Antrim Hurling

[cfclg]

The div will split in two and those games that the bigger teams will want are there! at the buisness end of things also, so great prep for the Championship, while the ones that have been dropped into the botom half will have 'meaningful' games that will help with thier prep...

I think it is a good idea to have the splits etc but there was no need for a relegation playoff at the end. That will be a pointless match in October and you might have both sides trying to lose it!

One up and one down with no tinkering for at least 5 years is what's needed. No more interfering

[NAG1]

The div will split in two and those games that the bigger teams will want are there! at the buisness end of things also, so great prep for the Championship, while the ones that have been dropped into the botom half will have 'meaningful' games that will help with thier prep...

Was this not proved to be wrong before? when it came to the big games in the lead up to the championship none or maybe only one played their full hand in those games.

[johnnycool]

The div will split in two and those games that the bigger teams will want are there! at the buisness end of things also, so great prep for the Championship, while the ones that have been dropped into the botom half will have 'meaningful' games that will help with thier prep...

Was this not proved to be wrong before? when it came to the big games in the lead up to the championship none or maybe only one played their full hand in those games.

That may happen irrespective of the league structure and is really up to the teams involved.

Getting teams more games at their own level should be the aim and also exposing them to a higher level once in a while can bring a team on, especially a young, developing team and I think this league format may help to do that.

[Milltown Row2]

The div will split in two and those games that the bigger teams will want are there! at the buisness end of things also, so great prep for the Championship, while the ones that have been dropped into the botom half will have 'meaningful' games that will help with thier prep...

Was this not proved to be wrong before? when it came to the big games in the lead up to the championship none or maybe only one played their full hand in those games.

My own view NAG1, as an ex manager, I'd personally prefer a few competitive games in the lead up to championship.. if a club prefers to wrap their lads up in cotton wool before the championship knowing they are safe from the drop then thats down to them

[Antrim Coaster]

Div 1
Cdall
Loughgiel
Dunloy
Ballycastle
St John's
Rossa
St Galls
Ballygalget
Ballycran
Portaferry

Div 2
Randalstown
Cloughmills
Glenariffe
St Enda's
Ahoghill
Carey
Armoy
Sarsfields
Creggan
Dungannon

Div 3
Gort Na Mona
Cushendun
Rasharkin
St Paul's
Cuchullains
Carryduff
Bredagh
Na Magha (all games away from home 2019)

Div 4
Ballymena
Glenravel
Lamh Dhearg
Naomh Colmcille
St Teresas
Loch Mor Gaels
Davitts
St Agnes
Glenarm

All look as competitive as they can be in fairness- best for a while

Does this mean no home matches for non Antrim teams bar the Ards teams and Bredagh / Carryduff (Belfast)

[johnnycool]

Div 1
Cdall
Loughgiel
Dunloy
Ballycastle
St John's
Rossa
St Galls
Ballygalget
Ballycran
Portaferry

Div 2
Randalstown
Cloughmills
Glenariffe
St Enda's
Ahoghill
Carey
Armoy
Sarsfields
Creggan
Dungannon

Div 3
Gort Na Mona
Cushendun
Rasharkin
St Paul's
Cuchullains
Carryduff
Bredagh
Na Magha (all games away from home 2019)

Div 4
Ballymena
Glenravel
Lamh Dhearg
Naomh Colmcille
St Teresas
Loch Mor Gaels
Davitts
St Agnes
Glenarm

All look as competitive as they can be in fairness- best for a while

Does this mean no home matches for non Antrim teams bar the Ards teams and Bredagh / Carryduff (Belfast)

Armagh and Dungannon seem to have home fixtures, not sure why Na Magha are different.

[aontroim]

Na Magha are playing all Antrim league games away from home in 2019 as a result of an investigation into one of their home league games last season - penalty from CCC

[Hand up]

A Bullshit League as had been proved time and time again over the last 15 years!! Perhaps the Yo Yo teams should stop standing at the top table with their hand out, and help themselves. The only team I honestly see making an improvement in overall standards and likely to stay in Div 1 for years to come are StJohns. That took 10 years of work!!

[thedog 83]

I really can't see what all the fuss is to be honest with the restructuring of the leagues. 8 teams or 10 teams with a split after 9 games means you will still roughly get the same number of decent games


Top 5  Will be in my oponion:

Cushendall
St John's
Loughgiel
Dunloy
Ballycran.

THAT should give them teams at least 8 good quality games.

Then depending on where you play the other teams, you might get it tough if you have to play Portaferry in the Ards or St Galls in the bog meadow for example.

People love whining for whinings sake.

Play the leagues, everyone knows championship is what it is about anyhow. Ask someone who won div 1 league 15 years ago and they probably couldn't tell you, ask them who won senior championship 15 years ago and that'll be a different matter

[Milltown Row2]

A Bullshit League as had been proved time and time again over the last 15 years!! Perhaps the Yo Yo teams should stop standing at the top table with their hand out, and help themselves. The only team I honestly see making an improvement in overall standards and likely to stay in Div 1 for years to come are StJohns. That took 10 years of work!!

Think you'll find it's taken more than ten years for the Johnnies to be competitive, how they get over the line still needs to be worked out..

so I'll ask again.. would the top teams prefer to play the top four teams each week? To stop the 'unmeaningfull' games.. or should the top two Derry teams play with Ballycran, Johnnies, Loughgiel Dunloy and Cushendall?

That's a serious question, whatever works to increase the standard, but you'll have just semi final and final each year in championship I'd assume.

[marty34]

A Bullshit League as had been proved time and time again over the last 15 years!! Perhaps the Yo Yo teams should stop standing at the top table with their hand out, and help themselves. The only team I honestly see making an improvement in overall standards and likely to stay in Div 1 for years to come are StJohns. That took 10 years of work!!

Think you'll find it's taken more than ten years for the Johnnies to be competitive, how they get over the line still needs to be worked out..

so I'll ask again.. would the top teams prefer to play the top four teams each week? To stop the 'unmeaningfull' games.. or should the top two Derry teams play with Ballycran, Johnnies, Loughgiel Dunloy and Cushendall?

That's a serious question, whatever works to increase the standard, but you'll have just semi final and final each year in championship I'd assume.

Maybe heading in the direction of an Ulster league? Down teams in Antrim league. Dungannon (Tyrone) and Na Magha (Derry) in Antrim league. Carrickmore (Tyrone) in Derry league occasionally. Derry teams in Antrim U16 and minor leagues. Tyrone teams in Derry underage leagues.

[ciaran1988]

Div 1
Cdall
Loughgiel
Dunloy
Ballycastle
St John's
Rossa
St Galls
Ballygalget
Ballycran
Portaferry

Div 2
Randalstown
Cloughmills
Glenariffe
St Enda's
Ahoghill
Carey
Armoy
Sarsfields
Creggan
Dungannon

Div 3
Gort Na Mona
Cushendun
Rasharkin
St Paul's
Cuchullains
Carryduff
Bredagh
Na Magha (all games away from home 2019)

Div 4
Ballymena
Glenravel
Lamh Dhearg
Naomh Colmcille
St Teresas
Loch Mor Gaels
Davitts
St Agnes
Glenarm

Are these leagues finalised as I had heard Davitts and St Agnes weren't playing all county league only South Antrim and also Latharna Og have a senior team entered again

[Megaman]

A Bullshit League as had been proved time and time again over the last 15 years!! Perhaps the Yo Yo teams should stop standing at the top table with their hand out, and help themselves. The only team I honestly see making an improvement in overall standards and likely to stay in Div 1 for years to come are StJohns. That took 10 years of work!!

Think you'll find it's taken more than ten years for the Johnnies to be competitive, how they get over the line still needs to be worked out..

so I'll ask again.. would the top teams prefer to play the top four teams each week? To stop the 'unmeaningfull' games.. or should the top two Derry teams play with Ballycran, Johnnies, Loughgiel Dunloy and Cushendall?

That's a serious question, whatever works to increase the standard, but you'll have just semi final and final each year in championship I'd assume.

i dont think you understand fully what was meant by unmeaningful / meaningless games.

There are plenty of meaningless games between the top 4/5 teams.

[johnnycool]

A Bullshit League as had been proved time and time again over the last 15 years!! Perhaps the Yo Yo teams should stop standing at the top table with their hand out, and help themselves. The only team I honestly see making an improvement in overall standards and likely to stay in Div 1 for years to come are StJohns. That took 10 years of work!!

Think you'll find it's taken more than ten years for the Johnnies to be competitive, how they get over the line still needs to be worked out..

so I'll ask again.. would the top teams prefer to play the top four teams each week? To stop the 'unmeaningfull' games.. or should the top two Derry teams play with Ballycran, Johnnies, Loughgiel Dunloy and Cushendall?

That's a serious question, whatever works to increase the standard, but you'll have just semi final and final each year in championship I'd assume.

Bang on the money there MR2.

The 10 years work with one group of hurlers and some very fine hurlers in that group will come to nought if you don't put in the same effort with subsequent groups to keep that conveyor belt going and this is where Skull would be right to mention the critical mass of people involved with a club to do that.

The larger clubs will be more likely to achieve this. Smaller clubs may achieve it for a while with a group or two but find it hard to sustain irrespective of coaching plans and so forth.

[Milltown Row2]

A Bullshit League as had been proved time and time again over the last 15 years!! Perhaps the Yo Yo teams should stop standing at the top table with their hand out, and help themselves. The only team I honestly see making an improvement in overall standards and likely to stay in Div 1 for years to come are StJohns. That took 10 years of work!!

Think you'll find it's taken more than ten years for the Johnnies to be competitive, how they get over the line still needs to be worked out..

so I'll ask again.. would the top teams prefer to play the top four teams each week? To stop the 'unmeaningfull' games.. or should the top two Derry teams play with Ballycran, Johnnies, Loughgiel Dunloy and Cushendall?

That's a serious question, whatever works to increase the standard, but you'll have just semi final and final each year in championship I'd assume.

i dont think you understand fully what was meant by unmeaningful / meaningless games.

There are plenty of meaningless games between the top 4/5 teams.

Having been at the coalface for so many years in various roles within the hurling in my club I think I understand..

Trying to stand up to a clubs traditional background and change a mindset has ruined many a good man... I took teams from under 10 under 12 for many years.. a lot of those lads played in 2 All Ireland semi finals, some even managed to get to Croke park with their team mates to play a final.. all the while playing football at a higher grade..

Ive never asked for anything from the top teams... they do what they do and we'll try and reach that point, consistency is our downfall, I know we've a cracking under 12 team coming through from last year, but we need another 2 teams to follow that to become strong come senior, its hard work trying to juggle their football commitments and outside interests also (soccer and the like)

If you live in a parish that does nothing else but hurl, no outside distractions and the club is the heartbeat of the village then you are on to a winner.. The Johnnies believe it or not are still a football club (I'll get called up on that by some) they have as much if not more tradition that ourselves and changing that mindset is difficult..

There are no poor me's in this post, it is what it is, we'll still have committed members pushing through with teams and I'll go back to what Ive said in the past, maybe we need a seperate hurling club from the club, that just hurls, probably then we'd get the commitment and time with the players to develop them the way it should be, like other single code clubs that are successful. (S'neil being the exception to the rule)