Antrim Football Thread

[bannside]

And the CCC seemingly powerless to enforce their own regulations because same clubs getting away with it time after time. To the extent it must be seen now as a deliberate tactic to impose themselves on either the referee the opposition or both. If it's not dealt with (and seen to be) how long will it be before every club starts adopting the same tactic??

[bannside]

Indeed ITG indeed! And I'll be able to see the first twenty minutes without leaving the house. Then it's off to Glenavy to watch the proper game lol.

Not bumming up our pitch but it will be good to firm on Sunday regardless of the weather.

[bannside]

No. Glenavy it is for me.

[playwiththewind1st]

A team could have 10-15 subs on any given day on top of all that.

Is the issue the number; or the behaviour?

My tactics were to order all subs to stand outside the wire (where there was one)  & insist that the 2 sets of mentors occupied opposite sidelines, well away from each other!!

[Milltown Row2]

Question to MR2 as he is our onboard refereeing cognoscenti. Who exactly is allowed inside the line. I'd have thought manager, assistant manager, physio, a designated linesman, and the club secretary or his representative to write out subs etc. That's 5. But no exaggeration I saw matches last year with a dozen or more inside. What's the ruling and what is the penalty for infringement, and have any penalties actually been enforced?

from when i was with our senior hurlers you were allowed the manager (Bainisteoir), then a runner, (Maor Fóirne) a doctor/physio and thress stickmen/water (Maoir Uisce ) which amounted to 6 plus other selectors. the only ones allowed on the pitch were the Maor Fóirne and the stickmen (2 for football and 3 for hurling)

you can have more selectors but they are supposed to be in the sub bench area and cant leave it.

championship games they are supposed to be strict about this but league it seems much looser.

To the best of my knowledge you can have.

Bainisteoir (Cannot enter the field of play)
Maor Foirne (Can enter the field of play after a score/wide of during a serious injury)
2 x Maor Uisce (Football permits 2 they must be stationed on the 45 at opposite sides of the pitch they should not enter the field)
Doctor
Physio
Club Secretary

Clubs can manipulate this by filling the Doctor and Club secretary roles with selectors and the same with Maor Uisces staying around the bench area rather than the designated areas. Generally in my experience it isn't enforced at Antrim championship games

Its hard to properly enforce at club league game level tbf, at championship level I haven't had too many issues from the clubs, they generally get the email form the county with the regulations relating to the procedures. If all the grounds had the best facilities to look after subs and coaches, doctors and the rest then it would be easier to fix that problem.

Corrigan will hopefully have that sorted with their new set up, Glenavy have a very good set up for that also, that's what we need to look at, the encroaching of subs and coaches on tight pitches make it worse and can actually hype up their teams when they are so close to the field. Only have to look at the county final when a ball is played close to the line, every tackle is acted on by management and subs! 

Fix some of those issues then it will go a long way towards helping out

[bannside]

I understand your logic MR2 but what I'm saying is that the CCC need to clamp down on clubs who deliberately flout these rules. Certain clubs are particularly blatant in their disregard for these guidelines...yet have been getting away with it for a long time as if they are beyond reproach. High time for these guidelines to be enforced  before other clubs adopt the same "tactic" as the norm, and the practice escalates.

[Walt Jabsco]

BS it is the same all over the country. Some CCCs are dependent on some clubs to host games and they play on it holding the CCC more or less to ransom whereby clamp down on us then find another venue.  Think of the poor linesmen and sideline officials trying to carry out their duties with two coach loads of bodies in close proximity.

In my experience sanctions are only applied at provincial and national level to offending teams
The regulations governing presentation of matches is rolled out every year without fail but seldom are they enforced

Found them
      https://ulster.gaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Match-Regulations-2018.pdf

[Belfast GAA man]

I'm hearing Naomh Pol and Gort Na Mona have no minor teams this year and Davitts/St John have Amalgamated - sorry state of affairs - maybe something Gaelfast could look at? drop of at this age seems to be getting worse in Belfast

[bannside]

Gaa in Belfast is in a sorry state, many clubs there really starting to feel the pinch with dropping participation rates. Can anyone there with a finger on the pulse say what the problem is. Belfast schools poor this year too in Ulster colleges! Is there any light on the horizon there outside of Gaelfast which is ten years away from seeing dividends.

[bannside]

Did anyone read Brendan Crossans piece yesterday in the Irish News about Lenny Harbinsons proposals (or personal views) on the restructuring of the gaa, its games and its governance. Easily the best bit of forward thinking I have come across to date. Well worth a discussion if anyone could paste it up here, that's beyond my capability lol.

[bannside]

It's been posted on the Gaelic Football Rules and Regulations page if anyone wants to pick up the discussion there.

[Belfast GAA man]

Gaa in Belfast is in a sorry state, many clubs there really starting to feel the pinch with dropping participation rates. Can anyone there with a finger on the pulse say what the problem is. Belfast schools poor this year too in Ulster colleges! Is there any light on the horizon there outside of Gaelfast which is ten years away from seeing dividends.

The problem is easy to indentify and hard to fix - Drop off at 15/16 years is scary - after Feile and with no strong schools in Ulster competitions the boys lose interest in their droves. No Naomh Treasa, O'Ds, Ardoyne, Pearses, Eire Og, Aggies, Colin gaels minor teams also. Solutions hard to think off but hope Is being looked at and Gaelfast Good primary school work won't be wasted when kids get to this age

[BrendanAntrim]

LENNY'S PLAN
(Based on 2020 National Football League, with current standings taken as final positions)

- No pre-season competitions
- No provincial championships
- Championship and league blended together
- Organised in four groups of eight, without New York
- Groups seeded, with two teams from each 2020 NFL division in each group
- Double round league, fourteen games each, home and away
- Top four in each group go through to All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals
- Bottom four in each group move into All-Ireland IFC quarter-finals
- Both competitions open draw
- Two competitions run side-by-sid
- Two options for Championship dates – either May 17 to June 28, or August 9 to September 20
- All-Ireland SFC and IFC finals played on the same weekend, if not together

Groups seeded, randomly generated
Group A: Galway, Meath, Westmeath, Clare, Cork, Derry, Sligo, London
Group B: Mayo, Kerry, Laois, Kildare, Longford, Down, Carlow, Wexford
Group C: Tyrone, Donegal, Armagh, Fermanagh, Offaly, Tipperary, Antrim, Waterford
Group D: Dublin, Monaghan, Cavan, Roscommon, Leitrim, Louth, Limerick, Wicklow

Group stage fixtures
January 4/5
Group A: Meath v Galway, London v Westmeath, Sligo v Clare, Cork v Derry
Group B: Kerry v Mayo, Laois v Wexford, Kildare v Carlow, Longford v Down
Group C: Donegal v Tyrone, Armagh v Waterford, Fermanagh v Antrim, Offaly v Tipperary
Group D: Monaghan v Dublin, Cavan v Wicklow, Roscommon v Limerick, Leitrim v Louth

January 11/12
Group A: Westmeath v Clare, Galway v Sligo, London v Derry, Cork v Meath
Group B: Laois v Kildare, Mayo v Carlow, Wexford v Down, Kerry v Longford
Group C: Armagh v Fermanagh, Tyrone v Antrim, Waterford v Tipperary, Donegal v Offaly
Group D: Cavan v Roscommon, Dublin v Limerick, Wicklow v Louth, Monaghan v Leitrim

January 18/19
Group A: Sligo v Cork, London v Clare, Meath v Westmeath, Derry v Galway
Group B: Carlow v Longford, Wexford v Kildare, Kerry v Laois, Down v Mayo
Group C: Antrim v Offaly, Waterford v Fermanagh, Donegal v Armagh, Tipperary v Tyrone
Group D: Limerick v Leitrim, Wicklow v Roscommon, Monaghan v Cavan, Louth v Dublin

January 25/26
Group A: Galway v Westmeath, Clare v Meath, Cork v London, Derry v Sligo
Group B: Mayo v Laois, Kildare v Kerry, Longford v Wexford, Down v Carlow
Group C: Tyrone v Armagh, Fermanagh v Donegal, Offaly v Waterford, Tipperary v Antrim
Group D: Dublin v Cavan, Roscommon v Monaghan, Leitrim v Wicklow, Limerick v Louth

February 1/2
Break week

February 8/9
Group A: Clare v Cork, London v Galway, Meath v Sligo, Westmeath v Derry
Group B: Kildare v Longford, Wexford v Mayo, Kerry v Carlow, Laois v Down
Group C: Fermanagh v Offaly, Waterford v Tyrone, Donegal v Antrim, Armagh v Tipperary
Group D: Roscommon v Leitrim, Wicklow v Dublin, Monaghan v Limerick, Cavan v Louth

February 15/16
Group A: Derry v Meath, Sligo v London, Clare v Galway, Cork v Westmeath
Group B: Down v Kerry, Carlow v Wexford, Kildare v Mayo, Longford v Laois
Group C: Tipperary v Donegal, Antrim v Waterford, Fermanagh v Tyrone, Offaly v Armagh
Group D: Louth v Monaghan, Limerick v Wicklow, Roscommon v Dublin, Leitrim v Cavan

February 22/23
Group A: Sligo v Westmeath, London v Meath, Galway v Cork, Derry v Clare
Group B: Carlow v Laois, Wexford v Kerry, Mayo v Longford, Down v Kildare
Group C: Antrim v Armagh, Waterford v Donegal, Tyrone v Offaly, Tipperary v Fermanagh
Group D: Limerick v Cavan, Wicklow v Monaghan, Dublin v Leitrim, Louth v Roscommon

February 29 / March 1
Group A: Galway v Meath, Westmeath v London, Clare v Sligo, Derry v Cork
Group B: Mayo v Kerry, Wexford v Laois, Carlow v Kildare, Down v Longford
Group C: Tyrone v Donegal, Waterford v Armagh, Antrim v Fermanagh, Tipperary v Offaly
Group D: Dublin v Monaghan, Wicklow v Cavan, Limerick v Roscommon, Louth v Leitrim

March 7/8
Break week

March 14/15
Group A: Clare v Westmeath, Sligo v Galway, Derry v London, Meath v Cork
Group B: Kildare v Laois, Carlow v Mayo, Down v Wexford, Longford v Kerry
Group C: Fermanagh v Armagh, Antrim v Tyrone, Tipperary v Waterford, Offaly v Donegal
Group D: Roscommon v Cavan, Limerick v Dublin, Louth v Wicklow, Leitrim v Monaghan

March 21/22
Group A: Cork v Sligo, Clare v London, Westmeath v Meath, Galway v Derry
Group B: Longford v Carlow, Kildare v Wexford, Laois v Kerry, Mayo v Down
Group C: Offaly v Antrim, Fermanagh v Waterford, Armagh v Donegal, Tyrone v Tipperary
Group D: Leitrim v Limerick, Roscommon v Wicklow, Cavan v Monaghan, Dublin v Louth

March 28/29
Group A: Westmeath v Galway, Meath v Clare, London v Cork, Sligo v Derry
Group B: Laois v Mayo, Kerry v Kildare, Wexford v Longford, Carlow v Down
Group C: Armagh v Tyrone, Donegal v Fermanagh, Waterford v Offaly, Antrim v Tipperary
Group D: Cavan v Dublin, Monaghan v Roscommon, Wicklow v Leitrim, Louth v Limerick

April 4/5
Break week

April 11/12
Group A: Cork v Clare, Galway v London, Sligo v Meath, Derry v Westmeath
Group B: Longford v Kildare, Mayo v Wexford, Carlow v Kerry, Down v Laois
Group C: Offaly v Fermanagh, Tyrone v Waterford, Antrim v Donegal, Tipperary v Armagh
Group D: Leitrim v Roscommon, Dublin v Wicklow, Limerick v Monaghan, Louth v Cavan

April 18/19
Group A: Meath v Derry, London v Sligo, Galway v Clare, Westmeath v Cork
Group B: Kerry v Down, Wexford v Carlow, Mayo v Kildare, Laois v Longford
Group C: Donegal v Tipperary, Waterford v Antrim, Tyrone v Fermanagh, Armagh v Offaly
Group D: Monaghan v Louth, Wicklow v Limerick, Dublin v Roscommon, Cavan v Leitrim

April 25/26
Group A: Westmeath v Sligo, Meath v London, Cork v Galway, Clare v Derry
Group B: Laois v Carlow, Kerry v Wexford, Longford v Mayo, Kildare v Down
Group C: Armagh v Antrim, Donegal v Waterford, Offaly v Tyrone, Fermanagh v Tipperary
Group D: Cavan v Limerick, Monaghan v Wicklow, Leitrim v Dublin, Roscommon v Louth

Championship schedule
- Either May 17 to June 28, or August 9 to September 20
- If May / June, club fixtures come in straight after inter-county championships end
- If August / September, inter-county teams break on April 26 and club league fixtures are played through May, June and early July, with club championships played from September 27 onwards

May 2/3: Break week

May 9/10: Break week

May 16/17
All-Ireland SFC and IFC round one (lowest ranked team at home where applicable)
All-Ireland SFC: Westmeath v Galway, Donegal v Mayo, Kildare v Dublin, Fermanagh v Roscommon, Tyrone v Galway, Cavan v Armagh, Laois v Monaghan, Clare v Kerry
All-Ireland IFC: Sligo v Derry, Waterford v Offaly, Louth v Down, Carlow v Cork, Limerick v Wicklow, Wexford v Longford, London v Leitrim, Antrim v Tipperary

May 23/24: Break week

May 30/31
All-Ireland SFC and IFC quarter-finals (neutral, games paired)
All-Ireland SFC: Tyrone v Kerry, Armagh v Dublin, Monaghan v Roscommon, Galway v Donegal
All-Ireland IFC: Down v Limerick, Cork v Tipperary, Offaly v Longford, Derry v Leitrim

June 6/7: Break week

June 13/14
All-Ireland SFC and IFC semi-finals
All-Ireland SFC: Kerry v Dublin, Monaghan v Donegal
All-Ireland IFC: Down v Cork, Longford v Derry

June 20/21: Break week

June 27/28
All-Ireland SFC final: Dublin v Donegal
All-Ireland IFC final: Cork v Derry

[JimStynes]

Serious amount of mismatches there and games I wouldn't even bother watching. Something needs to change though. A 2 or even 3 tier championship needs to happen, even if it is merged with the leagues as well. The league is the most interesting competition nowadays. Some great games and evenly matched teams playing each other weekly.

[BigBallWeeBall]

Gaa in Belfast is in a sorry state, many clubs there really starting to feel the pinch with dropping participation rates. Can anyone there with a finger on the pulse say what the problem is. Belfast schools poor this year too in Ulster colleges! Is there any light on the horizon there outside of Gaelfast which is ten years away from seeing dividends.

The problem is easy to indentify and hard to fix - Drop off at 15/16 years is scary - after Feile and with no strong schools in Ulster competitions the boys lose interest in their droves. No Naomh Treasa, O'Ds, Ardoyne, Pearses, Eire Og, Aggies, Colin gaels minor teams also. Solutions hard to think off but hope Is being looked at and Gaelfast Good primary school work won't be wasted when kids get to this age

This is a very sad state of affairs for Gaelic games in the city. I have to say that Gaelfast would be better getting their teeth into tackling the stupendous lack of minor players as opposed to posing for Fencing photographs. Some clubs obviously need help ASAP for older teens - last year only 1 City club in minor hurling A champo as well. Get your finger out lads