Messages

Some strange faces on the antrim hurling panel yesterday
Hard to gett boys out at this time of year but still thought we'd have more
Hard to get boys though when continually Antrim management has taken boys
In who haven't trained with panel about march and April time
Hopefully CDall will provide about 7/8 after all Ireland run

Cushendall have been providing 6/7 players for the county going back a good number of years. If we want to move forward it's high time Dunloy and Loughgiel were providing a similar number.

So thats that then, might as well pack it in, instead of getting a manager and a panel together. Will save the county a fortune

Jesus MR2 settle down. I'm just suggesting that perhaps given form over recent years we should maybe be realistic in our expectations. Am I wrong to suggest that promotion without 4/5 of our best players is a long shot?

Settle down? You're the one that came on and dismissed the campaign before it even started!

Let's see would be my view.. at this level it's hardly a long shot, just because we are missing players due to club championship. we generally missed players every year due club commitments..

I genuinely hope we get promoted but we are trying to do it with one hand tied behind our backs.

So thats that then, might as well pack it in, instead of getting a manager and a panel together. Will save the county a fortune

Jesus MR2 settle down. I'm just suggesting that perhaps given form over recent years we should maybe be realistic in our expectations. Am I wrong to suggest that promotion without 4/5 of our best players is a long shot? 

Allianz Hurling League fixtures confirmed. Seems Cushendall be our home venue this season

Sat 26th Jan Home vs Kerry @Cushendall 2pm
Sun 3rd Feb Away vs Meath @Navan 2pm
Sat 16th Feb Home vs Westmeath @Cushendall 2pm
Sun 24th Feb Away vs Mayo @Ballina 2pm
Sun 3rd March Home vs London @Cushendall 1pm

At least we have Westmeath at home

Should come up straight out of that alright.
Kerry and Westmeath at home are the only two to really concern you.

We couldn't beat Kerry or Westmeath with a full team last year. Missing Cushendall players for minimum of 3 games and if we get to the final they'll not play a league game at all. At least 4 certain starters, maybe more. In that situation Brian Cody wouldn't get us promoted.

With championship over for most of our clubs, is there any players that have stood out for you and should be in our new managers (whenever appointed) panel to improve on last year. Or even is there any player that you feel shouldn't be in the panel

Well for a start I'd have James McNaughton in centre forward. He looks capable of taking some of the scoring burden off McManus and if we can do that I think we'll have a better rattle at the Joe McDonagh than we did last year.

Some ref bashing goes on in here! Probably the same in every county.

I volunteer a lot within my own club and love it. But if someone asked me to volunteer to be a referee I wouldn't do it. I'd need at least £200 per game to put up with the abuse and grief you will inevitably get.

Fair play to those who do volunteer to referee. A thankless task if ever there was one.

Obviously everyone appreciates what referees do in the GAA but being a referee doesn't automatically make you infallible or above scrutiny. And when a referee doesn't take the necessary action to protect players welfare then you are quite within your rights to question them. As it happens our own resident referee MR2 has on a few occasions explained decisions he has made or the way he has dealt with incidents during games. Other referees could take a leaf out of his book. 

Paddyjohn

'Donegal? Why in caps?'

Why not?

Why emphasise where the ref is from?

Would be more inclined to emphasise that he is in actual fact a football ref primarily.

Wasn't at the game but I have to say there is a terrible tendency with hurling referees throughout Ulster to blow for every little contact.

We had a visiting club up from Cork during the Summer and they commented on that a number of times during the games played

But sure some refs is our own county are football refs and end up being very good hurling ref and vice versa.

Imagine the uproar if the Dall would of lost.

I don't care if the referee is from Donegal or if he referees football as well, it would be nice if he could answer how off the ball a player hits another in the balls, the linesman sees it, calls in the referee and tells him what happened and the referee gives a yellow card. Surely it's a red all day long?

You'd think so JJ.

You sobered yet?

No drink taken. Was at work yesterday morning. As a Loughgiel man said to me a few years ago after beating us in a championship final "We hey bigger fish tay fry!!!" 

Paddyjohn

'Donegal? Why in caps?'

Why not?

Why emphasise where the ref is from?

Would be more inclined to emphasise that he is in actual fact a football ref primarily.

Wasn't at the game but I have to say there is a terrible tendency with hurling referees throughout Ulster to blow for every little contact.

We had a visiting club up from Cork during the Summer and they commented on that a number of times during the games played

But sure some refs is our own county are football refs and end up being very good hurling ref and vice versa.

Imagine the uproar if the Dall would of lost.

I don't care if the referee is from Donegal or if he referees football as well, it would be nice if he could answer how off the ball a player hits another in the balls, the linesman sees it, calls in the referee and tells him what happened and the referee gives a yellow card. Surely it's a red all day long?

Delighted to be Ulster champions and out on our own with 11. McManus unstoppable again. Gutted for Graffin but if anyone can come back from this it's him. Really disappointed by Ballycran some really dirty off the ball stuff as well as a few particularly bad pulls under the dropping ball as well. They should have had more players sent off.

Being out on your own feels good. Doesn't it JJ? 

Out on their own without winning an all Ireland?

We've won more Ulster championships than anyone else. Sorry for mentioning it and sorry for not genuflecting for you SIE. 

Delighted to be Ulster champions and out on our own with 11. McManus unstoppable again. Gutted for Graffin but if anyone can come back from this it's him. Really disappointed by Ballycran some really dirty off the ball stuff as well as a few particularly bad pulls under the dropping ball as well. They should have had more players sent off.

Predictions time
Dall by 4
Keady by 2
Dun by 7

They were 6/4 this morning on Paddy power someones been reading the forum 😂

You've got to keep that stuff off line lol!

A great value bet is Keady tbh.. we'll give it a lash and see but I've said before we've not beaten them.. see McCormack was on team of the week, he must be near my age !

He's not that old  late 30's maybe.

He'd be 39-40.

Massive weekend coming up for our clubs in the Ulster finals. Ballycran will be confident after beating Slaughtneil and while I can see a tight enough game I expect Cushendall to win by around 4 points. In the intermediate final I wouldn't be surprised to see it finish level after the 60 minutes. Keady are the value bet in my opinion but hopefully St Galls can do it. In the junior I can't see past Cushendun i really think they are the best junior champions we have had in the last few years and while Castleblayney aren't any mugs at this level I see cushendun running out handy enough winners. Can't believe they are 11/8 with BoyleSports

11/8 for Cushendun is free money. They have been untouchable in Antrim and Ulster so far. I realise this may come back to bite me but I'm sticking my neck out. In the senior and intermediate finals it could go either way.

Kevin Ryan couldn't make progress a few years ago with a better panel of players than we have now.

Double header in Armagh on the 11th. C'Dun & C'Dall

Some common sense at last.

Armagh is the best place for the game, it's a great stadium and great for watching a game. Owenbeg is brilliant but the wind can be a big issue. And for god sake Ulster Council make it a double header with Cushendun on before us.