re;eyesontheprize
im not clued in at all im just stating my opinion just like you,thats what these sites r full off peoples opinions, whos r right and whos r wrong ? who knows.
Has there ever been a management team that has picked 25 players that have pleased all clubs,supporters family and friends ? i dont think so and there never will be.The guys have selected their panel y not just wish them luck

2010timetoplay (Antrim) - Posts: 9 - 10/12/2009 17:30:52    509927

Good to see the players getting picked on performances at trials and commitment to the cause, rather than on reputations.

johnanthony (Antrim) - Posts: 169 - 10/12/2009 18:00:05    509962

this is a gud squad i think, plenti of gud talent in it.. bt i cant believe someone is serious about avein declan lynch n the u21 panel wen he's 1st year minor u hafta be jokin.. mc guinness on the other hand i think wud be a gud enough pick for the panel..

mackers53 (Antrim) - Posts: 19 - 10/12/2009 18:13:44    509977

Niall mcalea maybe should have been picked but the half back line and half forward line is very very strong and he just didnt make it! but i do think you are right about lockies. althought i dont think everyone is against sarsfields, why are they acting like the whole worlds against them. aldergrove dont exactly have the most favourable record with the county but yet they have 4 players. i think bam should be on the team he was really good for us all year and can destroy any fullback line but i heard he only went to one trial, and brian mcquillan is from aldergrove and is a forward i think. against davitts he apparently destroyed them twice work with a few boys from davitts, he was key to thier promotion.

antrimgael (Antrim) - Posts: 44 - 10/12/2009 19:28:05    510098

Brian Neeson is definately under 21. I dont know if he attended the trials or not but if he did and he didnt get picked its absolutely laughable.Hes easily the best under 21 forward in the county. Spoke to a Glenavy man and he says people will be suprised about the quality of both Burke and Mc Quillan of Aldergrove.

2taltohill.2000 (Antrim) - Posts: 104 - 10/12/2009 22:44:19    510352

if brian neeson is indeed under21 yet not on these panel then it is an absolute farce , he is a serious player and easily the best forward in the county thats in and around the age of 21

cecil (Antrim) - Posts: 128 - 10/12/2009 23:45:04    510411

anyone a tissue for those who didnt make it??

opposition (Antrim) - Posts: 41 - 10/12/2009 23:51:34    510422

opposition

will anyone have a tissue for those who'll be scratching theyre heads next spring if we get beat and wondering why?
all that people are stating is that they believe that is not the strongest panel there could have been - no crime in that.

cecil (Antrim) - Posts: 128 - 10/12/2009 23:59:15    510428

i dont understand why there is so much fuss being made over 4 or 5 players. do we not trust baker? suppose getting antrim to the ulster final means you dont have a clue does it??? in response to kdog15 i dont know what you're talking about in terms of experience when i can see 5 boys who captained their school at maclarnon level and 5 who have played in the macrory for 2 years!!

country_man_11 (Antrim) - Posts: 17 - 11/12/2009 12:31:03    510709

re country man 11

what people are querying here is that if these lads were judged on performances on the pitch or from which club they represent. lockies attended 3 trials but was unable to play in one due to injury.in those im sure he did enough to get in squad of 25!!!michael armstrong only attended 2 yet was picked.not sure how many thomas mccann went to yet was picked.ask anyone who played against him this yr and im sure all would say he was one of the best players in div 2 this year.mcalea and fitz should have been shoe ins aswell.

eyesontheprize (Antrim) - Posts: 37 - 11/12/2009 13:17:50    510758

Sarsfields men, move on! If these boys are as good as you suggest then they will go and show it for their clubs this year and make then panel next year. Also, I'm sure if they are showing good form whilst the team is still I competition, then Baker will have no hesitation in calling them into the panel. Lots of clubs there have no players, but at the end of the day, they can still represent their clubs, that's what the GAA is all about, not being an inter-county star.

The_facts (Antrim) - Posts: 130 - 11/12/2009 14:49:31    510880

re the facts

there must be something in if the sarsfields men feel so aggrieved.there was an avarage of 28 players who attended each trial and panel of 25 was picked.3 sarsfields men went to all 4 trials and one went to 3 trials.if one of the lads had been picked then maybe the others didnt play well but for all 3 not to get a look in smacks of personal umbridge.by the way the reason loghran didnt attend last trial was due to work commitments.2 trials were cancelled which he had got of work for and was unable to do it a third time.not sure these lads would want to be back next yr.

eyesontheprize (Antrim) - Posts: 37 - 11/12/2009 15:53:43    510942

I don't think the agenda here is anti-sarsfields, but anti-city. It appears Sarsfields were just the city club to take the fall. It appears Baker didn't want to many belfast clubs to feature in the team. Doesnt surprise me these boys were left out, all class acts. So far I read neeson, loughran, fitzpatrick and mcalea are the notable absentees. All city men, there is not one notable absentee from the country. Well at the end of the day it will be the country ones who put antrim out in the championship,as usual the city boys have offered their hand in help and been rejected. Just the same story of Antrim as far bck as I can remember anyway nothing new here. And people wonder why we are so bad...

flankie (Antrim) - Posts: 281 - 11/12/2009 16:11:52    510966

Not a bad team, no where near as strong as last years though

tits.magee (Antrim) - Posts: 57 - 11/12/2009 17:47:36    511104

flankie are you kidding me?? the problem antrim had in the past was over realiance on the city. city men getting on the county just because they played for the big names, st johns, st pauls, rossa and country players of better quality not gettin a look in because their face didnt fit! thankfully now this has gone and is it not ironic that antrim have had their best season in living memory with a team of approximately half city and half country! with the exceptoion of rossa there can be no argument that over the past 2 or 3 years the SW has had the better minor teams and i think this is reflected in the squad picked!

country_man_11 (Antrim) - Posts: 17 - 11/12/2009 18:36:51    511175

response to saffron1916
McGrady started every minor football game last year for the county. played at wing half forward in the league and was top scorer for the team during that competition. had a bad day against donegal fair enough, but no need to knock him for this. he scored 2points in the first trial, four in the 2nd at white hill and 5 or 6 in the final trial at creggan. Also if anyone remembers the bulk of this under21 team wer on the minor side that managed to score only 3points in a championship game against derry in 2007.

antrimminor09 (Antrim) - Posts: 1 - 11/12/2009 19:07:12    511214

re countyman11

i think you will find in minor championship 08 sarsfields beat creggan(4 men on panel) and cargin(4 men on panel) on their way to the final.loughran mcalea fitz and carson all members of that team.i think you will also find that yr the semi final had 3 city teams yet only 6 city men on panel.I would say had sarfields the facilities of creggan and offered those services to the county a few of the boys would have been selected!!!!!

eyesontheprize (Antrim) - Posts: 37 - 12/12/2009 14:56:20    511831

re countyman11

i think you will find in minor championship 08 sarsfields beat creggan(4 men on panel) and cargin(4 men on panel) on their way to the final.loughran mcalea fitz and carson all members of that team.i think you will also find that yr the semi final had 3 city teams yet only 6 city men on panel.I would say had sarfields the facilities of creggan and offered those services to the county a few of the boys would have been selected!!!!!

eyesontheprize (Antrim) - Posts: 37 - 12/12/2009 14:56:21    511833

Now I know why I haven't been on Hoganstand in so long. Why is it every year the county select teams and people decide to moan bout it all year? The management have obviously picked what they "believe" to be their best set of lads. I don't know all the lads on the panel but there are still many talented players amongst that bunch. Just accept the team thats been picked n see how they get on! Best of luck lads Saffrons Abú

antrimabu (Antrim) - Posts: 3 - 12/12/2009 16:37:28    511879

RE; eyesontheprize
First the county were blackballing your players because of the Paddy Cunningham incident.
Now its because your club hasnt as good a facility as creggan.
i wonder what excuse is next.
maybe cargin and creggan players have progressed and developed more as players over the last two years than your sarsfields players, they play a higher standard of football at their clubs so its quite possible they will have improved.Would you not agree that this could be the case.

2010timetoplay (Antrim) - Posts: 9 - 12/12/2009 17:37:41    511926