Antrim Football Thread

[Minder]

Strange one with Gormley deeming CJ Mc Gourty not fit enough for the footballers but he played 60 minutes at midfield for St Galls in the Ulster Hurling League on Saturday evening.

[Onlooker]

God knows.
I hear we missed a bucket-full against Tipp.

I was at the game in Ardfinnan yesterday and it is true that Antrim had a lot of wides.  However, as a Tipp supporter, I feel that Tipp were the better team and were comfortable enough in the last 10 minutes or so as Antrim did not look like getting the scores to save the game.  Tipp went in front after a couple of minutes and missed a great chance of a goal shortly after when a close range shot gave Sean McGreevey no chance of saving but went just outside the post.   Tipp never lost the lead and were deserving winners.   What a pity we slipped up against Carlow last week (by one point).  Obviously, I was very glad that Tipp won, but I expected Antrim to be better than they were.  I have no doubt that they will get promotion but can see them struggle in the Ulster Championship.  Looking at the programme before the game, I was struck by the fact that 10 of the Antrim starting 15 came from just 2 clubs.  These clubs were show in Irish as Clann na hEireann and Naomh Gall (I presume that would be Erin's Own and St. Gall's in the English version).  Good though those 2 clubs are, I would have expected a greater spread of clubs on the team.  Would this not be seen as a weakness in the Antrim squad or are there any reasons for this imbalance?.  

[imtommygunn]

Onlooker st galls are a mile above anything in antrim really and the next closest team is Cargin (erins own) who are a mile above anything else.

Last year's county final was about as one sided as you'll see in a final as Cargin didn't make it.

At present the club scene is relatively poor to be honest though St Galls are as good as most in Ulster.

Creggan showed some promise last year but it's early for them yet. Aside from that I don't really think any of the club teams are of a particularly high standard. I don't mean to be derogatory of them by the way just an observation...

[Onlooker]

I know that St. Gall's are a very good team and have proven themselves over the years, but my point is that a County team with 4 players from St. Gall's and 6 from Cargin will struggle to compete with teams picking from a wider selection of clubs (Armagh, Tyrone & Co.).  Tipp would not have a huge selection of footballers either, but there were 10 clubs represented on the Tipp team yesterday, while the Under 21 team that ran Kerry to 2 points on Saturday also had 10 clubs represented on the starting 15.  It is not a criticism of St. Gall's or Cargin, but until the other clubs in Antirm start providing more players to the county panel, Antrim will be at a serious disadvantage to several of the other Ulster counties.  Anyway, best wishes to Antrim in the Ulster Championship and the qualifiers later in the year.

[theskull1]

You observations are spot on Onlooker. Same on the County Hurling team. It's hard to know where the cart and where the horse is? Do you bring in a spread of the best players from the clubs from U14 level and work with them up until Senior? In Antrim at the minute we don't appear (stand to be corrected) to have a conveyor from juvenile towards senior intercounty. It is certainly not obvious to the untrained eye and if an attempt at one (through development squads for example) is in place it is obviously not fulfilling it's remit IMO.

The reality is that the best players who are willing to play for Antrim are playing for them at the minute, so the fact that there is very lop sided representations from certain clubs is not really the fault of the County Management

[PlayWithTheWind]

Heard today that Jody has been been making a few phone calls dropping boys from the panel:

Liam Carlin
Mark Dougan
Gerard Crossey
Conor Murray

[Minder]

Is it just a case of whittling down the panel or is it more sinister?

[saffron sam2]

Heard today that Jody has been been making a few phone calls dropping boys from the panel:

Liam Carlin
Mark Dougan
Gerard Crossey
Conor Murray

Should be getting a similar call himself if Antrim lose to Waterford and / or don't get promoted from Div. 4.

I thought Conor Murray did well, in the few chances he was given. It was said on this board that it might be a year too early for him though so, tis probably the case.

'Twas hardly rocket science.

Strange one with Gormley deeming CJ Mc Gourty not fit enough for the footballers but he played 60 minutes at midfield for St Galls in the Ulster Hurling League on Saturday evening.

Strange indeed. Or managerial genius - you decide.

[PlayWithTheWind]

Heard today that Jody has been been making a few phone calls dropping boys from the panel:

Liam Carlin
Mark Dougan
Gerard Crossey
Conor Murray

add Conleth Totten and Michael Pollock to that list

[milltown row]

Hard to tell. Who is the St. Gall's senior hurling manager anyway?
[/quote]

Michael Gribben

[stiffler]

CJ was fit enough to play a friendly game against rostrevor on Sunday, seems strange that he wasnt able to play in Tipp.

[Onlooker]

I am sure that the Antrim footballers and officials who were in Ardfinnan last Sunday will be shocked to hear that Darrel Darcy, who came on as a sub in the National League game, after playing in the Munster Under 21 Final against Kerry the day before was killed in a car crash yesterday.  A very sad time for his family and team mates and all involved in football in Tipperary.

[Gold]

see the Minors got tanked today by a superb Tyrone team

[PlayWithTheWind]

whats new there 

[themanwhowasntthere]

Day 1 of the new leagues & already games being called off by clubs with no reference to the CCC. Same old, same old.