Messages

A substantial boost to the senior panel going by that press release.

Tbh I thought we were a fair bit more wasteful than them, and but for our wastage count in front if goals we would have been celebrating a solid victory. (Don't forget they beat us out the gate last year).

The wastage stat in front of goals is a cause for concern, but in many cases the opportunity was presented on the back of good link up play and as we all know, there's days they go on the scoreboard, and days they don't. Dommo hit the crossbar when a goal would have levelled it, and I thought if that had gone in, we could have gone on to claim both points.

Not concerned too much, I do believe we can retain our Div 3 status and that's the first Box ticked for the season.

The referee was Offaly bad, ridiculous that a ref was appointed from a county with a clear interest in the outcome of the match.

We made that joke about the ref as well yesterday!!

But it was true.

And the wastefulness in front of goal can happen, but missing easy frees is less forgivable.

I know Byrne missed one in the second half but there were 3 easy ones (for him) he should have taken before that, that you just knew weren't going to be close.

You usually know if a free taker is going to be on his game from the first one and yesterday the change to Byrne taking them should have been made sooner.

Wouldn't say turgid Kidder, that was indeed the case last week in Sligo, but yesterday I thought we had a proper go, and died with our boots on.

Players working their way into squad/team such as Kavan Keenan and last year's newbies Colm McLarnon and Ronan Boyle all did well yesterday, amongst our better performers.

On yesterday's display we should have enough to beat Wicklow in our last game  and anything we get against Clare (away) is a bonus.

To miss so many scorable frees was criminal yesterday.

Couple those with the 2 missed goal chances and we could have easily won that game.

Westmeath were no great shakes but they knew in the second half all they had to do was keep calm and maintain their margin without too much exertion as they had that gap due to our misses.

Most 2nd year minors won't be playing senior,they'll be playing res unless they are like C Johnson from cargin,which I don't think there are

I accept that but if the option is there, then allowances have to be made for it.

Last year minors are allowed to play senior, minor fixtures to be moved to midweek though not confirmed which day.

Fixtures due out on Thursday evening/Friday morning, 9 whole days before the first game.

If (2nd year) minors can play senior and there needs to be 48 hours between games then surely minor games have to be Friday, to account for Sunday/Wednesday for Senior.

Is that not the way it used to be years ago, with U16 then on a Tuesday night?

You would think every year when this comes up that this was the first time they ever had to sort fixtures.

LGFA have managed to get their full fixture schedule right down to U6 released and the relevant ones posted on the county website.

His home club and Portglenone are a stones throw apart so not really a reason him living in pg1. Like a creggan player transferring to TNN because they live in Randalstown

The transfer was for other reasons, as already stated by a few.

My point was he picked the club that was closest to him.

Should he have transferred to a further away club?

At least they aren't likely to play each other, as opposed to transferring to another club in the same county.

And there have been a few in the last 10-15 years have made that switch (boke!) from TNN to Creggan and vice versa because of similar reasons to Lynn.

28 out of 29 and I'd say a fair chance that number 29 goes to school in belfast. Just feels a bit off.

28 out of 29 and I'd say a fair chance that number 29 goes to school in belfast. Just feels a bit off.

The panel that was named at the start of the year was the same set of girls so it hasn't changed.

It looked ridiculous at the time as well.

Moneyglass withdrew all their minors so that left a few spaces for more Belfast based players.

Still a surprise that the likes of Cargin or Glenariffe don't have any representation as they were strong at U16 last year, but then again, neither would have a coach on the panel so there you go.

The U16s are not much better, with 21 Belfast and 9 elsewhere.

He lives in PG1 doesn't he, now he is back from London.

Pretty sure there was a fall out with Greenlough before he went there, so bridges burned and as someone said before, they aren't losing any sleep over him not returning there.

So I see no issue in it at all.

Don't know enough about the keeper involved to know if he had a fall out or not.

[Although there is always a strong bias towards city players with underage squads in LGFA anyway.]

This just randomly popped up on my social media. Antrim minor ladies playing tonight and of a panel of 29 there are 28 city and one glenavy. Something doesn't seem right there?

Fall out over the Minor Final last year being played on the same day Moneyglass Senior Ladies were playing in Ulster.

So the MG girls have left the panel this year.

Same goes for the Senior Ladies, apart from the O'Neill sisters who aren't available all the time as they have their studies to focus on this year so I believe will be dropping in and out.

All fair enough but unfortunate timing for the Senior Ladies after reaching Div 3 for the first time.

Although there is always a strong bias towards city players with underage squads in LGFA anyway.

It usually depends where the management team is from, sure Randalstown will be able to balance the books with the minor hurlers 

I take it you are referring to the 3 hurlers that were involved last year that preceded the change of management??

Don't see any more faces added to them to boost the numbers.

I get what you mean about location of the management teams but I was more meaning at school age it definitely works in their favour as most of the boys and girls, while maybe not at the same club, go to school together so are a lot more familiar with each other, as well as the coaches who know most on a first name basis.

I suppose it works the same for hurling/camogie and north Antrim, as the majority go to one of 3 or 4 schools and the coaches are north Antrim based.

That just seems to be the bias each way between big ball and small ball panels.

This just randomly popped up on my social media. Antrim minor ladies playing tonight and of a panel of 29 there are 28 city and one glenavy. Something doesn't seem right there?

Fall out over the Minor Final last year being played on the same day Moneyglass Senior Ladies were playing in Ulster.

So the MG girls have left the panel this year.

Same goes for the Senior Ladies, apart from the O'Neill sisters who aren't available all the time as they have their studies to focus on this year so I believe will be dropping in and out.

All fair enough but unfortunate timing for the Senior Ladies after reaching Div 3 for the first time.

Although there is always a strong bias towards city players with underage squads in LGFA anyway.

I'd say there will be more concerts in it than Antrim matches.....certainly with regards to club matches.

Has it been decided what happens Clones once Casement is finally open?

Portglenones pitch is fantastic for the players.A really good surface but its no good for a large crowd to attend.

No parking other than a narrow country road and the pitch plus viewing isnt the best (bar a small bank on the far side). I was at Lgiel v St Johns SHC a few years back and it was really poor to try and view the game.

Great pitch and floodlights but not good enough for viewing.

TBH ballycasle ive found was always the best to stand and watch a county game or county final (where the final should be played).

Corrigan again has a good surface but anyone who was at the county hurling final past will know how hard parking was, trying to find space on the grass bank and then the potential health and safety hazard at the halfway line where the van was parked for the cameras. Anyone who was there will know of the potential of something going wrong with the size of the crowd trying to filter into a narrow path with a two way flow of traffic.

But it is where it is now and we have to deal with the set up we have.

They have a large car park there on 3 sides of the old pitch, so it isn't just the narrow road.

I know the viewing isn't acceptable as it is, but again, my point was the with the money going there they could have had a terrace/stand to add to what they already have.

Or even better, the money could have gone to Tír na nÓg when we were redeveloping anyway and stuck a stand at our pitch!

We lost control years ago but very sad to see Casement has turned into the political football it has, at the mercy of the British Government and Gordon Lyons to increase their contribution (even with the Irish Govt money) And if its built what stipulations will it have, will N Ireland play more games there? how many Antrim Gaels will even get to avail of it? The Euros is one thing but what after that, unpopular opinion probably not even possible at this stage, but a revamped Casement in the style of Healy Park or Armagh Athletic grounds should be built if this current fiasco continues. At least it would be ours,
A balls up from the start and when you see the same faces still hanging about the project it doesn't give much hope.

Rewind to 2012 or whenever casement closed. If the stand was redeveloped. Pitch maintained and terracing maintained we'd have a fantastic set up. The pitch/lights/space around the ground was brilliant. A new modern stand was all we needed

I agree, I always thought there was something a bit fishy about it all, as to why they didn't allow a local club to use the facilities and maintain the pitch as a way of getting free rent on the grounds.

A generation of players have missed out on ever getting to play in Casement which is such a shame.

How long were those floodlights installed before the place closed, 3 years was it?

Surely they knew what was coming so why spend that money on them knowing the stadium was the be completely redeveloped.

Unless there were a few brown envelopes skimmed off the top of the cost of them.

The current plans for Casement, while looking impressive, are totally over the top.

It is Antrim ffs, something similar to the Athletic Grounds would be perfect for all we need it for.

If they want it to replace Clones then just make it a larger Athletic Grounds, not an Aviva copy!

Of the list i dont think any of them tick all the boxes - remembering they also didnt get the money pumped into the ground that corrigan has.

Parking to me hosting top div 1 sides is a bigger food for thought as opposed 5 years ago.

Ballycastle to me is the closest to meeting most criteria aside from a covered terrace.

Reason i mention st endas is they have a school nearby to facilitate parking (albeit never been used for a big club fixture)
Secondly they have a natural tiered terrace - why this has never been adapted with rails and proper footing? Would make good viewing.

Portglenone is a great setup but could it host a game against your kilkenny or always come championship? Thinking of crowds?

My point is i believe other grounds could've been adapted to the standard of a good home base to a higher standard than corrigan with less spent on it

Yes, I was suggesting PG1 as somewhere if the money had been given for a terrace/stand it would tick the rest of the boxes.

But then maybe a bit too far for those in Belfast that make the decisions to want to travel too....and no social club to pint in!