Club Hurling 2023

[SaffronSports]

They have a couple of good years coming through just now so if Neil can hang on there will be a few of them coming through then.

Dunloy are still young and the winter off should have them fresh especially with a few not playing for the county either. Loughgiel are a good young team too so they'll keep the challenge coming. It will still be one of those three and tbh there's not much between them.

[marty34]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Tend to agree with this... Missed the boat today. That and they would have had every chance vs St Thomas's in the final.  No disrespect to them, they have some super hurlers and real physical and mental strength but they are not Ballyhale. They were fortunate last night, Ballygunner beat themselves with the free count they conceded and their game management every time they went ahead.

When McManus eventually goes Cushendall will be well down the pecking order in Antrim for a few years.

It was a great chance for them in hindsight.  Especially with St. Thomas' winning last night.

They hit 4 wides in a row at a crucial time in the 2nd half, from the camera side of the pitch.  Breeze was difficult but they could have nailed a couple of them. It was a crucial period. Just rushed the shots a bit.  That was the winning of the game.

Burke was unreal. A great lad for snigging the ball away on the ground and into space. Great at it.
A huge effort but such a long way to get back there again.

It must be said that it was some week-end for hurling. For Ulster, unfortunately, two bad defeats for Setanta and 'Blaney. The 2 Kilkenny clubs are very strong for their respective levels.

[seafoid]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Not necessarily. Ballyhale may not return. The championship may be open for a few years. Who learns the most wins.

"They hit 4 wides in a row at a crucial time in the 2nd half, from the camera side of the pitch."

 It is all about the iterations. You have to be the best to win an all Ireland hurling championship.  No reason the Dall can't do it.

[seafoid]

Around a decade ago St Galls and Loughgiel won titles close to each other I think. It is down to small margins and top level decision making. Nothing else. No fate or destiny. If you want it come and get it.

[marty34]

Around a decade ago St Galls and Loughgiel won titles close to each other I think. It is down to small margins and top level decision making. Nothing else. No fate or destiny. If you want it come and get it.

And a bit of luck.

[Cyril Farrell fan]

St Thomas's win yesterday will be a great fill up for Galway hurling. They need to close the deal now in the final.

[manfromdelmonte]

Haven't Galway clubs won it more often than any other county?

 There's hardly a famine out west of club hurling titles

[Two Hands FFS]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Tend to agree with this... Missed the boat today. That and they would have had every chance vs St Thomas's in the final.  No disrespect to them, they have some super hurlers and real physical and mental strength but they are not Ballyhale. They were fortunate last night, Ballygunner beat themselves with the free count they conceded and their game management every time they went ahead.

When McManus eventually goes Cushendall will be well down the pecking order in Antrim for a few years.

Who knows? As good as Neil is, and I mean absolutely unbelievable....
Not comparing him but
Argentina recovered after Maradona, Brazils with Pele, KK with Shefflin etc
Neil will leave a legacy to aspire to.
You just have to keep going
After your Slaughtneil prediction 😂

[seafoid]

A competitive Antrim championship is very  important because the winners need to be tested all the way. Then you cannot beat experience under pressure like yesterday. Missing scorable chances when the game is in the melting pot.Food for thought until this time next year. 

Clare were in a worse position than the Antrim clubs are in now  when Loughnane took over in 1993..He lost 11 Munster finals.

https://youtu.be/33Mr5JV49tg&t=420s

[seafoid]

Dicksboro stopped the Sarsfields 3 in a row bid of camogie club all Irelands. 
 

Sarsfields camogie ladies-  an amazing team  who emulated their fathers with the back to back all Irelands a generation  later 1992/93 and 2021/22.

Galway hurling /camogie is in great shape.

[Oso]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Tend to agree with this... Missed the boat today. That and they would have had every chance vs St Thomas's in the final.  No disrespect to them, they have some super hurlers and real physical and mental strength but they are not Ballyhale. They were fortunate last night, Ballygunner beat themselves with the free count they conceded and their game management every time they went ahead.

When McManus eventually goes Cushendall will be well down the pecking order in Antrim for a few years.

Who knows? As good as Neil is, and I mean absolutely unbelievable....
Not comparing him but
Argentina recovered after Maradona, Brazils with Pele, KK with Shefflin etc
Neil will leave a legacy to aspire to.
You just have to keep going
After your Slaughtneil prediction 😂

Good post! 

When Maradona retired Argentina went 32 years before winning the world cup again in 2022, having won '86 and been beaten in the final in' 90!

When Pele retired Brazil went another 24 years before winning the world cup again.

When Shefflin retired in 2015 kilkenny won the all Ireland later that season and haven't won it since. But if yiu think that's down to Shefflin alone you're not giving the rest of Shefflin's team mates enough credit for those achievements including TJ who I rate above Shefflin.

I said "a few" years.  Mcmanus said it himself afterwards yesterday that they are struggling a bit for numbers. Cushendall played in the U19B championship in antrim this year, they have amalgamated with Ballymena recently at underage also to be competetive.

I got the Slaughtneil game wrong based on their form and what they brought in previous seasons and the ability of some of their players. I held my hands up. They looked off the pace and tsome of their footballers looked rusty and as if they hadn't hurled much all year.

However I got yesterday's game spot on. I said they'd need 2 goals to win (they got 1) and that's because they dont have enough other quality forwards to take enough scores around midfield and half forwards against top teams, way too reliant on Mcmanus.  I was also proven right on that front. Posters are lamenting the 3 or 4 chances for points Cushendall missed going down the home straight, they missed them because that's a weakness in their team/game that I'd alluded to. They relied on points from further out with the wind at the start of the game, paddy Burke, Eoghan Campbell and Ryan McCambridge all from way further out but thag was never going to be an option in the second half shooting into the wind.


But seriously man.... Good post!

[SaffronSports]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Tend to agree with this... Missed the boat today. That and they would have had every chance vs St Thomas's in the final.  No disrespect to them, they have some super hurlers and real physical and mental strength but they are not Ballyhale. They were fortunate last night, Ballygunner beat themselves with the free count they conceded and their game management every time they went ahead.

When McManus eventually goes Cushendall will be well down the pecking order in Antrim for a few years.

Who knows? As good as Neil is, and I mean absolutely unbelievable....
Not comparing him but
Argentina recovered after Maradona, Brazils with Pele, KK with Shefflin etc
Neil will leave a legacy to aspire to.
You just have to keep going
After your Slaughtneil prediction 😂

Good post! 

When Maradona retired Argentina went 32 years before winning the world cup again in 2022, having won '86 and been beaten in the final in' 90!

When Pele retired Brazil went another 24 years before winning the world cup again.

When Shefflin retired in 2015 kilkenny won the all Ireland later that season and haven't won it since. But if yiu think that's down to Shefflin alone you're not giving the rest of Shefflin's team mates enough credit for those achievements including TJ who I rate above Shefflin.

I said "a few" years.  Mcmanus said it himself afterwards yesterday that they are struggling a bit for numbers. Cushendall played in the U19B championship in antrim this year, they have amalgamated with Ballymena recently at underage also to be competetive.

I got the Slaughtneil game wrong based on their form and what they brought in previous seasons and the ability of some of their players. I held my hands up. They looked off the pace and tsome of their footballers looked rusty and as if they hadn't hurled much all year.

However I got yesterday's game spot on. I said they'd need 2 goals to win (they got 1) and that's because they dont have enough other quality forwards to take enough scores around midfield and half forwards against top teams, way too reliant on Mcmanus.  I was also proven right on that front. Posters are lamenting the 3 or 4 chances for points Cushendall missed going down the home straight, they missed them because that's a weakness in their team/game that I'd alluded to. They relied on points from further out with the wind at the start of the game, paddy Burke, Eoghan Campbell and Ryan McCambridge all from way further out but thag was never going to be an option in the second half shooting into the wind.


But seriously man.... Good post!

I wouldn't read too much into the u19b thing. The draw put them against Loughgiel in the first round and Loughgiel won a superb game which meant Cushendall went into the B grade and Loughgiel went on in the A.

Numbers are definitely low which is a unique circumstance for the area due to young families struggling to get homes there but the standards are still very high. They've won the last two Feiles and have some excellent players on that Garron Tower Mageean panel. They won't all have the physicality of Joe McLaughlin and be ready right away so it might be a few years to get them all through but I certainly don't think they're going to fall too far.

The Ballymena amalgamation is finished although I believe they will be linking up with another club so whatever numbers they do have will still be playing at a high level over the next few years.

They'll still be right in the mix next year but Dunloy and Loughgiel will both be right in the middle of it and none of those three would surprise me for next year. 

[seafoid]

No need to go to South America for McManus parallels. Peter Canavan was maybe the greatest ever Tyrone player. He finally got his all Ireland in 2003. McManus could be a super sub à la Noel Lane or Seamus Darby. Experience and timing. Whoever wins Antrim next year has to be ready to go all the way.

[Zooming around]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Not necessarily. Ballyhale may not return. The championship may be open for a few years. Who learns the most wins.

"They hit 4 wides in a row at a crucial time in the 2nd half, from the camera side of the pitch."

 It is all about the iterations. You have to be the best to win an all Ireland hurling championship.  No reason the Dall can't do it.

The Shamrocks (proper name) will definitely be back. They only lost by a disputed point to O'Loughlins who are now in the final. The Shamrocks will have Darren Mullen, Brian Cody, Joe Cuddihy and Ronan Corcoran back next year. Possibly Joey Holden as well although he may be finished now. All these have been Kilkenny panellists and will greatly add to their team. They would be my favourites right now to win Kilkenny 2024 and club all ireland 2025.

[seafoid]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Not necessarily. Ballyhale may not return. The championship may be open for a few years. Who learns the most wins.

"They hit 4 wides in a row at a crucial time in the 2nd half, from the camera side of the pitch."

 It is all about the iterations. You have to be the best to win an all Ireland hurling championship.  No reason the Dall can't do it.

The Shamrocks (proper name) will definitely be back. They only lost by a disputed point to O'Loughlins who are now in the final. The Shamrocks will have Darren Mullen, Brian Cody, Joe Cuddihy and Ronan Corcoran back next year. Possibly Joey Holden as well although he may be finished now. All these have been Kilkenny panellists and will greatly add to their team. They would be my favourites right now to win Kilkenny 2024 and club all ireland 2025.

They may be more like Kilcoo or Corofin though. Great teams have limited time at the top table and have to recycle. Especially with the split season. Finding and developing the top players is a challenge. You can't replace the experience of a retiring 35 year old with an under 20. Even in Kilkenny.