Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

If ever there was a case for our county board getting real on division 1 and championship grading today was it.   That moneyglass result was an embarrassment to us all but its not their fault as our intermediate standard is other county's junior standard

I'm not saying this out of any spite whatsoever but I did have a discussion with someone watching the game and we agreed that Moneyglass might have beat one team in Derry's Intermediate championship.

As has been our record for many many years..

The level below our top teams isn't great, Endas got to one club final (they were division one club team at the time) and Dunloy funny enough a long time ago

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Our top teams are scrap also.

[Around the glens]

Maybe I'm biased but didn't feel it was a 6 point game. Small margins. Took a while to get going with the breeze. Newbridge are good outfit too.

[BigGreenField]

Maybe I'm biased but didn't feel it was a 6 point game. Small margins. Took a while to get going with the breeze. Newbridge are good outfit too.

Newbridge closed it out well,  a couple of moments was the game.

[delgany]

Maybe Antrim Board should seek to enter SFC winners into Ulster IFC by comparable standards, I'd say that would be an accurate reflection !

[SaffronSports]

The Newbridge forwards put the Dunloy backs under serious pressure when they were trying to work their way out in the second half which was ultimately the difference between the sides. Good game to watch tbf, both teams played at a serious tempo.

[Hectic]

The answer still lies in reducing the number of clubs on the city (albeit people won't agree)

Remove the senior argument for one min
 that's a different story

Assume for one second this was to play out:

Two clubs amalgamate (just like the schools)
You have one less pitch
30 kids instead of 15
Two sets of coaches at the one session
More numbers
More fun
More quality across the levels (ie instead of having 3 outstanding players you'd have 6 and likewise instead of having 3 who are not as developed you'd have 6) 

If we think the amalgamation at schools beneficial to city games......

I'd amalgamate clubs at underage all over the place.

Aim for squads of 60+ and stream into A, B and C teams.

Pooling coaches and other resources.

Of course would never get the buy in from the characters at every club who would go to war for their own badge and burn everything of any value in the process.

But that's how you get closer to top end development (players, teams and leagues) while also catering very well for the more recreational types.

[Christmas Lights]

If ever there was a case for our county board getting real on division 1 and championship grading today was it.   That moneyglass result was an embarrassment to us all but its not their fault as our intermediate standard is other county's junior standard

I agree totally, I've said this before but I'd go;

Make 4 leagues, division 1, division 2, division 3A and division 3B

D1 plays senior championship
D2 plays intermediate championship
D3A & 3B plays junior championship

Winners of championship get promoted with league winners

Bottom 2 in league are relegated.

34 clubs.
11 in D1,
11 in D2,
6 in 3A & 6 in 3B.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

The answer still lies in reducing the number of clubs on the city (albeit people won't agree)

Remove the senior argument for one min
 that's a different story

Assume for one second this was to play out:

Two clubs amalgamate (just like the schools)
You have one less pitch
30 kids instead of 15
Two sets of coaches at the one session
More numbers
More fun
More quality across the levels (ie instead of having 3 outstanding players you'd have 6 and likewise instead of having 3 who are not as developed you'd have 6) 

If we think the amalgamation at schools beneficial to city games......

I'd amalgamate clubs at underage all over the place.

Aim for squads of 60+ and stream into A, B and C teams.

Pooling coaches and other resources.

Of course would never get the buy in from the characters at every club who would go to war for their own badge and burn everything of any value in the process.

But that's how you get closer to top end development (players, teams and leagues) while also catering very well for the more recreational types.

Of course they could argue that the amalgamation model and the scrapping of club identity, history and tradition is indeed burning everything of value. In order to win a cup.

We could just do away with the clubs and have one big Antrim development squad. We'd be class then.

[thegladiator]

Paddies have been around for 119 years with many ups and downs. Amalgamation with rossa/ St Paul's? For what? A feint hope that in 20/30/40 years Antrim win an all Ireland.  No thanks. How about growing, developing, nurturing the clubs to grow and prosper, not destroying them? Radical. I think St Paul's and rossa people would feel the same. If these 3 clubs were  struggling  for numbers and in danger of folding, it would make sense, but none of them are. History, tradition & identity are very important to us all and I would think merging clubs would be detrimental to overall participation numbers, which benefits nobody.

[imtommygunn]

That's a great result for moneyglass ladies.

[ck]

Hard luck to Dunloy. Did themselves proud. Will any of them get a county call up or will hurlers take them all?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Hard luck to Dunloy. Did themselves proud. Will any of them get a county call up or will hurlers take them all?

Could be a few on the list. Id imagine Smyth will go. Rest of the standout footballers are county hurlers. Ryan McGarry didn't feature much for Davy could he swap codes/is he at that level. Cunning at corner back has been very impressive throughout

[ck]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

Reece