Antrim Football Thread

[Sportacus]

Cavan giving it the big un but they won't even bring a big crowd anyway. Corrigan big enough and the rightful venue.

Glad it's back in Corrigan Park, now ye have no excuses possibly a Div2 team vrs a Div4 team played in a tight ground with away supporter numbers seriously curtailed. So you'll have no problem getting to an Ulster semi final, maybe a final. And as for a crowd give us 50% of the tickets and see how many we send back.

Fork tongue Itchy

[imtommygunn]

So we're possibly a division two team but you're not possibly a division three team?

Let's be honest - Cavan people will expect to beat Antrim. You beat us probably handy enough the other year too. It's a game we can win but I would expect most people would expect Cavan to win. After all it's not long since you were champions.

[bannside]

You'll find us Antrim supporters are quite modest with our expectations. Iggy  The Louth match on Sunday in the league is as big a game for us as our match against you lot, which, let's be honest, neither of us are going to win the Ulster chamiponship anyway. Corrigan it is for that one, rightly so, and shame on the way one or two officers of your county tried to undermine the sporting integrity of that. It will be a 50/50 game, may the best team win.

[GiveItToTheShooters]

Cavan giving it the big un but they won't even bring a big crowd anyway. Corrigan big enough and the rightful venue.

Glad it's back in Corrigan Park, now ye have no excuses possibly a Div2 team vrs a Div4 team played in a tight ground with away supporter numbers seriously curtailed. So you'll have no problem getting to an Ulster semi final, maybe a final. And as for a crowd give us 50% of the tickets and see how many we send back.

Away numbers aren't seriously curtailed. You've as much access to tickets as Antrim fans do. So you can bin that excuse.

[Kidder81]

What's the Antrim support been like in Corrigan this year? Have been to both hurling games and big crowds, obviously playing good opposition helps. Saw a few photos on saffron Gael of last weeks game and nobody on far side, opposite stand. That side not opened ?

[ck]

Cavan giving it the big un but they won't even bring a big crowd anyway. Corrigan big enough and the rightful venue.

Glad it's back in Corrigan Park, now ye have no excuses possibly a Div2 team vrs a Div4 team played in a tight ground with away supporter numbers seriously curtailed. So you'll have no problem getting to an Ulster semi final, maybe a final. And as for a crowd give us 50% of the tickets and see how many we send back.

Cavan don't deserve a single ticket after trying to pull a stunt like that. Glad fairness prevailed and the money argument was diminished.
All of that aside it should be a cracking match. Both teams going well in the lower divisions and this game is a realistic win for both.

[EOC1923]

Couple of clubs raising concerns over the timing of the U20 league at the meeting last night. Chairman talked over the delegates and was completely dismissive of their concerns and very condescending. Not a good image for the top table.

Saffs is it the day of the week / time or period of the year the delegates are complaining about?

it was the saturday plus the 3pm, only 2 games went ahead from all the fixtures. No matter what the chair says , alot of lads do work on a saturday at that age, think the suggestion was made at the earlier meeting that clubs could drop to 13 aside and still play the competitive game but that really hasnt help. U20 hurling gets a weeknight slot when it starts!!!

My young lad in the Cargin squad at this age, he falls into that bracket of not making the senior team and overage for minor, he's already had word Ballymena aren't fielding this weekend so no game. With no adult games fixed for this weekend and games still being called off, it really does seem a waste of time. Why did teams enter if they weren't going to field?

[Flanker]

Couple of clubs raising concerns over the timing of the U20 league at the meeting last night. Chairman talked over the delegates and was completely dismissive of their concerns and very condescending. Not a good image for the top table.

Saffs is it the day of the week / time or period of the year the delegates are complaining about?

it was the saturday plus the 3pm, only 2 games went ahead from all the fixtures. No matter what the chair says , alot of lads do work on a saturday at that age, think the suggestion was made at the earlier meeting that clubs could drop to 13 aside and still play the competitive game but that really hasnt help. U20 hurling gets a weeknight slot when it starts!!!

My young lad in the Cargin squad at this age, he falls into that bracket of not making the senior team and overage for minor, he's already had word Ballymena aren't fielding this weekend so no game. With no adult games fixed for this weekend and games still being called off, it really does seem a waste of time. Why did teams enter if they weren't going to field?

U20/21 has always been difficult. It has been pushed around  various slots but never really worked well.
Worst decision ever was changing Minor age.
It is hard to see who that works for

Having said that it is hard to understand that Ballymena who have been competitive across the age groups can't put out 15 players. If they are ever going to make the step up they need to find a way to fix this. Their drop out must be very high

[imtommygunn]

Is there a need for a league though? There was never an under 21 league. Would most of these guys not be playing senior or reserve?

[Flanker]

Is there a need for a league though? There was never an under 21 league. Would most of these guys not be playing senior or reserve?

ITG as far as I'm aware there was an attempt @ an U20 league last year which pretty much failed followed by an U20 championship later in the year.(might be wrong on this)

The U20 league was only introduced to try any bridge the gap for the 17 year olds who miss the minor cut (and late developers) who were not in a position to step up to adult football.

It is a half baked attempt to patch up the stupidity of the decision to change the minor age level.

The GAA had the opportunity to reverse one of the worst decisions they ever made but chose not to.

You would struggle to find anyone who has ever been involved in coaching at any level who thinks it was a good decison

[imtommygunn]

Yeah it's not a good decision at all and the fact they more or less doubled down on it doesn't help either.

I would have thought if you had solid enough reserve leagues the adult thing wouldn't be as much of a problem. There used to be a lot more I think going on at reserve level than there is these days (could be wrong as I don't follow as much but it definitely seems that way).

I guess it is a damned if you do and damned if you don't - if you don't you forget players and if you do then there's so much unavailability from the players who are good enough to be on seniors / county setups etc. A championship would suffice IMO.

[bannside]

Which is a bit silly if true. Ulster winter intermediate league not important in the overall scheme of things....smacks of a bit of desperation from new management. Not a great look if All Saints can't field at under 20 level because of this. Should be plenty of players to fulfil both fixtures imo.

[bannside]

Thoughts on tomorrow...really looking to this. Was at the game last year when Ryan swung over a last minute winner, and credit to both sets of players and management for kicking things on in Antrim and Louth. Tomorrow will be a great test of who has made more progress. Our fitness levels were poor last year, we are certainly looking much better in that department nowadays, so I can see this going to the wire and am quietly confident we can take both points up the road.

Thankfully Conor Murray is looking like a permanent fixture in the forward line, adding a lot of badly needed punch. What was his cameo roles all about in the first four outings?? Peter Healy is a good all-round player but is one of a very few corner backs we can rely on as tight man marking specialists. Patrick McCormack is another.

As alluded to in the Saffron Gael preview, Enda has stuck with 11 starters from day one of the league this year. Outside of that list Patrick Mc Aleer and Dermot Mc Aleese have proven credentials and would always expect to start.

Enda has plenty of tough calls to make. Marty Johnston has played his way up the selection ladder after last Saturday's superb display, Decy Lynch is tried tested and proven at this level, Eunan Walsh is more than good enough for game time. Pat Shivers took his ten minutes well last week and must be going close. Marc Jordan settling in as a must start too at this stage. These are great selection headaches to have, especially if or when Kevin Small  Conor Stewart Jamie Gribben and Paddy Mc Bride are available.

I'm not so sure that I can recall a team that you can make a genuine case for so many non starters, it may be a selectors nightmare but a managers dream having such close competition for places.

[Saffsof82]

Big Marty will definitely start. I really liked Dermie in around the middle against Longford, great use of the ball. Kevin makes the bench so hamstring must be ok.
You wouldn't know there was a football game on tomorrow if you looked at our social media, small ball coverage everywhere

[Milltown Row2]

Big Marty will definitely start. I really liked Dermie in around the middle against Longford, great use of the ball. Kevin makes the bench so hamstring must be ok.
You wouldn't know there was a football game on tomorrow if you looked at our social media, small ball coverage everywhere

Are you complaining about our pro? I think the job (non paying loads of hours) becomes available every year