Messages

Agh here we go the bould Peterjohn is back, positive as always, I thought you got the message this morning, but obviously not.  Clearly you're the Village Idiot!  Enough said.

Dunsilly King, read my post I clearly do get it, we don't want to play 3 Championship games in 8 days and on a 4G surface, I cant be any clearer.

Bannside again totally agree with you, there should have been consultation with both clubs before the knee jerk reaction to re fix the game for Wed night was issued, but it smacks of box ticking, get the games played, move on.  No consideration for player welfare or people's lives and commitments.  I fully understand the frustration for PG1 to get to Belfast mid week on an autumn night, i'm sure some kids will miss out too given the time they would get home.  It has implications for us too with work commitments and people requiring flights etc. , all these things need changed and sorted.

Surly there must be a plan set at the start of the year with contingences built in for abnormal events like draws!! Imagine a game going to a draw, that never happens!  It was Dunloy last year who got shafted, us this year, God knows who next year, may even be St. Enda's now they are Div 1 hurling and football next year.  We are a dual county and invariably your best footballers are also your best hurlers, they are talented people.

I appreciate its easy to criticise on here and we all do our bit but in reality we need to clear the dinosaurs from the sub committees and the divisional boards, the clue is in the title, DIVISIONAL!  We need one county board for the whole county, dissolve South, South West and North Antrim Boards.  It is a legacy from the past, and set up for the right reasons given the conflict etc. and the difficulties of travel during the troubles.  But its the power hungry, insular individuals with no regard for others, I repeat they are poison, hence the apathy towards the County at times. They just look out for their own and their own patch.  The good people on these boards could fulfil the roles within one County Board, there's plenty of jobs to be done.

Ciaran is doing a good job following on from the great work done by Saffron Vision under Collie, Terry and Paul McCann.  There is a lot good about Antrim GAA but there is a lot still needs improved.  But we need more people to take on very important roles lower down the order.  The one big failing I see is the lack of communication in how decisions are made and the reasons why.  Sean does a brilliant job of PRO promoting our games etc and long may it continue but I would like to see greater transparency and communications.  Publish the fixtures plan, venues, times, contingencies.  Don't say they are sent to your club secretary.  Put them on the website for all to see.  Everybody should have known before a ball was kicked at the weekend what the next stage was if any of the four games ended in a replay.  It looks from the outside we're making this up on the hoof.  We have a full time secretary and administrator and now we're advertising for a Financial Controller, and we are becoming more professional.   Lets get our priorities right, give our blue ribbon events (SFC & SHC) the status and recognition they deserve.  Is that too much to ask?

The most galling thing about this is the fact there is a solution in front of them but no-one will grow a pair and make the call.  Ciaran did the right thing with the league and the error with Cargin and the trophy and got widely applauded  for it.  Time for another big decision.  Its now 8.50am the clock is ticking, please someone make the right decision for all concerned.  I know you read this page.......

Lads, lads calm down with the faux outrage, you are like the Belfast Telegraph headline writer's.  Where was the out pouring of indignation for St. Johns expecting to play 3 games in 8 days and travel the length and breadth of the county?  The rednecks have to come to the Falls Rd and the place is in meltdown.

The four football quarter finals were in the South West at the weekend, the two hurling semi's are in Ballycastle on Sunday.  Rossa, St. Galls, Lamh Dhearg and ourselves all travelled at the weekend, not a word.  We're going to Ballycastle on Sunday for the second time in two years for a SHC semi final, never mind Dunloy for drawn semi final in hurling last year.  Not a word.  The diesel bill is through the roof FFS!

I can assure you all, we don't want to particularly play tomorrow night or on the 4G either, certainly increases the chances of injury and prolongs the recovery for our dual players but that doesn't really seem to resonate with the majority of you, except for our good friend Hardstation., the voice of reason, up the Rossa:)

Bannside whilst your suggestion is very admirable, its a bit late.  Call me cynical but I find it funny you didn't offer that solution when the replay was first muted, you all just assumed, the Johnnies men would traipse back up the M2 on Wed night.  I must admit it was a stroke of genius who ever came up with Colaiste Féirste, and honestly I don't know if it was a fellow clubman or someone with a modicum of decency and sense of fair play in the county. 

Bannside we too had a few members advocating the nuclear option of not turning up but in all seriousness that doesn't really benefit anyone does it?  I hope PG1 reach a sensible decision and don't let the Brexiteer's/ Little Englanders prevail and come see the lovely sights of the Falls Rd under lights tomorrow night.

The best scenario for all involved was the solution we put to the county, which would have no bearing on the hurling so as not to drag Cushendall into this debacle but as I said in an earlier post, common sense wouldn't prevail and we are where we are.  There is room in the fixture schedule to push the football championship back a week.  I still hope common sense will prevail and a reprieve will be granted to Portglenone and ourselves at the 11th hour and the replay will be on Sun 22nd Sept.

In the meantime keep the posts coming, haven't had this much craic on here in a long time. 

Up the Johnnies.

Spike appreciate your diplomacy and where you're coming from, however unfortunately the reality is, there still exists poisonous individuals within CCC in particular, who have their own agenda and will never change their ways.  The head of CCC has his work cut out with such dinosaurs and needs a complete clear out of current personnel.  They have been there far too long!!

In reply to Memory Man, I'm not so sure that enquiring why a referee chose to not consult with umpires, on several significant occasions,  especially in a game where a couple of extra eyes on proceedings would be useful, is any form of abuse... but then again, in a mild form maybe it is....but there you go, we all have flaws when we are emotionally attached!

Wednesday is indeed a quick turnaround for both teams, is there a preferred date which you consider more appropriate to play it? If St Johns win their hurling semi final, when would there ever be a suitable date that would not hold up the progress of the football championship?

Bannside I never once mentioned abuse or accusing you of abusing the referee... but totally agree with you when you're emotionally attached the flaws surface with us all, especially when you've been with the one club for nearly 50 years.   

The common sense approach would be to play the replay on Sunday 22nd, the scheduled date for football semi finals, play St. Galls and Cargin and replay on that date.  It has no effect on hurling schedule.  There is scope and space in the calendar before Ulster kicks in.  Is this not the very reason Croke Park brought forward the All Ireland Finals last year, to give counties more space for club games?  Surly we don't have to shoe horn everything into a very tight timeframe.  I just feel the integrity of our championships is being compromised by a few small minded, petty and bitter little men, who would be welcome in a certain political party with their unwavering overuse of; NO, NO NEVER!!

Unfortunately I don't hold out much hope for common sense to prevail, as we still have a small minority of people with their own agenda's, not the betterment of Antrim GAA which should be all our agenda's.  There is no doubt the county is in better hands these last few years and great strides are being made on a number of fronts, but there are still a few poisonous apples in the mix, but their time will come to an end too.  I like you Bannside am an eternal optimist, see you Wednesday night under the lights somewhere! 

I agree Hardstation, imagine the audacity of us promoting two codes!! 

Peter John your guff doesn't even merit a response! 

Bannside, you're a reasonable guy and fair play, I read your first sentence about not talking about the referee and then you go on to do so, strange!  But as for him not consulting his officials, his two linesmen were the reason St. Johns got two red cards, fully justifiable I may add, both 100% correct decisions, so not sure where your coming from on that one.

Bannside I'd be interested on your thoughts of forcing St. Johns to play on Wednesday night giving their hurling commitments?

The lunatics are back in charge of the asylum, Jesus Wept!!  Seriously is this county expecting St. John's to play the replay on Wed night, with the hurling semi final on Sunday?  What about player welfare, the integrity of competitions, being fair etc. etc.  Surly this is a wind up?

Podge, I can assure you Antrim Vision have been in the planning quite a while and certainly have not been cobbled together in the last few weeks.  Some of these people tried almost two years ago to get something up and running with regards to fundraising along the lines of what Bannside is talking about, but then the Casement debacle unfolded, they decided to shelve the plans as it was felt there was no way they could ask anybody or any business to support Antrim GAA with the present incumbents in situ.  There is and never was any credibility with the present administration. 

With regards to TR's rant, knowing the man and his passion for the GAA and Antrim in particular I would put it down to frustration, nothing else, yes he was wrong and he subsequently apologised.  Let him without sin cast the first stone!  As for his refereeing skills, I always thought he was a tube, but that's another story 

Saffron Vision has to be the only show in town, if all our club's delegates cant see this, then we deserve all we get and the Irish News will have a field day with Antrim GAA filling their column inches.  I cant believe for a minute any of these votes will be close.

I would also hope that if BrendanBelfast wins the PRO job, that he would get Sean Kelly on board with him, clearly a guy with a passion and a vision.  The work he has done with Belfast Hour alone would prove what a benefit he would be to any administration, and I'm sure there is a role for him on some sub-committee, for we need all the positive press we can get.

Roll on the 7th Dec and the beginning of a new era, we are at rock bottom, the only way is up. 

Aontroim Abú

I have it from a very reliable source that should PMcC get in as treasurer, there will be a ticket issued for ALL transactions at ALL gates that the County will be hosting.  He will not jeopardise his professional standing, that fact alone should be enough for EVERY clubs' delegates to vote for him and everyone associated with Saffron Vision. 

 

Looking forward to the first St Johns v Rossa game since 2013. Having read the football thread and noticed a number of injuries to some of Rossa's main players I would fancy a St Johns win here. The experience of being Division one last year should also stand to the Johnnies. Hoping for a tight game nonetheless.

Rossa should win this pulling up considering all they have done lately

On the money as usual MR2, your hair must be getting in your eyes and impairing your judgement   

Johnnies at a canter last night, even we were shocked how poor Rossa were, no fight, resistance or application from them, so unlike them and not good to see from especially a Belfast and Antrim hurling perspective.

St. Johns 1.19 v St. Galls 1.12.  Johnnies were 5 down at half time 1.6 to 0.4, seemed like a hangover from Sunday!  But fair play to them they cut loose in the second half against a very poor and ill disciplined St. Galls and hit 1.15. If CJ would hurl as much as he slabbered it would benefit them greatly.  I wish I was 20 years younger, lining thon!!

Hard station, it's not too often I agree with you and not because you're a Rossa Man!  But you are spot on, viva la revolution.  Time for change, I hope the clubs can put forward strong, credible candidates for the main positions. 

I assume the Secretary's job will be unchallenged as its a paid position?

I'm not advocating that a man loses his job, but surely there must be targets and performance measurements to be met? Everything else is heading down the corporate road, surly those in full time paid employment within the GAA must deliver?

OK MR2, it looks as if we will have to agree to disagree, I agree with my learner colleague no point flogging a dead horse! 

But one last question; should a referee not be administered by the same rules as the rest of us, if I abused the referee either verbally or with a gesture, he books/ sends me off which is only but right.  Surly the same rules should apply to him regardless of the provarication.  I only ever retaliated I never hit anyone first,  but I was still wrong and got sanctioned accordingly so to say he was provoked doesn't really cut it.

On the other hand maybe referees are infallible like the Pope, if memory serves me right GD travelled that road for a while 

I'm sure we are boring everyone at this stage with this, so let's move on, and by the way you'se do a great job and fair play to you. 

MR2 don't defend the indefensible, it only makes you look stupid.  I appreciate the men in black need to stick together but seriously!  As for referee's not holding grudges...are you having a laugh. 

At the minute there is a good cohort of referees, yourself  , Totes, Mark O'Neill, Aidan Kelly & Collie McKnight however we have our tubes and Mr Duffy is king of the inflatables!!  Don't get me started about our arrogant and ignorant friend Owen Elliott, Mr Personality!!!

As a long standing member of the GAA with a still significant input and someone who has represented the County from U14 to Senior I feel I am in a position to comment.  Referees do a great job and only for them we would have no games, I have the utmost respect for them but when the power goes to their head and it's all about "me" then they have to be the centre of attention its time to pack it in.

The best referees were those who were anonymous, left their egos in the dressing room before they went out ie. Billy Reid (RIP), Tommy McIntyre, Sean Murray, Jim Donnelly, Mick Dwyer (RIP).. guys who just got on with the game, had a smile on their face and told you to behave yourself before they booked you   Unfortunately we have others in Antrim in the past and currently who think they are the most important person on the pitch, i'll not name names but im sure the posters on here could name a few alright!

Don't get me wrong I have no axe to grind with referees, we all just want a bit of honesty and integrity from the men in the middle, unfortunately we don't always get it. 

GIVE RESPECT GET RESPECT.  It seemed to be lacking in this case.