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[Personally it wasn't sitting on the bench that was the problem, it was the immediate aftermath of the team being named and not having had a hint of a warning I was going to be dropped.]

As my 6 year old constantly says: "Yea but...."

Do we not slaughter anyone who demonstrates a hint of dissent for being dropped? I know the article notes this issue briefly, but how can we read it and nod in agreement, while equally joining in the bashing of anyone who ever displays any of the feelings mentioned above?

Personally it wasn't sitting on the bench that was the problem, it was the immediate aftermath of the team being named and not having had a hint of a warning I was going to be dropped.

Something similar. Never had a problem getting benched when it wasn't going well and there is consolation in driving on the thing as AZ alludes to. But the year I didn't get a fair shot at it still rankles.

Undoubtedly a major factor which i think this piece is trying to portray.

Not so much the fact that the player is green with envy at the players on the starting 15 but rather feeling aggrieved that they may have contributed something more influential than someone else. Taking it on the chin when things aren't going your way is part and parcel of many sports but to not get that chance to prove your worth eats you from the inside out like a can of worms. im almost positive that such a circumstance arises in many successful (and unsuccessful) teams..

Don't get me wrong it not that I want to lose, it's just that sometimes it might just be easier.

The elation, joy and "o-lay o-lay o-lay" is nothing but an act, a mask over the anger, inadequacy and even embarrassment that bubbles under the surface. It's not that you're bitter, of course you're delighted for your mates and their success bit you feel like an outsider, that you don't belong here, there's no feeling of accomplishment.

You may have worked as hard, if not harder, than most of them and made a valuable contribution throughout the year but it makes no odds. You still can't enjoy it.

The celebrations, the hugging backslapping and jumping are unbearable. The smile on your face is so forced that you can feel the muscles in your face cramping up. Some lads are delighted just to be part of the win, for whatever reason they know that the team is better off with them on the sideline. They can accept that for team glory they must sacrifice their own personal ambition.

But not you, you expect more from yourself. You know you're good enough and the competitive fire that burns inside you makes watching unbearable. Maybe you're selfish for thinking this way but then maybe you're not. You have a drive that isn't satisfied with being second best which all great people need.

You wish you were able to enjoy it like they do but it's not happening. The frustration of the last two hours or longer doesn't just dissipate with the final whistle. It stays with you for days afterwards.
And then the crowd arrives, joyous family and friends, making you want to be swallowed up by the ground. Their congratulations and handshakes, no matter how genuine, come across as patronising and condescending. You can see you self-confidence lying in little pieces at your feet.

The "well dones" are pointless, what exactly did you do well?

You managed to sit down for an hour, throw in a water bottle a couple of times, clap and shout encouragement and if you're lucky crash a few balls off the crossbar during the half time show.
Then comes the inevitable platitudes from the captain and manager. How it was a team effort and you were every bit as important as the others and that if you weren't there at training to push the lads we wouldn't be here.

Load of bollocks.

When you eventually manage to escape from the dressing room you're faced with the toughest decision of the day; To go out or not? It's a horrible decision to be burdened with, dammed if you do and dammed if you don't.

Go and you subject yourself to even more of the post-match inadequacy that only gets worse when the people singing your praises have a few scoops on board. And your pints will taste bitter all night too.

Don't go and you appear sour, that you're not a team player, somebody who has a bad attitude. You can only guess what is being said about you, that's if people even bother to talk about you or notice you're not there. Then come the calls and texts asking you to come up, but you're committed now, you've decided not to put yourself through it so you make your excuses to blow them off.

Over time you start to get over it. You realise that it's not the end of the world, that when you look back it seems petty and juvenile. You resolve to using it as a positive, something that will spur you on to bigger and better things. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and all that other positive thoughts lark.

Then comes the presentation night. You smile for the camera and accept your medal. You feel you haven't earned it and contemplate just getting rid of it.
But you don't.

When you sit down sit down to tell your grandkids about that medal you don't have to be the unused sub. You can be the hero, they don't have to know.

By Niall Connolly

...weve all been there at some point in our lives...Fantastic piece

Three players walk out on Antrim senior football squad

Antrim's preparations for the forthcoming Ulster Senior Football Championship have been hit by the loss of three key players from the squad.
CJ McGourty, Michael Pollock and Chris Kerr, all from dominant Antrim club champions St Gall's, are reported to have quit Liam Bradley's panel.
Antrim endured a poor League Division Four campaign, winning just two games.
They play Fermanagh in an Ulster championship quarter-final on 1 June in Brewster Park.
The Irish News reports that the trio have walked away from the Saffrons panel due to a breakdown in communication with manager Liam Bradley.
McGourty was Antrim's top scorer in Division Four with 26 points from only four starts.
The 2010 All-Ireland club winner's inter county career has been blighted by injuries and he was dropped by Bradley during his first spell in charge in 2009 and was again overlooked in 2012.
The talented corner forward was not part of Frank Dawson's Antrim squad in 2013 but was recalled by Bradley when he took over again at the start of this season.
McGourty's St Gall's team mate Michael Pollock played in all seven League games while Chris Kerr is regarded as the county's number one goalkeeper.

Yet again the McGourtys are never far away from controversy!

#BELIEVE

[that big bollix has the potential to be the best forward in Ireland]

this must be annoying to Fermanagh supporters, that big bollix has the potential to be the best forward in Ireland from what i have seen of him, def needs to drop a stone and show some respect to his teamates instead of been a diva, there was always one of these guys at underage level in your club but u dont expect this attitude at county level. The other brothers have dropped in behind him, seamy is the problem and i wish a close friend would talk to him to see whats hes throwing away, nothing worse than pissing talent away

Your surely having a laugh. Quigley will always be one of these 'he could have been.....' type of players. A talented player alright but a few good matches in McKenna Cup games and division 3/4 league matches doesn't constitute the potential to be the best forward in Ireland!

Very true. IMO does not have potential to best best forward in ulster never mind the country.

Would be great to see Barry Owens back again. Class full back to watch

I don't think any corner is turned, it breaks my hard but I would have taken a defeat last night if it had meant Moyes going sooner.  I also believe that United have a decent chance of winning the CL, as mentioned its cup football and United still have the players to win games.  There have been less likely winners over the years such as Porto, Chelsea and Liverpool.  The best side in Europe doesn't always win the Champions League.

SO would you still want Moyes out if utd won the CL??

I honestly don't see anything in the team that would suggest that Moyes has had any positive impact on how they play or what tactics they employ.  Would you trust him with £200 million in the summer?  Run down the wing and cross.

Well put it this way. Fergiw wasnt totally economical with some of the cash he had to spend yet over the years he got fantastic results. eg Veron, djemba djemba, taibi, alan smith,

Fergie had his bad buys as does every manager, but he had a lot of good ones too.  The money he spent was as a result of the success he was responsible for on the pitch, whereas so far Moyes has never dealt in the bug bucks and has no track record in this area therefore I think it would be a huge risk to allow him to spend so much when its obvious that he doesn't know what to really do with the top players.  Fergies transfer record was, as mentioned, not always great and that is why at the time of Moyes being appointed I raised concern over him basically getting the job because Fergie picked him.  Fergie is not in the business of recruiting managers and had zero experience of doing so before Moyes came, crazy to allow such a big decision come down to Fergies say so. 

So in your opinion, who could come in to replace moyes that has the experience of buying and utilising new players?

I don't think any corner is turned, it breaks my hard but I would have taken a defeat last night if it had meant Moyes going sooner.  I also believe that United have a decent chance of winning the CL, as mentioned its cup football and United still have the players to win games.  There have been less likely winners over the years such as Porto, Chelsea and Liverpool.  The best side in Europe doesn't always win the Champions League.

SO would you still want Moyes out if utd won the CL??

Did the Tinkerman get kicked out by Chelski after getting to the final of the Champions league or maybe he won it and still got shown the door ?

Again one of the worst things they could have done. Getting rid of the man that won the biggest honor in European football in half a season. Majority of chelsea fans will tell u it was wrong move

I don't think any corner is turned, it breaks my hard but I would have taken a defeat last night if it had meant Moyes going sooner.  I also believe that United have a decent chance of winning the CL, as mentioned its cup football and United still have the players to win games.  There have been less likely winners over the years such as Porto, Chelsea and Liverpool.  The best side in Europe doesn't always win the Champions League.

SO would you still want Moyes out if utd won the CL??

I honestly don't see anything in the team that would suggest that Moyes has had any positive impact on how they play or what tactics they employ.  Would you trust him with £200 million in the summer?  Run down the wing and cross.

Well put it this way. Fergiw wasnt totally economical with some of the cash he had to spend yet over the years he got fantastic results. eg Veron, djemba djemba, taibi, alan smith,

I think our U-21`s can put it up to Armagh and quietly confident of a big result tonight. Athletic grounds at 8pm.

Is this Bakers fifth year as under 21 manager?

They will be lucky if they can get within 5 points of Armagh!

Must have been luck

As i said 'lucky'. 2 goals coming into injury time and again 4 points down 5 mins to play in extra time. Should have been dead and buried. Armagh wont make the same mistake in replay.

I don't think any corner is turned, it breaks my hard but I would have taken a defeat last night if it had meant Moyes going sooner.  I also believe that United have a decent chance of winning the CL, as mentioned its cup football and United still have the players to win games.  There have been less likely winners over the years such as Porto, Chelsea and Liverpool.  The best side in Europe doesn't always win the Champions League.

SO would you still want Moyes out if utd won the CL??

Owens back for Ernemen as McGrath waits on two Quigleys

Fermanagh have been boosted by the return to training of Barry Owens and manager Peter McGrath continues to hope that the Quigley brothers Sean and Conor will return to the squad.
McGrath has confirmed that the other Quigley brother Seamus will not be returning to the squad following a training-ground row last week.
But the manager has left the door open for Sean and Conor Quigley.
McGrath is looking for clarity on their intentions before the end of this week.
Sean and Conor Quigley left Fermanagh training on the evening of 11 March following the disagreement involving their brother.
"Contact has been made and it is up to them," McGrath told the Irish News.
"But having said that we're not going to keep this as an open-ended issue.
"We can't be operating on a will-they-be-back scenario and the players can't be either. So it needs to be sorted out before the end of this week."
However, McGrath has made clear that their will be no route back to the squad for Seamus Quigley.
Owens had indicated that he would return to the squad at some stage during the Spring after family commitments ruled him out for the early stages of the Football League.
Eamonn Maguire has also resumed training with McGrath's squad after being unavailable because of work commitments.
Despite being without the three Quigleys, Fermanagh eased their Division 3 relegation worries with a nine-point win over Limerick at Newcastle West last weekend.
However, the Ernemen will need at least one win from their remaining two homes games against Wexford and Offaly to secure their Division 3 status for next year.

The start of the comeback (albeit a little to late)?? however Champions league is still within grasps. RVP showing hes still got it. maybe this will kickstart something and bring us back into contention. I would take a CL over PL&FA cup any day

I think our U-21`s can put it up to Armagh and quietly confident of a big result tonight. Athletic grounds at 8pm.

Is this Bakers fifth year as under 21 manager?

They will be lucky if they can get within 5 points of Armagh!

Cant stand that suarez. We will be back next year stronger than ever. a clear out of a few players and back to the top where we belong!

Any word on Antrim team for this weekend? Is it true that 3 players have walked away from the panel?