Antrim Hurling

[johnnycool]

I see all the teams from the higher division won the play off games, playing against higher level opposition every week def gives teams an advantage, what was the reasoning for the 2 legs both at neutral venues? Found that strange, either 2 legs with a home and away or a one off at a neutral ground. Maybe next year they'll tweak it a bit

didnt make any sense at all to me that as well. would of potentially got each team a decent gate but i assume the county were at the gate collecting as it was a neutral venue?

Doesn't make much sense at all.

Our neutral venue was in St Galls, about 2 mile from the Stewartstown road.

I suppose in fairness the next game will be in Ballycran   

[CitySlicker11]

Strange set up all together for the play offs, however i like the overall idea rather than two up and two down automatically. Home and away would make more sense in future.

Two quarter finals essentially in two weeks time with st johns v st galls and cushendall v rossa. All to play for.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

good game on sat with ourselves and Rossa. very competitive and played in a good spirit with both teams going flat out at it all the time. I thought we played much better than we did the week before against Cdall and moved the ball about much better. Keelan Molloy was superb for the whole game.
Have to say that Rossa's pitch was in perfect nick for the game.

[ciaran1988]

Championship returns this weekend with some great looking ties. Prediction time get them in.

Senior
Cushendall v Rossa - Cushendall by 7
St Johns v St Galls - St Johns by 10 plus

Intermediate
Carey v Armoy - Carey by 6
St Endas v Creggan - St Endas by 3
Randalstown v Sarsfields - Sarsfields by 8

Junior
St Paul's v St Teresa's - St Paul's by 8
Glenravel v Gort Na Mona - Gorts by 10 plus
Glenarm v Lamh Dhearg - Glenarm by 5
Larne v Rasharkin - Rasharkin by 10 plus

[imtommygunn]

Big test for Rossa to see how far they have come on.

St Endas Creggan looks like a good one too. I think Randalstown may put it up to Sarsfields a bit more than 8 points.

[breakingball]

The only game i see being properly close is st endas v creggan.

Championship returns this weekend with some great looking ties. Prediction time get them in.

Senior
Cushendall v Rossa - Cushendall by 7
St Johns v St Galls - St Johns by 10 plus

Intermediate
Carey v Armoy - Carey by 6
St Endas v Creggan - St Endas by 3
Randalstown v Sarsfields - Sarsfields by 8

Junior
St Paul's v St Teresa's - St Paul's by 8
Glenravel v Gort Na Mona - Gorts by 10 plus
Glenarm v Lamh Dhearg - Glenarm by 5
Larne v Rasharkin - Rasharkin by 10 plus

[paddyjohn]

Senior
Cushendall v Rossa - Cushendall by 5
St Johns v St Galls - St Johns by 10 plus

Intermediate
Carey v Armoy - Carey by 10 +
St Endas v Creggan - St Endas by 6
Randalstown v Sarsfields - Sarsfields by 4

Junior
St Paul's v St Teresa's - St Paul's by 6
Glenravel v Gort Na Mona - Gorts by 5
Glenarm v Lamh Dhearg - Glenarm by 3

Larne v Rasharkin - Rasharkin by 10 plus

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

Rossa gave us a really good game the other week and they will do the same on saturday with Cdall but the home side should have too much for them and pull away to win by 9/10.

St Johns should do the same as well in their game.

[CitySlicker11]

Are the semi finals an open draw or first plays second from the opposite group?

[NAG1]

Are the semi finals an open draw or first plays second from the opposite group?

Think was an open draw last year from what I remember

[imtommygunn]

Is the round robin actually any use really? It seems there are a few dead rubber games. Would people prefer knockouts? I think I would.

[NAG1]

Is the round robin actually any use really? It seems there are a few dead rubber games. Would people prefer knockouts? I think I would.

Dont get it either, prolonging the inevitable results and semi final settings.

It is a laudable idea to give the weaker teams more games to try and increase their levels, but that it what the league should be for. the group stages have turned in or always were glorified league games.

[imtommygunn]

Yeah I was also thinking that. I would rather pure knockout from straight away. You could get the big teams playing each other in summer months which would be a novelty lol. (not antrim's fault but half of club hurling is in the winter when most of the summer is free for it up here)

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

group games are totally pointless if they dont determine who gets who in the semi finals. whats the bloody point of winning two games if you end up playing a team on the other side who won two game as well.

you could win one game and rest your team off effectively to just go through to the semi finals and draw the team on the other side who won one game as well. pointless set up unless theres a reward for winning your two games.

At the moment all its doing is dragging the thing out

[johnnycool]

group games are totally pointless if they dont determine who gets who in the semi finals. whats the bloody point of winning two games if you end up playing a team on the other side who won two game as well.

you could win one game and rest your team off effectively to just go through to the semi finals and draw the team on the other side who won one game as well. pointless set up unless theres a reward for winning your two games.

At the moment all its doing is dragging the thing out

Down underage championships have round robin stages where the top team in each group get a home semi-final against the team second in the other group and vice versa.
There's a tangible benefit to finishing top and I think it works well.

Not sure if that could/should translate to senior championship though.