Antrim Hurling

[BrendanAntrim]

The match against Offaly has lost any meaning now. We are in a relegation play off with all that is to be decided is the opposition, either Laois or Dublin.

[theskull1]

Abundantly clear that our basics are nowhere near where they need to be to be competitive in this league. We haven't put out a competitive minor team in donkeys years. I don't see any evidence on the pitch that players (both Juvenile and Senior) are benefitting from the increased emphasis on inter-county competitions and I think the impact on club leagues this year in particular with this new Joe McDonagh competition will be a complete disaster.

[theskull1]

Define your notion of 'the solution'?

Not a solution but for me id prefer a closer more honest assessment of skill development across each club to keep coaching standards at the forefront of what we do in each and every club. A regular club fixtures calendar all the way through April to Sept. We need more clubs to focus on skill development. More enjoyable seeing more of our players getting regular fixtures. More chance for them to develop

...feel free to contribute not that it will change anything

[old timers]

Really poor performance and tactics were baffling

What tactics the one where we pump nothing ball in top of 6 defenders and two forwards
No system, no movement, no first touch, no fielding,no pace.
Apart from that we are OK

Now NAH. Your in danger of being critical of this Antrim team that has done so well. Given Home venue for the game  keeping management happy. Playing Limerick with so many missing  all positives unfortunately none of it mattered. Hard to watch today the only bonus was it wasn't such a long track Home.  Seen Maol leave myself. It must be hard when your not getting on but being honest he hasn't had a look in from they subbed him a few games back. Unfairly IMO - but im an oldie - Communication should be the key to dealing with any group of players and given what happened today I'm unchanged in my views.

[Milltown Row2]

Being an old timer, can you remember (recently) when we play Limerick and gone well? I can't for the life of me remember

[old timers]

Being an old timer, can you remember (recently) when we play Limerick and gone well? I can't for the life of me remember

MR 2 your back again to "when have we played and gone well" or "players in other counties that are over weight" so we just accept what's happening because that's the way its always been. That's what's wrong with Antrim hurling.  Sure we came close to Dublin and Galway so that's great.  If u can't get yourself up to play the league leaders at home  to show you want to fight to try and stay in 1b then where do we go. You can't fault anyone for loosing a game so long as they give 💯 percent.  To  say they were flat is an understatement. iMO

[theskull1]

Why should anyone feel we've any right to put it up to teams at this level? You just can't magic a solution to being competitive with the top teams with a few gym and wall ball sessions with a single committed group and expect a massive change. As a county, we (club and county coaching and development) haven't the work done that needs to be done over a significant period of time to match whats being done elsewhere and thats the truth of it. I think we're too isolated up here to see/care the gulf open up from juvenile level that we never get back and then we're always wondering come senior where it all goes wrong  . Carlow, Laois, Westmeath, Dublin are all close enough to the real action to at least stay at the tail end of the slip stream.

I'd be happy to see more club action at the cost of perennial (destined to fail) attempts to get a foot hold on the top rungs. More chance of the game strengthening that way but that won't generate revenue will it 

[Sweeper 123]

Yesterdays display was just terrible - an off day, who knows;

Our short puck outs, couple of passes in the defense then a long ball when we come under pressure, & we only ever have 1 or possibly two attackers up there against 4 defenders (and that has been the case in all matches to date); Tactics are baffling - would not want to be a forward always having to play against 4 forwards - and our forwards work their socks off and deserve credit but its a tough one for them;

Defenders are in general 3 to 4 yards off their players (except FB) which at this level is too much of an advantage esp when the other teams are picking them out - maybe as we play a sweeper they think we have enough back so dont mark players; And the sweeper was ineffective yesterday as Lim just played around him;

I still see a number of players that struggle to get on their own teams starting here - we have had 4 different CHB's to date ; our half back line / midfield and 1/2 forward line keeps changing - do u think a settled team would help; I thought a few players actually looked unfit also and never worked back once we lost the ball; First 25mins of the game was excellent i thought we were actually going to do it - then when Graffin sold himself for the goal we just folded

I admire those that strip out but how do we get other players to committ? I still feel we are going down, cant see us beating either Offaly or Laois   - gutted

[old timers]

 It's not a happy camp from reports today.

[NAG1]

Yesterdays display was just terrible - an off day, who knows;

Our short puck outs, couple of passes in the defense then a long ball when we come under pressure, & we only ever have 1 or possibly two attackers up there against 4 defenders (and that has been the case in all matches to date); Tactics are baffling - would not want to be a forward always having to play against 4 forwards - and our forwards work their socks off and deserve credit but its a tough one for them;

Defenders are in general 3 to 4 yards off their players (except FB) which at this level is too much of an advantage esp when the other teams are picking them out - maybe as we play a sweeper they think we have enough back so dont mark players; And the sweeper was ineffective yesterday as Lim just played around him;

I still see a number of players that struggle to get on their own teams starting here - we have had 4 different CHB's to date ; our half back line / midfield and 1/2 forward line keeps changing - do u think a settled team would help; I thought a few players actually looked unfit also and never worked back once we lost the ball; First 25mins of the game was excellent i thought we were actually going to do it - then when Graffin sold himself for the goal we just folded

I admire those that strip out but how do we get other players to committ? I still feel we are going down, cant see us beating either Offaly or Laois   - gutted

Skull has the main point on this, we cant expect to not be competitive at any juvenile level and then turn up at senior level and have that right.

However even taking that into account we can still do things that we arent currently doing to be 'more' competitive.

[Milltown Row2]

Jesus! one bad display against a quality team and some posters are ready to give up on Antrim hurling!

Getting beat by Limerick was expected, and not just by the keyboard experts, the bookies had us down for and heavy defeat.. thats what we got, and not playing well, sure that happens, players being asked to join the panel, that happens, players taking the hump and walking off the panel that also happens..

The worst thing that has happened was those decent performances as it raised a few expectations, probably a little higher than normal. Skull has banged on about this (on here and no doubt at club level) for skill levels of or clubs at juvenile level and senior level to be improved for years, unfortunately this is just a discussion board with about 17 odd Antrim posters, none of which carry any influence in the corridors of power, or possibly even within their own club!

The minors i thought recently have had some success at different grades but sustainabilty is the key and not just at minor, under 14 at county level has got to improve and then it can shift through the levels and age groups..

[old timers]

I'd like to see maol connolly in the team, he was outstanding in the McGurk cup final.. Must be a real kick in the ballix for him to be honest and for the other lads. They done this with Aaron Graffin last year against Carlow and it was a terrible idea.

I don't think Maol walked away because of anyone new starting yesterday.  I wd say it was the last straw.  He's been on the squad a few years now and hasn't made it into the managements plans.  He's had one start in this league and taken off that day to facilitate another newbie. But you can't blame the new players coming in. It's the manor in which things are done that cause the reaction.

[toby47]

I heard from a good source on Monday that Chrissy McKeague had said he wasn't going to play club hurling next year because for Slaughteneil to win an All-Ireland they would have to concentrate on one code.

Chrissy McKaigue accepts that Slaughtneil were not at their "max level" for either of their All-Ireland club semi-finals last month.

The Derry champions retained their Ulster senior hurling and football titles in another remarkable feat last year before eventually falling to Limerick's Na Piarsaigh and Cork giants Nemo Rangers respectively.

McKaigue, who lined-out at centre-back in both defeats, feels it may be time for the club to put their focus into one code if they are to achieve All-Ireland glory.

"As fantastic as it has been in terms of what we have done at Derry and at Ulster level, I just think probably the whole thing caught up with us," McKaigue told 2fm's Game On programme.

"There's a great, almost, romanticism based around the dual component but going forward it's actually very difficult to maintain and sustain.

"Perhaps going forward next year we going to have to look at how we can do things a little bit more, almost, efficiently."

On last Saturday's semi-final defeat to Nemo, the club's hurling captain added: "Definitely fatigue in extra time caught up with us a wee bit and maybe all in all out preparation, for hurling and football, hasn't been as good as what it probably could have been.

"When you go to play the top sides like Na Piarsaigh in the hurling and Nemo in the football you have to be at your max level and we probably just weren't at our max level in either code to be honest."

Going by this article today my source could be correct. If this is the case it could be the perfect chance for an Antrim club to get their hands on the Ulster club again.

[Sweeper 123]

what chancesdo we give antrim this weekend away to offaly ? Any team news anyone?

[MoChara]

what chancesdo we give antrim this weekend away to offaly ? Any team news anyone?

I wouldn't be surprised if its called off tbh