Antrim Football Thread

[Pat Mustard]

Doesn't seem like too much trouble for Cargin after yesterday. Expected Lamh Dearg to be contenders this year with minors coming through, early indications it might be too soon though.
Johnnies look strong so far.

[pebble-dasher]

Interesting enough start to Div1 with some surprise results but when a team is promoted/new management they can catch teams on the off.

The johnnies are a big strong team and were a good league team last year.

Cargin will win the league unless they give points to other clubs again. Mick McCann big loss

Creggan and St bridgets are on near level par but with loughrey only playing club fball would favour them. 

What happened Ahoghill, 2nd year syndrome? injuries?

Moneyglass doing well so far but you get that with a new manager - everyone bursting there gut to impress.

Aghagallon - would be surprised if they get 8 points this year.

Galls will just do the usual through the league and then win the championship.

Rasharkin should stay up.

Lamh Dhearg will be contenders for c'ship. Any club team with a free-taker like hands will win games.

[pebble-dasher]

Tonight's div1 league fixtures


Cargin v St Johns    game of the round, favoring cargin at home
Ahoghill St. Marys v Lamh Dhearg    
Aghagallon v Rasharkin    
St Brigids v Moneyglass    Good test for m'glass here
Creggan v St Galls    

Predictions in bold

[Pat Mustard]

Cargin v St Johns   
Ahoghill St. Marys v Lamh Dhearg    
Aghagallon v Rasharkin    Draw
St Brigids v Moneyglass
Creggan v St Galls     

[4father]

Tonight's div1 league fixtures


Cargin v St Johns    game of the round, favoring cargin at home
Ahoghill St. Marys v Lamh Dhearg    
Aghagallon v Rasharkin    
St Brigids v Moneyglass    Good test for m'glass here
Creggan v St Galls    

Predictions in bold

Good shooting apart from the Cargin result but cant blame you for picking them.  Portglenone, Gortnamona and St Pauls setting the pace in div 2

[bloodybreakball]

great news to see michael mc cann getting some game time. Even if he's not fully fit, he will still bring something to the antrim team because he's a composed footballer and very good at bringing other players into the play. i think its hard to see mc clean playing so soon after that operation, we really could have done with his size to deal with mc fadden.
i wonder who'll pick up murphy, he seemed to wander out the field a lot against laois, and the numbers donegal were bringing behind the ball was so hard to play against that i hope our boys have practised long-range shooting cos they probably will need it against donegal, if and when we dont/cant get the ball into the inside forwards quickly.
I'm hoping that like in 2009 when antrim stuggled in ways against sligo in the div.4 final and went back into training for 6 or 7 weeks and came into the donegal match very sharp and very well organised with plenty of men behind the ball and also in that pre-championship preparation found the two target men in burke and m mc cann to play in the full-forward line, hopefully that has happened this year and the boys are focused and up for the match.
i thought last year the most disapointing thing about the tyrone match was that we didnt even rattle them, hoping we can give donegal something to think/worry about.
did james loughrey ever come back onto the panel?

[pebble-dasher]

Anyone at the st galls johnnies game?  Thought the johnnies were ment to be flying and st galls only turning up?  Did st galls put a team out?

No other shocks or big wins except surprised ahoghill drew with creggan to get there first point of the year.

As for the USFC against Donegal anyone have an idea of team?
Scullion will def start after playing in that friendly last week.  McLean needed big time in full-back but think this game come too quick for him.  Up front who is going to do the scoring from play?
Apparently R.Johnson had a great game against murphy in the league but championship a different matter.
Cant see anything other than a donegal win, hoping for a run of 3/4 games in the qualifers and maby more if we get a team back together.

[Simon Says]

As a johnnies man, i was hoping we could have won easy, st galls had a decent team out. mc gourtys, mc clean, stewart all missing. we scored 4/5 points at the end when st galls began to tire.

Regarding antrims chances against donegal, there is no hope. i know a few years back we were able to get over the line. we have no forwards to score from play, and our defence is leaking too many scores.

[bloodybreakball]

c. kerr
ko'boyle    r.johnston   a. douglas
t.scullion    j crozier      t.o'neill
       s.burke  a gallagher
k.mc gourty                 t.mccann(poss. inj)
hands        k niblock     

[Simon Says]

c.kerr
brady
johnstone
o boyle
scullion
healy
crozier
burke
gallagher
o neill
niblock
mc gourty
hands
m.mcann
brady

[NAG1]

CJ burnt out, the mind does boogle! 

[Milltown Row2]

Ok, this Sunday in Donegal, is there an upset? Antrim in Championship have always done well in Donegal, couple of wins and a right few narrow defeats. Bookies have Donegal at 2/9 which in fairness is a true reflection of the form they bring into the match. Antrim are at a sorry 9/2 for the game. No doubt the handicap will be Antrim plus foul, possibly plus five.

On the league form thats where we are at. League and Championship is totally different. The team that played in the league won't be the same nor positionally the same. I think Donegal can sometimes implode on the day and Antrim would need to be on a good day to take advantage. Haven't read much on Donegal leading up to the match so don't know about any problems injury wise they have or their starting 15.

Simons team ain't bad looking on paper, McCann apparently is shaping up well since he's been back but would doubt he's up to Championship level yet but in Fullforward he could more than hold his own, win frees for Paddy to stick over.

I'm going for a more closely contested match than what the bookies think, Donegal may win but with only a couple of points to spare and Antrim with a chance in the end to steal it (But miss )

[AQMP]

Ok, this Sunday in Donegal, is there an upset? Antrim in Championship have always done well in Donegal, couple of wins and a right few narrow defeats. Bookies have Donegal at 2/9 which in fairness is a true reflection of the form they bring into the match. Antrim are at a sorry 9/2 for the game. No doubt the handicap will be Antrim plus foul, possibly plus five.

On the league form thats where we are at. League and Championship is totally different. The team that played in the league won't be the same nor positionally the same. I think Donegal can sometimes implode on the day and Antrim would need to be on a good day to take advantage. Haven't read much on Donegal leading up to the match so don't know about any problems injury wise they have or their starting 15.

Simons team ain't bad looking on paper, McCann apparently is shaping up well since he's been back but would doubt he's up to Championship level yet but in Fullforward he could more than hold his own, win frees for Paddy to stick over.

I'm going for a more closely contested match than what the bookies think, Donegal may win but with only a couple of points to spare and Antrim with a chance in the end to steal it (But miss )

I'm definitely having some of that!

[the colonel]

CJ burnt out, the mind does boogle! 

Would this be unrealistic? He has seen serious amount of football and hurling for club, county and colleges in the last 5/6 years and he is only 23. If this was someone else making this claim would it be taken differently?

[Milltown Row2]

May not play this year for the club, he needs to rest up and get properly recovered.

Rushing back could end your playing career