Antrim Hurling

[BrendanAntrim]

Most of the teams we play against are easy to respect, admire. But Carlow aren't that. I think they have a few skilful hurlers but their overall game is based on physicality and over the line thuggishness. Delighted with the result today and good riddance to Carlow.

[Saffrongael]

Antrim's target is to win 1 game in Leinster and stay in the Leinster Chapionship the following year.

That's success for Antrim.

What are Dublin doing that we need to do?

Dublin should be what we are looking to get to

Dublin minors and 20s both in Leinster finals in the last week, we aren't even playing in A competitions in Leinster

Carlow some shower of ill bred hoors, well able to hurl so don't need to be at their extra curricular shite. Couple of their forwards dominated in the air today. 

[imtommygunn]

There wouldn't be many in current crop have been really successful at minor. There's a few left from the ai u21 team but after that the players we have would have been in b competitions etc. I think that is why gleeson has done such a great job - we have not been competing with division one teams at underage but have been able to up it at senior.

[marty34]

Antrim's target is to win 1 game in Leinster and stay in the Leinster Chapionship the following year.

That's success for Antrim.

What are Dublin doing that we need to do?

Dublin should be what we are looking to get to

Antrim are miles off Dublin.

Firstly, Dublin have a huge no. of clubs and players etc.

Secondly, Dublin this year are/will be in 3 Leinster Finals - Minor, U20 and Senior.

[Milltown Row2]

If we are using no more under age success (which we never had) then Antrim should be plying their trade at Christy Ring level

Our senior club level, as in when our lads hit senior level we are well capable

Sorting out juvenile would be great but it won't make us All Ireland contenders.

I said that Dublin are the level we look to get to is not taking away from how much Dublin has dominated us, but they ain't in the big 6

We need to get to that level

[BrendanAntrim]

How are we miles off Dublin? We drew with them in championship last year, and they beat us by a point in the league this year. The championship result this year was very disappointing but hard to say we are miles off them.

[north_antrim_hound]

How are we miles off Dublin? We drew with them in championship last year, snd they beat us by a point in the league this year. The championship result this year was very disappointing but hard to say we are miles off them.

Miles off playing them in Parnell park
A lot closer in corrigan
Same with most teams we play

[marty34]

How are we miles off Dublin? We drew with them in championship last year, snd they beat us by a point in the league this year. The championship result this year was very disappointing but hard to say we are miles off them.

Brendan, you are looking at Antrim seniors in isolation. Wrong way to look at it.

You need to look at the overall picture in Antrim hurling. By saying that Antrim drew with Dublin last year is all well and good but Antrim needed to beat Carlow yesterday to stay up.

By your take, Carlow drew with Kilkenny the other week so they're in a great position hurling wise. No they're not. They're now down to the Joe Mc Donagh again, but looking at the bigger picture, they've only about 4 or 5 senior hurling clubs. They've have a golden generation of players like Mouse Kavanagh, Chris Nolan and the Coadys. They've punched well above their weight this past few years. Will they get up again to Div. 1b again? I doubt it.

The key thing for Antrim is who's coming up from the Joe Mc Donagh for next year.  Offaly or Laois? I think they'll both be better than Carlow.  That will cause Antrim a big problem next year I think.  Gleeson has done a great job with Antrim. Is he there for another year?

Regarding Dublin, they were in the Leinster Minor and U20 Leinster Finals this year.  Granted both teams were beat by two very good teams in Kilkenny and Offaly respectively. Both of them will take stopping in the AI series.  Antrim are in Tier 2 of these competitions. As a matter of fact, their U20 weren't even in Tier 2 of Leinster at U20 level this year.

As I say, you need to stop looking at it in isolation and look at the bigger picture. 

[Milltown Row2]

Antrim need to look at having consistency away from home, it's like we throw the towel in before the ref throws the ball in.

The point with looking at Dublin is to say that's our target, we ain't reaching the Limericks Corks and Kilkenny's levels but if we creep that bit closer each year we can start to be competitive.

Antrim are in a great position because of our senior club league. It's managed to produce higher standard of players at senior level whereas at juvenile level we are lacking, need to improve that but it's not the main reason we are a tier 2 team.

Beating Wexford and Carlow and putting ourselves in the mix heading to Dublin, albeit we were beat handy, was an improvement

[NorthAntrim]

From the doom and gloom about whos missing and injuries etc i think weve turned the season around well. With that amount missing im sure morale and training sessions dipped. But theyve dug out 2 wins and looked very good v galway until a couple of howlers from the officials. We got the rub of the green yesterday though. Id love Gleeson to go again

[imtommygunn]

Beating Wexford massive result and were it not for the red card maybe the Galway game could have been different. Disappointing game more against Dublin than anyone really.

Dublin are far ahead of us. They're in a Leinster final which we can only dream of. I still think we are doing well and we have uncovered some good players this year. McManus was our leader for years so replacing him was always going to be tough which made the year more challenging.

[NorthAntrim]

Dublin was a poor one. But it was really a last 15 mins meltdown for whatever reason. Dublin are a very good side in saying that and a good bit ahead. We're going to need some of these younger lads really putting the hand up next year saying im ready to go here, but at the minute physically not senior intercounty level

[JonnyD_]

great victory for the Saffs on Sunday. James McN on fire, great to see someone like him stepping up - a delight to watch.
We beat a 14 man Carlow (we were expected to be beat them every day of the week - its Carlow ffs), big deal! We got a great day out against Wexford - but is that it. Our season is defined by one good game v Wexford?? terrible to think that, but it probably is when you look at the scores in all other games all year in league and chmp!

We remain Div 1 (there was no relegation)
People talk about consistency (MR2) We play the last game of the year like we did last year fighting a relegation battle against another tier 2 county. It'll be the same next year if we dont change it up! 

Gleeson has been an outstanding manager for us. Thank him for his service, for raising the bar, the expectation and standard! But time to move on... change is good, for us and him!

Would like to see an Antrim man in post next year with good antrim coaches taking the team. 

[Milltown Row2]

So which Antrim man are you recommending?

Not sure what standard of players we have to match teams physically? We have plenty skill btw but over 70 plus minutes the big teams grind you down.

Bitta disrespectful on Carlow, they'd a better score difference to us and with 15 players on the park they could have won.

[imtommygunn]

I would be very sorry to see gleeson go. I think we will be a lot worse off for it when he goes. League was very tough with the absence of players - we just don't have the depth to replace that number of players and compete at that level.

Mr they were a red card waiting to happen. If it wasn't that boy it would likely have ended up someone else.

Realistically Carlow and Laois are about our level. The problem for us, and them as well, is that Offaly are going to come good eventually and then there's one spot that will really be the yo yo one.