Antrim Football Thread

[Rasharkin Gael]

Hogan Stand- Antrim ranked 32 from 33, 33 being New York. Bit severe , cant see how they figured waterford or  London were ahead of us but doesn't matter. The only way is up now!

[Man Marker]

Baker and Paddy have been a resounding success! Why has he got such an easy ride in comparison to Dawson? Let's be truthful Bradley's reign has been brutal to date. And I don't think he has the skills to turn it around.

[glens abu]

Baker and Paddy have been a resounding success! Why has he got such an easy ride in comparison to Dawson? Let's be truthful Bradley's reign has been brutal to date. And I don't think he has the skills to turn it around.

Can't understand that myself,the Baker boys have been a disaster so far,maybe Glensman(Paddy) can come on and explain.

[brendanbelfast]

Brendan does a good job under what must be very trying circumstances.

Trying, tiring, downheartening, etc etc..........

[Glensman]

Baker and Paddy have been a resounding success! Why has he got such an easy ride in comparison to Dawson? Let's be truthful Bradley's reign has been brutal to date. And I don't think he has the skills to turn it around.

Can't understand that myself,the Baker boys have been a disaster so far,maybe Glensman(Paddy) can come on and explain.

Glensman...me?! Paddy?! No sir!!

[AQMP]

Ant 3-15 Lon 1-10 FT

[bannside]

Got rid of the wooden spoon tag yesterday so thankful for that.

London not great but we looked decent at times, opening them up many times in the second half in particular. Tomas back and he looks raring to go, and Bam flying in the corner.

If I had a concern its once again how we miss so many clear cut goal chances. In the second half alone yesterday we could have had three or four more goals - ones that you`d expect to be finished off.

There were a few times a forward could have offloaded to a man in a clearly better position, but chose to go for their own shot. Ok a couple of these did register as scores, but other days it could come back to haunt us. No place for selfishness in a team sport.

If we can brush up on some of this silly stuff, we can grab another couple of points against Clare who will be coming to Creggan on Sunday looking for promotion.

[imtommygunn]

Got rid of the wooden spoon tag yesterday so thankful for that.

London not great but we looked decent at times, opening them up many times in the second half in particular. Tomas back and he looks raring to go, and Bam flying in the corner.

If I had a concern its once again how we miss so many clear cut goal chances. In the second half alone yesterday we could have had three or four more goals - ones that you`d expect to be finished off.

There were a few times a forward could have offloaded to a man in a clearly better position, but chose to go for their own shot. Ok a couple of these did register as scores, but other days it could come back to haunt us. No place for selfishness in a team sport.

If we can brush up on some of this silly stuff, we can grab another couple of points against Clare who will be coming to Creggan on Sunday looking for promotion.

Is McGourty still on the panel?

Fermanagh staying in division 3 and looking decent so we will need to up it a lot to be beating them!

I still think we have a chance. I know the league table shouldn't lie and all but I still think we're better than we were last year and have a fighting chance at least.

[Walter Cronc]

Was it the A grade Feile that Ballymena won??

Great to see them doing well.

[AQMP]

Got rid of the wooden spoon tag yesterday so thankful for that.

London not great but we looked decent at times, opening them up many times in the second half in particular. Tomas back and he looks raring to go, and Bam flying in the corner.

If I had a concern its once again how we miss so many clear cut goal chances. In the second half alone yesterday we could have had three or four more goals - ones that you`d expect to be finished off.

There were a few times a forward could have offloaded to a man in a clearly better position, but chose to go for their own shot. Ok a couple of these did register as scores, but other days it could come back to haunt us. No place for selfishness in a team sport.

If we can brush up on some of this silly stuff, we can grab another couple of points against Clare who will be coming to Creggan on Sunday looking for promotion.

Is McGourty still on the panel?

Fermanagh staying in division 3 and looking decent so we will need to up it a lot to be beating them!

I still think we have a chance. I know the league table shouldn't lie and all but I still think we're better than we were last year and have a fighting chance at least.

According to the Irish News CJ McGourty came on as a sub yesterday.

Can't share your optimism about the championship.  Fermanagh will stuff us.  We've conceded 11-71 in six Div 4 games including 3-15 against the bottom side.  That's a rough "average" of 2-11 per game.  Our two wins are against London and Waterford (who lost to London).  OK maybe the black card has opened things up a bit and promoted Tipp have conceded 5-71, but we're giving away too many goals.  God be with the days when a couple of good performances were subsequently described as a "false dawn".  We're not even at the false dawn stage at the minute!!

[bannside]

Yes it was WC. Great to see Ballymena with that sort of material to work with. Credit to a few people for this, but Jim Brady (Lamh Dearg) needs a mention. He was primary school principal in Portglenone for a few years and he did a great job promoting the games with our juveniles.  He obviously has taken the same cultural identity promotion to Ballymena where he is now principal in the boys primary there. Not saying he is doing this on his own, but he would be making sure that a lot of them get off to a great start.

[Walter Cronc]

Great stuff bannside. For Antrim to progress a strong Ballymena club would certainly help matters!

[bannside]

Tony Mc Atamney - one of the true Antrim footballing legends  passed away yesterday. His funeral is at 12 midday tomorrow (Wed2nd) in All Saints, Ballymena. Rest in peace.

[AQMP]

Tony Mc Atamney - one of the true Antrim footballing legends  passed away yesterday. His funeral is at 12 midday tomorrow (Wed2nd) in All Saints, Ballymena. Rest in peace.

I believe Tony was captain of the side that played in the 1970 Ulster Final.  His son Enda played for Antrim too in the late 80s early 90s.  I think both played Railway Cup too?

RIP

[bannside]

Tony belonged to a different era. In his hey day he was one of the biggest names in Ulster football, never mind Antrim. He was a regular on Railway cup teams when a that competition drew crowds of thirty thousand, and a medal was up there with an All -Ireland.

I played alongside Tony in his latter years when he moved to live in Ballymena, and although he would have been forty plus, Tony would have been winning all the dirty ball and setting things up on a plate for us. He was instrumental in dragging All Saints, as a player and later a manager from divisions four three and two, into division one of the Antrim league.

Often that Sunday activity was preceded by a Saturday at Eaton Park where Tony lined out for the seconds, then thirds, then fourths and fifths until he was almost fifty years of age. Naturally this was followed by manys a Saturday night of heavy socialising, and then of course all good to go again on the Sunday with All Saints. Ready for the battle with anyone looking to take advantage of some of us lightweight corner forwards.

How many times did he win all sorts of hospital balls, only to lay them up for others to look good. He was that sort of man. Big in every way. A giant of our times. Thanks for the memories Tony.