Antrim Football Thread

[belfastsaff]

i agree with the extra tier. The current structure to be rejigged, 10 senior , 10 intermediate, 10 Junior, the rest Junior B and winners get entered into the QF of the Junior championship.

All results as expected more or less, maybe ahoghills victory the highlight of the weekend. Watched St Galls and Lamhs battle it out, Lamhs very wasteful against a new look St Galls team.

Also went to Ballymena v Kickams, the extra man killed Ballymena - it was game set match when that happened.

IMO Championship wide open with any 5/6 teams genuinely believing they can win it

[imtommygunn]

29 and 22 points are big hammerings in a championship. It probably does question whether we have too may in there but I think the dogs on the street know that.

There should be more senior in intermediate and more intermediate in junior. A junior B probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I think it works well in the hurling. Then you incentivise if you win you get into the junior championship.

(Also Dunloy got 10 x two pointers. That is some going.)

[YoungSaff]

Glenavy look a force to be reckon with 2/2 so far in Intermediate

Senior results turning a few heads , was anyone at the cargin game? Was it a case of TNN hard to break down or Cargin inability to convert chances?

[bannside]

To be fair PG1 were good on Friday too ITG. Wide open this year, Cargin worthy favourites but its as open as its been for a good few years imo.

Portglenone would have to be favourites on the back of that display coupled with the hiring of all ireland winning coach Gilligan, even if he is on more than twice what you are paying Emmett Bradley. Worth it for a maiden win.

Lol, the bookies have one club warm favourites for a reason, but if you really believe what you write then nip into Toals there in Toome main street, PG1 are 7/1 as far as I know.

Personally I think this could be a great championship, one of the most open for years.

[marty34]

To be fair PG1 were good on Friday too ITG. Wide open this year, Cargin worthy favourites but its as open as its been for a good few years imo.

Portglenone would have to be favourites on the back of that display coupled with the hiring of all ireland winning coach Gilligan, even if he is on more than twice what you are paying Emmett Bradley. Worth it for a maiden win.

Lol, the bookies have one club warm favourites for a reason, but if you really believe what you write then nip into Toals there in Toome main street, PG1 are 7/1 as far as I know.

Personally I think this could be a great championship, one of the most open for years.

Is Gilligan and Bradley with PG1 this year?

If so, a lot of £ invested in getting these big names on board.

In reality, this is a big year for PG1 - pressure on them to get over the line after previous 'near misses'. Time stands still for no one and this is a huge year for them.

Something I'd like to see also. 

[YoungSaff]

To be fair PG1 were good on Friday too ITG. Wide open this year, Cargin worthy favourites but its as open as its been for a good few years imo.

Portglenone would have to be favourites on the back of that display coupled with the hiring of all ireland winning coach Gilligan, even if he is on more than twice what you are paying Emmett Bradley. Worth it for a maiden win.

Lol, the bookies have one club warm favourites for a reason, but if you really believe what you write then nip into Toals there in Toome main street, PG1 are 7/1 as far as I know.

Personally I think this could be a great championship, one of the most open for years.

Is Gilligan and Bradley with PG1 this year?

If so, a lot of £ invested in getting these big names on board.

In reality, this is a big year for PG1 - pressure on them to get over the line after previous 'near misses'. Time stands still for no one and this is a huge year for them.

Something I'd like to see also. 

Big £??? Sure these lads would just be doing it for the love of it ! Surely no brown envelopes 

[InnocentByStander]

PG1 Lucky there's no FFP in the gaa, bradley gilligan and hampsey 50k wouldnt look at it...

[YoungSaff]

PG1 Lucky there's no FFP in the gaa, bradley gilligan and hampsey 50k wouldnt look at it...

Makes you wonder who is funding it all ??

[Ghost+Tommy]

Probably costing the same as what the cargin and creggan management are,hearing M O B getting £25k alone in dunloy,something similar to what Bradley is getting in ballymena but AS players are funding that,and probably half off what the county Over 40s management are getting 😉

[Take the Mark]

no wonder the countys finances were in a pickle for a while with calculations like that 

[Hectic]

Surprised at what Dunloy did to St John's - what's the story there? Know a lot of talent in Dunloy but I thought St John's would be tooled up for Championship?

Cargin I suspect are doing a Kerry on it and easing themselves in gently and letting the 'challengers' get excited about group performances.

Ballymena appear to have had disciplinary issues over recent games in league, league playoffs and now championship - what is going on there?

Good win for Ahoghill. Always seem to be able to pull out results when needed. Which adds to the surprise that they have opted for relegation.  Maybe fancy an Intermediate championship for that group before they hang up the boots? Aghagallon hard to figure as they should have a serious core of players just now.

Think it could be the group 3 games that will be worth attending next round for a bit of everything.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

The weekend snr championship results reinforce the need for a 4 tier championship.

Stunned by that Dunloy vs St John's result. 22 points in it.  What happened?

To be fair we played to our strengths and deserved to win by the score line. They have a large panel available for the championship and have added in quite a few of last years minor teams to the panel.

They have benefited from playing Division 1 football and also Division 3 hurling for the second side bringing them up to the expected physical levels. 

Id expect the next game against Tir Na nOg to be very tight.

This reinforces the need for reserve sides to be integrated into the main league structure, not for individual clubs but for the health of football in the county.

I've found the integration of second teams in to the All County leagues to be be a success. The players get regular games and competing against physically stronger men so its gotten them ready for the riggers of senior.

We played 13 league games and then a few more North Antrim fixtures which is more than the combined total of the previous 3 seasons for reserve hurling. Its mostly made up of young lads who will get the benefit of this going forward and gives them a clear path into senior level.

Its something that needs to be at least pursued for the football next season.

[belfastsaff]

the last group game between Dunloy and Cargin could be a tasty meeting....

[Spike]

what was the reasoning as to why reserve teams entering the senior leagues was abandoned in the first place?

think it is time to get rid of the group stage format and go back to straight knockout.  Maybe a backdoor system or put the bottom half of the div 1 table into a preliminary  or qualifying stage.  Not sure but it needs looked at.

The drama and emotion and risk are part of the reason why the Championship is held in higher regard than the league.  These group games feel like league games and that cant be right.

[Spike]

the last group game between Dunloy and Cargin could be a tasty meeting....

Only tasty if its not a dead rubber.   if it is then neither side will be giving away all their plans for the later rounds