Antrim Hurling

Íseal agus crua isteach a · February 22, 2015, 03:45:57 PM

Quote from: Seamroga in exile on February 22, 2015, 03:41:24 PM
Antrim didn't score in the last 25 minutes.

Depressing statistic. But at the end of the day I think we will hear a lot a bout this Limerick team later on in the year. Surprised Antrim didn't make more changes.

btdtgtt · February 22, 2015, 04:02:00 PM

The weather shamed me away from ballycastle today so didn't see the game - but I have now discovered the world of Twitter!
Does anyone know when club league fixtures are out?
Or is that the annual loaded question!

hurlingstick · February 22, 2015, 04:02:58 PM

They made lots of changes. McCloskey, Carson, McAfee, Hamill, McFadden ....terrible 2nd half. Our forwards won no ball 2nd half. Distribution is still our downfall. Our defenders are too quick to win the ball then hit and hope. Then again our captain is the worst offender.

Íseal agus crua isteach a · February 22, 2015, 04:12:12 PM

Quote from: hurlingstick on February 22, 2015, 04:02:58 PM
They made lots of changes. McCloskey, Carson, McAfee, Hamill, McFadden ....terrible 2nd half. Our forwards won no ball 2nd half. Distribution is still our downfall. Our defenders are too quick to win the ball then hit and hope. Then again our captain is the worst offender.

I didn't see the game was listening in on Limerick radio where the commentator refereed to "Antrim man" mostly when we were in position. So a different world than actually being there. As regards distribution of ball a forward is only as good as the ball he gets. I like to see low hard diagonal balls towards the corner flags, it opens the game up and gives the forward more time on the ball.

Think were good enough to take Laois and Offaly we will see I suppose.

Bonamargy · February 22, 2015, 04:15:52 PM

Quote from: btdtgtt on February 22, 2015, 04:02:00 PM
The weather shamed me away from ballycastle today so didn't see the game - but I have now discovered the world of Twitter!
Does anyone know when club league fixtures are out?
Or is that the annual loaded question!

The moderator on the county guestbook said that the club secretaries were getting the fixtures this weekend and they would be posted to the county website tomorrow. Wouldn't hold your breath though.

Too many wides from Antrim in the first half today when we had the wind at our backs. With that wind we would have needed a 5/6 point lead at half time. Limerick are a good side and took their scores well when they had a chance to shoot.

hurlingstick · February 22, 2015, 04:20:59 PM

Umpire gave a wide first half. Ref overruled in favour of Limerick. 2nd half Limerick had a clear wide from a free, ref gave a point .....just saying (no excuse)

north_antrim_hound · February 22, 2015, 04:26:30 PM

Quote from: Bonamargy on February 22, 2015, 04:15:52 PM
Quote from: btdtgtt on February 22, 2015, 04:02:00 PM
The weather shamed me away from ballycastle today so didn't see the game - but I have now discovered the world of Twitter!
Does anyone know when club league fixtures are out?
Or is that the annual loaded question!

The moderator on the county guestbook said that the club secretaries were getting the fixtures this weekend and they would be posted to the county website tomorrow. Wouldn't hold your breath though.

Too many wides from Antrim in the first half today when we had the wind at our backs. With that wind we would have needed a 5/6 point lead at half time. Limerick are a good side and took their scores well when they had a chance to shoot.

Spot on
wides when had the breeze , we should have been 5 points up. Add the goal after half time woukd have kept us in it
Silly choping for the frees
Tim Condon deliberately took out mc manus with a late tackle and that had a real impact to
Some of our subs didn't work either

hurlingstick · February 22, 2015, 04:41:08 PM

Hound, he barely touched McManus with that tackle. McManus went off with a pulled muscle. He needs to knock that diving/screaming on the head.

theskull1 · February 22, 2015, 04:47:50 PM

Yes we had the chance to build a bit of a lead in the first half but I think mentally we need to go a stage or two before we have the belief to take a lead on the good teams. Those first half wides and a few fluffed shots in the second was our downfall. In open play for most of the game we contested well but our forward line never looked to have the beating of the limerick defense. We really dropped off in the last 10 minutes to give the slightly flattering scoreline to Limerick

hurlingstick · February 22, 2015, 04:49:49 PM

We didn't score in the last 25 minutes - that's why we got beat!

north_antrim_hound · February 22, 2015, 04:54:45 PM

Quote from: hurlingstick on February 22, 2015, 04:41:08 PM
Hound, he barely touched McManus with that tackle. McManus went off with a pulled muscle. He needs to knock that diving/screaming on the head.

Your not a mc manus fan then
Whatever the reason he went off things went a bit pete tong after
He was having a good game as was shorty
We did fade very badly at the end regardless of that
Still a lot of work to do

hurlingstick · February 22, 2015, 05:01:26 PM

I'm not his biggest fan but I totally agree himself and shorty were outstanding today. Shorty has the talent but more importantly the attitude. Clarkie and Eoghan were good too. Rest of the forwards did very little.

north_antrim_hound · February 22, 2015, 05:26:17 PM

Quote from: hurlingstick on February 22, 2015, 05:01:26 PM
I'm not his biggest fan but I totally agree himself and shorty were outstanding today. Shorty has the talent but more importantly the attitude. Clarkie and Eoghan were good too. Rest of the forwards did very little.

Agreed on the forwards the rest where not at the races
If your count out the silly chopping( the ref was very fussy about any chopping)
It was a 4 point game
Limericks off the ball movement was better and they could take scores with men in space
Their striking was better too
Antrim fluffed some easy scores mc closely missed a dead feet 25 out
And graffan fluffed one too
Still they battled hard and are getting better
Looking like a shoot out between ourselves, Laois and offaly again this year

hurlingstick · February 22, 2015, 05:44:16 PM

Sounds right.... At the risk of repeating myself, not scoring in the last 25 minutes was criminal but great to see us competitive against one of the top teams in the country for long periods. Thankfully the Laois and Ofally games are at home as they are the important ones. After today whether or not they will be at Ballycastle is another thing.

auld stock · February 22, 2015, 06:37:43 PM

IMO team lineout completely wrong today. neil playing as sweeper in front of half backs when there was no need to keep him back. we never won a puckout allday. ours or theirs. neil should have played as a conventional midfielder. ciaran johnston was as ever all heart but sorry he is not a midfielder. again only my opinion but that was as weak a half back line i have seen play for antrim in a long while. i know you can only work with the personnel you have but for me you build your team around a solid strong half back line. graffin, neil mc auley & neil mc manus are our strongest half back line.also the most frustrating thing for me is that 7 or 8 of limericks points today were down to our mistakes. handpassing the ball to opponents when hassled, short puck outs to a half back on a heavy pitch like that & when there is a ruck of players why do we never come up with the ball? difference was limericks composure when on the ball & our lack of it. bad decision making all day & that is un nerving. surely having had the time KR has had, composure should become almost instinct? second half limerick played a spare man around the middle with the wind cos they knew we werent getting our puck outs beyond that. what did we do in the first half with the wind? left neil mc auley free in our full back line for too long. big games like these wont be won conservatively. we need to be more pro active & encourage players to build confidence by taking more responsibility themselves.