Antrim Football Thread

[EOC1923]

So basically fill the team with Cargin players and we would have beaten Armagh ?

No definitely not, but don't put sub standard players into that environment

[country bumpkin]

J Finnegan,C MC Larnon definitely not county standard either is P Finnegan or Dowling who came on either,R Murray to be truthful ain't either, but they put their hand up when asked to come on board,loughran coming on wtf,dicked about all year,then is available come championship for a cameo,take MC bride off when 1 thing is with him he'll keep giving his all,and on the S O Neill topic,not physically built enough to play inter county yet,let him develop into the baller he is/will be in the next couple off years,he's playing with in my eyes a set up better suited to him and his football that being cargin seniors wher he gets to express himself

Saying nathin, but Sean og is as physically as well equipped as was Keven Madden or Kevin Brady.....amongst the best wing backs about.....(only imo)

[geezer]

O'neill should be starting. Along with cahir donnelly. A bit young yet but hes better than any of the full back line that played yesterday. McCabe done ok but hes better out the field.

EOC & CB, any reason Ciaran bradley doesnt play? Cracking player.

[geezer]

G+T, agree with some of your comments but Ryan Murray not county standard? Was clearly not 100% fit yesterday. Has been 1 of Antrims most consistent players over the last 10 years.

[EOC1923]

Not sure why geezer but yes a good player surely

[Sportacus]

No doubt about it there's half a dozen good players not on the pitch, but that's nothing new for Antrim.  That's what happens when you are bottom of the pile and don't even have a stadium.
It's exacerbated by the fact McEntee is completely new to the scene so inevitably couldn't have seen the full picture of who is out there. 
The best way forward for me is that he gives the Tailteann his best shot and takes in every game on the senior championship to see who he's missed.
The big upside was that he's a complete clean slate with no axe to grind with anyone, or favours with any aul mates. Stick with it.  If he's only in it for the dollars then that will become evident soon enough, but right now is too soon in my honest opinion. He didn't exactly inherit an amazing set up with great structures and an underage pipeline to die for.

[realisticsaff]

No doubt about it there's half a dozen good players not on the pitch, but that's nothing new for Antrim.  That's what happens when you are bottom of the pile and don't even have a stadium.
It's exacerbated by the fact McEntee is completely new to the scene so inevitably couldn't have seen the full picture of who is out there. 
The best way forward for me is that he gives the Tailteann his best shot and takes in every game on the senior championship to see who he's missed.
The big upside was that he's a complete clean slate with no axe to grind with anyone, or favours with any aul mates. Stick with it.  If he's only in it for the dollars then that will become evident soon enough, but right now is too soon in my honest opinion. He didn't exactly inherit an amazing set up with great structures and an underage pipeline to die for.

Enda had me believing we were going to get promoted to division 2 in the middle of the league last year fast forward 13 months and this guy has me believing we would lose to the majority of division 4 sides in the Tailteann cup

[Sportacus]

No doubt about it there's half a dozen good players not on the pitch, but that's nothing new for Antrim.  That's what happens when you are bottom of the pile and don't even have a stadium.
It's exacerbated by the fact McEntee is completely new to the scene so inevitably couldn't have seen the full picture of who is out there. 
The best way forward for me is that he gives the Tailteann his best shot and takes in every game on the senior championship to see who he's missed.
The big upside was that he's a complete clean slate with no axe to grind with anyone, or favours with any aul mates. Stick with it.  If he's only in it for the dollars then that will become evident soon enough, but right now is too soon in my honest opinion. He didn't exactly inherit an amazing set up with great structures and an underage pipeline to die for.

Enda had me believing we were going to get promoted to division 2 in the middle of the league last year fast forward 13 months and this guy has me believing we would lose to the majority of division 4 sides in the Tailteann cup

I'm simply arguing it's too soon to condemn him. Not saying you won't be proved right, but next year is a fairer timescale to judge.

[ck]

So you're not going to say who should be playing that isn't there?

Well, young player of the year 2022 Sean O' Neill has been superb for Cargin all year, outstanding wing back is, in my bubble opinion worth a place.....

Not doubting that CB, that wasn't the question though

You asked who should be playing that wasn't, Sean ONeill is one for definite. Just hope his confidence hasn't been knocked too much by his treatment.  Don't want to be too personal but truthfully Jack Dowling and McLarnon from St Paul's would be reserve players in Cargin, Creggan, Portglenone and Aghagallon.

Hard to argue with that. McEntee wanted big men, even if they were sub standard. Armagh waltzed straight down the heart of Antrims defence yesterday and was it any wonder when there was rarely a centre half back in place. Not starting Eastwood was criminal I thought, made no sense either. So many things were puzzling.

[ck]

McEntee watched all of last years Antrim Championship and has been on the pitch with most of the players since July! There's no excuses for selecting the wrong players.

[Sportacus]

He's in the job 10 months.

[saffman]

Might put my name in the hat for interview county management.

Go round the gyms and get guys 6ft + 90kg + regardless of skill

Apparently that's the way forward ....

Heard this during pre-season and thought surely not, then you see the team selection yesterday and just wow, shocked at how serious he was

[bannside]

Seriously? McCabe Healy McAuley, McCormack, Mc Bride all 6 foot? Or Adam or Eastwood or Dommo.  Did you not think about your post before typing that Saffman?

Truth is we were disappointing yesterday. Outclassed almost everywhere but the bookies had it spot on at minus 9 so no real surprise. The Tailteean Cup is our grade, let's hope to get a good run at it.

And to say Ryan Murray isn't county standard is well off in my book, he's been an excellent servant and definitely still one of the best forwards in the county.

[realisticsaff]

Truth is we were disappointing yesterday.

Change the word yesterday to all year and you are spot on

[saffman]

That's what mcentee said in pre season and very much the reason the teams top scorer is regularly on the bench

Why else are sub standard players starting or on the panel when in reality some of them would struggle to make a top 4 division 1 team