Antrim Football Thread

[Níl a fhios agam]

Tonight's predictions

* County Football Champs v County Hurling Champs = Dunloy +7 -  Dunloy to start ramping up for cship.

* Prawn Sandwich Brigade v Lurgan Rejects = DRAW / BIDDIES +1 - seamus downey to start a row outside wire

* AP's Donkeys v Rock Bottom = Moneyglass +5 - Thats how bad TNN are

* Bear Tits v Flemings Army = DRAW/ Rossa to sneak it

* Baker Bank v Posh Swamp men = Creggan +5 - Will be feisty after All Saints recent victory and stewart firing now

* Worst team on Shaws Rd v Cant buy a C'Ship - Casements +3 - Expect a bounce back from McGleenans men, however wouldnt be surprised if Pauls turned them over

* City Mountain Men v Swamp Men - Cargin +5 - Wouldnt be surprised if game got abandoned after last fixture up there. Burns not the man to keep a lid on this game

* Milltown Rows Men v Midge Eaters - Galls +14

[inabsentia]

Having a look at div2. Endas looking a decent bet for champo going off league form. Any other team be there or thereabouts for that?

[Round or stuffed]

St. Enda are very competent at this level and with Eastwood back, have a marquee forward for the division too. the other contenders I'm not sure about, Glenavy have flattered to deceive, but have the big Gallagher to come back after his ban from last years championship, Aghoghill and Aldergrove are hit and miss and not sure if they have anything left to pull from the deck, Teresa's look aging but that's been said for a number of years, then the likes of Davitts and Gort na Mona are very inconsistent. the way the groups have been drawing, I would say its 2 of Aldergrove, Teresas or Gort coming out of one, and Endas, with Glenavy or Aghoghill coming from the other, after that, in a semi final, anything can happen

[HTownlad]

The loss of key players have killed us for the past 3 years. Getting more players back and getting a few younger lads in has been off huge benefit

I think we are of a higher standard than Division 2. We are playing some great football this year. I hope we can win the championship this year but you know yourselves, championships don't always work out as planned.

[Christmas Lights]

St Endas miles ahead of the pack in D2. Can't see them not winning the championship, don't think anyone else is good enough to beat them in a championship match. 

[belfastsaff]

The loss of key players have killed us for the past 3 years. Getting more players back and getting a few younger lads in has been off huge benefit

I think we are of a higher standard than Division 2. We are playing some great football this year. I hope we can win the championship this year but you know yourselves, championships don't always work out as planned.

Wouldn't get ahead of yourself division 2 is division 3 in old money.

[inabsentia]

The loss of key players have killed us for the past 3 years. Getting more players back and getting a few younger lads in has been off huge benefit

I think we are of a higher standard than Division 2. We are playing some great football this year. I hope we can win the championship this year but you know yourselves, championships don't always work out as planned.

Wouldn't get ahead of yourself division 2 is division 3 in old money.

Div 1 = 16
Div 2 = 10
Div 3 = 8

So if you're top of div 2, you're just in the top half of clubs in Antrim

Absolute farce of divisioning

[playwiththewind1st]

It certainly is.

I think we should definitely try a 34 club Division 1 structure for a while & see how it goes.

[Caesar]

It certainly is.

I think we should definitely try a 34 club Division 1 structure for a while & see how it goes.

18 Div 2/3 clubs outnumber the 16 in Div 1. Throw in the hurling clubs who couldn't care less but still get a vote and that motion has a chance

[HTownlad]

You can only play the hand as it's dealt and that means it doesn't matter about old money. It is what it is now.

Now I wasn't involved in anything previous but at the end of the day, why would those who voted for the change in divisions now look to change it again?

I know there's talk of 1A &1B next year but are your Rossas/St Johns/Dunloy going to vote to bring their team down a division?

[thegladiator]

You can only play the hand as it's dealt and that means it doesn't matter about old money. It is what it is now.

Now I wasn't involved in anything previous but at the end of the day, why would those who voted for the change in divisions now look to change it again?

I know there's talk of 1A &1B next year but are your Rossas/St Johns/Dunloy going to vote to bring their team down a division?

It might not bother them too much if they can still play senior championship, after all the leagues are pretty pointless aside from for the 4 at the bottom in relegation playoffs. As always, it can depend on who is in the relegation spots. We have recent history of favourable restructuring just when the county chairman and his vice chairman's club are due for the drop after all which brought us to where we are now.

[Christmas Lights]

4 divisions

11 x teams D1
11 x teams D2
6 x teams D3
6 x teams D3A

D1 play senior championship
D2 play intermediate championship
D3 and D3A play junior championship

Junior football at the moment is very weak so would need split. These 4 divisions would be very competitive I feel. 

May Take a year or two for clubs to find their level but so be it.

A 16 team D1 for a 34 team county is a farce. Makes a mockery of intermediate and junior leagues.

[bannside]

12, 12 and 10 would be better.

Last 4 go into relegation play offs from divisions one and two.

Would leave every match very competitive.

Top two straight into a league final.

One up and one down.

Top 4 in league get graded for following years cship...makes league games more meaningful.

Only 11 games in Div 1 and 2 means start a six weeks later and clubs get county players back six weeks earlier.

Bit longer winter break for amateur players.

County under 20s not under as much pressure to line out for clubs in Feb/March....should increase player availability to county under 20 squad instead of players being influenced to stay and fight for their club senior jersey.

[thegladiator]

Disagree with the longer winter break for amateur players part, the leagues will be wrapped up by early july,championship round robin in august (3 games),by mid September we'll  likely  have 12 teams in the semi finals of championship (4 each in senior, inter and junior) and 22 teams not having a game until april/ may of the next year going by the above. So the majority of teams will play 3 games in 8 or 9 months from july before the next season starts. I don't think that will encourage players to make our games their priority when they can play soccer,rugby or whatever sport and get 25/ 30 regular games a season from September to may. For me, our season is too compressed and our leagues should also run on after championship finishes.

[HTownlad]

12, 12 and 10 would be better.

Last 4 go into relegation play offs from divisions one and two.

Would leave every match very competitive.

Top two straight into a league final.

One up and one down.

Top 4 in league get graded for following years cship...makes league games more meaningful.

Only 11 games in Div 1 and 2 means start a six weeks later and clubs get county players back six weeks earlier.

Bit longer winter break for amateur players.

County under 20s not under as much pressure to line out for clubs in Feb/March....should increase player availability to county under 20 squad instead of players being influenced to stay and fight for their club senior jersey.

12 is high even looking at the tables just now the max I think would be 10

10 across Div 1 senior CShip
12 Div 2 Inter
12 Div 3 but split into 6 junior A and 6 junior B championship

Wouldn't have the relegation tussles either
Bottom two down top two up

If the inter/junior winners of championship don't get promoted in the league then the second place team stays in that Divison and they are bunny hoped by the championship winners and they move up in both league and cship.

Does anyone else feel the leagues are very long