Antrim Football Thread

[bannside]

In reply to Memory Man, I'm not so sure that enquiring why a referee chose to not consult with umpires, on several significant occasions,  especially in a game where a couple of extra eyes on proceedings would be useful, is any form of abuse... but then again, in a mild form maybe it is....but there you go, we all have flaws when we are emotionally attached!

Wednesday is indeed a quick turnaround for both teams, is there a preferred date which you consider more appropriate to play it? If St Johns win their hurling semi final, when would there ever be a suitable date that would not hold up the progress of the football championship?

[imtommygunn]

It is a shame after a good weekend of championship games this is what people end up talking about. Typical.

When are the draws being made for the next round?

Well senior is made but intermediate and junior?

[Spike]

Lenny ratified for another year.  Dear God. The success of failure.

[JimStynes]

I don't know why we can't just get a winner on the day and avoid this congestion. Or at least try, by having 2 x 10 mins of extra time.

The Johnnies' hurlers are getting a serious shafting here. Never mind their players having to play 3 championship games in a week, it is likely they have been unable to get a proper training session in the 2 weeks before a championship semi final.

Agreed. Just have a winner on the day. 2 x 10 mins extra time.

[Hoof Hearted]

It is a shame after a good weekend of championship games this is what people end up talking about. Typical.

When are the draws being made for the next round?

Well senior is made but intermediate and junior?

Senior is st galls v cargin and LD v st John's or portglenone
Intermediete is moneyglass v Glenravel and st Paul's v aldergrove

[paddyjohn]

It'll be a LD V Galls SFC final & M'Glass V St Pauls final.

[The Memory Man]

In reply to Memory Man, I'm not so sure that enquiring why a referee chose to not consult with umpires, on several significant occasions,  especially in a game where a couple of extra eyes on proceedings would be useful, is any form of abuse... but then again, in a mild form maybe it is....but there you go, we all have flaws when we are emotionally attached!

Wednesday is indeed a quick turnaround for both teams, is there a preferred date which you consider more appropriate to play it? If St Johns win their hurling semi final, when would there ever be a suitable date that would not hold up the progress of the football championship?

Bannside I never once mentioned abuse or accusing you of abusing the referee... but totally agree with you when you're emotionally attached the flaws surface with us all, especially when you've been with the one club for nearly 50 years.   

The common sense approach would be to play the replay on Sunday 22nd, the scheduled date for football semi finals, play St. Galls and Cargin and replay on that date.  It has no effect on hurling schedule.  There is scope and space in the calendar before Ulster kicks in.  Is this not the very reason Croke Park brought forward the All Ireland Finals last year, to give counties more space for club games?  Surly we don't have to shoe horn everything into a very tight timeframe.  I just feel the integrity of our championships is being compromised by a few small minded, petty and bitter little men, who would be welcome in a certain political party with their unwavering overuse of; NO, NO NEVER!!

Unfortunately I don't hold out much hope for common sense to prevail, as we still have a small minority of people with their own agenda's, not the betterment of Antrim GAA which should be all our agenda's.  There is no doubt the county is in better hands these last few years and great strides are being made on a number of fronts, but there are still a few poisonous apples in the mix, but their time will come to an end too.  I like you Bannside am an eternal optimist, see you Wednesday night under the lights somewhere! 

[bogieman]

Referees aren't allowed to send off county players; the other officials must be suppressed, especially in champo. The chairman must lead the charge...

Cup games should always finish on the day; one shot one kill, clean.

Ps good luck to Lenny.

Pss there have been many wee men doing a fine job in casement over the years; most who are sore now have probably been on the wrong side of a correct decision. I'll not talk about some of the big men in casement, if you have nothing...

Psss has there been a suitable logical explanation why casement was closed and unable to host games this past few years ?

Pssss it would seem that any referee that blows the whistle more than once in an incident is either too nervous or insecure to be doing the game; some poor decisions this past while.

[Spike]

in this day and age where the championship season is condensed, all games should be finished on the day. Extra time if need be and other entertaining ways perhaps. Simply dont have the time available and we have to fair to the participants and supporters.

I wouldnt say its due to poisoned apples in the county board, greed perhaps, laziness if i was harsh, but not malignant characters.

[The Memory Man]

Spike appreciate your diplomacy and where you're coming from, however unfortunately the reality is, there still exists poisonous individuals within CCC in particular, who have their own agenda and will never change their ways.  The head of CCC has his work cut out with such dinosaurs and needs a complete clear out of current personnel.  They have been there far too long!!

[Spike]

I dont doubt they are backward, have their own agenda or have been there too long.  We may have  amateur status but Antrim GAA (like all counties) needs to be professionally run these days, whether that be on the training pitch or the board.   Bannside mentions a lot of great things happening at board level, and we can only take his valued word on that, but the optics that most supporters can see - County Senior Team, County Manager, Casement, Dunsilly, Attendances, Club Championships, Underage Coaching, Referee Quality etc still look like a shambles.     

Perhaps our sponsorship and Admin and fundraising are at record levels, congrats and well done if that is the case - but again its all 'behind the scenes', , cant be scrutinised or measured, and also intangible.   

All very important, but surely the investment in the footballers/hurlers of the clubs and county, and a proper venue (not corrigan), is of immediate priority.

[paddyjohn]

The SFC semi replay will be in Colaiste Feirste at 8pm.. Shambles absolute shambles

[belfastsaff]

i agree paddy john, a club championship game should not be decided on a 4G pitch on a Wednesday night at 8PM .

[outinfront]

Is that true? That is absolutely crazy! Totally unacceptable.

[Last Man]

What's the problem with extra time for all knockout championship games except a final perhaps. Not easy for the dual clubs when it has to go to the replay. I have heard it said to my own club from a senior CCC man in the past "It's your club's choice to field in both codes"