Antrim Football Thread

[amigo]

Bollix. Who did Peter Canavan play for? Or Brian Dooher? Or Kieran McGeeney? Or Kieran McKeever? Or Tony Scullion? Or Kevin McGourty? Or Johnny McBride? Or the entire free state?

[/quote]

SS2,
Just reading through the last few pages of stuff here! Are you serious putting Kevin McGourty, in the same sentence as most of the above named county greats!! The man is  a joke!!!!

[ONeill]

If your answer is yes, could you extrapolate that answer for me. I am yet to be convinced.

You know better than any that GAA in Belfast is, and has been, under serious threat from a plethora of alternative activities, be it sporting (soccer esp) or glue-sniffing/corner-hanging/pastie-eating/shellsuit-wearing/playing for Lamh Dhearg.

I believe that a relatively successful MacRory side will offer players something to aspire to that wasn't previously there. Success breeds success and aspirations, and that can only be a good thing for one of the biggest Catholic boys' schools in the city. Something I've always detected form the city lads is an apathy towards county players, as if they are constant objects of derision. This mindset is fed by continual abject failure at senior county level. Again, it is my belief that a successful St. Mary's MacRory side will keep lads actively interested in the games who would be previously lost to GAA from the age of 14 onwards. From little acorns mighty oaks grow.

Secondly, the preparation needed to compete these days at the top level of MacRory is approaching phenomenal and will familiarise such players with the dedication needed. If you think that such pressure exerted on 16-18 olds is wrong, that's another argument. But it's here to stay, as it is at county minor, U21 and senior level. You will have issues of burn-out etc but that's the modern game. If future Antrim players are introduced to the physical and mental preparation needed to compete at a high level between the ages 17-23, then that will reap tangible rewards.

For those reasons, I think a successful St Mary's team will leave Antrim football in a much healthier state eventually.

But you won''t be convince such is your feckin twisted nature

[Minder]

I think you are maybe placing too much importance on it O Neill, the lads will only be at St Marys for 2 years playing MacRory Cup. If when they go back to their clubs the coaching levels are not of a high level the players will not "train on". Their futures will be shaped by their own choices and by the structures within their club. I could be wrong but an example i would use are the Galway minor hurlers. Galway hurling schools do not seem to figure on the national stage yet they continually churn out fantastic inter county minor teams each year. I would imagine because of the level of coaching within the clubs. I know there are probably examples to disprove this theory but thats my tuppence worth.

[ONeill]

Not sure what you're trying to say here. Are you claiming that St Mary's playing MacRory Cup football and being relatively successful at it would have no impact on football in Antrim and in the development of their young footballers?

[Minder]

Not sure what you're trying to say here. Are you claiming that St Mary's playing MacRory Cup football and being relatively successful at it would have no impact on football in Antrim and in the development of their young footballers?

I am saying that i believe you are placing too much emphasis on the "impact" it will have on Antrim football. As i said in my previous post improved coaching standards in the players clubs will have a far greater, positive impact. Time will tell though.

[ONeill]

I'm saying it will have an impact. The original premise I made was that St Mary's doing well in the MacRory can only be a good thing for the county. Not sure where you are getting the size of the impact from. I'm not predicting Sam Maguires.

[milltown row]

but the successes of the past McRory teams have never made an impact on Antrim football . it's been the 50's since we last had Ulster success. there is no backing up your argument O'Neill. the only way Antrim will be good at Football is to have proper coaching from an early age.

[ONeill]

And Fermanagh have never won an Ulster title but Enniskillen have. But that's not seeing the pros of a group of 20-30 15-18 year olds preparing and competing with the majority of the best in the province, every year.

After St Mary's and St Malachy's won the MacRory in '70 and '71, and a Hogan Cup in '71, Antrim went on to win Ulster U21 titles in '74 and '75, losing the All-Ireland final in '74 after a replay. St John's of Belfast went on to appear in 3 Ulster Club finals before the end of the decade, appearing in an All-Ireland final in '78. I know the effect of the MacRory/Hogan Cup successes is hard to measure but I'd like to think that being the best in the province/country at college level rubbed off somewhat on those successes.

One other thing - when St Mary's won their last MacRory in 1986, Antrim went on to win their last Ulster U21 title in 1989.

[milltown row]

the st mals boys were boarders from derry

[ONeill]

For the record, the St Mary's team that won the Hogan in 1971 included:

Kevin O'Loan
Paul McKiernan
Gerry Cullen
Conor Smith
Gerry McHugh
Sean Sands
John McKiernan
Phil Shephard
Pat Armstrong
Frank Toman
Paul Growcott
Ciaran Donnelly
Canice Ward
Paul Haughey
Kevin Boylan
Stephen Prenter
Tom Breslin
Paddy O Neill
Peter Crummey

[milltown row]

what were the clubs and how many played senior for antrim

[ONeill]

The '86 panel:

Simon O Doherty, Enda McGurk, Rat Matthews, Patrick Nicholl, Joe Kennedy, Oliver McSravick, Terry Parks, Gerard Kelly, Thomas McNiece, Eamonn Blayney, John McCullough, Gerard Fitzsimmons, Seán Grieve, Ciarán Devlin, Emmett McCorry, Mark Keenan, Seán Connors, Conal Heatley (Capt), Liam Donnelly, Paul Fox, Patrick Weir, Patrick Maxwell.

[milltown row]

Davitts men on that team some Johnnies men and a rossa man!!! who'd look in here st pauls and a Ballycran man!!! not a galls man on it oh and a lavey man??

[the green man]

oh and a lavey man??

Come again?

[saffron sam2]

The '86 panel:

Simon O Doherty (St. Pauls), Enda McGurk (St. Johns), Rat Matthews (Sarsfields), Patrick Nicholl (Sarsfields), Joe Kennedy (Sarsfields), Oliver McSravick (Aghagallon), Terry Parks (Davitts), Gerard Kelly (Sarsfields), Thomas McNiece (Sarsfields), Eamonn Blayney (Ballycran), John McCullough (Sarsfields), Gerard Fitzsimmons (McCrackens), Seán Grieve (St. Johns), Ciarán Devlin (Glenavy), Emmett McCorry (Glenavy), Mark Keenan (Sarsfields), Seán Connors (St. Johns), Conal Heatley (Capt) (Sarsfields), Liam Donnelly (St. Johns), Paul Fox (Rossa), Patrick Weir (St. Johns), Patrick Maxwell (Lamh Dhearg).

You omitted Eamon Fitzpatrick (McCrackens)

All incorrectly spelt names courtesy of ONeill.

All clubs correct as of 9th March 1986.