Antrim Hurling

[NorthAntrim]

A big reason maybe for getting over the line yesterday is the consistency that has came around the squad! We performed decent last year in the league. Stayed up this year. Winter hurling. Hopefully we can get best 15 to 20 players on the pitch and big performances come championship

[imtommygunn]

County requires 2 or 3 years to get up to the speed and conditioning. You look at our footballers and year on year we've a different squad and then they're not at the level conditioning wise. Our hurlers have had really good continuity the last few years. If you read the Laois thread they said we were too physical - how many times do you read that about antrim?

[marty34]

County requires 2 or 3 years to get up to the speed and conditioning. You look at our footballers and year on year we've a different squad and then they're not at the level conditioning wise. Our hurlers have had really good continuity the last few years. If you read the Laois thread they said we were too physical - how many times do you read that about antrim?

Fair point.

Hard to beat having the same panel and same backroom management.

[Kidder81]

While the end result was good i still cant get too excited about the uncoming champinship. McManus, Bradley, Coby were all brilliant yesterday. Defensivly we put our bodies on the line but overall we have a lot of improving to do. The goal was criminal! Campbell, Burke and Bradley in defense look solid. Have we another 3 defenders up to championship level? On a positive the link play Coby brings is fantastic. If we could get McNaughton driving forward from midfield too along with Keelan. Elliott as a link man and McManus a target man in FF we look strong enough. But i think we lack around 4 or 5 players to go to the next level. We need 50% more out of some players. S Elliott for example, fantastic hurler btw. Id like to see Boyle get a start v Tipp.

Would agree with this, probably 3/4 players short & that’s no disrespect to those that are there. They are the best we have. The trick for any team is to introduce more players that are up to it over a 2/3 year period, with the right age profile.

Someone needs to nail down that CF spot that Eoin O’Neill, Conor Johnston & Seaan Elliott have failed to nail down. Leinster championship will tell a lot

[imtommygunn]

Gleeson has been fantastic for us. I think we are borderline punching above our weight tbh but while we still have gleeson and McManus the hope would be that we develop younger players to a higher standard and put enough pride in the jersey so that year on year we have the best we have giving their all.

Kilkenny and Galway will be too much for us. The Wexford and Dublin games will be interesting - you would hope we could maybe spring a surprise there. Westmeath will be like yesterday and be a dogfight.

[Milltown Row2]

Would beat Westmeath 9 out of 10 games, Wexford and Dublin just 5 or 6 points better if we don’t have our best team..

Peak summer Galway and Kilkenny could open us up. That said Galway can have a brain fart every so often.

We need to be unearthing more physical players. Yes the skills are important but looking at the size of other top teams, the players they are some size, fielding, hard running, breaking tackles, we need that at this level

From the under 20 games this year, who’s coming through?

[imtommygunn]

Don’t agree about Westmeath. It’ll be tight.

I think the under 17s are stronger than the under 20s. There’s a few of them even stepped up to the under 20s I think. The biggest prospects seem to be loughgiel forwards and quite a few of them but all a bit young yet.

[SaffronSports]

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.

[Milltown Row2]

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

[NAG1]

Agree with most of it, the next target would be to over take the Dubs and I dont think we are that far away at our best.

Think ITG getting carried away with certain individuals, its horses for courses at this time of the year on wet heavy pitches. Championship won't be like that in the main so the effectiveness of that style of hurling wains and different types are required.

Massive bonus to be in Div 1 again for another year, hopefully we can kick on a bit in the championship and keep things rolling.

[Antrim Coaster]

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.

[Antrim Coaster]

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   

[NorthAntrim]

While the end result was good i still cant get too excited about the uncoming champinship. McManus, Bradley, Coby were all brilliant yesterday. Defensivly we put our bodies on the line but overall we have a lot of improving to do. The goal was criminal! Campbell, Burke and Bradley in defense look solid. Have we another 3 defenders up to championship level? On a positive the link play Coby brings is fantastic. If we could get McNaughton driving forward from midfield too along with Keelan. Elliott as a link man and McManus a target man in FF we look strong enough. But i think we lack around 4 or 5 players to go to the next level. We need 50% more out of some players. S Elliott for example, fantastic hurler btw. Id like to see Boyle get a start v Tipp.

Would agree with this, probably 3/4 players short & that’s no disrespect to those that are there. They are the best we have. The trick for any team is to introduce more players that are up to it over a 2/3 year period, with the right age profile.

Someone needs to nail down that CF spot that Eoin O’Neill, Conor Johnston & Seaan Elliott have failed to nail down. Leinster championship will tell a lot

That other position is a big problem. Coby has shown to be better out the field too. You need to be a top hurler, physical and a great ball winner to play back to goal at that level.

[NorthAntrim]

Has the damage been done in the previous 4 or 5 years before Gleeson. Not developing a lower league forward to county level. A James O'Connell, Sean Duffin to give two examples. Im sure there are a good few others too. There are a few young lads showing promise (scullion-glenarm) but will they be ready for it by the time Glesson / McManus / Campbell step away. Possibly not

Whats the time scale on McCann and Clarke

[keep her low this half]

Has the damage been done in the previous 4 or 5 years before Gleeson. Not developing a lower league forward to county level. A James O'Connell, Sean Duffin to give two examples. Im sure there are a good few others too. There are a few young lads showing promise (scullion-glenarm) but will they be ready for it by the time Glesson / McManus / Campbell step away. Possibly not

Whats the time scale on McCann and Clarke

Clarke did his cruciate which is normally 12 months, I wouldn't be expecting him back in time for the Leinster championship. McCann I don't know anything about.