SEAN McVeigh has paid tribute to Antrim’s out-going county board officers following Monday night’s dramatic coup by ‘Saffron Vision’.
While acknowledging the “freshness” the new county officers will bring to their respective roles in raising standards, McVeigh added the treatment they received from the previous county board was “second to none”.
“I don’t know many of the new county board members, apart from the new PRO Sean Kelly. I know he’s a great Antrim Gael and he’ll do a great job.
“In terms of the senior team, I have to say our county board – and I’m only speaking of the out-going one - have got a lot of stick recently.
“In terms of what they’ve provided the Antrim senior football team with, it was second to none.”
The All Saints midfielder added: “I read a few articles this week and last week about players from Munster highlighting that they’d been training for months and weren’t getting food after games.
“We get food after every gym session and pitch session. Anything we’ve wanted from the county board, we’ve got.
“I wouldn’t have many complaints about our county board.
“Having said that, this new ‘Saffron Vision’ has given the whole thing a bit of freshness and people are anxious to see change happening.
“New faces taking up the same challenges might come up with better rewards. So there’s a good feeling within the county and people have expectations and hopefully they’ll get fulfilled through Saffron Vision.”
'Saffron Vision' scooped six of the eight posts up for grabs in Dunsilly on Monday night, with St John’s clubman Collie Donnelly winning the chairmanship by a handsome majority ahead of vice-chair Joe Edwards.
Fellow ‘Saffron Vision’ members Malachy Delargy (vice-chair), Terry Reilly (assistant secretary), Pol Mac Cana (Treasurer), Philip Christie (Central Council delegate) and Alec McQuillan (Ulster delegate) all won posts at Monday night’s crunch convention.
Even in Antrim’s finest hour last summer, when they beat Laois in the All-Ireland Qualifiers, there was controversy surrounding the absence of CJ McGourty, Kieran McGourty and Conor Burke who were dropped because of a club hurling fixture being scheduled the night before.
Manager Frank Fitzsimons felt he’d no option but to leave the trio out of the Laois game.
“I think every team had problems like that before but I suppose it’s something that we need to work on,” said McVeigh.
“But things like getting expenses, I’ve never had an issue about getting them. We’re not badly off at all, I don’t think.”
McVeigh, who is a primary school-teacher, with is back training with the Antrim senior squad ahead of next season and couldn’t be more impressed with the new-look management team.
Frank Fitzsimons recruited former Antrim stalwart Gearoid Adams as joint boss, former midfielder Joe Quinn and new fitness trainer Brian Magee.
“We had one of the best strength and conditioning trainers in Mick McGurn last year and we now have a world-professional athlete [Brian Magee] training us this year.
“We have great facilities and we’re using Corrigan Park as our base, whereas last year we were using a couple of different places.”
“Now, we don’t have a home pitch because of Casement Park [being closed] and our own training facility as in Dunsilly. “As players, we can’t use that as excuses – but in terms of everything else I think it’s been very good.”
Antrim face Derry, Tyrone and Queen’s in next month’s Dr McKenna Cup before they mount another promotion assault to get out of Division Four.
“I feel genuinely fresh and excited about the year ahead. Brian [Magee] has had us one-to-one for a couple of months already and the training has been fantastic.
“And I think Gearoid has brought great respect to the role because he was an Antrim stalwart. He was with Antrim two or three years ago and all the players were very impressed by him.
“He treats you with great respect and Joe Quinn is in there too. So we’re surrounded by people who have been there, done it and are great Antrim Gaels.”
The Antrim players won’t be taking any time off over Christmas and even though McVeigh won’t make one of the upcoming training sessions, Magee will take the midfielder for a one-to-one session to make up for the collective training night he’ll miss.
“At this time of year you have to build your fitness but you also want to spend time with your family as well. Frank ‘Fitz’ understands that. As long as you get the sessions in he’s happy enough with that.
“For example, we have our Christmas nativity play coming up so I can’t make training that night, but Brian will take me for a session outside of that, so you never miss a session.”
Antrim open their McKenna Cup account against Derry at Owenbeg on January 3.
