Antrim Football Thread

Duine Inteacht Eile · March 10, 2024, 07:34:58 AM

How many of the starting 15 went to Maghera/Magherafelt/St Ronan's?

It's not a fact that it makes any difference to us.

Sportacus · March 10, 2024, 10:13:05 AM

I might be wrong, but I think that age group got wiped out by Donegal in the minor championship a couple of years ago and we had the same debate

Derryman forever · March 10, 2024, 10:22:41 AM

Quote from: Sportacus on March 10, 2024, 10:13:05 AMI might be wrong, but I think that age group got wiped out by Donegal in the minor championship a couple of years ago and we had the same debate

was it not Tyrone minors in Healy park put 8 goals past them in 2022.

blindside · March 10, 2024, 10:44:07 AM

Quote from: Sportacus on March 10, 2024, 10:13:05 AMI might be wrong, but I think that age group got wiped out by Donegal in the minor championship a couple of years ago and we had the same debate

Yes 2021 u17

Donegal 4-22 Antrim 0-8

bannside · March 10, 2024, 11:15:20 AM

This group have definitely had their share of hammerings over the years, and that being the case we are all to blame. Let's not put this at the door of the management or even the players, they're out there doing their best.

Here's the ironic thing...and it's only my opinion....we could get 4 or 5 county seniors from this squad. I've seen some year groups we get a lot less than that.

Potentially Manus McCrossan and Niall Hynds would be midfield (in this team) and two Cargin seniors Conan and Conchuir Johnston were also missing yesterday.Cargins Big Charley McCann will turn into a baller before hes finished.

Tiernan McCormick has a massive future in Saffron if he can develop a bit more end product to match the flying runs.

I'm not deliberately cherry picking here, yesterday was hard to watch, but there's a batch here that need our support not our derision.

Duine Inteacht Eile · March 10, 2024, 11:44:34 AM

Yeah, every chance we'll get more senior county players from our team than Tyrone will from theirs.

Not sure that's a good thing.

Omagh in the Hogan final next week will have had them missing players yesterday.

Absolutely it's not on those players & management. It runs way deeper than that.

Sportacus · March 10, 2024, 12:40:25 PM

Totally agree. Looking at the team sheet there are some very good footballers in that team. But there are levels - good players in their own club environment, but collectively against a Tyrone or a Derry we are miles off. I still think Conchuir Johnston is our best chance and he would've been a big miss yesterday. He can't turn the ship around single handedly, but he's the nearest thing we have to a special player that a team could be built around.

imtommygunn · March 10, 2024, 12:49:40 PM

What is his injury? He seems to have been out a while. (In fact every single player we have injured in both football and hurling seems to have been out for an eternity!)

ck · March 10, 2024, 09:23:21 PM

Quote from: bannside on March 10, 2024, 11:15:20 AMThis group have definitely had their share of hammerings over the years, and that being the case we are all to blame. Let's not put this at the door of the management or even the players, they're out there doing their best.

Here's the ironic thing...and it's only my opinion....we could get 4 or 5 county seniors from this squad. I've seen some year groups we get a lot less than that.

Potentially Manus McCrossan and Niall Hynds would be midfield (in this team) and two Cargin seniors Conan and Conchuir Johnston were also missing yesterday.Cargins Big Charley McCann will turn into a baller before hes finished.

Tiernan McCormick has a massive future in Saffron if he can develop a bit more end product to match the flying runs.

I'm not deliberately cherry picking here, yesterday was hard to watch, but there's a batch here that need our support not our derision.

Wise words Bannside.
The McRory Cup debate is a nonsense. Plenty of counties have very few players if any playing McRory Cup yet they compete at the top level. The issue starts and finishes with the clubs. Not enough quality players being produced. The easy answer doesn't exist. Its a numbers game along with old fashioned graft and hard work by good coaches who are in it for the long game.

Saffrongael · March 10, 2024, 09:47:19 PM

Quote from: ck on March 10, 2024, 09:23:21 PM
Quote from: bannside on March 10, 2024, 11:15:20 AMThis group have definitely had their share of hammerings over the years, and that being the case we are all to blame. Let's not put this at the door of the management or even the players, they're out there doing their best.

Here's the ironic thing...and it's only my opinion....we could get 4 or 5 county seniors from this squad. I've seen some year groups we get a lot less than that.

Potentially Manus McCrossan and Niall Hynds would be midfield (in this team) and two Cargin seniors Conan and Conchuir Johnston were also missing yesterday.Cargins Big Charley McCann will turn into a baller before hes finished.

Tiernan McCormick has a massive future in Saffron if he can develop a bit more end product to match the flying runs.

I'm not deliberately cherry picking here, yesterday was hard to watch, but there's a batch here that need our support not our derision.

Wise words Bannside.
The McRory Cup debate is a nonsense. Plenty of counties have very few players if any playing McRory Cup yet they compete at the top level. The issue starts and finishes with the clubs. Not enough quality players being produced. The easy answer doesn't exist. Its a numbers game along with old fashioned graft and hard work by good coaches who are in it for the long game.

It's just not straight forward as you say, but even with the coaching - if you are a dual club for example you will have one hour a week probably to train that team. And this is applicable to hurling as well, it's the other 6 days of the week that will make or break a kid when they are developing - if they don't do anything the rest of the week you are beat. No matter how good the coach is for that one hour a week.

As you say with big numbers and a strong culture in a club you have a chance, but not every club is like Dunloy or Cargin, where GAA is first and last. Especially in urban areas.

Duine Inteacht Eile · March 10, 2024, 10:08:11 PM

Yeah, it's apathy. Gaelic football just isn't that big a deal.

Who can change that?

InnocentByStander · March 11, 2024, 11:08:39 AM

Quote from: ck on March 10, 2024, 09:23:21 PM
Quote from: bannside on March 10, 2024, 11:15:20 AMThis group have definitely had their share of hammerings over the years, and that being the case we are all to blame. Let's not put this at the door of the management or even the players, they're out there doing their best.

Here's the ironic thing...and it's only my opinion....we could get 4 or 5 county seniors from this squad. I've seen some year groups we get a lot less than that.

Potentially Manus McCrossan and Niall Hynds would be midfield (in this team) and two Cargin seniors Conan and Conchuir Johnston were also missing yesterday.Cargins Big Charley McCann will turn into a baller before hes finished.

Tiernan McCormick has a massive future in Saffron if he can develop a bit more end product to match the flying runs.

I'm not deliberately cherry picking here, yesterday was hard to watch, but there's a batch here that need our support not our derision.

Wise words Bannside.
The McRory Cup debate is a nonsense. Plenty of counties have very few players if any playing McRory Cup yet they compete at the top level. The issue starts and finishes with the clubs. Not enough quality players being produced. The easy answer doesn't exist. Its a numbers game along with old fashioned graft and hard work by good coaches who are in it for the long game.

Macrory football is the highest standard of football you can play at that age. Its not the be all and end all but Antrim is the county in Ulster with no school in macory football. Its not the be all and end all but certainly is a factor. But are the clubs not doing enough to make football enjoyable enough that when kids get to school they want to play? The sad factor is kids in schools in Belfast would rather play in a soccer schools cup final than a macrory.

Few eyebrow rising results yesterday. Big one being Ballymena beating johnnies in Corrigan.

SaffronSports · March 11, 2024, 11:33:47 AM

The MacRory debate is a pointless one. People seem to be thinking Antrim's issues are because we don't have players playing MacRory but the root of the problem is long before that. Our players don't play MacRory because the schools aren't good enough and the problems have started long before our lads get to that age.

AllStar15 · March 11, 2024, 11:45:50 AM

Schools! Schools! Schools! That is why we are behind in development, any other answer is a by-product. We need a strong school in Belfast and a strong school in the SW. We need schools going out and bringing our best P7s to that school and developing them from there based on ability and promise, not club.

SW clubs are leading the way in Antrim at the minute and that's from exposure to that level, but we need a school where we aren't competing with Derry players and Antrim reaps all the benefit of players being developed. I was told 25 years ago by a prominent Armagh man this was our issue - and it still is today.

Duine Inteacht Eile · March 11, 2024, 11:59:52 AM

It's lost long before they even get there.
It's in the homes.
Gaelic football is not valued in Antrim. There is a take it or leave it attitude and when the sacrifices & commitment levels required reach a certain point then most opt to leave it. Is there a real desire among that many to play for Antrim?

Someone mentioned soccer a couple of posts back. It's no surprise that young lads like it much more than football. Relatively little training and loads of regular matches. That's fun.