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I think its more attractive for some to play before the Seniors..go in get changed and pull on a sub top and be part of that too. Its also more attractive for some to play on the friday night and go on the beer on saturday.

The minors now on a Sunday obviously has a major impact on this

I dont think entering them into Div 3 is the answer either. Hurling reserve teams divisions were selected. In my opinion the top 4 reserve teams would finish top 4 in 3. One up one down etc etc the actual junior teams would not be happy

We cant compare reserve football and hurling. Most football teams have reserve. There are really only around 5 (reliable) reserve hurling teams

By reliable i mean entering the leagues year on year

none of this answers the question originally ask, who gets promoted from junior alongside the Aggies, will Laochra and Pearses be made play a playoff at this stage?

Would either want to go up? Gorts will want Div 2 status

They should put Dunloy and Ballycastle up to a 2b. And create a 2a. 8 teams each. 8 in 3 and 9 in 4

what is the thinking in refusing to allow reserve sides into the main leagues?

A lot more reserve football than hurling sides. Potentially over loading both pitches and referees. Youd need extra leagues obviously(think there were 5 or 6 at a time). If you played Div 1 2 and 3 on a Sunday for example and 4 5 6 on a friday night(reserve night) there would be crys from division 4 teams who come up against a lad who played 20 mins of div 1 football the previous week

4 groups of 3 would be easier worked out. Top team into a home quarter v a 2nd place team.

Id imagine Glenravel will go up and Rasharkin and possibly Sarsfields dropping back to Junior leaving 10 teams. Not easy

Cloughmills could also drop depending whos available. Aging team with a lot of blow ins

If you won ulster at intermediate or junior you couldnt compete at that level for 5 years. Was dropped to 3 i think. Not sure what it is at present. Middletown of Armagh and Lisbellaw had long stints up a grade if i remember rightly.

Timing makes the whole thing worse given the circumstances

Have they also a paid manager? Surely not too many in Antrim have that?

Good men who by all accounts take nothing from the clubs they are with and in fact give back to them. They deserved to be treated better

As someone previously stated St Johns will probably be 4th fav for antrim next year and I dont think they were that well equipped for a genuine push at Ulster. Cushendall have slid, Loughgiel are young and Dunloy seem to be distracted with the football and to win something new to them which shows good hunger

Intermediate has got stronger with the Derry restructure and Middletown dropping down. Glenariffe still very unlucky not to get over the line i feel. (See they have booted their management)

Junior we are weak i feel. Other counties grading system impacts this but overall we are not strong at this level and there are probably a few teams playing intermediate who could and should be playing here. Clubs dont want to drop as Div 2 and Intermediate is so well contested. Sarsfields potentially to stop this and deliver an Ulster junior next year?

Do moneyglass also have Newbridge girls involved??

Paddy was part of his fathers backroom team also am i right in saying? So had a good understanding of the Antrim scene

A tad tough on the Johnnies, unfortunate last year but got over the Dall this year and beat the team that beat Dunloy..

No one hands you Championships. No easy draws.

Your forecasting of games if I remember right hasn't been great to date

Agreed!! However, I doubt many, if any predicted this years finalists let alone winners. And yes, you don't get handed championships, the handy reference is probably a stretch, however, the others will never be as bad again in one calendar year. And to answer elsewhere, I would suspect that many johnnies fans would agree that they've had better teams over the last 10 years that didn't win it!! But to say they've been regularly in the last four of the Antrim championship as some sort of pedestal going into the Ulster final is laughable. Being in last four means sweet f.a.!!

I know Morgan Nelson of Creggan was drafted in, Conor mc cann has not returned, Sean Duffin (Creggan) also drafted, not sure of the third.

Id imagine there are loads of division one hurlers not currently on the county panel who would stand out in division two as much as these mentioned lads no offence to them