Antrim Football Thread

[Spike]

why Woodlands and not Falls Park?  Always felt like a very small pitch. i'm sure theres a minimum pitch guide out there somewhere lol

[BigGreenField]

Very difficult to get floodlighting in City - planning a nightmare and objections galore (including in environmental) clubs have tried.

Pitch expansion/development (unless on the edges like LD/NE who acquired land a long time ago) prohibitively expense, 4 acres of city land for a pitch likely zoned for housing is a multiple the cost of agricultural land. Just the way it is.

Only solution is council facilities on brownfield sites. grand total of 1 grass floodlight Gaa facility in City from Council which closes over winter.

3G mostly allocated to soccer over the winter.

Infrastructure is a serious issue holding City clubs back (alongside not being able to send their kids to be coached in school in Derry)

[Slemishgael]

From what i hear the ballymena club plans include a larger gym for players including a community fitness area, a ball wall and a juvenile 3g playing surface. They currently have 3 pitches, foodlights, club house with hall, bar etc and 2 sizeable car parks. Set in rural location so plenty more room to expand. Yeah Ahoghill and Whitehill have great set ups. I wonder are playing numbers going up in these rural clubs? They seem to be! Not so sure about the city clubs and numbers increasing across the board there.. anyone know?

[Would ye whist]

Say this even were the case, there is an argument to say that LD used an unauthorised and perhaps even too many subs i.e. Mick Heron off initially then Mick Heron subbed back on. If this is the case it was unauthorised sub which was not conducted through the correct procedure or paperwork used 

I watched the clip and if you ask me the linesman is at fault. He has the opportunity to stop the game before the free was taken to rectify the mistake.

Now the ref could definitely have stopped the game completely and waited and watched the no11 leave the pitch but many delegate the coordination of that to linesmen to keep the game free of long stoppages.

Was the ex-referee/assessor/ear piece wearing official about? I'm not sure of his name or actual role but I know it's officials related. Would he be able to offer a view for the appeal?

Ultimately though on the video LD had 16 men that allowed them to move from a kick out to a free which was then converted. The score should not have stood on the day and had the linesman notified the ref then the kick out should've been retaken.

LD say they had a man getting water and treatment off the pitch so had only 15 men on the field, therefore Creggan only ever had 15 men to mark. I am sure the more eagle eyed contributors on here will be able to count the number of LD players from the video snippet.

[Gael-in-exile]

St John's use woodlands as it is linked to a BCC deal with the county from memory.
St Galls have two very big fields with what looks like the best next chance after LD to do something but they are restricted due to nature reserve of bog meadows surrounding their pitches.

Although I do agree with their changing facilities being terrible.

[johnnycool]

Where has MR2 gone?

Its championship season, holiday time from commenting on GAA boards

Totes has him warned not to comment on contentious issues if he wants a big game.
 

[Would ye whist]

To be fair this is now a time to look at how our refs are being appointed, look at last weekend the same names Parke, McDonald, MR2, Toland, Thompson, Leahy all involved in 2 if not 3 games. It is joked on here  that there is a clique but surely there must be some issue which needs looking into, unless these are the only refs who passed the fitness test??

Where has MR2 gone?

Its championship season, holiday time from commenting on GAA boards

Totes has him warned not to comment on contentious issues if he wants a big game.
 

[NAG1]

Pretty sure there aren't too many queuing up to referee at any level.

So I'd advise, if you aren't prepared too or already have given it a go, back up on this tone that has developed around the refs on this thread.

Simple fact is without them we don't have games. We can all disagree about decisions here and there in games as we always will do, but IMO the tone here is getting a bit OTT.

[Would ye whist]

You missed the point, the issue here was not the referees but their administration, just calm your wee head Totes

Pretty sure there aren't too many queuing up to referee at any level.

So I'd advise, if you aren't prepared too or already have given it a go, back up on this tone that has developed around the refs on this thread.

Simple fact is without them we don't have games. We can all disagree about decisions here and there in games as we always will do, but IMO the tone here is getting a bit OTT.

[Spike]

Controversial, but seeing as it is an abandoned wasteland at the moment, how many full size pitches and additional training facilities could you squeeze onto the Casement Park Site, using the full extent of its boundaries?

Prime urban land, in the middle of West Belfast, doing absolutely nothing

Belfast's own Dunsilly or an opportunity for some joined up thinking. 

[NorthAntrim]

Controversial, but seeing as it is an abandoned wasteland at the moment, how many full size pitches and additional training facilities could you squeeze onto the Casement Park Site, using the full extent of its boundaries?

Prime urban land, in the middle of West Belfast, doing absolutely nothing

Belfast's own Dunsilly or an opportunity for some joined up thinking. 

Full size? One

[Slemishgael]

The whole casement thing is frustrating. Should never have closed it in 2013. Controversial - Do Antrim need a new county ground in a different location? Where would that be? The casement saga just seems never ending... could honestly see it go for housing at somepoint lol

[Spike]

Controversial, but seeing as it is an abandoned wasteland at the moment, how many full size pitches and additional training facilities could you squeeze onto the Casement Park Site, using the full extent of its boundaries?

Prime urban land, in the middle of West Belfast, doing absolutely nothing

Belfast's own Dunsilly or an opportunity for some joined up thinking. 

Full size? One

Not the existing pitch  - the full site. 

Crudely the Casement site is 170m x 235m - although i hadnt appreciated just how small Moneyglass's new pitch is, you can fit 2 of them in it and still have space for parking and a fitness centre, indoor 3g hall etc.  Depends how big you want to go eg underground parking so that you maximise the above ground space.

[belfastsaff]

Thought MR2 had a great game on saturday in the johnnies v casements game. You know what your going to get with him. Where has Sean Laverty gone ? Is he only involved in ulster games now? IMO the best ref in the county with wee collie !!

[Spike]

Christ even just getting the pitch open would ease the pressure on clubs for space.