Antrim Hurling

[podge]

 The Ards teams are good, however, they DO NOT help Antrim hurling!  Do you see Kilkenny being accomodating to say Carlow teams? 
The Ards teams can look to Down or the Ulster league......

Have Kilkenny and others not just accepted Antrim into the Leinster c'ship?  it would be a bit rich for Antrim gaels to be seeking improved competition at intercounty level but turning their back on the ards teams etc?  i think if you ask most hurlers in div 1 they are more than happy to have down teams in the league as they provide good competition and there tends to fewer petty squabbles going on as they are a little but detached geographically.

i agree that the leagues needs to be taken more seriously but ultimately its down the payers and the clubs- the clubs choose the structure of the leagues

[theskull1]

Can understand the basic sentiment exile, but not with your suggested solutions
We need more clubs striving towards preparing their teams better throughout all age groups and showing the ambition to want to play in the top divisions. There is no reason with the right focus that the likes of Randlestown/St Endas/Clooney Gaels/St Pauls/GNM can't step out of mediocrity and make another push towards senior hurling, but they need to show that ambition before the change will happen. Until these clubs show they are realdy and actually want Senior hurling then it would be suicide to cast the Down clubs aside (and wouldn't suggest we do that anyway). It relies on individuals within the clubs to implement but I would love to see someone at County Board level showing the right passion for the local game and implore all clubs to aim for the top and not be happy with just keeping the game alive. Sure Antrim hurling will be the better for it.

Oh.....Apologies to the nutjob who writes in green for sniping  

[Last Man]

I reckon most junior/inter clubs need to get real if they want to progress. This is a 5 to 10 year process of the best coaching available from u12s up and while current league structures can be rejigged they will only create a holding position. Clubs need to value their coaches and encourage their development as well as the players. Agree with Skull that there is a role/roles for someone to be working directly with all clubs to see how they are getting on, advise, encourage etc with Paudie Butleresque enthusiasm and not just let them tumble on with the same old mediocraty.

[Lecale2]

Expelling the Down clubs from the Antrim leagues will do nothing to improve the Antrim leagues. It will finish off hurling in Down.

[Tony Baloney]

nothing but negative, slanderous and defamatory comments to make about hurling in the county in general

How can you slander or defame hurling?! 

[antrimexile]

.
My own club Ruairi Ogs didn't treat the competition with contemp i can assure you we fought in club all year about our performances, but we have injury's that we haven't had before any many at once hindering our team and as we are constantly told our panel isn't that big or strong. Mc Manus , Elliott, McKillop, Kearney, Scullion, Monty and Shane weren't playing in the league, we were playing kids. No league performances mean no gates mean club in large debt which in Cushendall as all over NA is not acceptable.
The leagues will work but need time and not self intrest for the greater good.

One of my main points is-league games do NOT have the same "intensity" as championship!  Like i said IF the league was so important-can any one name you won the league from say 1980-1999?  ( I am very certain-nobody will be able to, BTW-the league was unfinished on a few times.)
Regarding Cushendall's long injury list: all, I think, were available for every championship game (all 3 games+ 2 in Ulster).  II take your point regarding gate receipts-but why not play the championship off -on a league format?
I feel there needs to be more CHAMPIONSHIP games; games with "intensity". 

[theskull1]

Championship on a league basis prabably helped the County's gate receipts, but had no noticeably difference to a keenly contested league game (maybe slightly better). Just the way it was. If there was better quality accross the board it may very well improve things, but the chicken can't come before the egg.

[milltown row]

a couple of questions:

would it make leagues competitive if there was a two up two down promotion/relegation fight?

would it make leagues more competitive if they were played every week, during a ten week block? (this can be facilitated by either leagues starting in March, first ten weekends hurling, then the following ten weeks football, or winter football leagues)

again would leagues be competitive if the winners were given incentives by the league sponsors be it a cash bonus of weekend away?

would leagues be more competitive if they brought in a handicap system were the elite teams start off minus the average score they normally beat teams with? (all scores available on record for the last few years)

maybe last one is dung but lets hear more improvements.  remember the clubs will be putting motions towrads the county board soon for the following year. i will be putting forward my thoughts to my secretary and county delegates

[JamesH]

Exile, How can we have more championship games of a greater intensity? By working harder at club level, nothing else, no excuses, no bullshit, just hard work and commitment. It is all to easy to say better games, we apart from half an hour against Glenariffe cruised to a county title, because apart from three clubs none of the others are really trying in Div 1. Yes we do have pride in performances and our players pride themselves to prove themselves at a higher level just like Dunloy and loughgiel before us, we will improve year on year because our club demands it. Are many other clubs thinking that way or mabye just tag onto the lastest trendy excuse.

[Two Hands FFS]

Championship on a league doesnt work as there's not enough quality teams in the county. We should go with the 8 team leagues for a few years to see how it goes. Division 1 & 2 will be pretty competetive.

Some of Milltown Rows suggestion are good. If their was a prize for winning the league, or even the higher up a league you finish the more money you get( getting a sponsor would be hard though??) this might encourage clubs to take it seriously & battle to the end as their is financial reward.

The two up two down( not the peter kay pop factor band) suggestion isnt bad but i'd imagine clubs would rather have 1 up 1 down.

Dont agree with the 10 week block(first 10 weeks hurling) as clubs want regular hurling during the summer in the build up to the championshipr, not one match 1 Sunday then none for 3/4 weeks.

The handicap system is ridiculous 

I wonder will the admins on County site be impressed by this genuine debate & not the slagging that they thinks goes on 24/7

[milltown row]

two up two do is essential. teams need to be working towards stay or wining the leagues. pointless one up one down, what other league do you know of that has that system? (1 up 1 down)

the footballers have had it for years.

i heard  that the CCC last year were really in favour of 2 up 2 down but would you believe that ballycastle came in with a great idea that would involve dropping 5 teams from division one, ok stay with me, and have a div2/3 league, and wait for it have one team only dropping down. oh and who also voted in favour of this? yes St johns brilliant. talk about looking after yourselves.

anyway i'm being paranoid

[Last Man]

I think the 2up 2down would have most imediate effect Milltown, the cash bonus has merit but the big 3 would have first call on it for 2 or 3 years at least. Thinking outside the box stuff on the handicap system, cant see the clubs wearing it though.
I'll def be calling for the 2up 2down from our club anyway.

[saffron]

Have just read the Antrim guest book and cant believe the stick this board is getting - as someone who admittedly doesn't post (as I'm not at home anymore and from a Division 3 football club anyway) I have been reading the board for years and 99.9% of it is good honest discussion. In fact I love it cause it keeps me up to date with whats happening in the county. Its seriously worrying that the County is so paranoid and aggressive on its own site - that cant be healthy. Vaguely remember the posts that they refer to but that was an isolated case. I see Milltown had a go back and got an essay in reply. You'd really have to wonder...

[theskull1]

Aaron Graffin is a class act. Shane McNaughton maybe grabbed the headlines at the end of the year, but Graffin has been so consistent ever since he came onto the scene 3 years ago. Well deserved

[Minder]

From www.northantrimgaa.com

Aaron picks up his first award of this hurling career.
Ruairi Ogs young star Aaron Graffin is this years Hurler of the Year. Aaron rounded of a great first year in the County senior team seeing of some big names with his third Antrim and Ulster medals at only twenty years of age.
Aaron teamate Shane mc Naughton came runner up adding to the Ulster Merit award for October he recieved last week in the Hilgrove Hotel.
Shamrocks star forward Liam Watson came into third place after some great displays, including the Feis cup final win against Dunloy.

Junior Hurler of the Year was a joint award with All Saints  young star Liam Cassley sharing the award with Kickhams duel star Thomas Mc Cann.
The winners will recieve their awards at next weeks North Antrim Dinner in the Glens Hotel Cushendall


forgot it was only senior and junior awards               

He has played for the County for the last 2 years has he not?