Antrim Football Thread

[geezer]

Under 15b league on Thursday night last but hey you ain't smart enough to check before talking shite!

How does a young aspiring referee like myself become a Division 1 referee?

Do the course first

I've done it

I only got kids games when I started 14 years ago.. it takes time

Get on the podcast MR2.  Give the people what they want. 🍿

[bannside]

The negativity recently introduced here is truly shocking, a wee clique with nothing good to say about anything and trying hard to make a living out of running down volunteers and amateur sportsmen. I think the vast majority here share that view and agree its cheap nasty and offensive.

Sure, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but it needs to be balanced to have any credibility. The squads Enda and Andy inherited were like night and day. Enda had 19 in from Creggan and Cargin at one stage, and somehow its all Andys fault three quarters of them didn't find a way back, mostly either voluntarily or because of injury. It's not like Andy hunted them down the road, but some doing their best to use this as a stick to beat him.

EOC, you're right. There are half a dozen gooduns coming through that will offer some quality alternatives, Sean O Callaghan (under 20 captain picked up injury) and Calum Higgins can be added to that list, but they are mostly a year orctwo early with agreed exception of Sean O Neill and Ryan McQuillan.

I went to the game with little expectation as that's not the grade we are in. Would you put a handicapped chaser into the Gold Cup at level weights? No you wouldn't. But I'd expect to be competitive in Div 3 (and we were with a couple of exceptions) and in the Tailteean Cup. But if I see a Div 4 team toying with us at 11 points up at half time, and a dressing room that's lost its way, it will be called out for what it is.

That was last year. Andy has done OK with a depleted squad, but needs to be getting a response out if what he has. Squad back out this weekend for in house games so that work is now commencing.

[bannside]

Balanced critique is welcomed by most on here, likewise cheap nasty shots need to be called out for what they are. RS, you've done a refereeing course, that's genuinely good. Work your way through the ranks and get a bit of experience and of you're good at the job the bigger gigs will follow. We all need refs or we can pack it all in!

[bannside]

100% it's a cut throat business and in interests of consistency I was first to doubt EMG and called ot out here. Full panel to choose from, two very high profile assistants in SK and SON. But it wasn't working, defensively open house, upfront nothing joining up, rumours management and assistants not communicating, and dressing room all over the place. Wasn't long till results reflected that.

Yes Saturday was poor, I could list a few things that might have made it better, but not judging it as we rarely show up in Ulstet championship, for any manager.

You have knife out way too early though. Dermot Adam Jamie a fit Ryan, and one or two of the young guns forcing  their way in with in house performance would make for interesting choices, and on that we could make a more informed judgement call on our wellbeing.

[NatSoSaff]

So what lines up as playing the players who are up to the standard RS? No point harking on about lack of Cargin or Creggan players lad. The facts are that Ricky Johnston, Kevin O'Boyle, Crozier, Laverty, the McCanns etc are all still the main men in their clubs. None of them are coming out of inter county retirement, nor should they. Outside of those players, who from Creggan/Cargin is ready to start in the current Antrim side and where? At least make an effort to state your best team selection. Live up to your name and make it 'realistic'.

[realisticsaff]

So what lines up as playing the players who are up to the standard RS? No point harking on about lack of Cargin or Creggan players lad. The facts are that Ricky Johnston, Kevin O'Boyle, Crozier, Laverty, the McCanns etc are all still the main men in their clubs. None of them are coming out of inter county retirement, nor should they. Outside of those players, who from Creggan/Cargin is ready to start in the current Antrim side and where? At least make an effort to state your best team selection. Live up to your name and make it 'realistic'.

Not doing this NSS everyone was saying the bench was better than the starting team that's a starting point.

[realisticsaff]

100% it's a cut throat business and in interests of consistency I was first to doubt EMG and called ot out here. Full panel to choose from, two very high profile assistants in SK and SON. But it wasn't working, defensively open house, upfront nothing joining up, rumours management and assistants not communicating, and dressing room all over the place. Wasn't long till results reflected that.

Yes Saturday was poor, I could list a few things that might have made it better, but not judging it as we rarely show up in Ulstet championship, for any manager.

You have knife out way too early though. Dermot Adam Jamie a fit Ryan, and one or two of the young guns forcing  their way in with in house performance would make for interesting choices, and on that we could make a more informed judgement call on our wellbeing.

I know we aren't the best side in the country but that felt like a challenge game on Saturday. We are far far to easy to play against pure and simple

[NatSoSaff]

So what lines up as playing the players who are up to the standard RS? No point harking on about lack of Cargin or Creggan players lad. The facts are that Ricky Johnston, Kevin O'Boyle, Crozier, Laverty, the McCanns etc are all still the main men in their clubs. None of them are coming out of inter county retirement, nor should they. Outside of those players, who from Creggan/Cargin is ready to start in the current Antrim side and where? At least make an effort to state your best team selection. Live up to your name and make it 'realistic'.

Not doing this NSS everyone was saying the bench was better than the starting team that's a starting point.

Wow. Really? The bench was Luke Mullholland, B McCormick, D Lynch, S O'Neill, R. Boyle, O Lenehan, Dowling, McEnhill, P Finnegan. Some decent players there but better than the 15 listed? I don't think so. Then there was Loughran and Eastwood who I do think should have started ahead of mclarnon and Creggan McCann.

Make no mistake, i tip my hat to all of the lads above for their commitment to the cause this year. There's not a lot of experienced campaigners at this level there don't forget. So the experience this year will be a big building block for a lot of them.

[realisticsaff]

Why is the club championship draw during a full round of matches?

[Spike]

Yes Saturday was poor, I could list a few things that might have made it better, but not judging it as we rarely show up in Ulster championship, for any manager.

I think this is part of the problem BS, we are giving Antrim players an excuse by saying we will look at them properly in a 2nd rate competition.     We all have our opinions on the team quality and have we progressed at all but that Antrim team looked like they believed they shouldn't have been on the same pitch as Armagh. They were already beaten before they started and had the Tailteann Cup in their heads.  For this to be the most physically big Antrim team in years, they were like lambs out there.  Wasn't much blood and thunder about them.  We can only be judged on the Ulster Championship, and IMO the Tailteann is an unwelcome excuse that has became available. 

The knives aren't out for Andy, people are naturally disappointed in that showing on Saturday, and yes it was that bad but seeing as we are now stuck in the Tailteann, can we look at bringing forward the young guns and play a team with all our potential talents included? 

I wont be judging Andy on the Tailteann just as I wouldn't be judging Creggan on how they do in the O'Cahon Cup.  He has nothing to lose in my eyes so he is as well getting those hopefuls onto a pitch and seeing how they fare out.

[NatSoSaff]

Yes Saturday was poor, I could list a few things that might have made it better, but not judging it as we rarely show up in Ulster championship, for any manager.

I think this is part of the problem BS, we are giving Antrim players an excuse by saying we will look at them properly in a 2nd rate competition.     We all have our opinions on the team quality and have we progressed at all but that Antrim team looked like they believed they shouldn't have been on the same pitch as Armagh. They were already beaten before they started and had the Tailteann Cup in their heads.  For this to be the most physically big Antrim team in years, they were like lambs out there.  Wasn't much blood and thunder about them.  We can only be judged on the Ulster Championship, and IMO the Tailteann is an unwelcome excuse that has became available. 

The knives aren't out for Andy, people are naturally disappointed in that showing on Saturday, and yes it was that bad but seeing as we are now stuck in the Tailteann, can we look at bringing forward the young guns and play a team with all our potential talents included? 

I wont be judging Andy on the Tailteann just as I wouldn't be judging Creggan on how they do in the O'Cahon Cup.  He has nothing to lose in my eyes so he is as well getting those hopefuls onto a pitch and seeing how they fare out.

Right, again... what does this team look like? What team would you field Spike?

[bannside]

There's absolutely no doubt Saturday was a tame performance Spike, and not a glove laid in anger. Played like a friendly and that aspect was very disappointing.

But saying a national competition with 16 counties in it, with finals played at Croke Park in a competition that the GAA is working to restore some necessary prestige to, is comparable to a single county regional competition played in front of a hundred people is plain nonsense imo.

Let's give the Tailteean Cup a rattle, and expect us to Ultra competitive in it, and if we are not then we can all justifiably call it for what it is.

[Spike]

I see your point BS but not one person in Antrim will be in uproar at Tailteann Cup failure. The same as not one person in Creggan will shed a tear at not winning the O'Cahon Cup.   

Of course lets give it a go now that we are in it.

[Spike]

Right, again... what does this team look like? What team would you field Spike?
[/quote]

To avoid getting personal, i would call up the full Creggan, Cargin, Aghagallon, Portglenone, St Johns and Lamh Dhearg squads to Corrigan and have them stand around the perimeter of the pitch.

I would then leave 15 jerseys in the centre of the pitch. 

On the whistle I would blow for the Battle Royale and let it commence. I would then go and stand at the bar in the St Johns Clubhouse and order a pint. The men coming back to the bar with a jersey to me start in the Tailteann Cup.

Thats how high a stock I take from Antrim's performance in it. 

[NatSoSaff]

"  can we look at bringing forward the young guns and play a team with all our potential talents included? "

So who are the young guns, the potential talents, you want to see fielded?

The throw away statements on here are a joke. Quick to point out the faults and nothing offered in terms of a fix. Same old same old eh.