Antrim Football Thread

[Christmas Lights]

This year is probably the most wide open championship I recall.

A bit fanciful maybe....but imagine this for a scenario in a few years...

Top 10 clubs
Two leagues of five - Four matches each...there would be no room for error. Every game cship edge to it.

Matches Friday Sat and Sunday so crowds would be large. A lot of 50/50 games...

No QFs.

Top two only in each group go into semi finals, A v D and B v C

Semi final matches played over 2 legs, home and away.

Final.

7 matches to win it. (6 atm)


Better quality.
Better crowds.

Love your work Bannside
Bannside for county chair!

[bannside]

Lol..easy horse I have trouble chairing myself at times!

Just to complete this theory if adopted theres 6 more clubs now adding value to what would now become a very competitive Intermediate cship. Clubs 11 to 20 in intermediate, same format as above.

Ultra competitive. Bigger gates. Better team representing us in Ulster club.

Clubs 21 and below into Junior.

Ratings based on finishing league position the year before.

Keeps club league games competitive too.

[marty34]

Lol..easy horse I have trouble chairing myself at times!

Just to complete this theory if adopted theres 6 more clubs now adding value to what would now become a very competitive Intermediate cship. Clubs 11 to 20 in intermediate, same format as above.

Ultra competitive. Bigger gates. Better team representing us in Ulster club.

Clubs 21 and below into Junior.

Ratings based on finishing league position the year before.

Keeps club league games competitive too.

Interesting concept BS.

Could you really use league the year before? Would teams not complain they have men in with county teams and U20's etc.?

I wouldn't be sure on the two legs either.

[bannside]

Good points Marty..but Id say most of the top 10 clubs have 4 or five missing due to county senior or under 20 committments, so somewhere along the line that sort of balances out. Maybe one year a club has more than its share, another year its someone else!

We need to find a way to raise the bar, make all games competitive throughout the year...instead of a few matches from QF onwards!

Think about this. Most clubs started training from Jan/Feb, and its start of September before they go into full championship mode. Something not right about that. And after a QF or SF defeat for some clubs thats it for the year!

[imtommygunn]

Bs bar the two legged thing very interesting.

I honestly think there are very few, if any, counties that have found a structure that works well since the split season. Tyrone seem most effective but most leagues seem made up of glorified friendlies.

[SaffronSports]

I think the biggest issue would be 2 groups of 5 with only 2 teams progressing per group would lead to dead rubbers. IHC has just moved away from that format to include qf round. It wouldd also need 8 weeks of matches, currently 6. Where are you fitting it in?

[bannside]

Good point SS...the weak spot would definitely be a team that lost first two or three games and had nothing to play for in the last match, unless of course there was play off match between last place teams to drop into intermediate and be replace by the previous years intermediate champs.

So in effect clubs would be doing their best to avoid finishing last in their group...keeping game 4 honest.

4 x league games plus two semis and a final is 7 weekends. If we drop the semi over 2 legs its 6...same as now.

[NatSoSaff]

Back door format is the only way to go in my humble opinion. 2 chances max and your gone. Let league placing directly impact championship seedings, home venue etc. And let county players play for their club AND their county, how about that for a mad idea.

[SaffronSports]

Good point SS...the weak spot would definitely be a team that lost first two or three games and had nothing to play for in the last match, unless of course there was play off match between last place teams to drop into intermediate and be replace by the previous years intermediate champs.

So in effect clubs would be doing their best to avoid finishing last in their group...keeping game 4 honest.

4 x league games plus two semis and a final is 7 weekends. If we drop the semi over 2 legs its 6...same as now.

4 group matches but with 5 teams that's four weekends with a match and one with a bye so groups would take up five weekends.

[Sportacus]

Back door format is the only way to go in my humble opinion. 2 chances max and your gone. Let league placing directly impact championship seedings, home venue etc. And let county players play for their club AND their county, how about that for a mad idea.

Knockout championship for me.  On your county footballer proposal, completely agree.  We've held them back from their clubs for 30 years and have achieved almost zero.  Let them play at their clubs and it'll keep the County set-up mentally fresh.

[NatSoSaff]

We won't hold our breath.

Anyone know what game/games if any, are being streamed this weekend?

[BigGreenField]

We won't hold our breath.

Anyone know what game/games if any, are being streamed this weekend?

Tee'd up for Marys/Casements game on the Saturday and Cargin/Galls on the Sunday

[BigGreenField]

This year is probably the most wide open championship I recall.

A bit fanciful maybe....but imagine this for a scenario in a few years...

Top 10 clubs
Two leagues of five - Four matches each...there would be no room for error. Every game cship edge to it.

Matches Friday Sat and Sunday so crowds would be large. A lot of 50/50 games...

No QFs.

Top two only in each group go into semi finals, A v D and B v C

Semi final matches played over 2 legs, home and away.

Final.

7 matches to win it. (6 atm)


Better quality.
Better crowds.

League formats are killing crowds - not enough jeopardy meaning not enough intensity.

The Double elimination format with 12 teams means 4-6 matches to become champion, around 20 matches in total (versus 23 in a league), teams need to hit top gear early.

Importantly the double elimination allows a higher number of teams to enter SFC knocks out lower quality teams quicker - bypasses the inevitable push back from clubs who want to be a SFC club.

Even if it's 16 teams it works (16 probably works better as no byes)

Ultimately it counts for nothing if clubs won't vote for it!

[bannside]

I thought Casements v Aghagallon match was on Saturday in Cargin. Not seeing it on the fixtures for some reason.

[Hoof Hearted]

I thought Casements v Aghagallon match was on Saturday in Cargin. Not seeing it on the fixtures for some reason.

Noticed that myself but it has to be surely, cause the other game is fixed and both group games need to be played simultaneously