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dunloy is the same as last year. Dick O'kane is manager along with Paddy Martin, Chrissy McGilligan and Jimmy Millar helping him.

theres not many senior clubs wanting to risk either they pitches or players at this stage of a season. any sort of game stands you in good stead to keep the first touch up and confidence going in players.

i hear the county lost to westmeath at the weekend in friendly?

Bad decisions in the county final causing teams the championship is it?  Where would one begin? 

Can't recall too many dodgy decisions against you in any of the recent county finals. Maybe a dodgy free off a hop ball in the first defeat of the 6 in a row but none in any of the others that 'cost u the game'.

i dont recall many either myself over the years in the finals.

the knock out games no doubt have had some shockers!

i dont think that was a victory dance more a smash and grab. the sideline ball ended up in the net then a pen a moment or so later and bang it was over.

swings and roundabouts from one year to another.

I think yous got ridiculous decision back in the 2000 semi final

who was that against? i cant rem who we beat then. i know we beat cushendun handy in the final that year

From memory we didn't really get away from the dun that til the last 5 or 10 minutes that day DR. They had us on the rack for a decent part of the game.

my memory is vague of that final! lol

who did we beat in the semi that year? was it cdall at casement by any chance?

Cushendall, with Damien McMullans 100 yard free at the death!

thats right! christ it was one hell of a free. it was one of the best i ever seen as it was under pressure and near the sideline as well. i cant even rem if it was a free or not at the time.

it was poetic justice for that soft(non existant) penalty that won the final the year before 

I think yous got ridiculous decision back in the 2000 semi final

who was that against? i cant rem who we beat then. i know we beat cushendun handy in the final that year

From memory we didn't really get away from the dun that til the last 5 or 10 minutes that day DR. They had us on the rack for a decent part of the game.

my memory is vague of that final! lol

who did we beat in the semi that year? was it cdall at casement by any chance?

I think yous got ridiculous decision back in the 2000 semi final

who was that against? i cant rem who we beat then. i know we beat cushendun handy in the final that year

yeah, no one was happy at it. we were going for the magical 5 in a row which would of been nice. we actually should of being going for 8 in a row had we not lost in the last moments in the 99 final.

we shall not speak of the ref from that game and his amazing pen call which no one could fathom, even the cdall players.

pity as it would of been a nice boast to have

we did enter it and it was usefull but the games turned out pointless at times as you were racking up silly scores which did neither team any favours.

it was better come the semi finals and final if you made it.

i rem rossa winning that because IIRC they beat us in the semi final in dunloy with a last min goal.

also that last year they won the senior they beat us in the semi final when we were going for 5 in a row. ah the joy of seeing a ref give us a free in the last min to have a chance to equalizer and then change his mind and give a free out! lol

mattered not as i dont know if we would of beaten lgiel that year in the final. Rossa deserved it that year for the way they played in the final.

[i honestly think that cloney will struggle this season in div 1 to pick up win with rossa and st galls above them.]

st johns always promise alot but just seem to fall to an arse in the middle of the season. they remind me of ballycastle.

rossa have a proud name in hurling in antrim though over this past lot of years they have fallen by the wayside. alot of promise from younger lads but they never seem to be consistent enough to mount any sort of challenge.

st galls will always be a football club in peoples minds and hurling will be a close second but they need to have youth coming up through to keep the team at senior level.

whose the better of the 3 at the moment? based on last season i would say st galls. rossa have done well to get to the all ireland final and i wont deny that but its intermediate level, a step below st johns and st galls. i want to see them this year playing cushendall and loughgiel to see how they fare as those 2 are the top 2 sides in antrim.

i honestly think that cloney will struggle this season in div 1 to pick up win with rossa and st galls above them.

Is there three down this year?

On the Rossa thing, they seem to be churning out pretty decent underage teams all the way down. Did they not win the minor and U14 championships in Antrim in 2014?

Saw their U-12's at our place last year and they'd some handy hurlers on it although not enough of them, maybe they didn't travel but technique wise they were good and weren't relying on size or anything like to carry them through.

Johnnies seem to have went mad with a particular set of youngsters and don't seem to have followed up on it.

It takes several years of competitive underage teams to make an impact at senior IMO.

im not sure if its one or two down this year, its keeps changing lol

rossa lost to ourselves in the U14 county final. they were pretty good although they seemed to be reliant on couple of better players. if they could keep them all right up through it would help them. players seem to leave at under age level as they grow older in the city. always has been the case sadly

st johns always promise alot but just seem to fall to an arse in the middle of the season. they remind me of ballycastle.

rossa have a proud name in hurling in antrim though over this past lot of years they have fallen by the wayside. alot of promise from younger lads but they never seem to be consistent enough to mount any sort of challenge.

st galls will always be a football club in peoples minds and hurling will be a close second but they need to have youth coming up through to keep the team at senior level.

whose the better of the 3 at the moment? based on last season i would say st galls. rossa have done well to get to the all ireland final and i wont deny that but its intermediate level, a step below st johns and st galls. i want to see them this year playing cushendall and loughgiel to see how they fare as those 2 are the top 2 sides in antrim.

i honestly think that cloney will struggle this season in div 1 to pick up win with rossa and st galls above them.

[We also beat dunloy]

When I hear the words "unreal" and unbelieveable" bandied about the place I'd have to admit I wouldn't see it that way myself. That's not to take away from their victory and their hope that it drives them on to get back to being a Senior club like they should be. I'm sure in the mind of the Rossa stalwarts they know there's a truth here. Hope they go on and win it

It's probably a fair enough point to be honest but I wouldn't begrudge them their opportunity to re-build and regenerate hurling in their club through their efforts although that didn't exactly work for St John's.  They went unbeaten in Division 2 and so far haven't been beaten which tells you they are too strong for where they are but as I said I still wouldn't begrudge them it for the overall benefit of Belfast hurling.

I think they are still the best team in Belfast regardless of St Galls' fortunate route to the SHC final and their staying up in Division 1.  Better team and better players all round and I think that will be proved right next year.

In past ten years Rossa haven't been a problem to us, but don't let that stop you talking rubbish. We also beat dunloy and lost to cushendall very narrowly. But hey you know best

sure we were done then according to some, that victory means nothing 

how do yous think you will fare this year after last season? getting to the final will have done the hurling no harm at all, regardless of what people may think of the route to it.

well done rossa! listened to the game on the radio at home and it was great listening to the smug Waterford broadcasters having to admit they were 2nd best.

great result for the club and antrim hurling.

if this doesnt give hurling a real shot in the arm in Rossa then nothing will. this should spur them on this season hopefully. antrim needs hurling in belfast at the top flight and only having one team in st johns isnt enough.

well done again

Last I heard we were div on and senior finalist 😉

my bad, lol forgot about use!

well done rossa! listened to the game on the radio at home and it was great listening to the smug Waterford broadcasters having to admit they were 2nd best.

great result for the club and antrim hurling.

if this doesnt give hurling a real shot in the arm in Rossa then nothing will. this should spur them on this season hopefully. antrim needs hurling in belfast at the top flight and only having one team in st johns isnt enough.

well done again

What about Clubs paying a coach or a physical trainer to come in once a week? (He's not the manager) Is this the same as paying a manager? Just wondering what peoples opinions on this?

i have no problem with this at all. most teams run fund raisers to collect a pot of money to help them along in a year which goes to equipment, training, bonding sessions etc. i think these are good things and help a team.

they are there to help the team on a temp basis fitting into a managers planning for the season. some only are around for 1 month others a bit longer for a season and then go on to another role

in an ideal world you would have these guys in your club to do it for free but being realistic they are as rare as hens teeth so to avail of this type of service you need to go looking for them