Antrim Football Thread

[milltown row]

might head down, Armagh aint to far

[imtommygunn]

Art & Eugene and the two Brians will be forgot about Max. They are probably viewed to have underachieved.

They did provide a good platform for teams to go on and win the AI though.(Not sure everyone would share that view though)

I would generally concur that two big managers won't work though.

Also Portglenone are a club that I respect however the age of their team is an age of a team that will probably get worse before it gets better. Gerard McAleese and Paddy Carey aside I've not seen any talent which is currently under the age of 27/28 come through and make it.

With the standard of club football currently they should be fit to make the 3rd best team for the short term though but I don't see them moving upwards. They're a good bit short of Cargin / St Galls. Creggan would be on considerably more of an upward spiral than them.

[lynchbhoy]

I would genuinely think that the Ports would be much better off with Delargey on his own. Whitey seems to have lost things a bit after a disappointing spell with Rossa and two big hitters has rarely worked in the past (Carr & Kane at Down, McRory & McKenna at Tyrone and Coleman & McGuckin in Derry to name but three examples of failed managerial teams)

Art and eugene won an Ulster championship  as did the two Brians...now lads that is not faulure.

both sets left their county panels in disaray and in the case of armagh - huge infighting and disillusionment

[bannside]

Happy New Year to all Truly Genuine Antrim Football Followers.

Sometimes we overstep the mark, call it wrong, go on here worse for the wear, make friends, make enemies. Sometimes we laugh, Sometimes we dont laugh, Sometimes we`re high ( St Galls beating Nemo) Sometimes we`re low (Remember Waterford).

Sometimes we think the Doc is top man ( centre of excellence, Club Aontroma, Strategic report, Racedays. and energy unknown.)Sometimes we think he needs to show he REALLY cares about Football.

How many on here feel that done right, we should be the equals of Fermanagh, at the very least. ( Well done to them). Division Two and within ONE point of an Anglo Celt. Its time to applaud Fermanagh, and then to match/beat them. As an initial first target.

In just over an hour we pass into a new season. Lets get behind the county, the management, and all the players, and wish them all the very best for 09. Everything IS possible. Who knows, we might even get the "Doctor" to buy in!

Lets make it a good one.

[aontroim]

Happy New Year to all Antrim Gaels - onwards and upwards from Div 4 is the main goal for 2009.  A few good results in the McKenna Cup would be a nice start though!

[nearlymad]

Sometimes we`re low (Remember Waterford).

You're a sick b**tard. "Here, Brits, do you remember Dunkirk?"

  What are you all talking about here?

[milltown row]

training session in Toome today. i wonder how it went. any of our posters get any feedback from Bradleys first offical training session?  who turned up and what excuses where used for the ones who didn't?

oh hardstation, you can be funny here also

[firehill]

heard mcglinchey was sick after the warm up... 

i dont know about anyone else but id be surprised if we get within 9 tomo....  squad is the weakest ive ever seen!!! you look at the established players and yes their all sound but the newcomers (apart from paddy carey) id be very worried about .. paddy cunningham scored 11 pts off douglas a few years back

[the colonel]

antrim beat by 2, not a bad start

[milltown row]

poor first half, we only scored 3 points. I'd say the conditions were perfect for football this time of year. better return in second half, i believe we had a lot of the play got level at 8 each but let Armagh pull away. its a problem the past Antrim teams have. hopefully we can turn the screw on the other teams when we are in the ascendancy instead of panicing.

[mattockranger]

wat was antrims line up?

[never kickt a ball]

wat was antrims line up?

Armagh 0.12 Antrim 0.10

After trailing 0.06 .0.03 at half time Antrim lifted their game in the second half the run the Ulster Champions close.But for a bit of luck the result could have been so different,but none the less a heartening preformance for the 4th Jan.

Antrim Footballers had a formidable task in hand today, when they met Division One opponents, from the Orchard County, in their own back-yard; the Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Whilst some might argue that 2009 may have got off to a very 'short-notice first event', in terms of preparation time, it has to be said the conditions today were match favourable, except perhaps for the irritation of a pale and blinding winter sun. There were encouraging aspects to the game today, new playing rules notwithstanding. New Antrim Manager Liam Bradley was very much in evidence and whilst he has had little real opportunity to experiment it was patently clear that his fresh approach demonstrates a determination to accentuate the positive. Come what may he is clearly not a man to allow grass to grow beneath his feet; I think that it is fair to say watch this space. 
    Whilst Armagh never really looked threatened today it can be said that they had luck on their side, on more than one occasion. Antrim were unfortunate not to have scored at least one and arguably two good goals on the day. Again Antrim were competitive, in bursts, and won their chances to add points but it was not to be today. It is early in the season to pick out players for individual praise but it has to be said that there were encouraging signs of some real determination within the new Antrim squad. Gerard Mc Aleese was focused, determined and on target. Ciaran Close, was yet again reliable and determined although he had to come off eventually in consequence of injury. Tony Scullion, again and again and as is his hallmark drives directly at opponents with vigour and determination; he is an inspiration for his sustained determination on the field of play. Darragh Edwards made a significant claim to the number 11 Jersey today, wearing it as though he intended to stay on board.
    All in all Antrim put on a determined display and against formidable odds carried the day with dignity. There was evidence, as to be expected, of the greater experience of some seasoned Armagh players. Names like O' Rourke, Clarke and Mc Keever don't lie down or roll over but the experience of playing against them has to be a positive one for Antrim players.   

Antrim
1. Sean McGreevy 2.Aaron Douglas 3.Sean McVeigh 4.Colin Brady 5.Tony Scullion 6.Paddy Carey 7.Conor McGoldrick 8.Micheal McCann 9.Martin McCarry 10.David McAlernon 12.Dara Edwards 12.Aodhan Gallagher 13.Ciaran Close 14.Michael Magill 15.Gerard McAleese

Substitutes: Conor Creaney for A. Gallagher (yellow card), Benny Hasson for M. Magill (yellow card), Liam Carlin for C. McGoldrick, Conor Maxwell for C. Brady (injured), Kevin Brady for D. McAlernon and Donal Graham for C. Close (injured).

[culchie11]

good performance by antrim in second half by all accounts!!
can only bode well for the incoming season, a win against cavan on sunday would go down well.
if we can get to that standard for a full match.
i know it wasnt a full strength armagh but to compete with any armagh team isnt bad.

not many comments on match!!
if we had been stuffed, this thread would have been bouncing, looking for the doc & bakers head!!!

[imtommygunn]

Agreed Culchie!

Sounds like promising debuts from McAleese / Edwards. Don't know much about Edwards but if McAleese bulked up he could be decent.

It wasn't a full strength Armagh but wasn't a full strength Antrim either.

I'd be interested to know how some of the other debutants got on. Always thought McAlernon was a tidy footballer.

[bannside]

Credit where its due. Throw in two open goals missed, and we could have been looking at a very decent start under the new management. Plenty of positives to take out of it.

Baker/Conway both steeped in football, in the real hot bed that is Derry Club Football. Both passionate around any team they would be involved with. Throw in the fact that Paddy Mc Neill will get any player fit that really wants to, and collectively its a lot more promising than anything I ever thought Jody would offer. Best of luck to them.

Jody was a complete punt, with no relative experience at all of inter county management. It was a complete disgrace that in two years he couldnt get Antrim out of division four. His dressing room was well and truly lost long ago, and he treated the u-21`s with complete contempt.

But its public knowledge that apart from a disagreement over a "retainer" during the close season, Jody was for getting another year at the helm.

What exactly does that tell you about the aspirations and ambitions our county chairman has for the proper development of Antrim at inter county level.

My own opinion is that he sees it as a complete distraction, and has no belief in our players to make any real impact.

I totally disagree. The type of players coming through now are good enough to win an Ulster in the next two years. I have total belief in this generation, and would have worked with the vast majority of them at some stage.

But not if we cant get the simple things right like getting Jordanstown booked in time. (What a joke). Dont even get me started on that one.

Sure the facilities at Eaton Park would be a lot cheaper, wouldnt they?

Read between the lines lads!  I could post all day on this subject.