 07, 2015, 08:25:54 PM

Poor showing from St Galls today against Aghagallon. Don't seem to hve much coming through at all.

Milltown Row2 · November 07, 2015, 08:40:53 PM

Quote from: JimStynes on November 07, 2015, 08:25:54 PM
Poor showing from St Galls today against Aghagallon. Don't seem to hve much coming through at all.

We're finished..... The scrap he's for us.....

. We haven't been competitive at juvenile for a while... We watched all these other clubs dominant and when they get to senior what happens?? We'll move to mid ranging team for a while till the next batch comes through.... I hope

country bumpkin · November 07, 2015, 09:00:34 PM

Hear Carl Mc Cabe has stood down MR2.....................a really nice guy, great manager, and most definitely a hard act to follow.

Milltown Row2 · November 07, 2015, 09:11:38 PM

Quote from: country bumpkin on November 07, 2015, 09:00:34 PM
Hear Carl Mc Cabe has stood down MR2.....................a really nice guy, great manager, and most definitely a hard act to follow.

That's the way it goes.... I wish him the best a genuine guy who had thrown himself into Naomhgall... His young lad is a cracking footballer too... Hopefully Carl doesn't take too much time out and starts looking after other teams within the club...

As you know losing hoid managers that have won things JC being one is hard to replace

country bumpkin · November 07, 2015, 09:28:23 PM

Yep was indeed missed for a while but he is back coaching the youngsters.................managed the minors this year as well as the 21s.......

Spike · November 09, 2015, 12:34:00 PM

wouldn't panic just yet MR2. you'll be closer to the talent in st galls youth than I would be but usually the key is making sure the quality players on those teams are ready for senior football, even if its a only couple from each team. the country is full of great former underage teams who do nothing at senior level. Creggan had some cracking minor and u21 teams 7-8 years ago and look no further on. Glenavy and Aghgallon always seemed to do well at u12/u14/u16 and haven't cracked seniors yet. Glen Maghera's triple minor team doesn't seem to have radically changed their position, neither has Kilreas. Some are just big at that age group, some haven't the focus and mental strength to deal with senior football when things go against them. some stall as a great senior player is in their position so they cant get a game and spend too long in the reserves/on the bench learning bad habits.

bannside · November 09, 2015, 06:53:21 PM

St John's have a standout under 21 team who should give the Creggan (Ulster) tournament a real crack this year.

But the Johnnies have had great underage teams too over the years and didn't kick on. There's something about this group that makes me think most of them might hang around and push on for a senior title in the next few years. A lot of them are second or third generation and I think that makes a big difference.