Antrim Football Thread

[SaffronSports]

That's all club football in the county finished now until the new year?

Just uni games with a handful of Antrim players involved.

When does the county squad get together to prepare for the 2025 season?

When's the St Paul's tournament? St Brigid's in it.

On today's game it was never really close. Cargin created a lot of their own problems. Poor from kick outs, both the kicking and handling at times. Also felt their defending was nowhere near as good as Errigal Ciaran. EC were all over them out of possession with massive pressure. Cargin were loose defensively and EC were able to knock the ball about easier in attacking areas.

Ultimately Cargin are still the team in Antrim and proved that again this year but Ulster is a big step up that might be getting further away.

[Slemishgael]

That's right, I forgot about the St Paul's Tournament... it starts at the end November. Is the ulster under 21 club tournament still going at Creggan?

[Hoof Hearted]

That's all club football in the county finished now until the new year?

Just uni games with a handful of Antrim players involved.

When does the county squad get together to prepare for the 2025 season?

When's the St Paul's tournament? St Brigid's in it.

On today's game it was never really close. Cargin created a lot of their own problems. Poor from kick outs, both the kicking and handling at times. Also felt their defending was nowhere near as good as Errigal Ciaran. EC were all over them out of possession with massive pressure. Cargin were loose defensively and EC were able to knock the ball about easier in attacking areas.

Ultimately Cargin are still the team in Antrim and proved that again this year but Ulster is a big step up that might be getting further away.

Draw in full

Preliminary Round – Sun, Nov 24 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
Mayobridge v Kingscourt

Quarter-finals
1 – St Brigid's v Magherafelt Sat, Nov 23 Coláiste Feirste 5pm
2 – Irvinestown v Clann Éireann Sun, Dec, 1 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
3 – Scotstown v Four Masters Sun, Dec 8  – St Paul's 1pm
4 – Cookstown v Mayobridge/Kingsgcourt Sun, Dec 15  – St Paul's 1pm

Semi-finals
1 v 2 – Sunday, December 22 – St Paul's 1pm
3 v 4 –  Thursday, December 26 – St Paul's 1pm

Final – Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – St Paul's 1pm

[marty34]

That's all club football in the county finished now until the new year?

Just uni games with a handful of Antrim players involved.

When does the county squad get together to prepare for the 2025 season?

When's the St Paul's tournament? St Brigid's in it.

On today's game it was never really close. Cargin created a lot of their own problems. Poor from kick outs, both the kicking and handling at times. Also felt their defending was nowhere near as good as Errigal Ciaran. EC were all over them out of possession with massive pressure. Cargin were loose defensively and EC were able to knock the ball about easier in attacking areas.

Ultimately Cargin are still the team in Antrim and proved that again this year but Ulster is a big step up that might be getting further away.

Draw in full

Preliminary Round – Sun, Nov 24 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
Mayobridge v Kingscourt

Quarter-finals
1 – St Brigid's v Magherafelt Sat, Nov 23 Coláiste Feirste 5pm
2 – Irvinestown v Clann Éireann Sun, Dec, 1 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
3 – Scotstown v Four Masters Sun, Dec 8  – St Paul's 1pm
4 – Cookstown v Mayobridge/Kingsgcourt Sun, Dec 15  – St Paul's 1pm

Semi-finals
1 v 2 – Sunday, December 22 – St Paul's 1pm
3 v 4 –  Thursday, December 26 – St Paul's 1pm

Final – Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – St Paul's 1pm

Is Colaiste Feirste's pitch grass?

[Saffrongael]

That's all club football in the county finished now until the new year?

Just uni games with a handful of Antrim players involved.

When does the county squad get together to prepare for the 2025 season?

When's the St Paul's tournament? St Brigid's in it.

On today's game it was never really close. Cargin created a lot of their own problems. Poor from kick outs, both the kicking and handling at times. Also felt their defending was nowhere near as good as Errigal Ciaran. EC were all over them out of possession with massive pressure. Cargin were loose defensively and EC were able to knock the ball about easier in attacking areas.

Ultimately Cargin are still the team in Antrim and proved that again this year but Ulster is a big step up that might be getting further away.

Draw in full

Preliminary Round – Sun, Nov 24 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
Mayobridge v Kingscourt

Quarter-finals
1 – St Brigid's v Magherafelt Sat, Nov 23 Coláiste Feirste 5pm
2 – Irvinestown v Clann Éireann Sun, Dec, 1 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
3 – Scotstown v Four Masters Sun, Dec 8  – St Paul's 1pm
4 – Cookstown v Mayobridge/Kingsgcourt Sun, Dec 15  – St Paul's 1pm

Semi-finals
1 v 2 – Sunday, December 22 – St Paul's 1pm
3 v 4 –  Thursday, December 26 – St Paul's 1pm

Final – Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – St Paul's 1pm

Is Colaiste Feirste's pitch grass?

No

[marty34]

That's all club football in the county finished now until the new year?

Just uni games with a handful of Antrim players involved.

When does the county squad get together to prepare for the 2025 season?

When's the St Paul's tournament? St Brigid's in it.

On today's game it was never really close. Cargin created a lot of their own problems. Poor from kick outs, both the kicking and handling at times. Also felt their defending was nowhere near as good as Errigal Ciaran. EC were all over them out of possession with massive pressure. Cargin were loose defensively and EC were able to knock the ball about easier in attacking areas.

Ultimately Cargin are still the team in Antrim and proved that again this year but Ulster is a big step up that might be getting further away.

Draw in full

Preliminary Round – Sun, Nov 24 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
Mayobridge v Kingscourt

Quarter-finals
1 – St Brigid's v Magherafelt Sat, Nov 23 Coláiste Feirste 5pm
2 – Irvinestown v Clann Éireann Sun, Dec, 1 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
3 – Scotstown v Four Masters Sun, Dec 8  – St Paul's 1pm
4 – Cookstown v Mayobridge/Kingsgcourt Sun, Dec 15  – St Paul's 1pm

Semi-finals
1 v 2 – Sunday, December 22 – St Paul's 1pm
3 v 4 –  Thursday, December 26 – St Paul's 1pm

Final – Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – St Paul's 1pm

Is Colaiste Feirste's pitch grass?

No

Shouldn't be playing these games on astroturf in my opinion.


Some games are on it while others are not.

I don't think it's fair. 

[Saffrongael]

That's all club football in the county finished now until the new year?

Just uni games with a handful of Antrim players involved.

When does the county squad get together to prepare for the 2025 season?

When's the St Paul's tournament? St Brigid's in it.

On today's game it was never really close. Cargin created a lot of their own problems. Poor from kick outs, both the kicking and handling at times. Also felt their defending was nowhere near as good as Errigal Ciaran. EC were all over them out of possession with massive pressure. Cargin were loose defensively and EC were able to knock the ball about easier in attacking areas.

Ultimately Cargin are still the team in Antrim and proved that again this year but Ulster is a big step up that might be getting further away.

Draw in full

Preliminary Round – Sun, Nov 24 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
Mayobridge v Kingscourt

Quarter-finals
1 – St Brigid's v Magherafelt Sat, Nov 23 Coláiste Feirste 5pm
2 – Irvinestown v Clann Éireann Sun, Dec, 1 Coláiste Feirste 1pm
3 – Scotstown v Four Masters Sun, Dec 8  – St Paul's 1pm
4 – Cookstown v Mayobridge/Kingsgcourt Sun, Dec 15  – St Paul's 1pm

Semi-finals
1 v 2 – Sunday, December 22 – St Paul's 1pm
3 v 4 –  Thursday, December 26 – St Paul's 1pm

Final – Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – St Paul's 1pm

Is Colaiste Feirste's pitch grass?

No

Shouldn't be playing these games on astroturf in my opinion.


Some games are on it while others are not.

I don't think it's fair. 

Did all games used to be just on St Paul's pitch ?

[BigGreenField]

Shouldn't be playing these games on astroturf in my opinion.


Some games are on it while others are not.

I don't think it's fair. 
[/quote]

Significant increase in injury risk , aside from CF pitch has a bit of a weird bounce in it.

Understandably St Pauls are trying to manage their pitch mid winter,  wonder would they be better partnering with another club to access a grass pitch instead. (Presume that's a hen's teeth job)

It does speak to the shortage of grass infrastructure in the city particularly that none of the schools have pitches able to support.

[Milltown Row2]

These games have been played at Woodlands in the past before so nothing new here. It's nearly impossible to have pitches available this time of year, clubs have their own work to do in prep for next year on their pitches, we've closed ours in an attempt to get it in good shape for the new year.

Fair pay to others that have made their pitches available for this winter tournament

[Níl a fhios agam]

Regarding yesterdays game, watched it streamed. Commentary wasnt too flattering to Cargin and rightly so, and following the game it just made me think of how bad Antrim football is. Cargin can afford to win c'ships operating at 60% of capacity, while the rest of us busting our balls to bridge a gap and each team go hard for a year or two and drop off (ie LD, Creggan, Aghagallon) . If cargin were playing in tyrone or derry and you had to be operating at a high level all year, every year, theyd be a different animal. Thats not to say theyd win them c'ships, though to be competitive in them counties you have to have all the boxes ticked.

I just feel they tooter through antrim, won the last few c;ships playing badly and it hasnt served them well in ulster or have they fulfilled their potential operating like that.

Rant over. 2025 if Casements and St.Brigids get their act together and further development in their recruitment, they might just overthrow the current Champions

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Firstly, I'm far from convinced that Cargin are "tootering" through Antrim at this stage.

But even if that was true, there are many examples of teams who win their county at a canter every year and go on to perform after it. In fact, it has often been claimed by Tyrone clubs that they have to put so much into their club championship that they haven't much left in the tank after it. So it can't be both things. Indeed, I don't believe it is either of them.

Antrim club football is just at a poor standard. There's not much more science to it than that.

[Níl a fhios agam]

Well i dont back that theory, coming through a good competitive championship, with no injuries would put you in good stead for a Provincial campaign. Maybe an air of complacency trying to do what st.galls done in antrim for years, trying to peak at the right time. Eventually it may catch up with them in Antrim as it did Ulster. Theres a balancing act imo to try and master that

But again we agree on the main point. Antrim footballs not in a good place. Would any of the other clubs put up a better showing?

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Well i dont back that theory, coming through a good competitive championship, with no injuries would put you in good stead for a Provincial campaign. Maybe an air of complacency trying to do what st.galls done in antrim for years, trying to peak at the right time. Eventually it may catch up with them in Antrim as it did Ulster. Theres a balancing act imo to try and master that

But again we agree on the main point. Antrim footballs not in a good place. Would any of the other clubs put up a better showing?

You would imagine the Tyrone teams would have a better record in Ulster if it counted for that much.

[imtommygunn]

To the last question... Cargin are our best club team by a long way. No club would put up even nearly as good a showing.

[Milltown Row2]

Haven't seen the game, but I think Cargin on the day (by reports I've read) didn't play well and you can't have off days in Ulster due to the elite teams competing