Messages

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: Today at 01:01:38 PM »

RM...good wee read for ya in todays Irish News. Write up about Cathal Mc Shane from lower division Leckpatrick wins an All Star. Shows what can be done if you've got the ability and the right attitude....no matter where a player is from!

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General discussion / Re: The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

« on: Today at 12:50:40 PM »

Football Focus on now on BBC1. Had a 10 minute piece on John Mc Ginn. The guests on the show say hes worth £40m and one of the best young midfielders in the PL. Couldnt believe they got him for £3m from Hibs. Not one of Celtics better transactions!!!

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: Today at 10:46:48 AM »

I think most of us on here in general agree about the players who make up the Antrim team (or panel at least) of the last twenty years. I think to be considered an Antrim "Great" you need to have given at least 8 or 10 unconditional years to the cause. Big Joe Quinn, Kevin Brady, Martin Mulholland, Kevin Niblock, guys like these are the true legends of Antrim Football.

Kevin Niblock played in Ulster finals and all Ireland club finals but was always proud to represent Antrim, even if that was in Division Four, and especially if he thought the set up could be better. He never complained, just got on with it. That's why he's Number 1 in my book.

I'm particularly pleased that almost everyone considered Tony Convery to be in their starting team. He would 100% be in mine too, but I thought I would have had to fight his case because he always kept under the radar, never sought the headlines. What a player he was, easily the best ever Casements player in that period too, and they got to 3 county finals in the noughties.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 04:38:44 PM »

Fair comment. SK class act but just didnt really do it for the county. Exact same can be said for Kevin Mc G. What a pity though. Add Kevin to that list of quality players from our county, who were in their prime in 09, who didnt feature in Tullamore. No one can tell me there wasnt a collective 4 or 5 point advantage had all those featured. You only had to see some of these boys at Kilmacud every year to know they could mix it with the very best.

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GAA Discussion / Re: McKenna Cup 2020

« on: December 06, 2019, 03:19:25 PM »

Gives counties two or three competitive outings before the league, and a few hundred grand to Ulster Council to keep the steak dinners going for another twelve months.

21 games this year with average crowd of 1500 at £5. Handy enough £150k. Maybe more. 

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 03:11:34 PM »

The KMG I refer to is Kieran, who was TOTALLY dependable for St Galls, but of his four choices (St Galls F, St Galls H, Antrim H and Antrim F) unfortunately Antrim Football came fourth at all times. Therefore we didnt really see any of his ability at senior level.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 02:26:36 PM »

Michael could be a 9/10 or a 5/10 on any given day. That's my problem with him - maybe we expected the Rolls Royce performance every day and that's probably not realistic.

For example his performance against Creggan in the 2018 county final had Damian Cassidy calling him a Rolls Royce. But a week later he didnt touch leather against Gweedore, he was man marked out of it from the first whistle. I think that's the inconsistency people are referring to. Whereas a Sean Kelly or KMG seemed to pull out a 8/10 every time it mattered. That's my point and I'm sure Cargin people who love the guy know exactly what I'm talking about. Despite this, for some moments of brilliance as Spike says in many of the games we recall, Mick does enough to make it into my top five.

The first Cargin player on my team of the decade or last 20 years would be the ultra consistent and dependable Justin Crozier without a doubt. With Kobo not far away when he was injury free which seems to be years ago and of course the TS Express himself.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 10:37:36 AM »

We went toe to toe with Kerry for 64 minutes in Tullamore in 09 - and they went on to win that All Ireland. Throw Sean Kelly Kieran Mc Gourty and a 100% Michael Magill into that mix....and who knows what might have happened.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 10:34:00 AM »

Agree with most of that Spike and for sure Micks name should rightly be up there when this debate is taking place. Niblock too must be in held in similar esteem. Loughrey too gave over 10 years service to club and county and deserves to be high on this shortlist too. We had a golden era around 2006 to 2010 and didnt know it/wasted it.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 10:21:26 AM »

Youre right PJ, Alec could have played anywhere on the pitch or any sport for that matter. When he was in late teens I believe he held the rare achievement of playing in Ravenhill, Windsor Pk and Casement Park all in the same year. Not many can say that!

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 06, 2019, 08:48:47 AM »

Indeed ITG. I said yesterday that Kieran Mc Gourty was imo the best club player of these last 20 years but Sean Kelly must sit jointly at that top table. Classy classy player.

Another omission upon afterthought was Michael Magill who was one of the most naturally gifted players probably in the province, but who should have got a lot lot more out of his county career. All about opinions though.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 05, 2019, 02:25:39 PM »

Some of the very best footballers I've seen in Antrim since 2000 wouldnt make my team....which makes this a controversial exercise no matter who you pick.

For example, Kevin Mc Gourty and Sean Kelly. Pure class both of them, but didnt put in enough hard yards in Saffron to justify putting them in at the expense of a Kevin Brady or a Martin Mulholland for example who did it year in year out for 12 years plus!

Then theres CJ who was in one year out the next. Had all the class but Antrim only saw it in glimpses while we were all waiting on him taking a game by the scruff of the neck and winning it on his own aka Stevie O Neill. But that didnt happen.

The Mc Gort I rated the highest of all, and the best club player in Antrim these last 20 years was Ciaran. But he didnt do it in Saffron either, albeit he hurled in Saffron and put in mighty shift as a dual player. Only so much you can commit to I suppose.

The best midfielder I saw wore Loughshore Green and very little Saffron. As John Morrison said, Eddie Quinn was the best in Ulster for a period. So he dosent make my team either.

Enda Mc Larnon probably the best out and out corner back I saw but left the scene in 2002 so we didnt see enough of him either.

One that got away was David Mc Alernon from Aghagallon. Went working overseas but when I coached him he was up there with Mick, Niblock, Loughrey etc as a class act. So we never got to know!

That still leaves plenty to pick from but by God how would you not have loved to see all these boys on the field together.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 05, 2019, 02:11:15 PM »

It shouldnt matter what club the player is from. Jack O Shea was a goodun and played for a div 3 club in Kerry. Declan Browne in Tipp. Cathal Mc Shane Brian Dooher and Stephen O Neill in Tyrone...all lower division clubs. History book is littered with examples like this so throw that silly argument out the window RM.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: December 04, 2019, 05:11:14 PM »

IMO for many years the only Antrim teams that could have made division one in Derry would be St Galls and Cargin. But that has changed. Right now I'd say the top six teams in Antrim would hold their own with the top six in Derry. Thats not because Antrim standard has improved all of a sudden, it's more down to Derry having levelled off and no longer having a superpower with the present exception of Slaughtneil.

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Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: December 04, 2019, 03:38:45 PM »

Go ahead name your team then! A Manager can only pick 15.