Antrim Football Thread

[paddyjohn]

Sunday a huge test. A 50/50 game that will largely dictate the way the season will be remembered. Hopefully the support gets behind the team and give them a big lift. I think the way some players have stepped up to the plate this year that's the very least they deserve.

On another note hopefully Kevin Niblock will be fit to play. He's the leader of this team but totally riddled with injuries now to the extent that sadly his days in Saffron are numbered. Those are boots that wont be easily filled!

Definitely not easy filled boots. A fine footballer and a gentleman to boot.

[bannside]

Indeed he is PJ. Bumped into him recently and he still retains his passion for Antrim Football but did confide that he is just taking one county game at a time now as he can't do the same yards in training anymore due to the recovery time he needs with so many injuries holding him back.

Here's hoping he does enough to stay in the frame for the championship against Donegal....but that's only a maybe not a given! Which unfortunately means there is a possibility tomorrow may be his last public appearance in Saffron. Hope I'm wrong...but due to the unbelievable service he has given the county I feel that point needs to be put out there.

[country bumpkin]

Minors gave Dublin a game today.....only going under by a couple of points....

[bannside]

Feedback coming from minor camp is positive and that's on the back of a few decent years in a row now where we look like we can hold our own. Good strong management team helps too of course.

I'd be confident that if you take a good look at what we have aged 16 to 20 you would find a couple of dozen excellent prospects. Our challenge is to make sure they can progress through good minor and under 21 set ups so that when they filter through at senior level they have good habits and are prepared mentally and physically for the ardours of senior football.

[Minder]

Relegated ?

[maigheo]

Yes

[stiffler]

Any match reports ?

[BrendanAntrim]

Too dejected to write it up. Sport can be a bastard.

[country bumpkin]

Absolutely gutted...................cruel ending deserved better.

[Gold]

f**king tough being a Saffron

For f**k sake

[Hectic]

It was there for us yesterday, it really was, slow to get going but by half way through the second half all looked good for us but unfortunately could not put over the scores and then the sickener right at the end when we had finally got our noses in front with time just about up they went up the field and got a free which was converted.  Disappointing given we were playing against 14 for the majority of the second half and against 13 for the last 20 mins if you include added on time.  Had plenty of time to win the game but just could not get the scores against a resolute Longford defence.

[Hectic]

I see as well Sarsfields easily accounted for Lisburn yesterday to wipe away any chat of Lisburn being on for promotion.  I was hoping maybe we would see someone else step in and give Sarsfields and Glenravel a run but it looks like all pre-season predictions are correct.  Not sure what happened Sarsfields to lose their opening game but they seem to be going through the gears now alright.  While Glenravel seem to have been reigned in a little by their opposition in the last couple of games Sarsfields seem to be going from strength to strength.

[bannside]

Yesterday backed up clearly what I first said here a month ago...that there are footballers in Antrim who can compete in Division three football. Louth and Tipp went up into Division TWO and Armagh narrowly missed out. Yet we held our own with all three of these teams AWAY from home.

Surely that puts to bed the argument that our players arnt good enough! Our U21s go toe to toe with Ulster champs Monaghan, our minors go toe to toe with the Dubs, our development squads more than holding their own.

So let's be clear we have good players in every group. The challenge is to get a couple of dozen of them to the next level.

[paddyjohn]

Yesterday backed up clearly what I first said here a month ago...that there are footballers in Antrim who can compete in Division three football. Louth and Tipp went up into Division TWO and Armagh narrowly missed out. Yet we held our own with all three of these teams AWAY from home.

Surely that puts to bed the argument that our players arnt good enough! Our U21s go toe to toe with Ulster champs Monaghan, our minors go toe to toe with the Dubs, our development squads more than holding their own.

So let's be clear we have good players in every group. The challenge is to get a couple of dozen of them to the next level.

Agree BS. I never made the game yesterday as the Mrs was working but I listened on the radio and I was getting a constant flow of texts. Seemed to be really gutting and hard to take.

[bannside]

Before the start of this year Hamill, Gallagher, Healy, Mc Aleer, Hannigan, R McCann, Conor Small, Bradso, Big Jack, Eunan Walsh, Pat Brannigan, Sean Pat, and Donal Nugent hadn't any proper game time for Antrim. That's 13 players who were on the field yesterday who are rookies in inter county terms....and who can all make considerable improvement in the next few years.

Plus our county champions didn't have one player on duty yesterday for whatever reason. Two others were red carded from the week before and you have several injuries to established players like Marty Johnston, Kobo and Ryan Murray. All in all there are lots of reasons why when we are thinking of Antrim Football we should not be too despondent.

In fact I have no doubt that with a really strong management team and a 100% buy in from players Antrim could be capable of playing Division TWO in a couple or three years.