Antrim Football Thread

[Minder]

Tomas Mc Cann on his way back home from Oz.

[milltown row]

Free holiday or missed rainy Ireland?

[milltown row]

Yeah i thought so. he'll settle for a sigerson then the national league

[Minder]

Free holiday or missed rainy Ireland?

Not enough money.......

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=120848

[SambaSaffron]

Sights set on bringing Sam to the Elk. Fair play.

He's transferring to derry?



Minder its not just a case of money. It was a strange decision of the club to bring him over for trial in the first place as they've used their international rookie for this season. Tomas would have been playing VFL all season, while O'Reilly would have been the priority between the 2.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Nice to see Kevin getting a bit of profile

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/8379269.stm

Mellowing McGourty suits Gall's
By John Haughey
BBC Northern Ireland

Kevin McGourty has his head stuck in a pile of very academic-looking papers before he spots you wandering towards him at the busy Queen's Students Union coffee bar. The greeting is warm as he explains his plan to begin a PHD in January to add to his BA and MA degrees and law institute qualification which he hopefully will get positive news of after sitting his final exams in Dublin last month. The man is certainly no idler.  The 26-year-old has been one of the main movers in convincing an initially reluctant Fianna Fail that it should officially organise in Northern Ireland. Until recently, McGourty was chairman of the party's branch in South Down and he is now fulfilling a similar role in Fianna Fail's Antrim/Belfast wing. McGourty's passion for his cause is obvious and meetings with Fianna Fail bigwigs have become a regular aspect of his schedule. In the midst of his studies and political machinating, McGourty has also been back at his beloved St Gall's and helping the West Belfast outfit reach Sunday's Ulster Club Football Final against old rivals Loup.

"I'm keeping myself busy on all fronts and trying to play a bit of football in between," he nods.

Six months ago, it was by no means certain that McGourty's talents would be seen on any high-profile football occasion again. Disillusionment still lingered from his headline-generating 2007 axing from the Antrim football panel by then Saffron County boss Jody Gormley and the abuse that was directed at him from certain quarters. He wondered if it all was worth the hassle and if wasn't as if he had much spare time on his hands. But then, his uncle and godfather Lenny Harbinson, the newly-appointed manager of St Gall's, came calling. "I possibly see the game as a burden sometimes maybe when I should see the enjoyable side of it," reflects McGourty. "I went back because Lenny's a relation of mine and because St Gall's have given me so much. "It was the end of June but the boys didn't have any problems with me coming back in late and things have gone fairly well thus far."

2007 should have been one of the most memorable years in his football career after achieving a major goal by helping Queen's win the Sigerson Cup when they edged out UUJ after extra-time at the Dub. But by the end of that year, "I'd had my fill of football" as even spectating at games had become problematic amid the taunts being directed at McGourty and members of his family.
McGourty has no particular desire to rehash the rights or wrongs of Gormley's decision but for the record, it came after the Belfast man opted to follow through on his season-long training commitments with the Queen's ladies team as opposed to being available for a National Football League game against Kilkenny. "The ladies tournament was here in Belfast over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I didn't have the time to give to Antrim that weekend," recalls McGourty. "Jody realised my predicament when he talked to me at the start of the year but I suppose he needed to win as well and he needed all his players there. But I felt I was giving something back to football."

While the accusation that he was a disruptive force did gain currency in some quarters, it did not prevent then Down manager Ross Carr from making genuine attempts last year to convince McGourty to throw his lot in with the Mourne County.

That should not have been a surprise as no less eminent a judge than Mickey Harte had gone on record as saying that McGourty was the man he would plump for, if he could cherry pick one player from another Ulster.

"There was a possibility of going to Down last year. There's no doubt about that," acknowledges McGourty.

"The ultimate decision was left to me but moving away from St Gall's was going to be a very hard thing to do, given my emotional and family ties with the club."

The Harte praise is something that McGourty is genuinely grateful for.

"I think Mickey sees the opposite side to what others would say about me and that I have been blessed with some ability. It's a massive compliment."

Like his brother Conor, McGourty watched Antrim's exploits this summer as a supporter and he insists that there was no sense of jealousy at missing out on the county's biggest football occasions in almost 40 years.

"People will probably think: 'He's just saying that' but I went to the games with people from St Gall's and organised a few buses to go to the matches and enjoyed the days out.

"In fairness, the team played exceptionally well. Liam Bradley had them going very well."

Mention of Bradley inevitable leads to the question of whether Kevin could be coaxed back into Saffron colours in 2010.

He doesn't see it happening, although he leaves a little wriggle-room by adding, "you never say never".

"Whether Liam Bradley wants me back is one thing," he continues.

"They are on an upward curve and after the season they've had, I'd be foolish not to consider it but I have to be realistic as well with all the other things that I have going on at the moment which maybe would rule me out."

So what of Sunday's business in hand at Newry
McGourty is plainly surprised when told of the widespread rumours of ill-feeling between the protagonists arising from the 2003 Ulster decider won by Loup.

"I've just had a 15-minute conversation with (Loup's) Paul McVey who went to college with me.

"I exchange texts messages regularly with Joe O'Kane who I won a Sigerson medal with. I think he's a wonderful player.

"And I would know Johnny McBride quite well. In fact, next Sunday I'll be giving Johnny McBride his top back from 2003 when they beat us and we swapped tops.

"I think that it's only right that he gets his top back that we won with. He'll want that to cherish.

"There's absolutely no fallout. They won fair and square on the day."

But McGourty agrees that the 2003 defeat will be a "motivating factor" in the rematch plus the desire to get back to the All-Ireland stage after their desperately disappointing one-point defeat by Salthill in the 2006 St Patrick's Day decider.

"I personally had four shots in the All-Ireland final. Three of them went wide. All I needed was two to go over to win an All-Ireland.

"I missed a shot clean under the net when it dropped out of the boy's hands. I was two yards out and I punched it wide.

"I had the winning of an All-Ireland title in my hands and I didn't take it. It does naturally haunt you.


"To lose in the manner we lost it, knowing we didn't play to our full potential, was very frustrating and of course you are going to think about it."

A lot of water has flowed under the bridge in those four years but McGourty's reflections suggest a mellowing in his character - at least when it comes to football.

"It's now become more enjoyable because I suppose, I've become less serious about it.

"I used to be totally and utterly passionate about the game and emotionally ground up in it. I've withdrawn a bit because of experiences I've had in the last couple of years."

McGourty's more laidback approach worked in the Ulster semi-final demolition of Clontibret when he and Rory Gallagher helped rip the Monaghan club's defence to shreds.

"Their keeper hit a few stray kick-outs and I was lucky enough to be on the end of them.

"I contributed a point and maybe myself and Rory got the plaudits but the fellows at the back are playing really well at the minute and our midfielders Aodhan Gallagher and Sean Burke are producing the best football of their lives.

"It's pretty easy to play in front of a good solid backline and very strong midfield."

Wrapping up a very pleasant hour and a quarter, McGourty reflects on his evolving attitude to his sport.

"I've enjoyed my time out. I'm not so emotionally-charged about football. I've got other things going on in my life now that I'm happy enough with.

"Football will always play an important part but whether it will play the part that it used to, I don't think I'll ever re-discover the old emotion that I had for it."

But in McGourty's case, perhaps he's found the secret.

[culchie11]

Interesting interview indeed, love him or hate him, he talks an awful lot of sense when he wants to!
i for one would like to see him back with county squad, as the best players available should be playing county football, hopefully he does make himself available.

que the usual mcgourty bashing!!

good luck to st teresa's and st gall's on sunday.

[stiffler]

Good luck to Lenny and the lads on Sunday.

[Minder]

Interesting interview indeed, love him or hate him, he talks an awful lot of sense when he wants to!
i for one would like to see him back with county squad, as the best players available should be playing county football, hopefully he does make himself available.

que the usual mcgourty bashing!!

good luck to st teresa's and st gall's on sunday.

Even if they are a disruptive influence? And he always has been. Maybe he has grown up.

[NAG1]

Good Luck to St Galls at the weekend.

A team in the club final and the county team in the Ulster final in one year, does that mean that Antrim are the new dominant force in Ulster Football? 

On a more serious note, stirling work being done by St Galls and they deserve another crack at an All Ireland I think sundays game could be their biggest obstacle to that goal.

[Two Hands FFS]

Well done St Galls..super team. Go on now & win the All Ireland.

[Minder]

Well done St Galls..super team. Go on now & win the All Ireland.

I hope so, I stuck £20 on them yesterday to win the AI.

[Two Hands FFS]

Well done St Galls..super team. Go on now & win the All Ireland.

I hope so, I stuck £20 on them yesterday to win the AI.

Wot odds Minder? I'd say they've drifted in.

[Minder]

Well done St Galls..super team. Go on now & win the All Ireland.

I hope so, I stuck £20 on them yesterday to win the AI.

Wot odds Minder? I'd say they've drifted in.

7/2 favourites, aye I knew I had to do them before today. Portlaois were 4/1 but hadn't even played their refixed game with Clara ( which they won) so if they win Leinster they will probably be joint favourites with St Galls. St Galls were favs I would say because they were already in their provincial final and it was seen as a slam dunk against Loup, which it was.

[13aside]

Congratulations to St.Galls after a superb all-round display today in Newry.Took charge 10 mins before the break and never looked like losing thereafter.Deserved Ulster Champions for 2009-WellDone and good luck in the AI. semi-final!!