Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

facilities and parents attitude seem to be the biggest factors allied to of course natural ability, attitude and numbers which are essential. The teams that invested years ago in facilities seem to be coming together now. St Galls' dubious noughties recruitment policy is of course one way of circumvent the lack of facilities proving them the exception rather than the rule. Dunloy have one hell of a set up and fair play to them.   One wonders who will be the first central SW club to get a standing terrace constructed to be the jewel in the crown.

Not one club in Antrim has got a player from another club... current County champions seem to avoid any of this but sure work away lad.... the lads now regret being part of the club I'm sure

you're right, no one else can say they didn't. St Galls just were much much better at the post code lottery than everyone else #justsaying

Much better club steeped in history of winning Ulster titles and the odd All Ireland finals

Out of curiosity, how many Ulster titles have St Galls won?

3 lost 3 finals also!! Ah the ones that get away are the hardest to take

[paddyjohn]

facilities and parents attitude seem to be the biggest factors allied to of course natural ability, attitude and numbers which are essential. The teams that invested years ago in facilities seem to be coming together now. St Galls' dubious noughties recruitment policy is of course one way of circumvent the lack of facilities proving them the exception rather than the rule. Dunloy have one hell of a set up and fair play to them.   One wonders who will be the first central SW club to get a standing terrace constructed to be the jewel in the crown.

Not one club in Antrim has got a player from another club... current County champions seem to avoid any of this but sure work away lad.... the lads now regret being part of the club I'm sure

you're right, no one else can say they didn't. St Galls just were much much better at the post code lottery than everyone else #justsaying

Much better club steeped in history of winning Ulster titles and the odd All Ireland finals

Out of curiosity, how many Ulster titles have St Galls won?

3 lost 3 finals also!! Ah the ones that get away are the hardest to take

Is there talent coming through to get you back to another one?

[Milltown Row2]

facilities and parents attitude seem to be the biggest factors allied to of course natural ability, attitude and numbers which are essential. The teams that invested years ago in facilities seem to be coming together now. St Galls' dubious noughties recruitment policy is of course one way of circumvent the lack of facilities proving them the exception rather than the rule. Dunloy have one hell of a set up and fair play to them.   One wonders who will be the first central SW club to get a standing terrace constructed to be the jewel in the crown.

Not one club in Antrim has got a player from another club... current County champions seem to avoid any of this but sure work away lad.... the lads now regret being part of the club I'm sure

you're right, no one else can say they didn't. St Galls just were much much better at the post code lottery than everyone else #justsaying

Much better club steeped in history of winning Ulster titles and the odd All Ireland finals

Out of curiosity, how many Ulster titles have St Galls won?

3 lost 3 finals also!! Ah the ones that get away are the hardest to take

Is there talent coming through to get you back to another one?

I suppose it could be said it took us 30 years after 82 to win our next one.. that's how it goes, you are with a club aren't you? You understand that you can't always win these titles, other teams improve... Cross are struggling and no one thought they would.

I'd say your club must be close to it

[paddyjohn]

facilities and parents attitude seem to be the biggest factors allied to of course natural ability, attitude and numbers which are essential. The teams that invested years ago in facilities seem to be coming together now. St Galls' dubious noughties recruitment policy is of course one way of circumvent the lack of facilities proving them the exception rather than the rule. Dunloy have one hell of a set up and fair play to them.   One wonders who will be the first central SW club to get a standing terrace constructed to be the jewel in the crown.

Not one club in Antrim has got a player from another club... current County champions seem to avoid any of this but sure work away lad.... the lads now regret being part of the club I'm sure

you're right, no one else can say they didn't. St Galls just were much much better at the post code lottery than everyone else #justsaying

Much better club steeped in history of winning Ulster titles and the odd All Ireland finals

Out of curiosity, how many Ulster titles have St Galls won?

3 lost 3 finals also!! Ah the ones that get away are the hardest to take

Is there talent coming through to get you back to another one?

I suppose it could be said it took us 30 years after 82 to win our next one.. that's how it goes, you are with a club aren't you? You understand that you can't always win these titles, other teams improve... Cross are struggling and no one thought they would.

I'd say your club must be close to it

My club? nah, not yet. Hopefully someday we could reach that position.

[Milltown Row2]

facilities and parents attitude seem to be the biggest factors allied to of course natural ability, attitude and numbers which are essential. The teams that invested years ago in facilities seem to be coming together now. St Galls' dubious noughties recruitment policy is of course one way of circumvent the lack of facilities proving them the exception rather than the rule. Dunloy have one hell of a set up and fair play to them.   One wonders who will be the first central SW club to get a standing terrace constructed to be the jewel in the crown.

Not one club in Antrim has got a player from another club... current County champions seem to avoid any of this but sure work away lad.... the lads now regret being part of the club I'm sure

you're right, no one else can say they didn't. St Galls just were much much better at the post code lottery than everyone else #justsaying

Much better club steeped in history of winning Ulster titles and the odd All Ireland finals

Out of curiosity, how many Ulster titles have St Galls won?

3 lost 3 finals also!! Ah the ones that get away are the hardest to take

Is there talent coming through to get you back to another one?

I suppose it could be said it took us 30 years after 82 to win our next one.. that's how it goes, you are with a club aren't you? You understand that you can't always win these titles, other teams improve... Cross are struggling and no one thought they would.

I'd say your club must be close to it

My club? nah, not yet. Hopefully someday we could reach that position.

You sure?? I thought with the SW domination at the minute that it would be only a matter of months??

[paddyjohn]

facilities and parents attitude seem to be the biggest factors allied to of course natural ability, attitude and numbers which are essential. The teams that invested years ago in facilities seem to be coming together now. St Galls' dubious noughties recruitment policy is of course one way of circumvent the lack of facilities proving them the exception rather than the rule. Dunloy have one hell of a set up and fair play to them.   One wonders who will be the first central SW club to get a standing terrace constructed to be the jewel in the crown.

Not one club in Antrim has got a player from another club... current County champions seem to avoid any of this but sure work away lad.... the lads now regret being part of the club I'm sure

you're right, no one else can say they didn't. St Galls just were much much better at the post code lottery than everyone else #justsaying

Much better club steeped in history of winning Ulster titles and the odd All Ireland finals

Out of curiosity, how many Ulster titles have St Galls won?

3 lost 3 finals also!! Ah the ones that get away are the hardest to take

Is there talent coming through to get you back to another one?

I suppose it could be said it took us 30 years after 82 to win our next one.. that's how it goes, you are with a club aren't you? You understand that you can't always win these titles, other teams improve... Cross are struggling and no one thought they would.

I'd say your club must be close to it

My club? nah, not yet. Hopefully someday we could reach that position.

You sure?? I thought with the SW domination at the minute that it would be only a matter of months??

Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Milltown Row2]

Well I suppose with the GAA having been around over 100 odd years it's bound to hit the SW at some point

[Hectic]

Think the SW point is more in terms of the spread of teams.

You might have a dominant team hailing fron SW or SA but the spread behind that is interesting.

I just think that with the population in Belfast, all things being equal, you should see some seriously strong outfits from there. In these circumstances you should see particularly strong underage teams.

This is clearly not the case. Everyone knows that the potential of the large population is nowhere near fulfilled. 

Of course all things are not equal and I wonder how the population can be tapped into to greater effect.

Or do you settle for trying to keep what you have got?

[Milltown Row2]

Think the SW point is more in terms of the spread of teams.

You might have a dominant team hailing fron SW or SA but the spread behind that is interesting.

I just think that with the population in Belfast, all things being equal, you should see some seriously strong outfits from there. In these circumstances you should see particularly strong underage teams.

This is clearly not the case. Everyone knows that the potential of the large population is nowhere near fulfilled. 

Of course all things are not equal and I wonder how the population can be tapped into to greater effect.

Or do you settle for trying to keep what you have got?

Many a country team wins the club finals... the list way outnumbers what city teams have produced so I'm not sure what population has got to do with this... two seasons of teams from rural Antrim doesn't mean the City had gone to shit!! Johnnies in the 70's 80's ourselves in the 80's St Paul's 90's and other city teams Cargin twice then for over a decade we did!

These things come in cycles, you agree?

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

the indoor academy does help us yes but as others have said its having the kids there along with good coaches that makes it work. without the latter its just a big empty building that can be hired out for indoor football.

Soccer football, are you serious? 

Its a valued revenue during the close season in GAA that helps to pay back the money it took to build it. That and being hired out the local archery club in Ballymoney, model plane flying club and birthday parties.

All money in our coffers to pay off the debet

[Hectic]

Of course these things come in cycles in terms of an individual clubs success.  With the population I see massive potential.  This may not be relevant to any one city club on their own. 

In some country clubs the local primary school might have less than 10 boys in any given year group.  Even if you get all these lads out chances are by the time you even hit U12 your team might consist of 6 of these guys if you are lucky, maybe another 6 from the year below and maybe 3 the year below that. 

If the population was able to be tapped into in the city you would only be playing guys in underage teams not in their final year that are really talented.  And in general the more you get out, the more chance you have of unearthing talent.

I know from my own experience I came through a particularly strong group at my club but this was greatly helped by the fact in my year group there were 19 or 20 boys.  In the year above there were 6 boys.

All Ireland level has worked in cycles too but now that Dublin has harnessed their population potential it is very hard to see them ever having to wait approx. 20 yrs for an All Ireland.

Look I am not trying to put down what any of the city clubs have.  I am simply looking from afar and wondering how many really strong clubs and how many top players there could be if the city population could somehow be harnessed into Gaelic games.

[Milltown Row2]

The city has massive distractions unlike the country clubs in rural Ireland, as for Dublin they have the whole population working or studying there at some point and they have clubs with 6 senior teams at both codes to facilitate all abilities

Dublin unlike Belfast don't have half the population because they hate the GAA and all it stands for, Belfast doesn't  have the council backing them (though that's changing slowly) then if you look at the schools (primary first) its getting worse in Belfast as most teachers are female and less time it seems being put into getting the kids early (for me that's what keeps them at it) and then at secondary school its mainly at 2 schools....

my own school never had soccer at it and now it seems that all they play, so half the population that could have been enticed to play GAA is now split again, so we are left with a small pool, that pool gets smaller once kids get into other sports, athletics cycling running and then the main sport of all drinking!!!

I said before Belfast has too many clubs, we've 20 clubs I think Cork have 18 (not sure though) Belfast is a divided city and Cork is not.

Population seems to be banded about a lot and linked to success but the only thing that links a club to success is the effort of its mentors, parents and a bitta luck

[Hectic]

Yeah look it is a difficult one but if possible I would like to see all efforts at maximizing the participation.  Maybe this is already the case. 

As far as soccer is concerned though a lot of country lads are playing soccer as well as other sports.  The distractions are there in the country as well.  In my house it is hurling and football while also martial arts and swimming and plenty of the mates are doing similar.  That said it takes a fair commitment both in terms of time and finance to keep battering on all fronts not helped by some of these pursuits requiring travel so this could be another potential barrier in some cases I suppose. 

Feck knows and I know it has been debated to death but there still must be a fair few thousand kids in the target zone for participation in Belfast.  It would be great to see the numbers taking part increase.

[Milltown Row2]

Yeah look it is a difficult one but if possible I would like to see all efforts at maximizing the participation.  Maybe this is already the case. 

As far as soccer is concerned though a lot of country lads are playing soccer as well as other sports.  The distractions are there in the country as well.  In my house it is hurling and football while also martial arts and swimming and plenty of the mates are doing similar.  That said it takes a fair commitment both in terms of time and finance to keep battering on all fronts not helped by some of these pursuits requiring travel so this could be another potential barrier in some cases I suppose. 

Feck knows and I know it has been debated to death but there still must be a fair few thousand kids in the target zone for participation in Belfast.  It would be great to see the numbers taking part increase.

I hear ya and I know from first hand experience of taking juvenile teams and working within the west Belfast with disadvantaged 16 years olds, a lot have zero commitment or motivation for most parts, getting them to attend classes or gain employment would have been hard enough without pushing them towards GAA... I tried to get lads involved with other training centres to get a team in the college leagues!! 4 lads turned up and that was because there was a free lunch involved..

Its not getting worse, and some of the clubs in Belfast have big numbers still, they just don't have the man power or system to turn those young lads into committed hurlers/footballers .. but it will come around again for the city.. Id say we've a batch of lads, mentors and parents that will make a difference sooner rather than later in one of the codes, we've just got to make it stick

[Hectic]

Yeah fair enough.  And quite often the issues have to be hitting everyone up the face before there is a sustained effort rather than relying on the like of yourself to keep things ticking over.  And then of course after that it takes a few years to see the harvest come to fruition.