Antrim Football Thread

[Belfast GAA man]

The minor final is probably a surprise with aghagallon Ballymena and st brigids all fancied to win it this year...any predictions out there?

[country bumpkin]

Excitement building in the SW for its first ever all country final. Expect a big crowd with no more than a point or two between the sides, who need no introduction to each other.

I think Cargins experience of being here before, plus the return of three or four big players recently to the training, might give them the edge. Equally I wouldnt be surprised if Creggan pull it off, to provide Kevin Madden (and Gerard Mc Nulty) with an unprecedented quad of four titles in 2018.

May the best team on the day win, and let's hope it is a good advertisement for football in South West Antrim.

Think you need to thumb back through the record books BS.....and take a peek at 2015 and see the unprecedented four titles in that year being brought to Toome....

[bannside]

That being the case CB I thank you for putting the record straight. Good achievement in anyone's book...credit where it's due. Obviously Cargin arnt motivated by anything else but the Mc Namee cup, and your  highly paid manager wasn't  brought in to deliver anything less, so your seasons plaudits will be decided by 4.30 pm on Sunday. If I was still a betting man I'd have a few quid on Cargin but wouldn't be wading in too heavily as I think it will be close.

[country bumpkin]

That being the case CB I thank you for putting the record straight. Good achievement in anyone's book...credit where it's due. Obviously Cargin arnt motivated by anything else but the Mc Namee cup, and your  highly paid manager wasn't  brought in to deliver anything less, so your seasons plaudits will be decided by 4.30 pm on Sunday. If I was still a betting man I'd have a few quid on Cargin but wouldn't be wading in too heavily as I think it will be close.

Think if you care to have a peek back at the record books BS you will find Cargin have claimed 20+ league titles, and a simllar number of O'Cahan cups and just 7 senior titles (have appeared in 17 finals) not to mention junior, Intermediate, u-21 and minor titles and you would suggest a single minded approach.
Will make enquiries to find out as to the figure earned by our "highly paid manager"....... think anything other than expenses would not be quite legal.

[bannside]

Expenses lol. Sure do let us know what the mileage allowance is from Ballynease to Toome lol.

That's an admirable roll of honour to be fair.  Cargin flew the flag for SW for years, and continue to do so. Creggan wanting now to make their own history this weekend so a lot at stake between two neighbouring parishes. Really looking forward to this one!

[Hectic]

I have nothing against outside managers and think it is something we just have to accept.

I do hold in the highest esteem though club volunteers from those that manage the adults right through to juvenille for the love of their club rather than any financial reimbursement. And add to that those who cut the grass, line the pitches, look after the running and administration, mind the club shop, organise fundraising etc etc.

Lot to make a club work and a lot of people involved and while days like Sunday are the pinnacle equally important is the provision of sport for our young members and all that they get from it beyond the game itself. 

A day like Sunday may see a small number of individuals who get some form of financial reimbursement for their efforts but there will be a lot of people in attendance who have contributed greatly to arriving at this point.

[bannside]

100% agree with that and to be fair to Cassidy he does make himself available to Wolfe Tones regularly at all levels including  managing their excellent minor team to an all county title last Sunday. He definitely does know how to get a team over the line, and that's the reason clubs (or individuals) are happy to fund those expenses (lol).

[Last Man]

Any new proposals to league format would need a club to propose the motion or referral, a club member to make a strong argument to support the proposal. And this sequence of events, all club delegates get a chance to vote for or against the said proposal. It's called  democracy. In fairness the St Paul's hurlers case was a very lengthy in depth discussion and was secured mostly because of a sincere and emotional plea (supported by an argument that found enough support in the room) by a St Paul's delegate with plenty of clout.

"Clout" being the operative word, sincere and emotional shouldn't get in the way of good sense. You are where you are on merit in any given season, why should it be anyone else's problem or should your club's proud history come in to it? And the people who voted for it as a wee favour, sure it only involves the little leaguers. Hey that's democracy, hold power on the lobby room floor and you can twist this county any way you like.

[country bumpkin]

100% agree with that and to be fair to Cassidy he does make himself available to Wolfe Tones regularly at all levels including  managing their excellent minor team to an all county title last Sunday. He definitely does know how to get a team over the line, and that's the reason clubs (or individuals) are happy to fund those expenses (lol).

Think you are being a trifle disingenuous BS......surely you do 'employ' an outside manager at Casement's and indeed several from your club are working in other units.

[bannside]

Hats off to Saffron Gael for their fantastic coverage in the build up to tomorrows county senior final. Since the demise of the County Antrim Post, SG has really stepped up to the plate, not just for high profile finals but right across the spectrum of Gaa activity.

The significance of this consistent exposure cannot be underestimated. It provides an almost unrivalled platform in promoting Gaelic Games and especially to the younger generation of readers who are really switched on to modern forms of communication.

I'd go further and suggest that this private venture should be adequately part funded out of county coffers, that's how significant this exposure is in my book. And a big shout out too obviously to the unreplacable Sean Kelly who has developed probably the best county Facebook in the country.

Added together, Curly Paddy Sean (and their teams obviously) deserve the highest praise for their outstanding contributions to Antrim Gaa.

[bannside]

I see the argument for and against outside managers from both sides, and for half a dozen years I was happy to take "Expenses" where clubs were happy to offer them.

If the Gaa feel it's against the ideals of the association then they need to change the rules or at least make some proper call on the whole reimbursement thing. In the absence of that their is a vacuum that allows for a club to do what it wants in this regard.

Until that happens you just have to go with the flow because something that cannot be properly policed is not going to change any soon.

[Pjoe]

If the Gaa feel it's against the ideals of the association then they need to change the rules or at least make some proper call on the whole reimbursement thing. In the absence of that their is a vacuum that allows for a club to do what it wants in this regard.

Until that happens you just have to go with the flow because something that cannot be properly policed is not going to change any soon.

I think the rules of the GAA are fairly clear - expenses should be for genuine travel to and from games/training/meetings.  Payment should not be any more than Civil Service rates.  In an amateur association I question wether anyone should be claiming even these basic expenses.  The real problem however lies with the clubs/counties who deliberately abuse the rules to pay "managers" who are only interested in earning money.  a rule that stipulates managers must be a member of the club would go a long way to sorting out the money grabbers.

[Belfast GAA man]

If the Gaa feel it's against the ideals of the association then they need to change the rules or at least make some proper call on the whole reimbursement thing. In the absence of that their is a vacuum that allows for a club to do what it wants in this regard.

Until that happens you just have to go with the flow because something that cannot be properly policed is not going to change any soon.

I think the rules of the GAA are fairly clear - expenses should be for genuine travel to and from games/training/meetings.  Payment should not be any more than Civil Service rates.  In an amateur association I question wether anyone should be claiming even these basic expenses.  The real problem however lies with the clubs/counties who deliberately abuse the rules to pay "managers" who are only interested in earning money.  a rule that stipulates managers must be a member of the club would go a long way to sorting out the money grabbers.

Clubs paying managers more than travelling expenses are cheating - plain and simple

[paddyjohn]

Wasn't that long a go that a well known GAA manager wanted to poach players from other teams for his own club...

[bogieman]

I see the argument for and against outside managers from both sides, and for half a dozen years I was happy to take "Expenses" where clubs were happy to offer them.

If the Gaa feel it's against the ideals of the association then they need to change the rules or at least make some proper call on the whole reimbursement thing. In the absence of that their is a vacuum that allows for a club to do what it wants in this regard.

Until that happens you just have to go with the flow because something that cannot be properly policed is not going to change any soon.

integrity.