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This is unreal lads, st johns and cargin must really have it in for GD, JFTJ as I said before and again I was there and listened to the lads that presented at UC, to stand up and deny that they said and behaved poorly is pure bull, and be honest with yourself they did it, they should take the punishment and move on, you could hear it nomatter where you stood on the day. Your making this all about an individual which is masking the problem as a whole, some individuals in your club believe they can do anything they want without concern and are bringing a bad rep to the club and members that are working hard to establish a positive platform in the club. IMO they have gone too far and I dont see this going away for a while yet, on the referee supporting what went on at UC that night, I believe he will regret this and im sure he didnt expect it to blow up the way it has, I would question his reasons however?

Not at all surprised to hear that the only player suspended from the 'battle on chapel hill' after he under-21 semi has had his suspension removed/lifted to enable him to play in the final.............seems the colour of the shirt and having friends in high places does matter.

HAHA-'the battle on chapel hill" where exactly  0 punches or kicks were thrown.f**k me I,d like to see what you would call a real battle.by the way the ulster council overturned the ridiculous suspensions from the first game.they just laugh their balls off at wee joe and the boys.now that was a WAR-I think I saw 3 punches in that one.Savagery at its worst.on a side note has wee joe ever not got a suspension overturned that went to ulster council(I know we,ve always won ours)

You seem to delight in the fact that Ulster Council overturned the decisions! I spoke with an UC coach yesterday who was telling me about what went on, I personally think its disgusting, what your club members said allegedly at the meeting and how lads characters where presented, Ill tell you one thing, if that was done on any other platform it wouldn't be allowed.

I was at the game, I heard the abuse, I moved three times because of it and I witnessed the altercations, which again I have said I have seen a lot worse, however the fact remains that people on the day behaved disgracefully and should hold their hands up and have the B***s to take what's coming. You haven't at any time condemned their behaviour which to be honest is more concerning to me.
It has proved that it is who you know at UC and who can work the system, however clubs need to be aware that a poacher come game keeper role can always bite you in the ass! I am amazed and shocked to hear that a Referee that was present submitted a statement allegedly against the referee on the day, my own opinion on the day was he referred what was a great game, like everyone present I was bewildered by the abandonment, however I cant believe that one referee would challenge another, the lad from UC says that it has shocked even some of the senior UC officials who have viewed it in a very dim light, dirty stroke their imo, that's like one team mate stiffing another. Anyway I don't agree with what has gone on and if that's the future of our games in Antrim then its time I found an alternative sport.

JFTJ I highlighted this in previous posts, there is no excuse to justify the scenes yesterday at the final whistle is there? For the second time in a week the crowd and the abuse have substantially contributed to dragging this competition into the gutter, I am a massive fan of the U21 championship is great football, now within the last two years supporters have managed to highlight the sheer ineptitude of our county officials in dealing with rouge elements within certain clubs, both sides are fully responsible for what occurred yesterday at the final whistle. You did focus on the referee from last weeks incidents, talking with gaels before the game yesterday Duffy reported 9 Players, 2 mentors and 2 senior club official's for abuse in the crowd (all dealt with by CCC), I personally think it was excessive no doubt about that, but as I stated in previous posts was anyone reported not guilty and penalised incorrectly? Then to the rule book he was fully justified (OTT) granted imo, then both clubs come back out the next week and finish off properly what they didn't get to do last week. These scenes more at home in Windsor or Solitude, not for me.

I was at the game and have watched this site all week about the incidents. the fighting yes I have definitely seen worse at games in the past, but be realistic I witnessed lads punching one another, mentors(Teachers) striking lads, lads getting punched and retaliating (as you would do). Fundamentally though why did the mentors run in to the first instance, the old excuse is going in to break it up, FFS when has that ever worked, and to often is used as an excuse to have a go. IMO if they had stayed out the situation would have quickly defused itself and we could have had and end to the game, which was extremely entertaining. What I will also say, I moved 3 times during the game to get away from groups of people hurling serious and foul abuse at the referee mainly, but also at the opposition, and again those situations personally could have sparked a complete free for all among the supporters which would have been 10 times more serious than what occurred on the pitch.

The GAA should bring a rule, or some club should table a motion for the next convention that mentors etc etc are not allowed over the line under any circumstances, only medical personnel have that authority. See how that works.

Good to hear from somebody who was actually at the game and not somebody who is spouting rubbish for the sake of it.as far as the fighting,you said you have seen much worse-I definitely agree.mentors and subs running in to break it up-definitely agree that this helps nothing and only fans the flames.do you feel Duffy made the right decision abandoning that game?

I can honestly say at the time I was bewildered, it caught everyone by surprise. In saying that now with the suspensions coming from his report and with hindsight, I ask myself the individuals that where suspended, was anyone named or suspended that shouldn't have been? If not and everyone is guilty under rule then we had if my info is correct 7+ lads, don't know what the ratio is club to club, then what he is guilty of is applying the rule book thoroughly and he would be the first in all my years playing and spectating at games. Usually the Ref gets two or three to satisfy and plays away! Not defending him however, if I had taken the abuse for that length of time he did, and had the rule book at my disposal then, I may have done the same to be honest. No matter how good or bad a ref is that was scandalous, surely you have to agree with there?

no wonder so many young lads turn their back on the game.

Aye, these young lads are definitely turning their backs on the game because they get suspended for fighting. Strange then that nothing has changed with regards these incidents in years of underage Antrim Football. I wasn't at the game between LD and St Johns so I'll have to take everyone on here's word for it but I sincerely hope that these suspensions, even if some of them are being called harsh, are indicative of sterner punishments for both disrespect to referees and off the ball incidents in the county across the board.

Far more people are put off Antrim football by a subculture of thuggery than this supposed mass pandemic of harsh underage suspensions.

Do you think refs should receive sterner punishment for disrespect?after all,there were loads of witnesses to duffys one finger salute?

I must echoe the sentiments of stibhan, I was there didn't see the incident, cant comment on it but can comment as previous on the sustained abuse from certain sections for all of the game, which again I thought was excellent given the conditions. You do really seem to have it in for the referee, your continual focus on the supposed incident, poor taste it may be and ignore the behaviour of what I can only assume are colleagues, club mates of yours for well over 70 minutes of football?? What have you to say on that, and possibly posters may engage on the overall platform. Was it you that the referee gave it to allegedly?

I was at the game and have watched this site all week about the incidents. the fighting yes I have definitely seen worse at games in the past, but be realistic I witnessed lads punching one another, mentors(Teachers) striking lads, lads getting punched and retaliating (as you would do). Fundamentally though why did the mentors run in to the first instance, the old excuse is going in to break it up, FFS when has that ever worked, and to often is used as an excuse to have a go. IMO if they had stayed out the situation would have quickly defused itself and we could have had and end to the game, which was extremely entertaining. What I will also say, I moved 3 times during the game to get away from groups of people hurling serious and foul abuse at the referee mainly, but also at the opposition, and again those situations personally could have sparked a complete free for all among the supporters which would have been 10 times more serious than what occurred on the pitch.

The GAA should bring a rule, or some club should table a motion for the next convention that mentors etc etc are not allowed over the line under any circumstances, only medical personnel have that authority. See how that works.