Antrim Football Thread

[paddyjohn]

That sounds more like hope than realism.  They all have good numbers at underage from the under 8s upwards.   

Ahoghill and Moneyglass are slowly merging into the one club with a mixture of footballers, hurlers, camogie players and lgfa players now all interwoven so cant see the camogie or lgfa numbers affected. Ahoghill dont have youth boy football teams so their numbers boost moneyglass.  Its the new Sean Stinsons model which will keep ahoghill senior football existing but at underage they'll be known as moneyglass.


 

Not at all but maybe I should have been clearer that the PG1 girls at Cargin are only one batch at u14/u16 the past season, so it would only be those groups affected.


Currently the PG1 contingent are playing in the A teams, so if they did decide to go back to PG1 at some stage, then that would obviously have an impact on those teams strength wise, not numbers wise, as you could argue that those girls are the strongest players in those squads.

McKeever, McAleese, Doherty, Convery all top players and there are more.

With PG1 now having teams from u12 down, it is unlikely any more will make that move across to Toome, not that they needed the numbers in the first place.

Why don't you start an LGFA forum and talk about it on there, honestly! Analysing who the names of the strongest players are in Cargins u14 LGFA team. I'm presuming you must coach a rival team who they have beaten this season, you seem to know a lot about it.

Fancy a snickers?

[EOC1923]

That sounds more like hope than realism.  They all have good numbers at underage from the under 8s upwards.   

Ahoghill and Moneyglass are slowly merging into the one club with a mixture of footballers, hurlers, camogie players and lgfa players now all interwoven so cant see the camogie or lgfa numbers affected. Ahoghill dont have youth boy football teams so their numbers boost moneyglass.  Its the new Sean Stinsons model which will keep ahoghill senior football existing but at underage they'll be known as moneyglass.


 

Not at all but maybe I should have been clearer that the PG1 girls at Cargin are only one batch at u14/u16 the past season, so it would only be those groups affected.


Currently the PG1 contingent are playing in the A teams, so if they did decide to go back to PG1 at some stage, then that would obviously have an impact on those teams strength wise, not numbers wise, as you could argue that those girls are the strongest players in those squads.

McKeever, McAleese, Doherty, Convery all top players and there are more.

With PG1 now having teams from u12 down, it is unlikely any more will make that move across to Toome, not that they needed the numbers in the first place.

Why don't you start an LGFA forum and talk about it on there, honestly! Analysing who the names of the strongest players are in Cargins u14 LGFA team. I'm presuming you must coach a rival team who they have beaten this season, you seem to know a lot about it.

U16 team and I watched the county finals and a few other games.

(and the point about the names was that you may recognise them as being the offspring of well known PG1 parents)

I thought the codes were all coming under one umbrella but it seems some still look down on the ladies side of the game and don't deem it worth talking about......

Nice comeback, I see what you did there 

[Splash]

I am seeing it now where at the very early ages they combine football and hurling training and just extend it by ~15 minutes. (N.B. This is in Down not antrim).

It tends to be football without hurling rather than vice versa but again it's in Down. Antrim have less of that problem.

The reverse could be applied though.

What clubs in Down are doing the two codes at once?

As far as I know I think Liatroim do it and it seemed to be working well for them.

Think Ballyvarley/Aghaderg maybe tried it at senior level.

Think East Belfast may have that type of model for their underage- or else they alternate hurling/football week on week? Happy to be corrected on that.

I assume Kilclief probably do two codes at once- great cooperation in that club.

More clubs should employ a similar approach- try and encourage as many people to play both for as long as they can. Unfortunately there seems to be a lack of willingness from both sides sometimes.

The two games can compliment each other, and whilst people no doubt may have favourites, there's no call to completely abandon on in favour of the other.

[imtommygunn]

Carryduff did it last year at nursery though not this year and they do it at P2.

Very young age groups they do it at tbf.

[imtommygunn]

Looking good for portglenone...

[imtommygunn]

Comeback on...

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Thanks to PG1s PRO for the updates on X

[EOC1923]

A well deserved win for Portglenone, much the better team, and better individual players on show as well

[imtommygunn]

Ah the sons of Paul McKeever playing - that's great to see. He was my age and was a very handy player at that age.

[bannside]

Its apt that you mention Paul McKeever ITG. His spirit was everywhere tonight around the club. Paul took up refereeing because the club needed a referee. Thats the sort of person he was.

He also had a couple of young children and was at the forefront of setting up a new, select and dedicated group of parents who only wanted to see a better club for their offspring. In other words, lets take this to a new level!

That group was considerable, but Paul was the driving force. He was inspirational. No stone unturned, our under 8s and 10s were going to matches in a coach to Croke Park and were playing blitz competitions every week in County Derry and Tyrone. And were winning their share.

I was outgoing juvenile development officer, but Paul came in and this was different gravy. All of a sudden we had a core of 15 good coaches, mostly ex players that had young sons and shared Paul's vision for a top future. He advocated for a stand alone juvenile section independent of a successful amalgamation with neighbours Ahoghill. Many neutrals thought this was a negative move but Paul insisted that so many juveniles came through the club and never ever wore the club colours. That wax what swing it.

Personally I preferred to keep the amalgamation going, but gradually the swell of opinion grew too large.

"Paul's Team" are the group that won their second under 16 grade A championship in a row a few weeks back, defeating St Brigids in a clinker.

The team that won tonight were playing under 16 B two years ago, and fair play to Gareth Kelly and Kevin Kidd for stepping up to take on what many thought was a forlorn hope.

Tonight they beat a superb St Paul's team by 5 points to claim a Minor A Championship. Most in the club thought it was a year early. The team loses 3 players for next season.

Back at the club, after Docs lorry and the fireworks in the town, Owen Doc took the stage and every player got their moment as they took their place on the winners rostrum.

Amongst them Owens son Odhran who had had scored 13 points and added the two Antrim juvenile wins to his McRory and Hogan Cup victories earlier this year. What a prospect.

Obviously Odhran got a loud ovation, as did other standout players on the night. So too did Pauls boy, Conor McKeever, a marquee forward whose name you can write down..as did his older brother Ryan McKeever who was captain of tonight's team.

But the loudest cheer of the night was when Doc mentioned the only man in the room who was missing. Their Dad.

Rest in Peace Paul...gone,  but never forgotten.

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Its apt that you mention Paul McKeever ITG. His spirit was everywhere tonight around the club. Paul took up refereeing because the club needed a referee. Thats the sort of person he was.

He also had a couple of young children and was at the forefront of setting up a new, select and dedicated group of parents who only wanted to see a better club for their offspring. In other words, lets take this to a new level!

That group was considerable, but Paul was the driving force. He was inspirational. No stone unturned, our under 8s and 10s were going to matches in a coach to Croke Park and were playing blitz competitions every week in County Derry and Tyrone. And were winning their share.

I was outgoing juvenile development officer, but Paul came in and this was different gravy. All of a sudden we had a core of 15 good coaches, mostly ex players that had young sons and shared Paul's vision for a top future. He advocated for a stand alone juvenile section independent of a successful amalgamation with neighbours Ahoghill. Many neutrals thought this was a negative move but Paul insisted that so many juveniles came through the club and never ever wore the club colours. That wax what swing it.

Personally I preferred to keep the amalgamation going, but gradually the swell of opinion grew too large.

"Paul's Team" are the group that won their second under 16 grade A championship in a row a few weeks back, defeating St Brigids in a clinker.

The team that won tonight were playing under 16 B two years ago, and fair play to Gareth Kelly and Kevin Kidd for stepping up to take on what many thought was a forlorn hope.

Tonight they beat a superb St Paul's team by 5 points to claim a Minor A Championship. Most in the club thought it was a year early. The team loses 3 players for next season.

Back at the club, after Docs lorry and the fireworks in the town, Owen Doc took the stage and every player got their moment as they took their place on the winners rostrum.

Amongst them Owens son Odhran who had had scored 13 points and added the two Antrim juvenile wins to his McRory and Hogan Cup victories earlier this year. What a prospect.

Obviously Odhran got a loud ovation, as did other standout players on the night. So too did Pauls boy, Conor McKeever, a marquee forward whose name you can write down..as did his older brother Ryan McKeever who was captain of tonight's team.

But the loudest cheer of the night was when Doc mentioned the only man in the room who was missing. Their Dad.

Rest in Peace Paul...gone,  but never forgotten.

Brilliant post. Enjoyed reading that

[gaelforce13]

Its apt that you mention Paul McKeever ITG. His spirit was everywhere tonight around the club. Paul took up refereeing because the club needed a referee. Thats the sort of person he was.

He also had a couple of young children and was at the forefront of setting up a new, select and dedicated group of parents who only wanted to see a better club for their offspring. In other words, lets take this to a new level!

That group was considerable, but Paul was the driving force. He was inspirational. No stone unturned, our under 8s and 10s were going to matches in a coach to Croke Park and were playing blitz competitions every week in County Derry and Tyrone. And were winning their share.

I was outgoing juvenile development officer, but Paul came in and this was different gravy. All of a sudden we had a core of 15 good coaches, mostly ex players that had young sons and shared Paul's vision for a top future. He advocated for a stand alone juvenile section independent of a successful amalgamation with neighbours Ahoghill. Many neutrals thought this was a negative move but Paul insisted that so many juveniles came through the club and never ever wore the club colours. That wax what swing it.

Personally I preferred to keep the amalgamation going, but gradually the swell of opinion grew too large.

"Paul's Team" are the group that won their second under 16 grade A championship in a row a few weeks back, defeating St Brigids in a clinker.

The team that won tonight were playing under 16 B two years ago, and fair play to Gareth Kelly and Kevin Kidd for stepping up to take on what many thought was a forlorn hope.

Tonight they beat a superb St Paul's team by 5 points to claim a Minor A Championship. Most in the club thought it was a year early. The team loses 3 players for next season.

Back at the club, after Docs lorry and the fireworks in the town, Owen Doc took the stage and every player got their moment as they took their place on the winners rostrum.

Amongst them Owens son Odhran who had had scored 13 points and added the two Antrim juvenile wins to his McRory and Hogan Cup victories earlier this year. What a prospect.

Obviously Odhran got a loud ovation, as did other standout players on the night. So too did Pauls boy, Conor McKeever, a marquee forward whose name you can write down..as did his older brother Ryan McKeever who was captain of tonight's team.

But the loudest cheer of the night was when Doc mentioned the only man in the room who was missing. Their Dad.

Rest in Peace Paul...gone,  but never forgotten.

What a brilliant read, and huge congratulations to everyone involved on an incredible win. The speed, intensity, and decision-making both on and off the ball were seriously impressive. You could see there's a real togetherness and confidence about that group — it's what every club strives to build.

Reading about the journey and the legacy Paul started really hits home. It shows what can happen when a group of people decide to raise the standards and follow through.

I'm genuinely curious though, what do you think the real difference-maker has been in getting these lads to that level? Is it mainly the coaching standards, or have they also been exposed to proper athletic development and S&C work along the way? Whatever the formula is, it's clearly working.

[bannside]

Thanks GF. Yes, clubs can achieve so much more if they treat their juveniles properly. But the main thing is you need to get proper buy in from a core group of parents/coaches who share the vision for a long term plan and agree a structure to see it through.

Yes, these guys have their own club gymnasium and always a proper S/C coach to take twice weekly sessions for under 14s and up. Last few years it was Padraig Hampsey, captain of Tyrone.

Last night the minors got a proper reception on their homecoming. It wasn't as large as Dunloys last weekend, but it wasn't far off! It was the culmination of at least 8 years work.

Best of all from a personal viewpoint....I see a completely different standard across the county at this age group than for a long time. Nearly every club is starting to produce a better player, with S/C that wasn't as evident in the past, and speed skill and athleticism all where it needs to be.

A lot of clubs have stepped it up, and for all the enormous work Casements have done, they were taken to the wire a good few times on the way, and every match Ive been at there has been a load of standout players on the pitch.

Just as I said many times in the past Portglenone have a better group coming down the track and now we are seeing some results. Likewise I predict a brighter future for Antrim football in four ir five years with a quality panel to choose from.

[Milltown Row2]

Lovely read and no surprise that Paul along with others were able to see a pathway

It does take effort, nothing happens without it, when clubs do it, it normally works out, yes there is luck along the way but you earn luck based on what you have put it...

The best quote in life for sport is this

"the harder I train the luckier I get" Gary Player (and others) used this

Lovely post BS

[imtommygunn]

The Peter Healy playing for Ballyboden - it's not the former Antrim player is it?