Messages

1

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: May 29, 2023, 12:08:31 PM »

The report in The Saffron Gael says there had been rumours this was it for him. I think he's the type who would want to go out on a high as well by leaving Antrim in the best position possible.

Based on his performances, he absolutely could go again but I suppose we don't know at what cost that's coming at. He's been with Antrim since he was very young and has played longer than all the lads he played with in the early days. Regardless of what he does, he's left a fantastic legacy on the pitch but he's also done an awful lot off it too with regards promotion of the game.

Maybe fancies one last big push for another championship with Cushendall before he hangs them up completely.

If he retires from the county he will play on with Cushendall for a few more years.

A good few lads from Sambo and Woody's minor team from back in the day are still plying their hurling trade with their clubs.

I think he will stay on for another year at least. He'll get a few weeks rest, probably a holiday and back on the horse with Cushendall for this year's championship.

2

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: May 29, 2023, 10:12:26 AM »

I can see him going again. Hes in fantastic shape and still delivering

Fantastic result

I think you might be right. I think after a good rest and recuperation that Neil will be around for Darren Gleeson's final year. Hoggie and TJ still producing the goods at a similar age. There was no mention of him retiring from county hurling until the Antrim Twitter feed mentioned it and I definitely wouldnt trust whoever operates the Twitter feed.

The strong breeze blowing down the field towards the Dunnes Stores end was definitely a factor. Westmeath started their comeback when Ryan Elliott was black carded in the 30th minute of the first half to lead by two at halftime. Antrim held out until halftime and when Elliott returned Antrim were back to 15, rattled off the next 3 scores in a row to take a lead they wouldnt lose. Used the breeze with some impressive scores from out the field.

Some of the catching from both sides was a joy to watch and Antrim must have went back to basics at some stage during their training as the blocking was top drawer.

Was one of those games where every player played well in their position (not unlike the Cushendall v Sarsfields match All Ireland semi final in 2016) . Jonty was buzzing around the forward line as was Niall McKenna, Coby, James Mc but I think Neil McManus was outstanding.

Large support in Mullingar for Antrim which was great to see.

3

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: April 27, 2023, 09:08:28 AM »

Unfortunate not to take the win at the weekend. The lads gave it absolutely everything.

Some strange tactical elements from our side, but that's the manager's prerogative. Hopefully can take a bit of confidence from this forward into the other games.

In what way NAG1? I give us more than a fighting chance this weekend. I think Wexford are very average

Dublin were probably bang average too and we had them at home.

Found it strange selection of the first substitution to replace NE, just from a positional and tactical POV.

Puck out strategy was another one I couldn't understand.

Look I'm not trying to be negative because the team gave absolutely everything and commitment was there in spades, it's just a few things that I didn't get watching on.

He went over on his ankle in front of the Antrim mentors.

 

That part wasn't the issue. He was clearly unable to continue...read again.

Just highlighting that he went over on his ankle was the reason he went off.

Re puck outs, I agree 100%.

Constant puck outs down Antrim's left wing in the second half against the breeze where Dublin had copped on to this and a few of their players had drifted to that side therefore outnumbering the Antrim midfielders / half forwards.

One of these puck outs resulted in a turnover where Dublin played the ball down their right, fed the ball into Donal Burke who drilled it into the net.

Antrim's puck out strategy when they go short really puts the fear into me.

Rarely is the ball pucked to the hand, resulting in the recipient having to readjust his stance and losing vital seconds. Remember the Joe McDonagh match v Offaly in Corrigan last year where 2 goals were conceded as a result of poor puck outs.

4

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: April 26, 2023, 09:05:03 AM »

Unfortunate not to take the win at the weekend. The lads gave it absolutely everything.

Some strange tactical elements from our side, but that's the manager's prerogative. Hopefully can take a bit of confidence from this forward into the other games.

In what way NAG1? I give us more than a fighting chance this weekend. I think Wexford are very average

Dublin were probably bang average too and we had them at home.

Found it strange selection of the first substitution to replace NE, just from a positional and tactical POV.

Puck out strategy was another one I couldn't understand.

Look I'm not trying to be negative because the team gave absolutely everything and commitment was there in spades, it's just a few things that I didn't get watching on.

He went over on his ankle in front of the Antrim mentors.

5

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: March 14, 2023, 09:24:53 AM »

Remember where we were at! Meath beat us, we have improved ten fold, but yes the gap is massive, with our best 15 all fit we still fall away with 7 minutes of normal time this year in the league, we need personnel that’ll improve the team mid way through second half when our lads our busted.

Strength in depth helps pull everyone along and fighting for positions and maintaining standards when going into the last quarter

Twice LOL   

6

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: March 14, 2023, 09:05:12 AM »

I think the problem with the Leinster Championship will be the other teams have never really been at full pelt in the league and have a gear or two to go up, we don't in my opinion and for most matches have put out close to the best we had available. I expect losses in all games aside from Westmeath which will decide our fate. I'd love to be wrong obviously but just an honest and realistic opinion.

Westmeath have had the Indian sign over Antrim the past few years.

They have big strong bucks at 3, 6, 11 along with Killian Doyle who rarely misses a free.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: March 13, 2023, 02:00:43 PM »

Look at the 2nd half against kerry in croke, thank god we had a big lead cos we folded like a deck of cards.

Aye, if that match had have went on another 5 minutes, Kerry would have won it.

They built up some head of steam especially after Jordan Conway came on and scored 2 goals which put Antrim on the back foot, coupled with Podge Boyle missing very little from the placed ball.

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Antrim / Re: Toe, in or out?

« on: March 13, 2023, 11:23:20 AM »

I don’t think it’s the end of the world but if he’s young enough I would get him to do it correctly, toe out. If you dip it with toe in and then have to strike it you have to change your grip. In such a fast sport that split second can hinder a player. I know people may say sure whatever the child is comfortable doing but I’m guessing in IC hurling it’s probably less than 1% dipping with the toe in.

Seen another video where Martin Fogarty advises toe out. Toe out every time for me.

9

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: March 07, 2023, 09:13:48 AM »

As far as i know an amalgamation between st teresas and st agnes?

Another hurling team gone. Latharna Og.

More to follow id imagine. Some clubs are really struggling

Sad, they have done savage work over the last few years to keep going.

Unfortunately, that really isn’t the case.

Underage isn’t great and hurling isn’t really promoted by the primary schools, which is strange given the Rossa connections of one of the head teachers in one of the primary schools although Woody has been in coaching as part of the Gaelfast initiative.

As most of the primary school children will be continuing their second level education at St Killians, these children are at an immediate disadvantage when it comes to school sports as there is a serious promotion of hurling and camogie in St Killians.

One or two other issues may exist which contribute to the club’s demise plus a few lads have not committed and given up, which left a senior panel of 14-15, not including lads with a few longer term injuries, coupled with lads who couldn't commit due to other reasons.

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: March 07, 2023, 08:56:54 AM »

As far as i know an amalgamation between st teresas and st agnes?

Another hurling team gone. Latharna Og.

More to follow id imagine. Some clubs are really struggling

Hadn't heard anything official but see on the Official Antrim site the points have been allocated to the other clubs for all their matches.

They still have the Camogie team and they were fielding at juvenile blitzes last season albeit with low numbers. I grew up in Larne and it obviously isn't a GAA stronghold. There will be a small band of volunteers very disappointed but it's obviously not an easy place to run a club. Still surprising to hear this though.

Neither is Ballymena, Ahoghill or Antrim town but they have no shortage of willing volunteers to drive on and promote their clubs.

How come you didn’t volunteer to assist the hurling club when living in Larne?

11

Antrim / Re: Antrim Hurling

« on: January 24, 2023, 11:03:45 AM »

Loughgiel quietly rebuilding and it appears what they have are a batch of very talented hurlers on their books as evidenced by several of them on the present county panel, plus young Roadstone coming in behind the current crop who is being tipped for big things.
 
It might be a year or two though before Loughgiel are among the silverware which begs the question who will challenge Dunloy in the interim in the Antrim SHC?

Then again Loughgiel are well capable of upsetting the odds early in their rebuild and Cushendall never too far away either.

However, should Dunloy reclaim Big Ears they will run into Slaughtneil somewhere along the road. With Dunloy having broken the Slaughtneil hoodoo and Slaughtneil out to regain their Ulster title, that would be a match well worth watching, depending on Slaughtneil’s progress in the Derry SFC.

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Hurling Discussion / Re: Club hurling championships 2022

« on: January 23, 2023, 11:06:16 AM »

While Dunloy are receiving praise for their display yesterday, their negative tactics contributed to their defeat.

The withdrawal of the corner forwards into the middle third was obviously designed to reduce the Ballyhale threat and in the first half it appeared to be working to an extent as there was 2 points in it at half time, which should have been a point due to a very scorable chance down the right which went wide.

However, a lot of ball into one or two forwards was swallowed up by the Ballyhale back line and it was a case of robbing Peter to play Paul.  In order to play that game you would need a big hoor of a full forward in the Colin Fennelly mode which Dunloy didn’t have.
One thing I did notice was that Dunloy missed a lot of their picks, possibly due to the heavily sanded pitch and as a result Colin Fennelly picked the Dunloy full back line’s pocket to set up the goal to put Ballyhale into the lead which they never lost. a ball which should have been cleared 20 seconds previously.

Dunloy were certainly not overawed by their illustrious opponents and Ballyhale knew they were in a game. However as mentioned by manfromdelmonte a lot of aimless balls into a one man FF line was never going to yield scores and in the second half several Dunloy poc outs went down the left wing which were closed down by Ballyhale.

Obvious that Ballyhale were aware of the threat posed by the likes of Keelan Molloy and closed off the running game especially in the second half when Ballyhale reinforced their half back line leaving it difficult for the Dunloy runners to attack, a tactic employed by Slaughtneil in the Ulster final a couple of years ago and by Loughgiel in the Antrim semi final a few years prior to that, where Dunloy had no answer on both occasions.

With 10 minutes left I felt that Dunloy needed to change their set up and go man on man because they were never going to get past the Ballyhale half back line. That never happened.

Definitely one that got away. I reckon Mickey McShane in Slaughtneil is chomping at the bit for a crack at Dunloy next season should Dunloy get out of Antrim which isn’t a given depending on what Loughgiel bring to the table.

Plenty of the younger Loughgiel contingent on the Antrim panel this year which looks good for them as part of their rebuild. Cushendall, I’m still not sure about and its about time that Rossa and the Johnnies stepped up to the mark in the SHC, because let’s face it neither of those clubs are going to do much in the football championship

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GAA Discussion / Re: 2018 Ulster Club Minor Tournament

« on: December 27, 2022, 10:10:07 PM »

Was down at Donaghmore v Four Masters.

Donaghmore seemed to be missing a couple of key men and were well beaten. Pulled it back to four at one stage in the second half but only seemed to have Noah Grimes as any threat up front.

Couple of big lads in that Four Masters side.

Minus the mullet

14

Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: November 10, 2022, 01:56:22 PM »

I must have been at a different meeting because the motion I heard put to the floor and which was passed by the majority in the room was to decouple at 18 ie. Players in last year of minor Cannot play in adult competitions

The Antrim club delegates voted to change the age groups to U12, U14, U16, U18.

The debate then moved to the decoupling issue which prevented minor players playing senior which affects the playing pool of smaller clubs with reduced populations.

The compromise was to permit players in their second year of minor to be allowed to play senior hurling for their club. This was passed by the club delegates to be voted on at Congress, with the motion possibly to be proposed by the Antrim delegation.

The chair asked the room to vote on decoupling at 18 and the majority of the room stuck their hands up, never put to the room to decouple at 17, man beside me was looking to decouple at 17 and was talking to me after about his club would now struggle if this motion was implemented as they badly needed lads in last year minor to field!

The wording was 'decouple for the first year of minor'

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Antrim / Re: Antrim Football Thread

« on: November 10, 2022, 11:11:30 AM »

I must have been at a different meeting because the motion I heard put to the floor and which was passed by the majority in the room was to decouple at 18 ie. Players in last year of minor Cannot play in adult competitions

The Antrim club delegates voted to change the age groups to U12, U14, U16, U18.

The debate then moved to the decoupling issue which prevented minor players playing senior which affects the playing pool of smaller clubs with reduced populations.

The compromise was to permit players in their second year of minor to be allowed to play senior hurling for their club. This was passed by the club delegates to be voted on at Congress, with the motion possibly to be proposed by the Antrim delegation.