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What is the relegation situation across the leagues? I thought it was just one up, one down.  However on the saffron Gael report for the St Endas/Ballygalget game it says about Ballygalget having to play a play off with 2nd in Division 2 (Carryduff). 

Even in the last number of years you can see a large number of games conceded in the adult North Antrim fixtures. In the junior league Loughgeil 3rds are sitting top having only actually played 4 games. 

Yea.  The amount of games some of those refs do per week plus school games (40/50 quid a game).  It's maybe worthwhile leaving the day job. 😅

Looking at some of the teams that Dunloy and Cushendall have had out this year I've seen a few former county players absent.  For Dunloy Kevin Molloy and Phelim Duffin and Eoghan Campbell for Cushendall.  None of them seem to have featured in any games this year.  Are they injured or retired?

Yea, DG wanted to stay on and the players seemed to want that too.  Part of that can be evidenced from the mass exodus of regulars and players who were on the panel for quite some time that have now left during Davys tenure.

It's gonna be a long year. I know we've had a lot of retirements in recent years and in fairness to Kildare they're a decent side but today was just the epitome of how far we've gone backwards under Davy. 

Think a few teams in div 2 would do well to look at the two lads who won it in Glenariffe. They had won it in Ahoghill too beforehand. If theyre wanting to go straight back in, theyve a great record at that level.

I've heard that they're in with Carey for this year.

Important motion going forward by St Galls at the convention.  Hoping that a lot of clubs get on board for it and we'll hopefully see the introduction of quarter finals in the intermediate championship.

Haven't seen any screenshots but from what I've heard it's been player driven which is disappointing given what the management team achieved this season.

What clubs at Division 2/Intermediate would you say should be dropping down to Junior?  We don't have a great record at Junior.  Only 5 clubs over 20 years have won it and since Lamh Dhearg were the last Antrim club to win it in 2016 we've only had two clubs reach the final (Cushendun in 2018 and Glenarm in 2022).  Other counties grading definitely has an impact on this too.  IMO in Derry the 5 clubs outside of slaughneill, Coleraine and Na Magha are all of similar standard and on any given day could beat each other.  So realistically you've 5 clubs who could either find themselves reaching a Derry SHC final or winning a Derry JHC and having a shot at an Ulster.

Sean was probably Tir Na Nogs main man in their championship run and has been on the Antrim panel before. Outside of Eamon Og McAllister (Who has been Hurling for Cavan) I can't think who else from Tir Na Nog would be in contention.  As for Creggan unless Conor McCann has decided to come out of inter county retirement, Ciaran Rice has come home from his travels or Ruairi McCann has decided to switch codes at inter county level I can't think of anyone else.

Out of interest.  Who has been drafted in from Creggan and Tir Na Nog?  Tir na Nogs two best hurlers have hurled for other counties in recent years.

To be honest.  I thought that whoever won the Glenariffe/Liatroim match will go on to win the Ulster IHC.  Carrickmore are a decent side with some really good hurlers but I think Glenariffe have too much firepower upfront and defensively they have been reasonably solid in their knock out games.  However, with the pitch conditions this time of year it could become a dogfight.  Again, I would envisage the winner of this game to go on and win it.  Can't see Lisbellaw or Castleblaney turning over either team in the final. 

As Dunloy have shown and other clubs like slaughneill and Eire Og, Ennis have shown playing both definitely compliments either sport.  However, those clubs all have huge numbers.  When you at that Dunloy team, yes almost all are dual players but they're all mostly in their 20's.  The only dual player above 30 is Nigel Elliott.  The point I would make is if you have the numbers and there is the right mix of age range and underage coming along below the surface then a club playing both is a no brainier.  For the likes of Carey and Glenarm in the past they wouldn't have massive numbers for their senior hurling team and to field in football they probably relied on their hurlers playing football to simply field.  And with low numbers and possibly older squads the likelihood of injuries is a lot higher in clubs like these and it's more likely to impact on their hurling team's ability to field as well. But as I say it's worth a try anyway.

Some clubs are fighting to just exist. Mitchells had years of getting hockeyed in football league and now just do south antrim league which tbh is fair enough. Larne would struggle for numbers so two adult sports a stretch. I'd say Carey, Cloughmills and Armoy the same. A lot of ones in the Glens have zero interest in football either and I do mean zero.

Ballycastle despite a lot of effort have struggled to keep the football going.

Fair play to Cloughmills for trying to branch out.  It seems to be working for them in the lfga.  However, I wouldn't be so sure about men's Gaelic Football given the amount of clubs surrounding them like Dunloy, Ballymena, Glenravel and Rasharkin who all field in Football.  They would most likely be dependent on their own senior hurlers, Loughgeil ones and others from Armoy, Ballycastle or Carey.  Although despite Dunloy winning the senior championship on Sunday past, they don't currently field a reserve team expect in the reserve shield (3/4 matches at most).  So you might find a few Dunloy ones who played underage Football wanting to play senior football so you never know.  I suppose all they can do is put it out there and hope for the best.