Antrim Football Thread

[Christmas Lights]

Being county secretary of any county throws up its problems, you'll never please everyone, with it being a paid job it also (for some reason) gives people a need to criticise them.

Hopefully Frankie enjoys his retirement and good luck to whoever follows him.

Wouldn't be a job I'd put my hand up for

What is going on in Antrim?

I hear Gaelfast is all but defunct, the better coaches have given up and left and now Frankie throws the towel in...

What has been the issues with Gaelfast?  I hear a lot of people complaining about it?  What exactly is their role?

[YoungSaff]

Cargin with a strong win  last night over PG1 , didn't get down

was it a case of Cargin very good or PG1 very poor?

[bannside]

Bit of both wouldn't be far off the mark. Cargin much more clinical up front, had the game won before half time. Mick still making Cargin tick.

[EOC1923]

Bit of both wouldn't be far off the mark. Cargin much more clinical up front, had the game won before half time. Mick still making Cargin tick.

Early days, but if I had just landed from the moon to the game last night I would say there was a huge gulf between the teams.

[imtommygunn]

many missing on either side? Still hard to see past Cargin as strong favourites come c'ship.

[YoungSaff]

many missing on either side? Still hard to see past Cargin as strong favourites come c'ship.

Yeah agreed , still operating at a very high level and probably missing a few key men from the line up I saw on the saffron gael as were PG1 to be fair but Cargin seem to be firing well.

[Caesar]

Cargin's strength in depth and the competition for places that creates is probably the main reason they are so far ahead of the rest. The scary thing is this is a Cargin team in transition and still ahead of the pack

[YoungSaff]

Cargin's strength in depth and the competition for places that creates is probably the main reason they are so far ahead of the rest. The scary thing is this is a Cargin team in transition and still ahead of the pack

How do you mean in transition? I would still argue the older lads are the main reason they are still well gelled together and link and they have not lost too many of them yet seeing their team this year.

I do think they will not be the same side when the older lads finally decide to hang them up not saying they wont be up there but maybe not as dominant

[belfastsaff]

have heard the transition thing about cargin for a few years now. Look at their last 5/6 final teams not many changes in personnel playing and cant see any for the next few years either.

[Upandover]

Being county secretary of any county throws up its problems, you'll never please everyone, with it being a paid job it also (for some reason) gives people a need to criticise them.

Hopefully Frankie enjoys his retirement and good luck to whoever follows him.

Wouldn't be a job I'd put my hand up for

What is going on in Antrim?

I hear Gaelfast is all but defunct, the better coaches have given up and left and now Frankie throws the towel in...

Who designs the league format at underage levels?

All i can say is it isnt working, one 40 minute game every 2 weeks, alot of games not taking place due to caravans, holidays, whatever.

One belfast club have moved to north antrim at u12 i take it to play more games, test themselves at a higher level.

Playing blitzes every week will certainly serve their players better than whats happening in belfast.

[Gael-in-exile]

Cargin seem to be bringing through 2-3 every year for the last 10 years.
That conveyor belt will always benefit without ever showing huge changes at once.

St Galls won their championships but were backboned with boys from across may 6/7 years of talent. They were outstanding and gave them great success. But when the age range of those players reach 30+ then it's important to look back and see what has continued to come through.

In that sense Cargins 2/3/4 players every year breaking into positions, making debuts, getting league time, playing plenty of football at D1 or both reserve teams has the ability to create more longevity for them at the top or very close each year.

[bannside]

100%, that's what its all about, and the reason Cargin will always be at the top table in Antrim football. It's up to the others to find a way of replicating that formula if they hope to be in a position to contest.

[Gaels1789]

My 2 games of the week

Aldergrove vs Ballymena

2 teams in great form with the new rules say this could be a very high scoring game, should be a great spectacle

Sarsfields vs moneyglass

Top of the table clash bound to be a fiercely contested game, both teams putting up big scores, up in the bearpit could be a massive advantage.


I'm gonna go
Aldergrove by 1
Moneyglass by 4

[BigGreenField]

have heard the transition thing about cargin for a few years now. Look at their last 5/6 final teams not many changes in personnel playing and cant see any for the next few years either.

Spine of the team from 2015 final to today remains pretty much the same, they've certainly fed through a number of talented players however the true test will be when  the 6/7 lads down the middle begin to step aside, if the new talent was there it would be playing already.

[Spike]

A quick look tells me just 4 of yesterday's starters for cargin started the 2018 championship final.  Blooding a squad in those 7 seasons