Antrim Football Thread

[imtommygunn]

Good to see Brady back in the panel as this is an area we are very weak in.

Big game against Waterford. Being honest if we lose it we don't deserve to get promoted. Being honest you would like to think we'd win by 6 or 7 but it's very hard to know.

Surprised after the result against Tipp there aren't any/many changes in the team.

[Glensman]

How would it appear that the wheels are coming off Sam? - they've lost one game, an important one but one game.
No clue why Burke walked but wouldn't have started anyhow...would have been a useful sub.

Agreed that its good that Brady is back but not sure I agree with you imtommygunn about the weakness at corner back. O'Boyle has performed well and Loughrey is as good a man marker as there is out there. Scullion also can move back if required.

Hopefully no nerves creep in on Sunday and affects the team/management - hard not be nervous/slightly full of doubt with the detractors.

Do you go to games Sam? I realise its not become an onrunning joke about your LOVE for Jody but are you a regular attender?
There are certainly issues there, but there are in every county.

Antrim need this win. More than any first round championship win.

[imtommygunn]

Granted I've only seen two games this year Glensman but I, no harm to the fella, would not agree about Kevin O'Boyle. He has one big problem - you watch any balls coming into the forward line and see what he is doing. He is standing facing his man with no visibility of the ball.  It actually has to be seen to be believed. Given he does this though he does well. If he can get that knocked out of him he may get a lot better. If he does that against a top drawer corner forward he will get wiped out.

Loughrey however I like back there. Tony Scullion should never be played in corner back - brilliant half back but poor corner back. The Offaly game illustrated this with first 15 minutes as poor as on the field while the rest of the game he was probably the best player on the pitch when moved out of corner back to half back.

I think we will win alright on Sunday though. It's like I've said to other people - it's a game we gain nothing from. If we win well it was expected. if we win but barely then it will just feed the doubters like Sam and if we get beat then it will really feed people doubters like Sam and Jody Gormley will be castigated again!

Hardstation you use walk outs in the plural sense. Any more than Burke or are you referring to KMcG?

[imtommygunn]

To be honest I've a feeling you're right on this.

That was the problem with Tony Scullion when he was corner back in the Offaly game too.

It is a disaster waiting to happen if they all mark like that. I think, unlike some others here, that we are making progress. However I am just a little bit concerned that our full back line is a disaster waiting to happen. That's why I'm very happy to see Brady back.

[Minder]

Yes, I was referring to KMcG. However, didn't Chris Kerr walk too, or did I dream that?

Probably not a great example as he would walk out on the Kerry setup if things were not going his way.

[ThatManJimmyMagee]

Considering he isnt even in the top 2 goalkeepers in his own club its hardly a great loss that Kerr has gone.

[PlayWithTheWind]

Granted I've only seen two games this year Glensman but I, no harm to the fella, would not agree about Kevin O'Boyle. He has one big problem - you watch any balls coming into the forward line and see what he is doing. He is standing facing his man with no visibility of the ball.  It actually has to be seen to be believed. Given he does this though he does well. If he can get that knocked out of him he may get a lot better. If he does that against a top drawer corner forward he will get wiped out.

Would it be wrong to speculate that they were coached this by the current Antrim management? Last year's championship game against Derry, every one of the defenders were at this.

this is what Jody Gormely and Joe Brolly call "locking down"

[ThatManJimmyMagee]

Ah, the old "he was shite anyway" attitude.

are you his brother? any man that knows diddly squat about Antrim GAA could tell you he shouldnt be near the county setup. There are numerous better keepers than him in the county, McGreevey and Finucane to start with, Paddy Murray & Brian McCann.

[imtommygunn]

Someone should ask Joe Brolly if he's ever seen a man mark a good corner forward out of a game using this technique called "locking down" because I'd be very very surprised!

[Glensman]

Ok so I was mainly referring to Loughrey about the corner backs - Loughrey, McClean and Brady, solid.
I actually think Scullion has the ability to be a great corner back but agree re the Offaly game and the first 15 mins. He has the engine and the tenacity to be half back but reckon we need a better distrubutor of the ball to compliment Kelly and Crozier in there.

As regards the locking down/man marking where you directly face your man I am completely anti it as well but know that O'Boyle is just doing as told.
Sometimes that might work, when the corner forward is easily annoyed he can be put off his game.
However I'm not dead against a half way house, facing both ball and man for corner backs - half and half (not the best at angles so won't give it a stab in figures). So much of a good corner foward is about the runs he makes and space he gets...any possible way of limiting that is good in my book and if you are able to be aware of where the ball is and watch those runs then you're doing well.
The Gooch is not lightning quick, he's strong but not that strong but its the space he gets by making those runs that sets him apart. You limit his ability to do that or the 1 second head start he has and you're going a long way.

An interesting story to this 'locking down' debate was at the Antrim Kilkenny Tommy Murphy match in Kilkenny last year. I was one of about 7 paying customers (I kid you not). A certain corner back for Antrim was "locking down" his man. His man was a punter with bleached blonde hair and white boots and had clearly been dragged off the soccer field down the road to make up the numbers. Now the ball was nowhere near the Antrim goal for 99.999 per cent of the time so that Kilkenny man spent the whole time p1ssing himself at the Antrim corner back. Even one of the Kilkenny mentors got involved and had a laugh at one stage.

Another point - when Paul Close came on last year v Derry he set about waving his hand in front of the fella he was marking's face. I couldn't actually believe it was happening. The ball was nowhere near them. I thought I was blinded by the sun on the hill but saw it again. If that's what Antrim are at come championship time and Cavan I'll not be impressed.

So I do have issues with some of the tactics etc but FFS it shouldn't be a personal vendetta - its just some here would arguably rather see Antrim lose so that they have ammunition to come back on here.
Regardless if my worst enemy was managing Antrim I wouldn't want them to get beat.

Re WALK OUTS - KMcG will walk out of his own funeral.

[milltown row]

Defenders should be attacking the ball not watching the man, watched the Derry game last year and was embarrassed by the set up with the defender watching the man.

A defender should be reading the game, covering the space in front, attacking the ball like a forward would.

Midfielders look up to play ball in and see a defender in front, he wont play a low ball in and will be forced either to check his pass or attempt to play a high ball in, this then gives most players a 50/50 chance to make up ground to compete for the ball.

If we go Jody's way the defender is on the back foot from the start, the attacker will be reading the game and will make runs when the ball is sent in, the defender needs to turn and then is behind the man and he then has to win possession off his man.

If Jody wanted to keep the score down he should have employed an extra man in defence. Someone who's up for wining dirty ball and has a good engine. And if he's bollixed after 30 minutes take him off and put on a player who can do the same job

[imtommygunn]

I would agree with a lot of what you say Glensman. Every time there's a slight wee rumour the Jody Gormley personal vendetta starts.

The odd boy here and there walking out is, to me, not that big a deal.Boys have walked out on Derry, walked out on Tyrone etc etc when they have / have had good set-ups. 

I'm not sure about the marking techniques but would like to see that full back line you speak of - Brady, McLean and Loughrey. I don't ,however, agree with you about Tony Scullion. I don't think he's a man marker and he shouldn't be deployed anyway but wing half back as far as I'm concerned. I can see your point about distribution.

Marking using this "lockdown" is just wrong on so many levels you wouldn't know where to start.

Antrim to beat Waterford by 6.

[PlayWithTheWind]

was about to say that myself Hardstation. it feels like a day or two before championship. good to see.

If Jody wanted to keep the score down he should have employed an extra man in defence. Someone who’s up for wining dirty ball and has a good engine. And if he’s bollixed after 30 minutes take him off and put on a player who can do the same job

thats all Jody is trying to do, keep the score down as he knows we wont score enough up front

[ONeill]

If, as it's believed, two players didn't bother to turn up to training, will Jody apply his policy on non-attendance.

I thought Close was blessing yer man last year - one of the funniest sights I've witnessed since Saffron Sam made a move on the 55-year old school secretary several years ago.

[Gold]

good aul day for the board surely

any more scandel ?!