Greatest Antrim Hurler

[Guillem2]

I was sure you were PH because of your advar. PH was always dropping his trousers after a few!

[Square Ball]

Guillem

sent you a PM

[Lar Naparka]

As I come from Mayo I don't claim to know much about hurling, or about Antrim for that matter
However, I did see  some televised matches in the late 80s when Antrim hurling was good and I'd have to say that Cloot was as talented a lad as I have ever seen.
He'd have no problem walking onto any team in the land back then.
Kevin Cashman, who wrote for the Sunday Tribune put him on a par with Nicky English but I'd rate him even higher  as Cloot didn't have the same quality of players around to support him.  From what I have seen since f Ally Elliot I'd rate him highly also.
Mind you, Nially Patterson was another  I'll long remember , even if he wasn't in the same class as the other two but he was some colourful character.

[slow corner back]

In the 1988 semi big Niall punched Pat Fox, every1 including the ref just laughed. As the commentator said at the time in boxing it would be a heavy weight/ flyweight contest,lol

[johnneycool]

In the 1988 semi big Niall punched Pat Fox, every1 including the ref just laughed. As the commentator said at the time in boxing it would be a heavy weight/ flyweight contest,lol

If I were Babs Keating, I'd of punched Pat Fox as well. why was he standing still long enough for Niall to get a punch on him?

[imtommygunn]

Johnney seeing as you seem the only Down hurling contributor and seem one of the main contributors to this thread who would you put as Down's greatest player?

Down never seemed to threaten pre early nineties (although my history on ulster titles isn't great) but were there players before then who'd be up there with the best?

I'd guess from last fiteenish years I'd have down obviously McGrattan, Sands, maybe Savage even from now, Braniff could be up there with the best of them too and then was your man Marty Mallon not right and good at wing half back too?

[slow corner back]

It was in the last 10 mins with about 5 points in it. The ball went over the end line and big Niall picked it up to take a quick puck out. As he picked it Fox rattled his knuckles with a flick of the hurl. Big Niall then punched him, not a haymaker but enough to knock him backwards ( there was a major weight difference). The umpire was about 1 foot from the incident when it happened . Ref asked the umpire he told him what happened and ref said fair enough play on, I dont think he booked either of them. Rember the discussion last week about refs in the eighties and nowadays, a classic example of good refereeing, fox acts the maggot, gets punched game carries on. Proper order.

[Guillem2]

Down produced some great hurlers in the 90s. They were a Div 1 team on merit for about 5 yrs. There have been Very few since.

[slow corner back]

The Down side of the late early nineties were top class, Gerard and Kevin Coulter anlong with Paddy Braniff were probably the best full back line in hurling for a few years, while Marty Mallon and Paul McMullan in front of them were top class too. The only weakness was they were a bit short of forwards then, if Noel sands did not win it for them they were in trouble.

[Ballybredagh]

Eddie was undoubtedly Antrim's finest hurler of the last 50 years - he was at his very best in the mid-70's when he topped the NHL scoring charts for 2/3 years in succession. Played his best hurling for Antrim/Ballycastle/Ulster at centre-half-forward, was as strong as an Ox and a deadly scorer.  Won numerous games for Ballycastle/Antrim with his legendary scoring exploits.

[Square Ball]

Just want to throw another name into the pot, persoanlly i have never heard of him, but talking about Antrim players to a Glens man the name of Randel McDonald (McDonnell) came up, can anyone enlighten me?

[slow corner back]

Randell McDonnell played for glenariffe. I remember him playing in the eighties but he was nearly forty by then. At one point himself and his brother charlie lined out for glenariffe along with two sons of Randell and one of Charlies. Never saw them in their prime so it would not be fair to comment any further.

[davincicode]

As i am a blow in, i have asked around the academic corridors of power and the surprising answer is SEAN COLINS of ROSSA, people say his all round ability and skill was sublime.

[weeman]

Sean Collins was a classy hurley, there was a great style to his play and he always seemed to have time on the ball but as regards Antrim's best my vote must go to Cloot, a great all rounder and what a goal against Offaly in the 89 final, I've never seen better before or since - coming across his man, jumping high, catching and hitting the ball to the net before his feet touched the ground - different class!

[Aristotle Flynn]

Eddie Donnelly was a fabulous hurler who played in a poor enough Antrim team and has to be up there among the best. His contribution to Ballycastle was immense and he played on well into his 40s. Cloot was probably the most naturally talented hurler Ulster ever produced. It's an awful shame he played most of his club hurling in Div 2 and his career ended far too early.