Antrim Football Thread

[Splash]

Anyone know anything about Sean Martin's in the Short Strand?

Been talking about it a bit lately with someone, but there's very little to actually read or look into.

Know a couple lads who played for them years ago- one of them says he remembers playing in County Down. Was the club a Down club or an Antrim club?

To the best of my knowledge the club colours were maroon and white.

Think I'm right in saying the club finished up sometime in the 90s? What were the reasons which led to the disappearance of the club?

I know St Malachy's would be the local team nowadays, but a lad from the Strand told me there would be people in the area play for Davitts, Ardoyone, and the like.

Where did the club play out of?

East Belfast never really took off in the Strand to the best of my knowledge.

Interesting to think about the club when discussing the GAA in Belfast.

[delgany]

Nothing is changing in 2026 leagues and championships.

Threads or club delegates won't make a matter. This is the view of the county operations manager. Clubs shouldn't have a voice in it. They should be told what the structures are and either pay in or jump out

Are you or have you ever been a club county delegate?

I'll break it down just in case

The clubs have a member that is allocated that job, it is on him to speak at the county meetings, with views that the club has, it could be mundane shite but coming to county conventions it generally had motions the club had decided on during their AGM's, back in the day it was regular enough, so they discussed lots of things but that could all have changed.

I'm sure delgany could enlighten us more on the modern set up.

But anything that is done is based on how it's voted, of course the county executive has an input but ultimately it's down to your clubs call.

I've put this forward for years but still we don't understand how it actually works and automatically give the county shite!

Sure the last reshuffle was driven by 3 men, 1 of whom was the county sec. The rest of us in the room would be better off saving the fuel money as anything recommend (of which there was almost nothing) fell on deaf ears. Why? Because Frankie and Co had a plan and they wanted it pushed through.

Two wiser men were given two options and told pick a or b and they pick the lesser of the two evils.

Nothing will change. There's no collective desire for change. Clubs are happy because it suits them ti have 16 teams in Div 1

It suits all teams for this current structure across all Divisions. It doesn't suit football but it does suit clubs

how does it suit all clubs? I can't see a single club it suits.

Cargin winning 14 league games and not winning the league. Playing majority of teams with their seconds is no preparation for championship.

Or Tir Na Og winning 1 game in 15 and staying up? 

The current structure doesn't benefit a single club. And for standard of football. Well...

What club doesn't it benefit?
In your example TNN won a game a stayed up! They retain Div 1 and senior championship

I'm not talking about quality of football I'm talking about benefit to clubs

Every club "benefits" from the current structure!
As MR2 said, turkeys don't vote for Xmas

Which is back to my point: clubs shouldn't be the ones deciding on the structures of any competition

Have a voice yes but that's all it be. The county ex should be the ones setting the comps structures to benefit the development and promotion of games in the county

Sure...they all belong to the same clubs and I'd imagine that they like to do their best for the county but their is now a complete disconnect between county & Club games

[SoloAndGo]

What club doesn't it benefit?
In your example TNN won a game a stayed up! They retain Div 1 and senior championship

I'm not talking about quality of football I'm talking about benefit to clubs

It doesn't benefit a single club.

Lets take Cargin for example. They win 14 games and don't win the league. Completely nuts. But more importantly they play majority of games that they don't need to get out of second gear. Does this prepare them for championship football? Not this year but previous years, does this prepare them well for Ulster? Zero benefit to them as a club. And zero benefits to clubs like Cargin.

Take TNN, if you are referring to it benefits them because they retain "Div 1 status". Then you are very much delusional. Do you think TNN are happy to play Div 1 football and win 1 game? What benefit to them as a club is it winning a single game or handful of games? Are players motivated to continue like this year on year? I certainly wouldn't be as a player. The same goes for clubs in and around TNN.

I can't see a single argument for keeping the same structure. And I can't see a single club who would vote to keep it in its current format.

Well aware that me or you or nobody on this thread will change anything. Nothing will be changed on a thread. But as I previously said, it's worth having conversations and get people talking.

[SoloAndGo]

that means having strong competitive leagues and championship regardless of who's feathers you ruffle!

If we end up in division 3 so be it
If anyone outside the top 8 go to Div 2 so be it
If we end up with only football clubs in Division 1 so be it

This is exactly what should happen. And this is exactly what benefits all clubs and more importantly players.

[Milltown Row2]

You've said you can't see a single club who would vote to keep this current set up.. but the majority did

Now it's all clubs who get a vote, that's the system, and it should be like that..

The county will give recommendations, but still has to be voted on.

Derry has plenty of teams in their div1 I think, so other counties do it.

I'd personally prefer the 8 team set up and straight knockout, or a back door system.

Again turkeys voting for Xmas won't happen

[SoloAndGo]

Well clubs voted to changes 3 years ago. They haven't voted to keep the current set up. It's ok to admit it doesn't work and there should be a change.

Again, current set up benefits no team.

[delgany]

MR2 exactly clubs voted for this because it benefits them

Now Solo and Go what your talking about is football quality and benefiting football in the county.

Don't confuse it with preparation for championship etc

16 teams get to call themselves Division 1 senior teams. (Ego benefit)

Your Cargins/Ports/Brides etc don't care because it doesn't impact them that much

Rossa/stjohns/TNN and any team hanging around 8 or lower want 16 teams because if they didn't have it there's a high chance they'd be relegated to Div 2

Likes of Gort retained Div 2 and didn't get relegated (benefit) Lisburn and the likes would be in junior A so it benefits those clubs around that level to have the current structures because they get to play a higher grade albeit weaker comp.

The clubs see the structures as a benefit to them
Your seeing it from a different perspective and not as a club

So do you think your own club would accept a drop to 'Junior A' as they are in the same boat as Lisburn & Gorts ?

[SoloAndGo]

MR2 exactly clubs voted for this because it benefits them

Now Solo and Go what your talking about is football quality and benefiting football in the county.

Don't confuse it with preparation for championship etc

16 teams get to call themselves Division 1 senior teams. (Ego benefit)

Your Cargins/Ports/Brides etc don't care because it doesn't impact them that much

Rossa/stjohns/TNN and any team hanging around 8 or lower want 16 teams because if they didn't have it there's a high chance they'd be relegated to Div 2

Likes of Gort retained Div 2 and didn't get relegated (benefit) Lisburn and the likes would be in junior A so it benefits those clubs around that level to have the current structures because they get to play a higher grade albeit weaker comp.

The clubs see the structures as a benefit to them
Your seeing it from a different perspective and not as a club

They voted for the change. It hasn't worked. Would those clubs still vote for it now. Do you think TNN, Rossa, MG, Sars etc want to win a handful of games just to say they are 'Division 1 team'. Not a single player in any of those teams is happy to be beat week in week out but are satisfied because they play 'div 1'. If I was a player who won 1 match all year and was in division 1 id be absolutely scundered to say that.

But I get the status thing. And the simply solution is 1a and 1b. You still play division 1 football. I bet you MG and Sarsfields would bite your hand off to play 1b rather than a 16 team div 1.

And what I'm really saying is, yes in turn it would benefit the county. But I'm talking about individual players and teams. Playing a structure like that improves everyone. Laughable to suggest otherwise.

[Milltown Row2]

MR2 exactly clubs voted for this because it benefits them

Now Solo and Go what your talking about is football quality and benefiting football in the county.

Don't confuse it with preparation for championship etc

16 teams get to call themselves Division 1 senior teams. (Ego benefit)

Your Cargins/Ports/Brides etc don't care because it doesn't impact them that much

Rossa/stjohns/TNN and any team hanging around 8 or lower want 16 teams because if they didn't have it there's a high chance they'd be relegated to Div 2

Likes of Gort retained Div 2 and didn't get relegated (benefit) Lisburn and the likes would be in junior A so it benefits those clubs around that level to have the current structures because they get to play a higher grade albeit weaker comp.

The clubs see the structures as a benefit to them
Your seeing it from a different perspective and not as a club

They voted for the change. It hasn't worked. Would those clubs still vote for it now. Do you think TNN, Rossa, MG, Sars etc want to win a handful of games just to say they are 'Division 1 team'. Not a single player in any of those teams is happy to be beat week in week out but are satisfied because they play 'div 1'. If I was a player who won 1 match all year and was in division 1 id be absolutely scundered to say that.

But I get the status thing. And the simply solution is 1a and 1b. You still play division 1 football. I bet you MG and Sarsfields would bite your hand off to play 1b rather than a 16 team div 1.

And what I'm really saying is, yes in turn it would benefit the county. But I'm talking about individual players and teams. Playing a structure like that improves everyone. Laughable to suggest otherwise.

Not sure what club you are but you really need to take a look at your committee, as they have more than likely voted it, has there been a motion to change it? If not it's laughable that your club is complicit along with others..

Short story, went to agm one year and they were talking ref's, as a player still I was giving off about the standard, club sec pulled me I. Front of the floor and challenged me to make a difference...

Not sure I did but, instead of talking about it, get involved, change from within

[SoloAndGo]

It really doesn't matter who voted for it as it changed a number of years ago. The conversation is about what it should change to now and why. This is a thread that talks about Antrim football. I don't think for a second that I or anybody or anything discussed in this thread will make any decisions.

But it's a thread on Antrim football and this should be a hot topic of conservation here because current structure is so far off the mark.

Instead of 'get involved' or 'not gonna happen discussing it here'. Why not challenge or come up with better alternatives.

[Milltown Row2]

It really doesn't matter who voted for it as it changed a number of years ago. The conversation is about what it should change to now and why. This is a thread that talks about Antrim football. I don't think for a second that I or anybody or anything discussed in this thread will make any decisions.

But it's a thread on Antrim football and this should be a hot topic of conservation here because current structure is so far off the mark.

Instead of 'get involved' or 'not gonna happen discussing it here'. Why not challenge or come up with better alternatives.

There has been multiple attempts on this board with how it should/could look..

You can't challenge it here, but certainly it's been talked about, I'm not shutting it down at all, just that it's been discussed at length on here since the leagues were changed

[JimStynes]

Absolutely right nothing will change based on this thread. But worth the conversation imo to get people talking and bring it to club reps.

The county boys missing is not an issue. They still play half a season and if that's your excuse to get relegated to 1b then it's just an excuse. Cargin won 14/15, Creggan 12/15, St Brides 11/15 all last season whilst missing boys for half the year.

And to be honest, missing county players or tightly contested games that are the difference is a much better alternative than what we currently have. A fiercely contested league that probably any 8 teams could win makes the league certainly more meaningful and attractive to supporters.

In regards to supporters who's interested in Creggan beat St Paul's or Aghohill by 30 points. A 1a, 1b every single game worth a watch imo.

It is a massive issue for a club like Aghagallon. Last couple of seasons have been a shit show but in a normal year we have about 17/18 good quality players. When you're missing 5/6 of those with the county and then a couple injuries then you're down to the bare bones at the start of the season. Some clubs will be going full tilt trying to pick up points off teams early on in the league before county men get back. I just don't really see another way around it, the seasons overlap so you're always missing county players. Teams with the bigger numbers could nearly put out 2 teams that would compete in the early stages of Div 1 so missing a few county men doesn't affect them.  I would be in favour of a 1a and 1b and that is your senior championship. If that is not an option the drop it to 10 teams in Div 1. I definitely think 16 teams in Div 1 is far too many. If that means we drop to Div 2 then that's what it is.

[SoloAndGo]

Absolutely right nothing will change based on this thread. But worth the conversation imo to get people talking and bring it to club reps.

The county boys missing is not an issue. They still play half a season and if that's your excuse to get relegated to 1b then it's just an excuse. Cargin won 14/15, Creggan 12/15, St Brides 11/15 all last season whilst missing boys for half the year.

And to be honest, missing county players or tightly contested games that are the difference is a much better alternative than what we currently have. A fiercely contested league that probably any 8 teams could win makes the league certainly more meaningful and attractive to supporters.

In regards to supporters who's interested in Creggan beat St Paul's or Aghohill by 30 points. A 1a, 1b every single game worth a watch imo.

It is a massive issue for a club like Aghagallon. Last couple of seasons have been a shit show but in a normal year we have about 17/18 good quality players. When you're missing 5/6 of those with the county and then a couple injuries then you're down to the bare bones at the start of the season. Some clubs will be going full tilt trying to pick up points off teams early on in the league before county men get back. I just don't really see another way around it, the seasons overlap so you're always missing county players. Teams with the bigger numbers could nearly put out 2 teams that would compete in the early stages of Div 1 so missing a few county men doesn't affect them.  I would be in favour of a 1a and 1b and that is your senior championship. If that is not an option the drop it to 10 teams in Div 1. I definitely think 16 teams in Div 1 is far too many. If that means we drop to Div 2 then that's what it is.

Listen I get you would rather have county players. But you still have half a league to fulfil with them and if you aren't picking up enough wins to stay up then the issue is not missing your county boys. Every other team is in the same boat remember. 

But for the likes of yourselves then it's even more important there is a 1a, 1b structure. Yous would be 1b and without county players you should still be able to compete with all of the other clubs.

Armagh club structure is perfect for Antrim imo.

[JimStynes]

Absolutely right nothing will change based on this thread. But worth the conversation imo to get people talking and bring it to club reps.

The county boys missing is not an issue. They still play half a season and if that's your excuse to get relegated to 1b then it's just an excuse. Cargin won 14/15, Creggan 12/15, St Brides 11/15 all last season whilst missing boys for half the year.

And to be honest, missing county players or tightly contested games that are the difference is a much better alternative than what we currently have. A fiercely contested league that probably any 8 teams could win makes the league certainly more meaningful and attractive to supporters.

In regards to supporters who's interested in Creggan beat St Paul's or Aghohill by 30 points. A 1a, 1b every single game worth a watch imo.

It is a massive issue for a club like Aghagallon. Last couple of seasons have been a shit show but in a normal year we have about 17/18 good quality players. When you're missing 5/6 of those with the county and then a couple injuries then you're down to the bare bones at the start of the season. Some clubs will be going full tilt trying to pick up points off teams early on in the league before county men get back. I just don't really see another way around it, the seasons overlap so you're always missing county players. Teams with the bigger numbers could nearly put out 2 teams that would compete in the early stages of Div 1 so missing a few county men doesn't affect them.  I would be in favour of a 1a and 1b and that is your senior championship. If that is not an option the drop it to 10 teams in Div 1. I definitely think 16 teams in Div 1 is far too many. If that means we drop to Div 2 then that's what it is.

Listen I get you would rather have county players. But you still have half a league to fulfil with them and if you aren't picking up enough wins to stay up then the issue is not missing your county boys. Every other team is in the same boat remember. 

But for the likes of yourselves then it's even more important there is a 1a, 1b structure. Yous would be 1b and without county players you should still be able to compete with all of the other clubs.

Armagh club structure is perfect for Antrim imo.

But they're not. As I said some teams with no county players are picking up wins early on. Then the bigger teams that have 40 senior players are able to get through a league until their main 2 or 3 players are back (that is if they aren't injured from county). But as I said, the seasons overlap and I don't know how it gets sorted.

I agree with you regarding Armagh's setup and I think it would be better but their Div 1a is as meaningless as Antrim's. They also have a greater amount of teams who are competitive. Armagh also has a number of 2nd teams playing throughout the divisions which helps prop up the quality of the leagues. Clann Eireann 2nd team weren't too far away from winning the intermediate after winning the junior a few years ago. I heard the other day though that a motion has been passed to not allow second teams play in the leagues so it will be interesting how that affects things.

[SoloAndGo]

Absolutely right nothing will change based on this thread. But worth the conversation imo to get people talking and bring it to club reps.

The county boys missing is not an issue. They still play half a season and if that's your excuse to get relegated to 1b then it's just an excuse. Cargin won 14/15, Creggan 12/15, St Brides 11/15 all last season whilst missing boys for half the year.

And to be honest, missing county players or tightly contested games that are the difference is a much better alternative than what we currently have. A fiercely contested league that probably any 8 teams could win makes the league certainly more meaningful and attractive to supporters.

In regards to supporters who's interested in Creggan beat St Paul's or Aghohill by 30 points. A 1a, 1b every single game worth a watch imo.

It is a massive issue for a club like Aghagallon. Last couple of seasons have been a shit show but in a normal year we have about 17/18 good quality players. When you're missing 5/6 of those with the county and then a couple injuries then you're down to the bare bones at the start of the season. Some clubs will be going full tilt trying to pick up points off teams early on in the league before county men get back. I just don't really see another way around it, the seasons overlap so you're always missing county players. Teams with the bigger numbers could nearly put out 2 teams that would compete in the early stages of Div 1 so missing a few county men doesn't affect them.  I would be in favour of a 1a and 1b and that is your senior championship. If that is not an option the drop it to 10 teams in Div 1. I definitely think 16 teams in Div 1 is far too many. If that means we drop to Div 2 then that's what it is.

Listen I get you would rather have county players. But you still have half a league to fulfil with them and if you aren't picking up enough wins to stay up then the issue is not missing your county boys. Every other team is in the same boat remember. 

But for the likes of yourselves then it's even more important there is a 1a, 1b structure. Yous would be 1b and without county players you should still be able to compete with all of the other clubs.

Armagh club structure is perfect for Antrim imo.

But they're not. As I said some teams with no county players are picking up wins early on. Then the bigger teams that have 40 senior players are able to get through a league until their main 2 or 3 players are back (that is if they aren't injured from county). But as I said, the seasons overlap and I don't know how it gets sorted.

I agree with you regarding Armagh's setup and I think it would be better but their Div 1a is as meaningless as Antrim's. They also have a greater amount of teams who are competitive. Armagh also has a number of 2nd teams playing throughout the divisions which helps prop up the quality of the leagues. Clann Eireann 2nd team weren't too far away from winning the intermediate after winning the junior a few years ago. I heard the other day though that a motion has been passed to not allow second teams play in the leagues so it will be interesting how that affects things.

Rossa, St Pauls, St. Johns, TNN, Sarsfields, MG, Glenravel. All very mediocre teams with county players. Thats half the league. I understanding having them improves your team, but there are plenty of games with them and even without that are winnable.

Why do you think Armagh 1a is meaningless? I would disagree. The team that finished 3rd won their championship. They do have a greater amount of teams who are competitive. And another reason why our leagues should be split. The amount of meaningless games in Div 1 and Div 2 in Antrim is mad. Sarsfields won Div 2 and the only difficult games they had were both against MG.