Antrim Football Thread

[BigGreenField]

When was the last time an Antrim school won a B competition? I imagine they moved to A the year after.

Though, just to mention St Pius Magherafelt, who were called out earlier for not doing enough by Dunsilly King. They won 3 Rafferty Cups (5th year B) on the trot and didn't move up nor were they made to move up.

Entering above your level is counterproductive.

And with the greatest respect to them, I've yet to look at an Antrim team and seen a divide between those who played A colleges vs B colleges or lower.

For every Michael McCann (A) there's a Kevin Niblock (C).

I mean, it's easy to point to a (somewhat??) successful club like Cargin and suggest that the exposure to A colleges football is a significant factor. Yet, ignore that our only (actual) successful club St Galls were mainly B colleges footballers. They, along with other B footballers from Antrim (M Herron, P Cunningham) played significant roles in successful Sigerson teams too.

Should getting Antrim schools up to A standard be a target? Yes. In the same way that getting Antrim up to Division 1 should be a target. There's a mountain of work to be done across the board to get either of those done.

At the minute the default option is the lower grade for Antrim schools. Some of them may be able to compete in higher group stages (probably not qualify). I'd look at Colmans who have a storied history but off the pace the past number of years, continue to enter the high grade - the story for Antrim schools in higher grades has to start somewhere and probably starts with hard defeats however I'm convinced (particularly in 1st/2nd/3rd year competitions) that rapid progress could be made.


It's a chicken and egg , get the coaching right for the higher level without having "knowledge of it" and then move up, or move up and work out what needs fixed from being  exposed. Not sue the holy grail of getting it right before living up is possible.

[BigGreenField]

Hard to know where Antrim are at. A win over London, could still have been out on score difference as Leitrim beat Tipperary by 9 but Antrims score difference squeezes them through by 5. Away to Wexford now, should be winnable but the jury is very much out!

Team appears to be either able to play a "difficult to beat game" or scoring well but open at the back but not both together.

Wexford's form this year would suggest Antrim will need to shut up shop to win this one.

[YoungSaff]

What presentation was on at the weekend?

I see Paul Duffin got u20 player of the year, great player shows real leadership for a player of his age.

An U20 presentation just one of the lads in our club said but he did not attend. In the Devenish fair play to Knux and the management organising something like that giving players a bit of appreciation for their hard work despite a tough year results wise.

Paul Duffin a stylish operator form what I have seen , is he anything to Colum Duffin ?

[YoungSaff]

Hard to know where Antrim are at. A win over London, could still have been out on score difference as Leitrim beat Tipperary by 9 but Antrims score difference squeezes them through by 5. Away to Wexford now, should be winnable but the jury is very much out!

Team appears to be either able to play a "difficult to beat game" or scoring well but open at the back but not both together.

Wexford's form this year would suggest Antrim will need to shut up shop to win this one.

Hopefully it can put a bit of bite back into Antrim  now the carrot is dangling with a Semi final opportunity , If we can get the lads firing you never know what could happen !!

[imtommygunn]

It's a prelimary quarter final so winning it would get you into the quarters...

[Caesar]

Two full time GAA coaches, St Mary's CBS and St Louis, Ballymena.

Fantastic initiative headed up by our coaching and development officer Paddy Kelly with a good sub committee behind him.

This is exactly what we need, two a great start, and if we could roll out to three or four in the near future that would be proper progress.

Both HUBs have got fantastic facilities in place now as well. Congratulations to all involved in driving this initiative.

I was a student at St. Louis myself many moons ago, back when football was little more than an afterthought. A few training sessions led by a half-hearted teacher reluctantly taking the team. It was a shame really as our year group had most of the best players from all the local S-W clubs, with no shortage of talent or ambition. With the right effort and support we could easily have competed at a much higher level.

I'm delighted to see a shift in attitude at the school and this new initiative is a hugely positive step in the right direction.

[YoungSaff]

It's a prelimary quarter final so winning it would get you into the quarters...

Oh apologies I thought it was QF lol

[Lár na páirce 1]

What presentation was on at the weekend?

I see Paul Duffin got u20 player of the year, great player shows real leadership for a player of his age.


I thought they were hammered every game they played to get player of the year in that is some achievement alright

An U20 presentation just one of the lads in our club said but he did not attend. In the Devenish fair play to Knux and the management organising something like that giving players a bit of appreciation for their hard work despite a tough year results wise.

Paul Duffin a stylish operator form what I have seen , is he anything to Colum Duffin ?

[Deerstalker]

Two full time GAA coaches, St Mary's CBS and St Louis, Ballymena.

Fantastic initiative headed up by our coaching and development officer Paddy Kelly with a good sub committee behind him.

This is exactly what we need, two a great start, and if we could roll out to three or four in the near future that would be proper progress.

Both HUBs have got fantastic facilities in place now as well. Congratulations to all involved in driving this initiative.

I was a student at St. Louis myself many moons ago, back when football was little more than an afterthought. A few training sessions led by a half-hearted teacher reluctantly taking the team. It was a shame really as our year group had most of the best players from all the local S-W clubs, with no shortage of talent or ambition. With the right effort and support we could easily have competed at a much higher level.

I'm delighted to see a shift in attitude at the school and this new initiative is a hugely positive step in the right direction.

Was this offered to Cross and Passion or St Killians or how was the decision made for St Marys & St Louis ?

[Spike]

Geography?

[Hectic]

Maybe if CPC and St Killian's bothered to enter the boys Gaelfast Gaelic Football competitions they would be given more consideration.

If resource finite I wouldn't be wasting it on schools that are not meeting half way.

Though to be fair to CPC they seem to be making some inroads at Ulster level in Gaelic football, albeit down the divisions.

[EOC1923]

Two full time GAA coaches, St Mary's CBS and St Louis, Ballymena.

Fantastic initiative headed up by our coaching and development officer Paddy Kelly with a good sub committee behind him.

This is exactly what we need, two a great start, and if we could roll out to three or four in the near future that would be proper progress.

Both HUBs have got fantastic facilities in place now as well. Congratulations to all involved in driving this initiative.

I was a student at St. Louis myself many moons ago, back when football was little more than an afterthought. A few training sessions led by a half-hearted teacher reluctantly taking the team. It was a shame really as our year group had most of the best players from all the local S-W clubs, with no shortage of talent or ambition. With the right effort and support we could easily have competed at a much higher level.

I'm delighted to see a shift in attitude at the school and this new initiative is a hugely positive step in the right direction.

Was this offered to Cross and Passion or St Killians or how was the decision made for St Marys & St Louis ?

Two full time GAA coaches, St Mary's CBS and St Louis, Ballymena.

Fantastic initiative headed up by our coaching and development officer Paddy Kelly with a good sub committee behind him.

This is exactly what we need, two a great start, and if we could roll out to three or four in the near future that would be proper progress.

Both HUBs have got fantastic facilities in place now as well. Congratulations to all involved in driving this initiative.

I was a student at St. Louis myself many moons ago, back when football was little more than an afterthought. A few training sessions led by a half-hearted teacher reluctantly taking the team. It was a shame really as our year group had most of the best players from all the local S-W clubs, with no shortage of talent or ambition. With the right effort and support we could easily have competed at a much higher level.

I'm delighted to see a shift in attitude at the school and this new initiative is a hugely positive step in the right direction.

Was this offered to Cross and Passion or St Killians or how was the decision made for St Marys & St Louis ?

I would guess they have targeted two areas where football / hurling needs a bit of a boost, which is right

[SaffronSports]

Maybe if CPC and St Killian's bothered to enter the boys Gaelfast Gaelic Football competitions they would be given more consideration.

If resource finite I wouldn't be wasting it on schools that are not meeting half way.

Though to be fair to CPC they seem to be making some inroads at Ulster level in Gaelic football, albeit down the divisions.

St Killian's have been playing gaelic football too. I don't know exactly what level the boys are at but I know the girls entered various competitions and reached an Ulster Final one of the lower levels at Year 12 and also the final of the Antrim Schools Cup for Year 9.

In terms of boys, there's only Glenravel and possibly Ballymena that would field football teams at club level in this area for the boys and then the girls would have those two clubs and Glenariffe. 

[Hectic]

Playing but not entering Gaelfast competitions in boys football which is a shame as Antrim Cup/shield is probably most valuable to the lower tier schools.  If they have any sort of appetite.

But have to start at the bigger hubs anyway.

[Round or stuffed]

Surely Antrim won't run a full round of club league fixture in direct clash with the county game, will the Sunday games move to evening time?