Antrim Hurling

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Not convinced on St Endas, extra time with Bredagh and still struggled to dismantle them

Banagher have to be kicking themselves, should have beat St Endas to be fair.

Yeah they had their chance, you've got to get over the line though..

The final will be interesting, Keady would have been fancied but The Dungannon lads have upset the odds and will certainly come into the final against St Endas knowing their opposition very well having played them twice in the league this year. I ref'd one of these games and it will be close.

Banagher are a senior championship team - shouldn't be in Int. Ulster championship in my opinion.

Coleraine, at full strength, could be in Int. also.

Look, if they were senior level, they would have won easily. Derry only have 2 senior teams imo Lynches and Slaughtneil. Coleraine are intermediate level though. Anyhow Antrim have been playing intermediate sides in junior for years and Donegal have been playing their senior champions there. Only reason Setanta went to intermediate is coz they won it in 2016

Banagher were in Derry finals a few times recently and didn't have to qualify recently - straight into semi-final.  Not fair on other clubs in Ulster when a 'senior team' drops down to Intermediate.  They are a senior championship team.

Re: Donegal teams - that's a different story - they're at a totally different club level.

Donegal are playing same level as Derry and Armagh last few years to be honest, beat Derry last year in National league and pushed them all the way in Christy Ring this year. At the end of the day the Derry championship is now in its second year of the new format and a Derry team has not won the intermediate yet. Swatragh were beat by St Galls last year. Banagher were beat by Screen, lavey, Lynches and Slaughtneil in Derry this year(various competitions). Lavey put them down to Derry intermediate with a 6 point defeat and Slaughtneil put 20 points on Lavey.  St Galls last year an would easily be same level as Banagher. I think broadly they have pitched these competitions at right level

[Jimmy]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

Sorry you are right. Strengthens my point however

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

its the only solution to sort out the teams who go through in Derry due to the limited amount of teams that they have that play hurling.

the last team to get to a final outside of the sides that are competing at the moment was Drum in 1990. Aside from that its been the same teams in the final for the last lot of years.

Is there only 8 clubs that compete in the hurling in Derry?

[marty34]

thought we played well yesterday. harried and tackled all over the pitch and didnt let Ballycran get any space or time. decent performance but it will take a better one to beat Sneill.

they are the team to beat at this level for the last lot of years and they will be tough as hell in the final again.

What's the aveage age of this team DR - Eoin O'Neill Koby and Molloy have filled out well - physically strong now. O'Neill was very good yesterday I thought.  Great understanding between the 3 of them.

Should be a big crowd at the final in 2 weeks I'd say.

Eoin, Coby, Keelan, Conor Kinsela are all the same age. think they are all 20. Ryan elliott is 22, think Ronan Molloy is 21 as is Eamon Smyth

Seaan elliott , Ryan McGarry Anton McGrath and Aaron crawford are 19

They would be possibly younger now than Sneill are now but i cant be sure

The Mageean Cup win was a great boost for them lads and iirc, they lost out after extra-time in the All-Ireland series.

[marty34]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

Problem is teams will want to compete in intermediate as thry know they've very little chance of winning senior at the minute.

In Antrim would Rossa or Ballycastle be allowed to drop to intermediate after playing in senior championship?

[Milltown Row2]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

Problem is teams will want to compete in intermediate as thry know they've very little chance of winning senior at the minute.

In Antrim would Rossa or Ballycastle be allowed to drop to intermediate after playing in senior championship?

Both teams compete at senior, Ballycastle when they were div 2 recently (on a couple of occasions) wouldn't have dropped out of senior, Rossa did and won the All Ireland (Antrim's first and only) intermediate final.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

thought we played well yesterday. harried and tackled all over the pitch and didnt let Ballycran get any space or time. decent performance but it will take a better one to beat Sneill.

they are the team to beat at this level for the last lot of years and they will be tough as hell in the final again.

What's the aveage age of this team DR - Eoin O'Neill Koby and Molloy have filled out well - physically strong now. O'Neill was very good yesterday I thought.  Great understanding between the 3 of them.

Should be a big crowd at the final in 2 weeks I'd say.

Eoin, Coby, Keelan, Conor Kinsela are all the same age. think they are all 20. Ryan elliott is 22, think Ronan Molloy is 21 as is Eamon Smyth

Seaan elliott , Ryan McGarry Anton McGrath and Aaron crawford are 19

They would be possibly younger now than Sneill are now but i cant be sure

The Mageean Cup win was a great boost for them lads and iirc, they lost out after extra-time in the All-Ireland series.

Yeah they lost to Abbey CBS Tipp after extra time and also some poor refereeing as well to boot.

[marty34]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

Problem is teams will want to compete in intermediate as thry know they've very little chance of winning senior at the minute.

In Antrim would Rossa or Ballycastle be allowed to drop to intermediate after playing in senior championship?

Both teams compete at senior, Ballycastle when they were div 2 recently (on a couple of occasions) wouldn't have dropped out of senior, Rossa did and won the All Ireland (Antrim's first and only) intermediate final.

But did they compete in senior championship first, lose, then drop down to intermediate championship in Antrim...in the same year?

[marty34]

thought we played well yesterday. harried and tackled all over the pitch and didnt let Ballycran get any space or time. decent performance but it will take a better one to beat Sneill.

they are the team to beat at this level for the last lot of years and they will be tough as hell in the final again.

What's the aveage age of this team DR - Eoin O'Neill Koby and Molloy have filled out well - physically strong now. O'Neill was very good yesterday I thought.  Great understanding between the 3 of them.

Should be a big crowd at the final in 2 weeks I'd say.

Eoin, Coby, Keelan, Conor Kinsela are all the same age. think they are all 20. Ryan elliott is 22, think Ronan Molloy is 21 as is Eamon Smyth

Seaan elliott , Ryan McGarry Anton McGrath and Aaron crawford are 19

They would be possibly younger now than Sneill are now but i cant be sure

The Mageean Cup win was a great boost for them lads and iirc, they lost out after extra-time in the All-Ireland series.

Yeah they lost to Abbey CBS Tipp after extra time and also some poor refereeing as well to boot.

Yes, I think it was a Cork ref: gave the Ballymane nothing in 2nd half.

[Milltown Row2]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

Problem is teams will want to compete in intermediate as thry know they've very little chance of winning senior at the minute.

In Antrim would Rossa or Ballycastle be allowed to drop to intermediate after playing in senior championship?

Both teams compete at senior, Ballycastle when they were div 2 recently (on a couple of occasions) wouldn't have dropped out of senior, Rossa did and won the All Ireland (Antrim's first and only) intermediate final.

But did they compete in senior championship first, lose, then drop down to intermediate championship in Antrim...in the same year?

No, not allowed, I think we've a policy now that div1 can only play senior, also we can't play intermediate next year as a club even though we are relegated cause we won Ulster last year

[marty34]

Third year of this format in Derry. Lavey got beat in an Ulster intermediate final in the 1st year of it, by Keady I think.

Problem is teams will want to compete in intermediate as thry know they've very little chance of winning senior at the minute.

In Antrim would Rossa or Ballycastle be allowed to drop to intermediate after playing in senior championship?

Both teams compete at senior, Ballycastle when they were div 2 recently (on a couple of occasions) wouldn't have dropped out of senior, Rossa did and won the All Ireland (Antrim's first and only) intermediate final.

But did they compete in senior championship first, lose, then drop down to intermediate championship in Antrim...in the same year?

No, not allowed, I think we've a policy now that div1 can only play senior, also we can't play intermediate next year as a club even though we are relegated cause we won Ulster last year

Ok. Derry clubs, once beaten, drop down to intermediate, which I think as unfair.  They all play in senior league.

I think they should nominate what championship they want to play in at start of year.

On the other side of story is Lisbellaw went in senior club semi-final for a few years....yet there are no other senior clubs in Fermanagh and their county team are in the Lory Meagher!!!

[Jimmy]

Derry's championship is based on the senior league. Teams finishing 1 and 2 get a bye into semi finals. Teams 3 4 5 and 6 play in 1/4 finals. Winners progress to semi finals with 1 and 2. Losers play intermediate final. Lavey and Ballinascreen who lost the senior semi finals this year couldn't have opted to play in the intermediate. Coleraine finished 7th in senior league and were in junior final with Na Magha who compete in Antrim division 4 I think.

I get annoyance at Banagher being in the intermediate this year as they finished 3rd in the league. But they got caught fair and square in the championship but it's not like Derry teams are running away with it every year. Before this system Coleraine and Na Magha alternated between being the Derry representative in the intermediate and junior Ulster competitions. Intermediate and junior competitions didn't exist in Derry before this system.

Coleraine is a funny one because the strength of their hurling team depends greatly on how they are getting on in the football championship. They were out in the 1st round of that this year so all their dual players were able to play hurling. Last year they conceded a junior final as they were still
In the football championship, albeit they weren't helped by going to a replay in the football 1/4 final.

[marty34]

Derry's championship is based on the senior league. Teams finishing 1 and 2 get a bye into semi finals. Teams 3 4 5 and 6 play in 1/4 finals. Winners progress to semi finals with 1 and 2. Losers play intermediate final. Lavey and Ballinascreen who lost the senior semi finals this year couldn't have opted to play in the intermediate. Coleraine finished 7th in senior league and were in junior final with Na Magha who compete in Antrim division 4 I think.

I get annoyance at Banagher being in the intermediate this year as they finished 3rd in the league. But they got caught fair and square in the championship but it's not like Derry teams are running away with it every year. Before this system Coleraine and Na Magha alternated between being the Derry representative in the intermediate and junior Ulster competitions. Intermediate and junior competitions didn't exist in Derry before this system.

Coleraine is a funny one because the strength of their hurling team depends greatly on how they are getting on in the football championship. They were out in the 1st round of that this year so all their dual players were able to play hurling. Last year they conceded a junior final as they were still
In the football championship, albeit they weren't helped by going to a replay in the football 1/4 final.

3 competitions for only 8 teams then??

That's gives you a great chance to win something!!

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Derry's championship is based on the senior league. Teams finishing 1 and 2 get a bye into semi finals. Teams 3 4 5 and 6 play in 1/4 finals. Winners progress to semi finals with 1 and 2. Losers play intermediate final. Lavey and Ballinascreen who lost the senior semi finals this year couldn't have opted to play in the intermediate. Coleraine finished 7th in senior league and were in junior final with Na Magha who compete in Antrim division 4 I think.

I get annoyance at Banagher being in the intermediate this year as they finished 3rd in the league. But they got caught fair and square in the championship but it's not like Derry teams are running away with it every year. Before this system Coleraine and Na Magha alternated between being the Derry representative in the intermediate and junior Ulster competitions. Intermediate and junior competitions didn't exist in Derry before this system.

Coleraine is a funny one because the strength of their hurling team depends greatly on how they are getting on in the football championship. They were out in the 1st round of that this year so all their dual players were able to play hurling. Last year they conceded a junior final as they were still
In the football championship, albeit they weren't helped by going to a replay in the football 1/4 final.

3 competitions for only 8 teams then??

That's gives you a great chance to win something!!

Aye it is good for Ulster, more teams makes for better competition.
Id say realistically in Derry the standard is as follows;

Senior-Slaughtneil, Lynches,
Inter-Swa,lavey, Coleraine
Junior-Na Magha

Screen and Banagher can fluctuate a bit between senior and intermediate, id say Banagher would be intermediate level this year however.

Sorry for clogging up Antrim board with Derry hurling chat, but it is only place a hurling man can get any engagement.