Antrim Football Thread

[AQMP]

The Antrim team to play Tipperary this Sunday is,

1  CHRIS KERR (St Gall's)

2  PATRICK GALLAGHER (Glenavy)
3  DEAGHLAN O HAGAN (St Brigid's)
4  MARK MC ALEESE (Portglenone)

5  TONY SCULLION (Cargin)
6  JUSTIN CROZIER (Cargin)
7  JAMES LOUGHERY (St Brigid's)

8  MICHAEL MC CANN (Cargin)
9  CONAL KELLY (St John's)

10 TOMAS MC CANN (Cargin)
11 KEVIN BRADY (Moneyglass)
12 MICHAEL ARMSTRONG (O' Donovan Rossa)

13 BRIAN NEESON (St John's)
14 MARK SWEENEY (St Brigid's)
15 PADDY CUNNINGHAM (Lamh Dhearg)

16 WILLY MC SORLEY (St Brigid's)
17 RYAN DALY (St Brigid's)
18 COLM DUFFIN (Moneyglass)
19 ANTO HEALEY (St Gall's)
20 RICKY JOHNSTON (Creggan)
21 MARTY JOHNSTON (Creggan)
22 KEVIN MARRON (Moneyglass)
23 SEAN FINCH (O'Donovan Rossa)
24 AODHAN GALLAGHER (St Gall's)
25 SIMON MC DONAGH (St John's)
26 RYAN MURRAY (Lamh Dhearg)
27. MICHAEL MAGILL (Randalstown)
28. KEVIN O BOYLE (Cargin)
29.PATRICK MC BRIDE (St John's)

[Milltown Row2]

Still experimenting I see 

[bannside]

Not a bad looking team. Every player on that side would have genuine enough claims to a first 15 jersey, or gametime at least.

Gallsmen will look at it and see only one of theirs on the teamsheet and say its experimental. Amongst their missing players who are the "must haves" except for Niblock.

Everyone knows what Aidso, Brady, Andy, CJ et al can be relied on to contribute, but in ths case, at this time of year we need to build a genuine squad ethos and squad morale. On the long run will keep competition keen for jerseys.

On another note, whats the crack with Mark Dougan? Its only one opinion, but surely he would sit a lot higher up the rankings than one or two of the names on the panel.

[subterranean saffron]

Bannside - The "must haves", for me anyway, are Brady and Gallagher. Not that they are exceptionally gifted compared to the others but more beneficial to the team due to the bigger gulf between them and their counterparts.

When St. Gall's won the AI Club in 2010, most players came back into a winning Antrim team and for my money they had a negative effect on team morale (see results before and after). This year several quality players will, in all likelihood, come back into the fold – do they come straight back in? There is a subtle difference between keeping competition keen and stringing boys along, let's hope Baker gets the mix right this time around.

Dougan albeit a good player has done nothing in county football to suggest he should be any higher on the pecking order than anyone else. I don't mean that to sound harsh, I'd love to see him fulfill his potential – just don't think he deserves anymore chances than the likes of Mark Sweeny, Brian Neeson, Kevin Marron etc.

HUGE game this weekend - hope the boys put in another gutsy preformance. Aontroim Abu!

[antrimgeal1989]

weak numbers two and four. think there are better players than these two

[Gold]

No one any thought on the Sligo game?

No 'fans' at it?

Where is Hardstion these days>?

Was on holiday. Got text updates though. Good win. We're not fancied at all in this division. Anyone know why? We should beat most of them, no?

Fck me you had me worried about ya. I must've been goin mental!

Was stuck for debate on football with people who actually attend games

[Glensman]

Agree with all of the points below re Loughrey, Scullion, Tomas but especially Cunningham. Grabs every free no matter where (one specific one on right sideline with Tomas beside him) and slows up play.
I am not sure he can be carried for his frees any more. We need all players capable of and wanting to put in a tackle.

Fair point re Neeson's shooting but he has a great left boot, fights for the ball and hopefully his shot selection improves.

If Magill is fit get that man back in there straight away.

Fantastic result last night with a fantastic finish. Free 50metres out with last kick to win it by Tomas McCann

Great start for the Saffrons

Sligo men annoyed we got a free.

Ref did gave ropey enough frees for both sides but the match was not the hardest to ref and there wasnt any big flashpoint incidents-penaltys, penalty calls or sendings off. It was certainly not on the  Colm Cooper scale of give a man 6 frees for nothing cause of his name v us in Tullamore 09.

We shouldv'e been out of sight but messed about shouting from stupid angles whilst Sligo scored nearly any time they got the ball. We died for first 20 mins of 2nd half.

Tomas stood up and was a great leader. He started in FF line but no doubt serves us best out at half forward when his surging Darren O'Sullivan style runs make all the difference.

Paddy Cunningham isnt working at CHF. He cant win ball at FF so is now out at CHF. He appears to have a Stevie G/David Beckham type ego where he has to hit every free--running 20 metres back to take a free to where he was in the first place. As he's now at CHF he thinks he has to hit every ball--mostly long and too often when it's not on--he's not Greg Blaney --when a simple handpass is on he should take it. We carried him last night and cant afford to keep doing so.

Where we broke down was at half forward. James Loughrey is an outstanding half back but i feel his surging pace and power which always breaks the tackle is best served at half forward. In 2010 when we finished top of Div 3 he was our most potent attacking threat--he broke the gain line so many times, then laid it off to someone to stroke it over. In fact the holes he punched caused 90% of our goal chances in that league campaign. We'd no goal chance last night. Wont do to continue like that as the games go on.

Loughrey didnt play in the League last year and we went out with a whimper--he's that important.

Scullion played at corner back and was great. Antrim teams are never known to hit other teams or stop players in their tracks but Tony doesnt read the script. He loves hitting hard/borderline fair and i think its class.

Sligo didnt look too hot last night. They were rudderless up front for most of first half but relaxed a bit in the second half and improved. O'Hara and TT were a miss around the middle for them as was David Kelly (thank God he wasnt flying about up front).

Brady for us looked to me that he was going to get the hook till he won a ball and then followed that with a lobbed point. Thought Magill if fit shouldve been on.

Neeson scores some great points but shoots from crazy angles all too often. Also he hid in behind for 1st 25 mins of 2nd half and never touched leather during that time--not good enough going forward--he'll need to get out and win ball or have help in there to win ball. Numerous times we had ball going up left/stand side in 2nd half and the 2/3 full forwards ran away to far/top right corner in behind their men. The only ball playable to them then was a diagonal ball --but those 3 certainly arn't Ronan, Stevie and Diarmuid so that wasnt gonna work. They have to be brave, stronger and come out in front and get the ball--no primary school balls over the top at this level.

Tomas showed some guts though. Some pressure but stroked it over

[Gold]

Great win

Was no surprise to see Loughrey break through for the goal

Tomas again was great from frees

Should have won by more

[imtommygunn]

Were you at it Gold?

Another good win. If we get another one or two on the bounce we'll hopefully be in the mix for promotion.

[4father]

Good to see Antrim back to winning ways.  We really shouldnt fear any team in this Division.  Seems to be a bit more energy in about the team.  I take it Bradley is backing Chris Kerr as GK for the year, isn't that 2 in a row which hasnt been the pattern.

Speaking of Bradleys, i met my good friend Matt Bradley who tells me he is taking Gortnamona.  He has done well with most teams he has looked after so good luck to him and to them.

[AQMP]

Good to see Antrim back to winning ways.  We really shouldnt fear any team in this Division.  Seems to be a bit more energy in about the team.  I take it Bradley is backing Chris Kerr as GK for the year, isn't that 2 in a row which hasnt been the pattern.

Speaking of Bradleys, i met my good friend Matt Bradley who tells me he is taking Gortnamona.  He has done well with most teams he has looked after so good luck to him and to them.

You're probably right 4father, but by the same token we aren't miles better than any team in the divison.  Fingers crossed we should be in the promotion picture but no guarantees, I think it's going to be tight.

[Simon Says]

great win yesterday, especially going in to thurles hopefully we can build on this and take two points off offlay in 3 weeks time in casement park. i hear michael mc cann was outstanding yesterday as was loughrey. i was at the game last saturday night and the mckenna cup games and have been impressed with chris kerr in goals, hes a much better keeper than mc sorley. few early subs made yesterday? boys not up to it?

[bannside]

Another great result. Winning is a good habit to get into.

Theres a real freshness about the management and panel which is good to see. I would have had great difficulty going to the matches this year if we were going to be served up the same drivel as last year.

Hope we can keep this up - but still need to have something left in the locker for the proper end of the season, June-September.

Remember two years ago we also beat Sligo in the first league game, but they toyed with us in the league final in Croke several months later! We were on a downward spiral from April onwards. Hopefully lessons will be learned.

[brendanbelfast]

There were fellas taken off on Sunday who had been (unfairly) booked and ticked, and I assume management didn't want to lose a man. Out of 12 bookings in the match, 10 went to our players. Unbalanced refereeing.

[Milltown Row2]

Stop blaming referees FFS