24 January 2010
The battle against Queens University was another test of stamina for a depleted Antrim senior football team, in Casement Park today. However, once again, after yet another slow start, Antrim rallied and dug deep enough to find the will to win out on the day. The Dr Mc Kenna Cup, sponsored by Barrett sports Lighting, Omagh, has by default, served valuable opportunity to the Antrim Manager and his team to test and try new blood for the forthcoming season.
A win is what goes on the record and sweeter still when achieved against the odds, in prevailing circumstances where all too many of our regular panel players are already committed elsewhere. Absentees include the St Galls contingent and opposing University players today, Justin Crozier and Declan O’Hagan, [QUB,] Tomas Mc Cann, Dermot Mc Cann and Daryl Mc Alernon,[University of Ulster Jordanstown] Kevin O’ Boyle, Michael Pollock and Kevin Niblock,[St Mary’s].
All in all however, Antrim now has significant talent at senior level and a saffron Jersey is no longer there simply for the lifting; nor is it likely to be easy to hold on to one either, given the new-found competitive edge that has now emerged within the county. In the matches against both Down and QUB however, there was plenty of evidence to suggest that it takes both time and effort to bring coordination, shape and cohesion to a county team. Slow starts often betray a lack of both experience and that all important self-belief but yet again the ability to make timely and otherwise crucial game–plan changes, so as to recover lost ground, is further evidence of good management working in combination with increased player determination.
What was notable today was the fact that seasoned Antrim players, stayed cool calm and collected on the ball and if anything increased their determination and stepped up their work rate, to respond to pressure, as this game progressed. There were times when some of the less experienced Antrim players were seemingly finding the going tough, against a fast and fired up QUB side. All too often Antrim seemed to be losing a lot of their shape; caught napping. For me it was the sheer tenacity of half backs James Loughry and Tony Scullion that helped provide inspiration for the combined effort of nine Antrim players, who managed to get on this score sheet.
When all is said and done the 2010 Dr Mc Kenna has provided some useful experience and also some trialling opportunities for Antrim senior football team management. It is early days and the next few weeks will see an intensification of training. What is important at this crucial point, in terms of the renaissance of Antrim Senior football, is that your county, our county, my county, has not suffered an ignominious defeat, in consequence of having had to start the 2010 season with the marked disadvantage of having so many key players committed elsewhere.
The 2010 League is about to kick off and we should be confident in the knowledge that at the core of Antrim senior football there now are some of the most disciplined and dedicated county players in Ulster and they have just been rigorously tested, by way of being separated by circumstance and put in differing situations where personal pride really is at stake. Combine this experience in turn with good management skills and increasing support: we have every reason to believe that Antrim senior football is now very much alive and on an upward curve, with both focus and energy.
Last but not Least congratulations to St Galls GAC, on their club hurling win yesterday; a club whose success at club level, both in football and in hurling, creates a degree of inevitable but albeit temporary conflict of interest, for the Antrim County Manager. As with the Dr Mc Kenna cup our senior team must now prepare to dig deep once again and hang in there with new found determination and tenacity, as until the ‘All Ireland Club’ competitions are completed – hopefully successfully for St Galls. This is a time when your support, as a justifiably proud Antrim Gael, is going to be needed and will really count.
Lawrence Smyth county PRO.
Antrim -- S McGreevy; A Douglas, P Doherty, C Maxwell; T Scullion, K McQuillan, J Loughery; R Boyd, G Walls; G O'Boyle, E O'Neill, B Herron; C Close, M McCann, M Magill. Subs: D Gault for A Douglas, P Carey for K McQuillan, P Cunningham for G Walls, K Brady for E O'Neill, N O'Connell for G O'Boyle.
QUB -- P Graham; B Martin, N McGovern, H Gallagher; B McAlary, D McBride, L O'Neill; J Kielt, S Barton; J Ireland, J Crozier, D O'Hagan; M Ward, M Hannick, G McAleese. Subs: B Cox for S Barton, N McShane for B McAlary.
Ref -- G Corrigan (Down).
