Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

I've had a look at it and (speaking from a country club perspective) I think its a rubbish idea. Sanctions are there to get players  from clubs who've number issues an opportunity to play. Thats some extreme tinkering thats likely to cause world war 3 in some clubs

I thought you would. I've one question, do you feel there are too many Belfast clubs?

At juvenile level lately how many games have you notice that Belfast teams haven't fielded due to numbers (oh that's two questions!)

[Hectic]

be better if you had of explained that rather than your first message that was bascially 'yer wrong mate'.

Martin has a keen interest in Dunloy so its nice to see him helping out. From speaking to the manager he was very impressed with what he wanted to bring to the table. Dominic's surname is Dillon. this will be his third season in charge of the football. Done a good job to take us from bottom half of Div 3 to two county finals and Div 2 football.

On another note that Kilrea minor team look a seriously good outfit. will take a good team to beat them this year in the St Pauls tournament.

DR, how much of the recent rise was Paddy Bradleys influence though? Not being smart or disrepectful when I ask. I like to see SW teams improve and do well, Dunloy are a good club who have invested and worked hard on internal structures and are reaping the reward.

I was at a table with Martin & Peter (sounds like Stormont here!) at a wedding a few years back, 2 nicer men you wouldn't meet anywhere, real sound GAA men who know their stuff.

Yeah from what I gathered Bradley was not the catalyst but rather the other boys getting in and getting the commitment of the best players due to the respect they had for them.  What I was lead to believe anyway - I am sure DR knows much better than any of us though.

[themac_23]

I've had a look at it and (speaking from a country club perspective) I think its a rubbish idea. Sanctions are there to get players  from clubs who've number issues an opportunity to play. Thats some extreme tinkering thats likely to cause world war 3 in some clubs

I thought you would. I've one question, do you feel there are too many Belfast clubs?

At juvenile level lately how many games have you notice that Belfast teams haven't fielded due to numbers (oh that's two questions!)

def too many clubs, i know of a few clubs struggled for numbers big time this year and their results showed this. id like to make another point on the subject, if a team is constantly scraping to get a team out and sending SOS messages to old retired players time and time again to 'pull them out of a hole' when does that hole swallow the club up? i know clubs have to fulfil fixtures but i can see it having a negative effect on young players coming through just fulfilling fixtures and no real drive behind it. some clubs need to swallow their pride and realise their numbers aren't there to keep going it alone and join with another. most clubs will fulfil fixtures but surely you'd rather be playing and training with a squad of 20-25 committed players as opposed to 10 at training and others just turning up as they please, which unfortunately is a problem a lot of smaller belfast clubs have (can't speak for the country teams)

[country bumpkin]

Just for the record my "tacit" support for amalgamations that CB alludes to is on a  need to basis. Where clubs simply cannot get the numbers out. Or where there is a serious lack of expertise because running a club is hard work. It's become a huge tick box exercise now, and a club needs dozens of really good volunteers now to get all the jobs done....properly.

That tacit approval is a last resort really, not a gung-ho  approach to forcing clubs against their will, but facilitating clubs to build strong well organised vibrant and sustainable clubs that act as a hub for both the community and on field excellence.

Is that not just commonsense?

I do not think your 'commonsense' approach would find much favour in the S West BS, or indeed at Portglenone.....seems you really do play lip service to the Visionarys.
Are Casement's experiencing problems within and considering amalgamation or indeed which 'club' does in your considered opinion really need to contemplate such?

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

im assuming tagging us with rasharkin they are talking in terms of hurling only as we have a few of their players in our hurling structures. we dont have any at football for obvious reasons as they field at all the grades other than Minor.

Ive always wondered why Portglenone continued with the SS underage teams whenever they can field at U21 level they clearly have enough players so i assume its done to help Ahoghill more so? maybe im wrong BS but Portglenone as an area has grown in terms of the nationalist population quite considerably that they could field their own teams? I've been down watching my god daughter playing camogie for Geraldine's u6's and couldn't believe the numbers there.

[Galer]

If belfast clubs dont have the numbers there is little hope for the rest of us.Maybe Belfast would enjoy more success with the nos if croke park would give our county the required funding.but maybe the clubs need to work harder instead of looking for an easy way out.

[country bumpkin]

If belfast clubs dont have the numbers there is little hope for the rest of us.Maybe Belfast would enjoy more success with the nos if croke park would give our county the required funding.but maybe the clubs need to work harder instead of looking for an easy way out.

Agree Galer and it is my belief that this call to amalgamation does ring loud from within the 'big clubs' in South Antrim and indeed some need to have a good look within.
The last club to go outa business was Mc Dermott's a few years back, and at such juncture a leading club had grabbed at least a couple of their former players.

[paddyjohn]

If belfast clubs dont have the numbers there is little hope for the rest of us.Maybe Belfast would enjoy more success with the nos if croke park would give our county the required funding.but maybe the clubs need to work harder instead of looking for an easy way out.

Agree Galer and it is my belief that this call to amalgamation does ring loud from within the 'big clubs' in South Antrim and indeed some need to have a good look within.
The last club to go outa business was Mc Dermott's a few years back, and at such juncture a leading club had grabbed at least a couple of their former players.

Was Mickey Pollock at Gorts man or a McDermotts man?

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

throwing money at Belfast will solve nothing. it wont make players turn up for training's or encourage kids to want to learn the skills or instil the desire to compete.  the work must be done from within the clubs themselves.

Belfast as a population for playing is massive compared to any country club. Look at Glenariffe, they have a small area to pick from, small village yet they field at every level in hurling. They have competed backwards and forwards at the top level for the past no of years. How does that work yet a club in Belfast struggles to field with 10 times the nos to pick from.  I know its been dragged out but Sneill as a club are the prime example of making it work.

Is there any research to show the population of an area around a GAA pitch in Belfast and the actual playing/participation percentage? something like that would highlight say for example 'browns road' has 40 houses within 1000m of the ground and X% are involved with the club.

Sounds a bit flimsy but in essence it would give guides as to how much of the area around the club are involved or would be interested in being involved. never mind casement or other business ventures the survival of the GAA in Belfast should be top of the agenda and not taking the easy option and merge clubs together.

[outinfront]

Not Antrim but Belfast - Underage work being done in Bredagh is starting to pay off. Some way to go yet but its certainly encouraging. Only age group we appear to struggle with numbers is U21. 

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

dont disagree there, Bredagh have done some great underage work to build their club. St Bridget's are the same, i heard they are wanting to start camogie in their club as well now.

[Usain]

throwing money at Belfast will solve nothing. it wont make players turn up for training's or encourage kids to want to learn the skills or instil the desire to compete.  the work must be done from within the clubs themselves.

Belfast as a population for playing is massive compared to any country club. Look at Glenariffe, they have a small area to pick from, small village yet they field at every level in hurling. They have competed backwards and forwards at the top level for the past no of years. How does that work yet a club in Belfast struggles to field with 10 times the nos to pick from.  I know its been dragged out but Sneill as a club are the prime example of making it work.

Is there any research to show the population of an area around a GAA pitch in Belfast and the actual playing/participation percentage? something like that would highlight say for example 'browns road' has 40 houses within 1000m of the ground and X% are involved with the club.

Sounds a bit flimsy but in essence it would give guides as to how much of the area around the club are involved or would be interested in being involved. never mind casement or other business ventures the survival of the GAA in Belfast should be top of the agenda and not taking the easy option and merge clubs together.

There's really only one statistic we all need to look at. GAA volunteer numbers over time.

It may be a generational thing or people nowadays just don't have as much free time as they used to. The number of volunteers within every club has declined at a steady rate over the past decade and we are now (most of the clubs in this county) in a very troubled position. Constantly looking for managers/coaches/committees etc. Paying outsiders to come into our clubs to do work which was once done by a number of very dedicated individuals.

We ALL need to take a look at ourselves and ask what do WE do for our clubs? What do our FRIENDS do for our club? What do the EX-PLAYERS do for our club?

[theskull1]

We ALL need to take a look at ourselves and ask what do WE do for our clubs? What do our FRIENDS do for our club? What do the EX-PLAYERS do for our club?

+1
Thats the elephant in the room that needs the attention and needs to be discussed in open forums that can be heard by parents/communities rather than committee rooms where the converted already know the score

[JimStynes]

Throwing money at the individual clubs won't help but getting more funding for coaches in schools and promotion of the game would help a great deal. I am in charge of sport and after schools clubs in my school. I coach in KS2 one day a week and I was lucky to secure 6 weeks of football coaching for PE from a friend. But I couldn't get anyone to help with KS1 and fundamentals. Ulster Council were able to secure me 1 hour a week but it didn't suit as the hall isn't free at that time. 1 hour a week for all of KS1!! My school is crying out for help and we can't get it. The schools budget is certainly not going to allow it and my principal is certainly not going to release me from class to go and coach the younger ones. I know other schools in the area are the same. 

[bannside]

CB you asked me if Portglenone are having problems and are "considering an amalgamation". What the fcuk sort of a question is that! We are in rude health thank you and our target (on our own) is to get within a beagles gowl of the mighty Erin's Own.