09 July 2009
Congratulations to both Michael Mc Cann and to Terry O’Neill. They have in turn been selected to receive the Vodafone Player of the month and the Quinn Insurance / Ulster Gaa Writers Association Award for the month of June. Both players are very worthy winners and accordingly everyone should be absolutely delighted for them.
Such Awards are greatly coveted and will undoubtedly add further fuel to the prevailing ‘feel good factor’, not only to the recipients but also to their families and to all associated with them. All of the Antrim panel have every right to feel justifiably proud of their collective achievements to date.
This might be a good time to convey the thanks and appreciation of the Antrim County Board, to these lads and to their able back-up team, who have achieved so much in such a relatively short period of time. These prestigious awards reflect well upon everyone involved or associated with Antrim Gaa.
Last night saw a well attended 'Press night' at Creggan Kickams GAC. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to stop and informally chat amicably to almost anyone and everyone, about arguably the most talked about topic of the moment; that of the evolving success story within Ulster Senior Football. The Ulster GAA writers Association have fondly referred the phenomenon as this year’s ‘’Fairytale of the Ulster Senior Football Championship’’. Antrim Senior Footballers have in effect taken the Gaa world by surprise in 2009.
Honed, almost to perfection, by inordinate and sustained personal effort, under the guidance and direction of a dedicated and capable Manager, Liam Bradley and his equally capable and dedicated back-up team, Antrim Senior Football Panel are and were again last night, a sheer delight to watch in training.; they worked methodically, systematically and at times furiously on this beautiful Summer evening.
With a couple of exceptions these lads are very young, many are in the prime of their sporting life; they stand tall and muscular, as a panel and are unquestionably and visibly athletic; what a fitting reward this must be for the ‘oul hands,’ who must always have hoped but in truth never dared to have dreamed of seeing this day come, so ‘out of the blue’ as it were. What these lads have already achieved, in the space of the last six months, is absolutely outstanding and worthy of lasting credit to all concerned.
Antrim Senior Football Team is making history; what if they should prevail against Tyrone on the 19th of July? I say guardedly, should they prevail, because they are sufficiently level headed and well tutored, as to take nothing for granted. But in equal measure they know that with a fair wind they can and will defeat Tyrone on the day. To underestimate these lads, in their present and unquestionably fit and fired up state, would be simply reckless. These lads are certainly fired up and want this win.
The spin-off benefits are tangible but yet again paradoxically, all but unquantifiable and the sight of so many happy children in Antrim Tops, is a sign that all is well again, in a county that has for so long been struggling, in terms of its capacity for generating enthusiasm for Gaa. What ever is to follow from here, we certainly have been gifted yet another opportunity, to raise the spirits of all Antrim Gaels, whilst simultaneously we have been given invaluable material to provide a lasting source of inspiration to our children and grandchildren. These really are good days to be an Antrim Gael. Join in the fan-fare and encourage others to do likewise.
Regards,
Lawrence Smyth County PRO.
