Antrim Hurling

[marty34]

Talk of Glenariffe and Cushendall amalgamating at U-16 this year, they already are at U-12 & U-14. Glenravel going it alone maybe ? Not 100% certain but that's what I heard

That's incorrect. Glenravel and Glenariffe are still amalgamated at u16 and minor. Cushendall may be joining as well but nothings changed as far as Glenravel and Glenariffe are concerned.

I don't know the players but will this end up a Glenariffe/Cushendall team and Glenravel players struggling to get playing time ? Do Glenravel have the players at U-16 to go it alone ?

There was a Glenariffe/Glenravel B minor team last couple of years, I'm not sure they played more than a couple of games this year. Maybe the appetite wasn't there I don't know, but there were 17 subs named the other day. Looks like plenty of players sitting idle, other than training.

Was talking to a lad at that final in Ballinascreen and he reckoned the amalgamation had a panel of 30 plus stripped out.

Why do you need an amalgamation with those sort of numbers?

Getting to finals and progressing etc. always add members to the panel!

[marty34]

Talk of Glenariffe and Cushendall amalgamating at U-16 this year, they already are at U-12 & U-14. Glenravel going it alone maybe ? Not 100% certain but that's what I heard

That's incorrect. Glenravel and Glenariffe are still amalgamated at u16 and minor. Cushendall may be joining as well but nothings changed as far as Glenravel and Glenariffe are concerned.

I don't know the players but will this end up a Glenariffe/Cushendall team and Glenravel players struggling to get playing time ? Do Glenravel have the players at U-16 to go it alone ?

There was a Glenariffe/Glenravel B minor team last couple of years, I'm not sure they played more than a couple of games this year. Maybe the appetite wasn't there I don't know, but there were 17 subs named the other day. Looks like plenty of players sitting idle, other than training.

That's a worry yes, but if a player is good enough and works hard enough then he should get a fair crack. Glenravel wouldn't have enough to go alone again just yet but numbers are healthier further down. The amalgamation is a lifeline to that batch of players at the minute.

Glenravel have some great players at the u16 group. They must play matches on a Tuesday or Thursday night as I stayed a few nights after training to watch matches. There's one fella who wouldn't be the tallest but he's like a wee bull and a great hurler too.

Is it right enough that the classes in primary school in Glenravel are big? From talking to boys they'd tell you the primarys in Glenravel and Dunloy are massive whereas here by the coast all the schools are getting smaller. 

I remember reading that hard to get planning around the coast hence, lack of new houses.  In comparsion with inland towns and villages.

[scamroc]

Talk of Glenariffe and Cushendall amalgamating at U-16 this year, they already are at U-12 & U-14. Glenravel going it alone maybe ? Not 100% certain but that's what I heard

That's incorrect. Glenravel and Glenariffe are still amalgamated at u16 and minor. Cushendall may be joining as well but nothings changed as far as Glenravel and Glenariffe are concerned.

I don't know the players but will this end up a Glenariffe/Cushendall team and Glenravel players struggling to get playing time ? Do Glenravel have the players at U-16 to go it alone ?

There was a Glenariffe/Glenravel B minor team last couple of years, I'm not sure they played more than a couple of games this year. Maybe the appetite wasn't there I don't know, but there were 17 subs named the other day. Looks like plenty of players sitting idle, other than training.

Was talking to a lad at that final in Ballinascreen and he reckoned the amalgamation had a panel of 30 plus stripped out.

Why do you need an amalgamation with those sort of numbers?

Possibly bulked up by a few u16's to help training numbers for championship and give them a taste of a championship run. Think the league panels at both age groups were more normal in size.

Bear in mind a lot of the Glenravel and Glenariffe boys play football for Glenravel as well so that might explain the difficulty of fielding another minor team. Like every club, numbers on paper are one thing, but in reality it can be very different during the season when you factor in the usual obstacles like exams and holidays etc.

[SaffronSports]

Talk of Glenariffe and Cushendall amalgamating at U-16 this year, they already are at U-12 & U-14. Glenravel going it alone maybe ? Not 100% certain but that's what I heard

That's incorrect. Glenravel and Glenariffe are still amalgamated at u16 and minor. Cushendall may be joining as well but nothings changed as far as Glenravel and Glenariffe are concerned.

I don't know the players but will this end up a Glenariffe/Cushendall team and Glenravel players struggling to get playing time ? Do Glenravel have the players at U-16 to go it alone ?

There was a Glenariffe/Glenravel B minor team last couple of years, I'm not sure they played more than a couple of games this year. Maybe the appetite wasn't there I don't know, but there were 17 subs named the other day. Looks like plenty of players sitting idle, other than training.

Was talking to a lad at that final in Ballinascreen and he reckoned the amalgamation had a panel of 30 plus stripped out.

Why do you need an amalgamation with those sort of numbers?

Based on what someone said above, Glenravel wouldn't have had numbers to field at Minor or u16 so presumably they have needed the amalgamation and rather than let boys have no hurling, the amalgamation has happened. For their lads at u17 this year if there was no amalgamation they would have had no hurling at all as they couldn't play up to senior either.

[Kidder81]

Of that panel of 30, probably 20 Glenariffe. Glenravel needed the amalgamation obviously

[johnnycool]

Of that panel of 30, probably 20 Glenariffe. Glenravel needed the amalgamation obviously

And yet only two got any meaningful game time going by those reporting on the starting team!

Would they not have been better rowing in with someone else low in numbers if Glenariffe already had a panel of 20 otherwise what was the point?

[Saffron71]

This is probably already common knowledge but after Loughgeil entering their reserves into Division 2 last year I'm hearing that Dunloy (Division 2) and Ballycastle (Division 3) are planning on entering their reserves into the ACHL instead of the Reserve League this year.

[marty34]

This is probably already common knowledge but after Loughgeil entering their reserves into Division 2 last year I'm hearing that Dunloy (Division 2) and Ballycastle (Division 3) are planning on entering their reserves into the ACHL instead of the Reserve League this year.

Were they not getting regular games in the reserve league? Is that the reason?

[Milltown Row2]

ACHL games trump divisional games all day long, better team development better competition, great for breeding younger players and phasing out the older ones, also good for other clubs to compete with teams/pitches they might not have had played at.

[johnnycool]

This is probably already common knowledge but after Loughgeil entering their reserves into Division 2 last year I'm hearing that Dunloy (Division 2) and Ballycastle (Division 3) are planning on entering their reserves into the ACHL instead of the Reserve League this year.

Is there no chance of Antrim reverting back to the reserve league being played the same day as the senior league?

[Gael-in-exile]

I remember the double headers from many years ago, possibly early 00's they dropped off.
In my opinion they were the best way for seniors and reserves as if you only had 35-40 hurlers then you always could ensure to field both games.
Some clubs numbers dropped below that and relied on players playing both so then the reserves games started getting shifted about and that caused its own headache. Then with single fixed reserve games you had teams playing more senior players and some clubs were very weak and taking a drubbing.

Dual clubs found it hardest as I know of one or two clubs who found that players would not play reserve if they were senior footballers and thus again numbers dropped and they struggled to field at reserve.

I think at the moment entering the ACHL is probably best until more clubs could field second teams. The struggle is that to do this you need nearly a minimum of 40 players available.

[Beirbua2024]

This is probably already common knowledge but after Loughgeil entering their reserves into Division 2 last year I'm hearing that Dunloy (Division 2) and Ballycastle (Division 3) are planning on entering their reserves into the ACHL instead of the Reserve League this year.

Is there no chance of Antrim reverting back to the reserve league being played the same day as the senior league?

Think that was done 2 seasons ago but alot of teams found it tough going getting 35/40 lads required for both games. Even with some players playing both games it was made harder by games being played far apart from eachother with little turn around time.

If I recall reserve was played after the Senior games as well so that cut into players available as well with players deciding the 10/15 mins they got at senior was enough for them or some maybe taking the huff they didn't get a game at all.

ACHL is the way forward IMO, good standard for development and can be used as a bridge between minor/u21 to Senior

[SaffronSports]

I'd stick all reserve teams into the league system. If you leave the leagues alone, teams will find their level. Hurling isn't too bad in fairness and structures don't change as much as they do in the football. The only thing is I'd tighten up the rules on players playing for multiple teams.

[Slemishgael]

Does anyone know if the county hurlers have any challenge games arranged before the league starts? Seen Cork and Waterford played at the weekend and I heard Galway played Kildare in the football. A few challenge games cancelled over the weekend also. Out of interest if challenge games are organised why are these seldom if ever advertised on the county twitter page or the county website? I know not everyone wants to go to these games but other folk would like to

[Saffrongael]

Does anyone know if the county hurlers have any challenge games arranged before the league starts? Seen Cork and Waterford played at the weekend and I heard Galway played Kildare in the football. A few challenge games cancelled over the weekend also. Out of interest if challenge games are organised why are these seldom if ever advertised on the county twitter page or the county website? I know not everyone wants to go to these games but other folk would like to

They played Meath at the weekend & are due to play Limerick this Friday I believe.