Antrim Football Thread

[paddyjohn]

Yes that was a low point PJ, in Casement. Remember it well and Dawson running up the steps after to do a radio interview. I'd have found a hole and wouldn't have crawled out of it for a week.

Worst game I ever witnessed in my life in Casement BS. You're a better man than me, I wouldn't of crawled back out!

[Milltown Row2]

Yes that was a low point PJ, in Casement. Remember it well and Dawson running up the steps after to do a radio interview. I'd have found a hole and wouldn't have crawled out of it for a week.

Worst game I ever witnessed in my life in Casement BS. You're a better man than me, I wouldn't of crawled back out!

You obviously haven't seen too many games over the years.

[imtommygunn]

Were you at it? Definitely the worst i have ever seen too.

[Milltown Row2]

Were you at it? Definitely the worst i have ever seen too.

Clubman taking Antrim? At Casement? Course... but I remember a game must have been 89 ish minor team I think beat Fermanagh and the seniors had best opportunity to put to bed the dreadful run of first round defeats that they had which stretched back a right few years, my dad drove down cause I tortured him to and we got bate out the gate by a poor enough Fermanagh side, and this was way before negative football tactics were used, we just were shit! So be it that match or Dawson's reign unfortunately they just crap for long periods... the odd blip (2009) seems to confuse people and we believe we are higher than we are..

We beat Donegal, who later went on to win and challenge for All irelands, we challenge for div 4 league honours every two years.... it doesn't matter who we put in charge we continued to produce the same results... now is it a manager/player/county board thing?

[imtommygunn]

You are straying a little bit off topic. That game was a bad as I have ever seen. The lack of tactics, shape, ability from some players etc just seemed to be at absolute rock bottom that day - even for our standards.

We could all list bad days and say that is where we are and we are not world beaters but that game for me was still the worst ever. We will not win championships but as per down last night showing that sense of pride and being the best you can be is what you aspire to. Nothing that day was to be aspired to!!

[Milltown Row2]

The topic is Antrim football, and at the minute listing games were we are devoid of tactics application drive  heart attitude, I could pick out plenty... looking back won't make us a better team, we've not kicked on or improved or learnt any lessons ....

A proper blue print needs to be made and agreed to by all involved, don't expect immediate results but progression, this needs to be done at school and club level first

[imtommygunn]

It is very hard to know what is needed. I have been going to games for a long long time and the old adage it's the hope that kills you stands true. You are not wrong in that it doesn't seem to have got much better in that time. I still think we do produce some very good footballers in the county but probably just not enough of them. There is a phD in it somewhere I reckon.

As an antrim supporter there have been some grim days but the roscommon one is one of the grimmest I have seen. It will not make us a better team talking about it but nor will much of the drivel spouted by any of us on this forum.

[BrendanAntrim]

I can sympathise with your view re that Roscommon game. We were scoreless at half time I think? It was indeed a low point and yet it came after a win v Cavan and an entertaining draw v Fermanagh in a game which featured a Sean McVeigh goal.

[bannside]

I agree too we need a structured plan, and yes too, we need a strong platform at schools level. We need a strong Belfast too. We need support from business community....and so on and on.

We've had different reports in the past (O Hara etc) as well as nice looking strategic plans. And actually it surprising how much of it has actually been delivered. But whilst we make baby steps others are making strides. So it's going to take a big top down led plan that football people in the county can buy into and ultimately take ownership of.

Now in saying all that.....I still think a Credible management team with a PROVEN CV, will attract 30 of our better footballers, and I have faith that within this dynamic we have sufficient quality you get into Division two within a few years. Think Louth and Tipp for goodness sake. That's where they are. Does anyone really think with those ingredients in place we arnt as good as them?

[imtommygunn]

Yes we aren't as good as tipp. They have underage ai titles. (Well maybe one but a lot of provincial underages titles in recent past) . Louth i wouldn't be so sure about with everything *right* but we do not have the players that tipp have. They were last year's ai semi finalists. We are light years away from anything close to that.

I admire your optimism bs but some realism needed too.

[JimStynes]

A Garvaghy type place would make a massive impact, coaching across all areas of Antrim (especially the Primary Schools), McCrory Cup football, more money put in by businesses (surely there is a rich business man who could back them), a big name management team, Casement sorted, strong leadership etc etc. So many things!! It's the same thing over and over every year.

Also, do Antrim sponsor Curly and his website? If not, then they definitely should. It's excellent. Even £100 a year from each club.

[themac_23]

Pete McGrath apparently has a decision to make in whether to stay on in Fermanagh or not, we should make his decision a lot more difficult by lifting the phone and seeing would he be interested in the Antrim job

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

A Garvaghy type place would make a massive impact, coaching across all areas of Antrim (especially the Primary Schools), McCrory Cup football, more money put in by businesses (surely there is a rich business man who could back them), a big name management team, Casement sorted, strong leadership etc etc. So many things!! It's the same thing over and over every year.

Also, does Antrim sponsor Curly and his website? If not, then they definitely should. It's excellent. Even £100 a year from each club.

I was in it earlier this year as we had a club friendly with a tyrone camogie club. What an unbelievable set up they have down there. The night we were there every single pitch was more or less being used by teams of varied ages, all 3 codes there.

A week later we were in Dunsilly for another pre-season game and it was just miles apart from each other. same goes a few weeks later for another game at Owenbeg.

Tbf were lucky we even have Dunsilly when you consider what a hash we have been in this past no of years.

[country bumpkin]

We have always lacked vision in our county....and seems we still have none

[bannside]

It's your county too CB. What would be your own vision for it? And when you have that list complete, just how would you propose to fund it?