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Good result yesterday for the lads albeit with a bit of luck at the end. The main thing was we kept ourselves in the game and fair play to Paddy McBride who took his goals well. We have built a little bit of momentum which will be important leading into the Wexford game. With a few players still to come back from injuries I'd be optimistic we will be there or thereabouts come the end of the league.

He was chipping in with points from play through-out the championship this year. But more importantly, he's very accurate from free-kicks, which in a low scoring game, on a wet and windy January day - could be vital for us. I think we lost three league games by a point last year. Would be interesting to know how many scoreable frees we missed across those games. McBride and Murray are decent from frees, but Paddy is a level above.   

RM – it feels like you ranting and raving whilst running around in circles here. The club championship is arguable as competitive as it has been in a long time, therefore your point about clubs not stepping up is off point (there has been a kick of the ball in it between 4 or 5 teams over the last few years).

The unfortunate thing is that the reason it is more competitive of late is because St Galls and Cargin's (to a lesser degree) top players have got a bit older. As a lot of these players have got older, started families, progressed in their jobs etc. it has meant that the commitments of county football has moved down in their priorities – you can't hold that against them or management for that matter. Antrim aren’t the only county who are dealing with this issue. Look at the amount of county footballers from so called weaker counties and even some of the stronger counties stepping aside now.

Also, just because a player hasn't won anything at their club, uni, school level doesn't necessarily mean they haven’t got that "winning mentality". There are many players past and current who have represented Antrim, who haven’t won medals who in my opinion most certainly have a winning mentality. Saying that, based on our recent "winners"  LD are well represented, ideally it would be great to have a few more of the Cargin lads, and I don't think that the St Galls players are a huge loss (bearing in mind their best players are 34+ at the minute). Although I would love Kevin Niblock to give us one more year!

Antrim have a young side, but I think we are a stronger side this year after getting a few of the guys back (young and old). In particular Paddy Hands could be vital for us, and of course Tomas is a class act.  Healy and Jordan are a major plus as well. I fancy our chances of getting promoted this year. Give me optimism any day of the week.

Fair points Spike, I can't argue with you there, and agree, we didn't see the best of Kelly in saffron for whatever the reason. Which is unfortunate, because he ticked alot of boxes re: what you want in a county footballer.

100% Bannside, those lads would have made a difference in '09, Especially with Kevin McG around the middle/ half forward line, it would have given us a serious option. Not sure if we would have beat Tyrone though, think they would have had another gear in them, but Kerry were there for the taking. We caught them off guard that day and they were fortunate to squeeze by.

To be fair, I think Cargin only started to get a crack at ulster when the team was slightly (and then more gradually) in decline i.e. the last 5 years. That was down to St Gall's brilliance, so fair play to them, but it would have been interesting to see how their team from 2005 to 2012-ish got on in Ulster – I'm pretty confident that they would have progressed much further than of recent years.

Spike, may have picked you up wrong, but I think you are harsh on Sean Kelly labelling him as a  5/10 county level guy. It insinuates the old cliché that the player was a good club footballer but can't cut it at county. IMO he always seemed to get pigeon holed out of position, especially for our championship games. Think that's a fair mitigating factor?  If Mick was played half back  and Niblock was in midfield then we could make say the same about those guys. Kelly performed in enough high level club matches, ulster and beyond to quash the thought that he was not in the same grade as those guys?

True Spike, you make fair points and he was worthy of his nomination - he was excellent that year for us. The run we went on will live long in the memory.

Mick - no doubt a great player for Antrim and Club, he had a few good days in an Antrim Jersey... but I have to say, I've never rated him as highly as some people. To be considered as the best of the last 20-40 years, then for example, during that 10+ year period when St Galls and Cargin were both at the top of their powers, I think he should have pushed Cargin over the line more often. I can't remember him standing out whenever those two teams met – and I'm not say he had poor performances, he was always solid. There wasn't much between those two teams despite what the roll of honour says.

James Loughrey is the best I've seen for Antrim. Kobo not too far behind him – different type of player of course, as a corner back it's always difficult to stand out and take the glory... but I can't remember seeing many (if any) county forwards get much change from him -  and he's been up against a few good ones. Sean Kelly was a special talent as well.

Some great points Wobbler, definitely food for thought. I can see where you are coming from 100% – it's far from perfect. The only thing I would say is there are already many county standard players out there at the moment who have are opting out / going to the states / don't want to commit. I don't think we are going to see a major variance in this based on the old championship format versus the new one. Players do not have the same level of interest nowadays based on (1) realistic prospects and (2) commitments required.

For the underachievers, such as Cork, Down etc. there will be no better incentive to get yourself promoted to division 2 – knowing you will end up playing in the tier 1 championship. This will make division 2 and 3 especially competitive which I think is good. I would not have much sympathy for teams that miss the cut, that is sport, keep building and the provincial championships will still lie ahead for those teams to push on.

If you flip the argument upside down and look majority teams in division 3 and 4 (Antrim, Wicklow, Limerick, Carlow, Leitrim, etc..) on the whole what were their championship goals pre-2 tier? I would guess it's to win one championship game...and to do this you hope that you get another division 3 or 4 team in your provincial championship / qualifier game. Gaining promotion in the league is arguable more important for those clubs.

My initial point was that the championship as it stood needed change. This may not be the right way to go about it - but i'm willing to give it a trial.

Club championships are largely dictated by what division club teams are in within their league i.e. division 1 = senior championship.

Essentially, the new 2-tiered championship is mostly dictated by the same.

If the GAA introduced a third tier and removed the reward for getting to a provincial final, they would be operating in a very similar way.

For me, i'm open to the idea of trying to improve the championship - which I think is needed. If the interest level is right then it could work... of course, id be very worried about that aspect alone. But then again, i know how much attention my own county has received (and many of the other weaker counties) over the last number of years, so I can't see it being much worse.

I'm just interested in hearing why you are completely against a tiered county championship (full of so called "no hoper" teams in a completion that means nothing to anyone) yet you don't seem to have an issue with a tiered club championship?

it's being insinuated. What is the difference between a tiered club championship and a tiered county championship?

Completely disagree that they are nothing competitions...not for the teams competing in them anyway. I was at the Antrim Intermediate final this year, and the pride was bursting from the players / supporters from the winning team- Aldergrove (first title in 40+ years).  I believe the celebrations went on for days...

If it can work at club level, then why not county level?

So are you not in favour of a tiered championship full stop. Or is it the just new format that you are against? If it's the new format what would you propose?

thewobbler..You are correct, and the fact is that by introducing more than one tier, the lower tiers will always be viewed as secondary (an inferior product) – that will be the perception. That doesn't mean it couldn't work out for the better long-term though. I think what the GAA throw at the second tier / budget will make a huge difference. Ok, we will have players going go to the US (we already have that). We will have players not committing (we already have this in abundance).

My view is we can either continue on as we are or we try to twist. The All Ireland is becoming less competitive each year, the beatings are getting worse, the players are becoming more disillusioned, the championship is becoming more one-sided. I'm open minded...not saying it's going to work out though.   

Based on the what is going on at county level -  we need a change. The chances of a D1 team beating a D4 one is remote. Teams getting hammered out the gate year on year...I only have to look as far as my own county last year when we came up against two D1 teams.

You are 100% right, the Tommy Murphy was a shambles. But I'm sure the GAA are looking at and trying to correct the wrongs.  The key element is the PR / interest behind the competition, if they get that bit right then we are heading in the right direction imo. Time will tell but I am willing to give it a chance.

Although I would be skeptical about the success of the proposed two tiers. I'm trying to look at the bigger picture, and I think it's most certainly a step in the right direction. Yes, the current format may (most likely) need to be tinkered with down the line-  but in terms of what is trying to be achieve through this - I can get on board:

(1) Tying the league to championship
(2) Giving the so called weaker counties a chance to compete
(3) Promising to provide the tier 2 competition with media coverage / all-star tour etc.

Let's give it a chance and see how it turns out. Let's see if the GAA keep their "promises". I think we can all agree we needed some sort of change as the championship is getting harder and harder to watch as time goes on save a small number of matches per year.