Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

I always try and be positive with antrim football but I really didn't see any positives out of today's game. Defensively unorganised, a midfield with no creative ideas although plenty of ball, and apart from cj we looked very poor up front. Easy to blame the management but this group of players have had their chance, and then some. We cough up the ball in every tackle and once again our half forwards were completely lost. Similar to the Cavan McKenna cup game, though against a much more limited opposition in Wicklow. Build with short passing until we get to midfield and then we get stage fright and either turn back or just boot hopeful balls into a very static forward line. Cj was a class apart today, without him we would have been really embarrassed. More ideas when Ryan Murray came on. Big Niall won plenty of ball, but for his size and experience he brings very little penetration. Don't know where baker goes from here, but as some of his back room staff have suggested, he could hardly do worse than bring in a few new faces as some of our more experienced players have shown last season and this, either they don't have the hunger for county anymore or just not the ability.
Tough days ahead for antrim.
Ahoghill was in great shape though bloody freezing. Fair play to the clooney men on good organization and getting on with the job in difficult circumstances.
Hear what u say Rasharkin but just who are those 'new faces' to be introduced who are going to light the Antrim fires and guide us through those 'tough days'. We have been quite pathetic at under age for a life time...........when was the last time we made any impact at minor or under-21 level ?Have a look at the club scene in the county and consider how far ahead of the rest are a couple of sides.
Sure we haven't fared at all well in our couple of games thus far but it is without any semblance of doubt that the Bradley's have the full backing of the players and i am more than confident that we will get better.
Incidentally judging on the vast knowledge within Antrim, which is quite evident in the most profound statements made on this site that we will not have to look far to replace the present management.

Well it can't get any worse

[imtommygunn]

It was worse last year. Way worse.

[Milltown Row2]

It was worse last year. Way worse.

Seriously? Carlow and London are below us but that's down to us conceding less. Look I'm not knocking anyone, we are just playing shit, at the start of the second half we changed it around and then proceded to give away two penalties and actually miss one ourselves. Ah sour grapes but it's a bit shit

[imtommygunn]

We played better in the first than the second.

It is shit no doubt but it is two games in.

Last year there was no heart or fight in the team at all. Today, despite getting beat, there was some of that. Without that there is no hope and last year we had none of it.

Much to improve on yes but scullion battled, cj is a class act for this level and tomas and pollock have pace to cause defenses problems. Last year that didn't happen. The major downsides were too many runners from half back and midfield untracked and every high ball into defense could very well end up in the net. Not too many as big as that wicklow ff mind. Another two would be the lack of half forwards in the county and that we don't seem to have anyone to put in the ff line who is a forward with presence. (Hasson is not a full forward).

[Gold]

We played better in the first than the second.

It is shit no doubt but it is two games in.

Last year there was no heart or fight in the team at all. Today, despite getting beat, there was some of that. Without that there is no hope and last year we had none of it.

Much to improve on yes but scullion battled, cj is a class act for this level and tomas and pollock have pace to cause defenses problems. Last year that didn't happen. The major downsides were too many runners from half back and midfield untracked and every high ball into defense could very well end up in the net. Not too many as big as that wicklow ff mind. Another two would be the lack of half forwards in the county and that we don't seem to have anyone to put in the ff line who is a forward with presence. (Hasson is not a full forward).

True we need a FF. What about Dougan or Magill? When we were at our best in div 3 in 2010 Magill was class at ff. We had a real focal point to our attack, not since though.

Hasson isn't a ff. Too meant shit no look hand passes gave away by him and even mckeever, hand passing when it wasn't on. Tony kicked a bad free away which resulted in them getting the winning penalty within seconds. Worked his balls off though.

Tomas was class at times. His goal was as good as any you'd ever see. Flew in at searing pace and buried goal to roof of net with left foot. Absolute rocket. Cracker left footed point from distance too.

Pollock worked hard as fcuk and scored a cracker near end after some hard hard work.

James laverty was impressive I thought and Sweeney turned over some ball, diving and throwing his body on the line. Crozier is better out the field. Mckeever passed off when chances to shoot a number of times, resulting in block downs or turnovers.

[imtommygunn]

I always thought dougan was very good. I think him, magill or niblock are only 3 options in the county for ff if only any or all were avaiable.

Yeah laverty wasn't bad actually. Sweeney maybe i'm being harsh on but i just think is more the modern half forward.

Not good result but can only get better... Still live in hope.

[bannside]

Wicklow is a team that we haven't managed to get much joy out of over the last decade their record against us good.  I think we drew with them in Casement with our 09 team, and there has never been much between the sides. Yesterdays game was a much better contest than the fayre served up in Aughrim in Div 3 last year. And to give Wicklow credit, they have a very lively and productive FF line that would cause bother to most county full back lines.

The players selected yesterday emptied the tank and thats all anyone could ask of them.  With ten to go we had the game in the bag, but did we see the winning line and ease off. Thats what I would like to know.

Bakers hand was badly tied yesterday to be fair. A fit Mick and Sean Mc Veigh would have added a bit more craft and steel around the middle where Niall couldnt match their height and power on his own.

I might have taken a chance with Owen Gallagher at MF at some point in the game. His power and straight running pace through the middle might have caused damage. Conor Murrays direct running was also badly missed too, and the physical presence of the Johnstons would have afforded other options too. I also take the view that the three players mentioned (Magill/Niblock/Dougan) would provide badly needed strength in the right places - but thats a hypothetical argument!

This was a game we could/should have won though so its another frustrating morning to be a Saffron. Need to win the next five to have a chance, and based on some of what I saw yesterday, and some of the aforementioned back out, I still think we can win our next five and ten points would still leave us close. Tipp away the fly in the ointment now.

[Gold]

Wicklow is a team that we haven't managed to get much joy out of over the last decade their record against us good.  I think we drew with them in Casement with our 09 team, and there has never been much between the sides. Yesterdays game was a much better contest than the fayre served up in Aughrim in Div 3 last year. And to give Wicklow credit, they have a very lively and productive FF line that would cause bother to most county full back lines.

The players selected yesterday emptied the tank and thats all anyone could ask of them.  With ten to go we had the game in the bag, but did we see the winning line and ease off. Thats what I would like to know.

Bakers hand was badly tied yesterday to be fair. A fit Mick and Sean Mc Veigh would have added a bit more craft and steel around the middle where Niall couldnt match their height and power on his own.

I might have taken a chance with Owen Gallagher at MF at some point in the game. His power and straight running pace through the middle might have caused damage. Conor Murrays direct running was also badly missed too, and the physical presence of the Johnstons would have afforded other options too. I also take the view that the three players mentioned (Magill/Niblock/Dougan) would provide badly needed strength in the right places - but thats a hypothetical argument!

This was a game we could/should have won though so its another frustrating morning to be a Saffron. Need to win the next five to have a chance, and based on some of what I saw yesterday, and some of the aforementioned back out, I still think we can win our next five and ten points would still leave us close. Tipp away the fly in the ointment now.

They really did empty the tank and that's what people who weren't there wont know. Usually a defeat is compounded by lack of effort but that wasn't the case, everyone put their shoulder to the wheel, we were just unlucky with the breaks. Paddy Heaney put it well in the paper today--some of the scores we had were as good if not better than ive seen from us since 09 or ever, class stuff. They just kept getting break after break--they have a dangerous FF line with a 6ft 7 huge FF. But then our FB line did well too. Bad result but great, entertaining game

[Rasharkin Gael]

Cj is a class act on the pitch. Tomas is a good player running onto the ball, but his ability to win ball and break the tackle is just average. Our full back line was left badly exposed again. Against Cavan, our hf line didn't track the runners and our fb line ended up in too many no win scenarios of either following their own man or going to meet the runner. Somewhat similar again against Wicklow.
I would not agree that it was a very good ff line of Wicklows. I thought we made them look good and our half back line ended up just marking space, but was too close to midfield and too far from our back line. c murray is a decent attacking half forward but his work rate off the ball is terrible and would be no addition at this level. Certainly mcveigh and mick back would help but we seem devoid of ideas and guile once we get the ball over our own 45.
While the lads are right in that many players ran themselves into the ground, our mental frailties were evident to see once again. Unable to shut out a game when we were in total command probably the most frustrating thing.

[bannside]

When CJ does that on a consistent basis FOR ANTRIM, like every other marquee inter-county forward, on a relatively consistent basis, then I will become a fully paid up member of his fan club. Yesterday reminded us what CJ can do, and hopefully he has the maturity now to kick on, and deliver performances like yesterday on a regular basis. The talent is definitely there - we need some consistency now.

[imtommygunn]

I think yesterday showed us though Bannside that antrim are a much better prospect with him than without him. A few things like workrate etc could be worked on and I suspect he'll face better markers on different days but he showed good vision and scoring ability and hopefully can continue to illustrate this throughout the league.

The biggest concern I would have is that we can build on our midfield and possibly full back line. (Main issue yesterday was high balls) but I don't think we have the clientel for a half forward line to be useful. That aside I think we can do ok.

[CentreHalfBack]

Great to have Niblock back.

[Gold]

Great to have Niblock back.

Back?

[bannside]

Great news. The forward line dosent look the same without him. If we are going to beat Fermanagh and have any sort of crack against Donegal or Derry we could do with a fit and hungry Magill. Thats a process, but needs to happen.

[AQMP]

Great to have Niblock back.

Back?

Aye, there was talk he was going to play soccer this year??