Antrim Football Thread

[imtommygunn]

MR2 you're one of the top teams in ulster so it's hardly that big a surprise...

It's interesting because it's hard to know who you'll get and whether they can push you further than you've gone before.

[Milltown Row2]

MR2 you're one of the top teams in ulster so it's hardly that big a surprise...

It's interesting because it's hard to know who you'll get and whether they can push you further than you've gone before.

We are on our way out. St Johns are the next big thing.

[imtommygunn]

I find it hard to believe that you really believe that...

[Milltown Row2]

I find it hard to believe that you really believe that...

Oh i left out the smilies 

[imtommygunn]

  Sounds more plausible.

Three or four more years left in that team yet. After that though I would expect to see a changing of the guard. Who the next kingpins will be remains to be seen.

[Milltown Row2]

Cargin will always be good and there is no way the Johnnies will ever let hurling be the thing at their club. Other clubs aren't big enough to sustain a long run of Championships. 

We have great work going on at the minute. A lot of past, current players have kids training on sat mornings, and the quality of the young ones coming through will again bring us back to a winning Championships again I believe.

Creggan should win a championship at some point but won't have a reign, St Pauls I think won't win one in the next 20 years. South west teams to win the odd one and no real other shocks. Rossa will win a few I think also but not for a while.

That;s that sorted

[antrimgeal1989]

If you win that championship, as far as I am aware you do not have a choice. You have to play the grade above the following year.

Pretty sure you don't have to go up - it's a choice. It'd be the same for all championships. Did ballymena not win it before and choose not to go up?

no..ballymena were soundly beaten by portglenone in the SFC

[Rasharkin Gael]

Antrim team to play sligo

1  CHRIS KERR
2  PATRICK GALLAGHER
3  DEAGHLAN O HAGAN
4  MARK MCALEESE

5  TONY SCULLION
6  JUSTIN CROZIER
7  JAMES LOUGHERY

8  CONOR MURRAY
9  CONAL KELLY

10 TOMAS MC CANN
11 KEVIN BRADY
12 MICHAEL ARMSTRONG

13 BRIAN NEESON
14 MARK SWEENEY
15 PADDY CUNNINGHAM

16 WILLY MC SORLEY

17 RYAN DALY
18 COLM DUFFIN
19 ANTO HEALEY
20 RICKY JOHNSTON
21 MARTY JOHNSTON
22 KEVIN MARRON
23 SEAN FINCH
24 PATRICK MC BRIDE
25 SIMON MC DONAGH
26 RYAN MURRAY
27. MICHAEL MAGILL

[Rasharkin Gael]

Good enough line up for the start of the league, would have went with r johnston and m magill in the starting line up for a bit more physical presence myself.

[Gold]

Fantastic result last night with a fantastic finish. Free 50metres out with last kick to win it by Tomas McCann

Great start for the Saffrons

Sligo men annoyed we got a free.

Ref did gave ropey enough frees for both sides but the match was not the hardest to ref and there wasnt any big flashpoint incidents-penaltys, penalty calls or sendings off. It was certainly not on the  Colm Cooper scale of give a man 6 frees for nothing cause of his name v us in Tullamore 09.

We shouldv'e been out of sight but messed about shouting from stupid angles whilst Sligo scored nearly any time they got the ball. We died for first 20 mins of 2nd half.

Tomas stood up and was a great leader. He started in FF line but no doubt serves us best out at half forward when his surging Darren O'Sullivan style runs make all the difference.

Paddy Cunningham isnt working at CHF. He cant win ball at FF so is now out at CHF. He appears to have a Stevie G/David Beckham type ego where he has to hit every free--running 20 metres back to take a free to where he was in the first place. As he's now at CHF he thinks he has to hit every ball--mostly long and too often when it's not on--he's not Greg Blaney --when a simple handpass is on he should take it. We carried him last night and cant afford to keep doing so.

Where we broke down was at half forward. James Loughrey is an outstanding half back but i feel his surging pace and power which always breaks the tackle is best served at half forward. In 2010 when we finished top of Div 3 he was our most potent attacking threat--he broke the gain line so many times, then laid it off to someone to stroke it over. In fact the holes he punched caused 90% of our goal chances in that league campaign. We'd no goal chance last night. Wont do to continue like that as the games go on.

Loughrey didnt play in the League last year and we went out with a whimper--he's that important.

Scullion played at corner back and was great. Antrim teams are never known to hit other teams or stop players in their tracks but Tony doesnt read the script. He loves hitting hard/borderline fair and i think its class.

Sligo didnt look too hot last night. They were rudderless up front for most of first half but relaxed a bit in the second half and improved. O'Hara and TT were a miss around the middle for them as was David Kelly (thank God he wasnt flying about up front).

Brady for us looked to me that he was going to get the hook till he won a ball and then followed that with a lobbed point. Thought Magill if fit shouldve been on.

Neeson scores some great points but shoots from crazy angles all too often. Also he hid in behind for 1st 25 mins of 2nd half and never touched leather during that time--not good enough going forward--he'll need to get out and win ball or have help in there to win ball. Numerous times we had ball going up left/stand side in 2nd half and the 2/3 full forwards ran away to far/top right corner in behind their men. The only ball playable to them then was a diagonal ball --but those 3 certainly arn't Ronan, Stevie and Diarmuid so that wasnt gonna work. They have to be brave, stronger and come out in front and get the ball--no primary school balls over the top at this level.

Tomas showed some guts though. Some pressure but stroked it over

[Rasharkin Gael]

I see St Galls advertising in Irish Snooze for a manager! Thought they were under financial pressure, must not be, with the costs of running those ads and by doing so they are hinting at paying travelling expenses

[Gold]

No one any thought on the Sligo game?

No 'fans' at it?

Where is Hardstion these days>?

[bannside]

Could`nt make it on Saturday night, our club had a function/fundraiser on. Great result just the start we needed. Also good to see Kevin Brady getting gametime. Some stalwart over the years.

[NAG1]

Tullyglass must have made some money off the GAA over the years for all these functions!
Must be some other way for clubs to do these without giving them the lions share of the takings ie the bar

[glens abu]

Could`nt make it on Saturday night, our club had a function/fundraiser on. Great result just the start we needed. Also good to see Kevin Brady getting gametime. Some stalwart over the years.

You fought a good fight on the night Bannside,but those gloves a bit on the big side.