USFC Final Antrim v Tyrone Clones 19th July

[Orior]

Very dissappointed that there is not one Antrim flag in the Short Strand. Are they all Down people or soccer boys?

I did see an Armagh top a couple of months ago. The poor fella must have been lost.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Very dissappointed that there is not one Antrim flag in the Short Strand. Are they all Down people or soccer boys?

I did see an Armagh top a couple of months ago. The poor fella must have been lost.

Technically in Co Down...no club down there??  I suppose the nearest is St Malachy's in Markets/Lower Ormeau area??

[ONeill]

Some coverage in today's Irish News and Gaelic Life. Antrim would need to pull out a performance now.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Some coverage in today's Irish News and Gaelic Life. Antrim would need to pull out a performance now.

Do I detect virtual sweaty palms O'Neill?

[020304 Tir Eoghain]

Some coverage in today's Irish News and Gaelic Life. Antrim would need to pull out a performance now.

Whats Brolly's take on proceedings O'Neill?

[ONeill]

Some coverage in today's Irish News and Gaelic Life. Antrim would need to pull out a performance now.

Whats Brolly's take on proceedings O'Neill?

After he describes how Paddy Bradley is a genius, Eoin Bradley is a genius, Baker is a genius and has another dig at Cavanagh (his 3rd in 4 weeks), he reckons Tyrone will win.

Some coverage in today's Irish News and Gaelic Life. Antrim would need to pull out a performance now.

Do I detect virtual sweaty palms O'Neill?

Catch a grip of yourself. It'll be over at half time!

[EC Unique]

These teams are not even on the same planet. Tyrone will not be tested and will win by at least 10 points without engaging 3rd gear! Antrim will enjoy their day out and will have it in mind that they have another game anyway. They can get the Tyrone boys autographs after the game

[ziggysego]

I'd been cagey this last couple weeks, saying Tyrone will win, but not by much. However as Sunday approaches, I realise I'm basing that on some romanic notion about the Ulster Final and Antrim being sleeping giants. Maybe they are sleeping giants, but if they're like me after a long sleep, they'll be stretching and not right awake for a bit. Tyrone to win by 10+.

Antrim will learn a lot from the game and make it to the 1/4 quarter finals and give her a right old rattle next year.

[020304 Tir Eoghain]

I'd been cagey this last couple weeks, saying Tyrone will win, but not by much. However as Sunday approaches, I realise I'm basing that on some romanic notion about the Ulster Final and Antrim being sleeping giants. Maybe they are sleeping giants, but if they're like me after a long sleep, they'll be stretching and not right awake for a bit. Tyrone to win by 10+.

Antrim will learn a lot from the game and make it to the 1/4 quarter finals and give her a right old rattle next year.

A one point win will do rightly ziggy

[Orior]

I'd been cagey this last couple weeks, saying Tyrone will win, but not by much. However as Sunday approaches, I realise I'm basing that on some romanic notion about the Ulster Final and Antrim being sleeping giants. Maybe they are sleeping giants, but if they're like me after a long sleep, they'll be stretching and not right awake for a bit. Tyrone to win by 10+.

Antrim will learn a lot from the game and make it to the 1/4 quarter finals and give her a right old rattle next year.

A one point win will do rightly ziggy

No not at all. Aim for a 12 point win, but let it backfire and get beat by 3 points.

[C_Berg_316]

I'm going to say it'll be a draw.  And i might even stick a sneaky tenner on it at that - anyone seen the prices?

[saffron sam2]

Saturday 27th June 2009

"You spend your life waiting for a moment that just don't come.
Well don't waste your time waiting"

Bruce Springsteen – Badlands

The Boss, it would appear, like myself, occasionally gets things wrong.

Many people have asked how I felt when the final whistle went in Clones that balmy Saturday evening. A plethora of emotions ran through my mind and strangely none of them were elation. The immediate feeling was a hint of anti-climax; it was clear from half an hour out that the Cavan team didn't have the wherewithal to compete with the tigerish Saffrons. The anti-climax in turn gave way to feelings of pride at how this young Antrim team performed, followed by an intense sadness for the dead generations;  the men of '71 to '08 who never had the opportunity to grace Ulster final day – men whose fate was largely beyond their control. I pondered a while on the reasons for their failures – the Troubles, leading to murder, incarceration and intimidation; officials within the county who badly let Antrim Gaels down with their mismanagement; some of the players and management themselves; petty inter-nicene club feuding; the sausage roll bap; John Bannon; having to play teams with better players. This sadness gave way to a furious anger at those responsible for the demise of the once great Saffrons and the knowledge that some of the worst of the feckers would be sitting in the best seats, eating their Milky Bars, in Clones. And anger at twits like the boy who was supporting Donegal because some whackfuck hurling match was called off. And finally reality. Yes, we are in an Ulster final, but the reality remains it is more by accident than design. Not like the Dubs and their Leinster hurling final appearance. And the reality that we would be playing Tyrone, the team of the decade, the team of the millennium and we would most likely receive an almighty tanking. And more reality, a week later a last twelve appearance against possibly Kerry or Meath and the end of the journey. And the reality too, that like Springsteen, I didn't spend my life waiting for the moment that just don't come – so like any self-respecting Saffron Gael I had my holiday booked to coincide with the Ulster final. Can you get RTE in Ballyhornan?

And then, and only then, did the elation hit. Antrim were in the last 12 of this year's All-Ireland series. Anyone would have taken that in January. So to sate my elation I had a couple of glasses of a more than decent pinot noir.

Sunday 19th July 2009

"Until, on Vinegar Hill, the fatal conclave.
Terraced thousands died, shaking scythes at cannon."

Seamus Heaney- Requiem for the Croppies

There will be an unshakeable pride when Hands leads the Antrim senior football team in the pre-match parade, behind him marching in grim array, a stalwart, earnest band. It's great that we're there, but it is hard not to make the comparison between Baker's squad and Heaney's croppies.

I get the impression from many Tyrone folk, including one of the current squad, that 2009 is more important than even 2003 ever was. There is an appetite both for back to back All-Irelands and a front door win – it's almost as if they don't think most of their All-Irelands are real All-Irelands because they were won through the back door. That, coupled with a near full-strength team and an immensely strong squad (all their subs would make the Antrim team, but not the Derry team) fighting for places at the business end of the seasons means there isn't a mission of any sympathy for the Saffrons, no feet will be taken off the pedal. We could get hammered.

As for tactics, I don't see the point in playing Cruncher as a sweeper. Derry tried it in the semi-final and Tyrone ate and shit them. Now, if they can do that to Derry (a better team than Antrim – no Antrim man would make the Derry starting line-up. Apart from the McGoldricks who are only Derry men because the London companies wanted control of both sides of the Bann as it entered the sea.), they will do it against Antrim also. I think you have to go man for man against Tyrone and be prepared to sacrifice two men to mark the Dooher and Cavanagh. By man-marking I don't mean the sledging, nipping, testicle fondling beloved of the Bushmen; I mean having athletes who can compete physically, within the rules. I would propose Scud and Locky for these roles. If the £200 a night man lines out at midfield there has to be a change there also. Gaga and Skippy were immense against Cavan, but Skip doesn't have the engine to compete with Hub or Bung. I also think that Hughes' good form this year may have as much to do with the paucity of his opponents; I like the way Gaga has been talking the talk and walking the walk this year, he could get the better of Hughes. I would play Cruncher as a genuine half back, move Scud to Cavanagh and Skip to pick up McMahon.

I would love to have seen Red Dog start and hope that it's not too much pressure on the relatively untried Norton. The real gunner has proved to be a decent man marker this year and I would be fairly confident of him against Penrose. Fig has the strength and ability to work with O'Neill, but does chance his arm a wee bit with his tackling. Cruncher uses the ball well, but sometimes brings it into contact when he doesn't need to; Tyrone will destroy him if he does this against them.

Up front, it's hard to see Burke (who has only played two matches as the double F ever) get much change out of McMahon (current All-Star full back) or Hands get any change out of the questionable McMenamin. The bulk of expectation from the forwards will come from a rejuvenated forward gunner and the McCanns, but it's hard to see enough scores coming from this triumvirate. I would have been inclined to start Nibblecock, there is no point in holding anyone back as an impact sub – you have to hit Tyrone with everything for the first whistle.

Antrim need absolutely everything going in their favour to have a chance and I mean everything. Is there any chance that we could get a different county song for Sunday – one that isn't the "Green Glens Of Antrim"? Two reasons why I propose this. Firstly, there is no history of football in the Glens? Who was the last Glensman to play for the footballers? Granted, there is a crude variant of football played in Ballycastle (slightly less crude than their variation on hurling), but the "Glens" is as relevant to an Antrim footballer as "God Save The Queen" [of England] is.

Secondly, it is crap. Pure, unadulterated, maudlin, wrist-slitting dung. Tyrone are regaled with the tale of an outlawed man in a land forlorn who kept the cause freedom high on the mountains of Pomeroy – we get the gay honeysuckle luring the bee. The nonsense would be a long time putting fire in anyone's belly. Besides who ever wrote is not at all well travelled – if Cushendall is the one place that can outshine any other, I doubt if you've been a mile from the curfew tower, let alone far across yonder blue.

Replace it with Roddy McCorley. Any song that can move Meath men to bull cattle must have its merits, but there is more to it than that. Toomebridge is as hot a hot bed for football as there is in the county. The tragic tale of McCorley (the stout hearted underdog against the might of the hated yeomanry) has obvious parallels with Antrim's current task. If it is too late for the scouts to learn a new tune, get it on the boys' ipods and play it non-stop from now to 2:00pm on Sunday. And make sure it's a Tommy Makem version.

We won't win; we may not even get close. We will compete. Just make sure that this isn't a single swallow, a false dawn or a red herring. There must be no barley growing from the unmarked graves. What happens after the final is more important than what happens during it.

Aontroim abu.

Tyrone 3-17
Antrim 0-5

[A Quinn Martin Production]

These teams are not even on the same planet. Tyrone will not be tested and will win by at least 10 points without engaging 3rd gear! Antrim will enjoy their day out and will have it in mind that they have another game anyway. They can get the Tyrone boys autographs after the game

Sean's available for €100 or £90stg

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Gonna be logging off soon for the weekend.  Best of luck to the Saffrons.  Give it a lash, you can't do any better than your best and if it's not good enough, so be it.  If we play at 100% and Tyrone play at 75% it'll be close.  Looking forward to the occasion immensely.  I've backed Antrim but the head says Tyrone by 8 or 9 but we will still have a shot at making the quarters.

Despite some tongue in cheek jibes on this thread I'm a big fan of Tyrone as a football team as soon as Antrim are out of the Championship I'll be fully behind you for the AI.  Great team, great county and the Einstein of managers. I have been at all three of your AI wins and until Sunday the '03 final is the stand out sporting experience of my life.

Everyone come back safe!

[western exile]

A guide for Antrim bandwagon jumpers
July 09 2009

Diarmuid Ó Tuama

Now that Antrim are going so well in the football championship there are plenty in the county who have jumped on the bandwagon. This is common enough practise in other counties but we, that is members of the local GAA, are not used to it.

So being a friendly decent being may I offer the following advice to those who are preparing themselves to join long queues looking for tickets and to get into Antrim games from now to the end of the year.

a. Get rid of that soccer jersey that you wear all year. The auld crowd that follow Antrim are full of dinosaurs. It's hard enough for some of us to follow Gaelic football without having to look at Celtic, Man Utd , Arsenal or even Barcelona jerseys. Put the jersey in the bottom drawer until the winter.

b. Learn at least one Antrim song. For the English speakers that will be The Green Glens of Antrim. If you don't know it, and chances are you won't, you can find it on Youtube along with the Blue Hills of Antrim. If you are a fíorGhael you can impress your new friends with Ard Uí Chuain and Fear a' Bhata. We don't do Olé, Olé, Olé so don't bother.

c .Now listen very carefully to this one. It is very important. You will need an Antrim jersey. Be certain not to wear a brand new jersey. Sore thumb and all that. People will know right away that you are a bandwagon jumper. Maybe you have a friend, a cousin, an ex-girlfriend or an old uncle who may have an old jersey lying in some hiding place in the house. If there is an ancient Guinness stain on it so much the better. Don't clean it for it's a sign that that you formerly enjoyed following Antrim.

d. Learn the names of the players (this is a must). There is nothing our crowd hate more than one of your crowd asking us who is number 3 or what position does number 1 play. Shout out their names as follows: "Well done, Paddy," "Good save, Seán". And drop hints like "I was talking to Paddy Cunningham/Niall McKeever/ Sean McGreevy etc and he/they say we have a fair chance."

e. If you are not a member of a club, and you won't be, now is a great time to join. Quickly as possible now. Don't join Sarsfields or Lámh Dhearg though. They can smell chancers a mile away and will tell you in no uncertain terms where to go. Join a small club. They'll be glad of the money. Or if you think you are a yuppie join St. Bridget's. They'll give you a great welcome.

f. Learn a bit about the history of Antrim football. Nothing too deep mind you. Say you know/knew Frank Fitzimmons but you call him Junior. Say you played on the same minor team as Andy Óg McCallin. Say you were there the day Junior decked Joe Lennon in Casement. This will make you look very knowledgeable.

g. Lots of people will know you did not follow Antrim lately. No bother. You were busy raring a family. You were working in New York. Or down a mine in Australia. Pick one of these lies and stick with it.

h. Speak about Clones in 1970. Wasn't it a warm day? Explain that Derry were jammy that day. How did Aidan Hamill miss that penalty?

i. Mention the Under 21 team of 1969 that won the All-Ireland. Sure didn't you used to drink with half of them?

Now if you follow these simple rules you'll do fine. Did you take that soccer jersey off yet?

http://www.insideireland.ie/index.cfm/section/news/ext/diarmuid09072009/category/1110