Messages

[Antrim really shouldn't be getting caught out like this at U20 level]

Ive heard good reports about the preperation etc. But to withdraw is a bit disappointing. They had a panel of 33 players, Let the lads go and join the senior panel who were asked and stay with them. Could number 16 to 33 not get gametime v the Roscommons etc? Are we hurling snobs? As JC jokingly said, its our level. Derry played in it last year and climbed the steps of croke park

With the resources player wise Antrim really shouldn't be getting caught out like this at U20 level, but I do agree with  what you are doing at U17 level by playing your U17's in Leinster and the U16's in Ulster, makes total sense.

Im wondering if the Antrim management took Derry for granted here.

One thing that should never be done is to underestimate your opponent, especially any hurling team coming out of Derry.

I heard that Joe McLaughlin was subjected to a lot of slabbering from the Derry players.

[was debated well enough at the time]

Going in circles about venues is melting my brain..

Corrigan got the funding rightly or wrongly, and was debated well enough at the time and most people agreed there there could have been better options, but we are where we are. The pitch is a dam site better than some of the pitches on show at the weekend, using Omagh as an example for starters.

All roads going to Corrigan are handy to get to, motorway on the doorstep, people for some reason feel that there should be adequate parking for 4 thousand people, that's just rubbish. When we went to Casement or Croke, people are parking all over the place, its a City. Walking half a mile to the pitch is normal for county games in most counties..

Been shown that whether we play on a bigger pitch or a tighter pitch makes no difference to our form, we are where we are down to what we have available

Someone was complaining about the wind ffs! There is a constant gale blowing down/around/all over most pitches in the country! Then toilets, how many toilets are available in these other grounds? Go before ya leave

Unfortunately I don't think that was the case.

[Portglenone I would say is superior to most]

Definitely not St Endas, it is an awful venue.

Poor pitch, poor parking, poor access.

Creggan is no better.

Portglenone I would say is superior to most.

Antrim played Meath in Portglenone before lockdown.

Pitch was in excellent condition.

There were 2 club grounds designated as county grounds eligible for upgrading depending on funding - Corrigan Park and Loughgiel.

The Loughgiel club were not consulted about any potential upgrade to their ground.

The former county chairman announced the upgrade of Corrigan without consultation with the club delegates after funding had been sourced.

[Dublin physio delaying play and the time not added on]

What even happened with the goal? It looked like he was waving it over the bar then it's right in the goalmouth? Second half I thought Antrim were brilliant

Goalie pulled ball down from going over the bar with his stick and it dropped in behind the line
Forward came in an fouled him afterwards but by that time he was picking ball out of net area just behind the line.
Bad mistake but like most of these things there was plenty of players outfield that fumbled ball and lost possession leading to scores.
Between that and the Dublin physio delaying play and the time not added on, it was a sick way to lose the points.

Good to have Campbell and mc Kenna back, some of the new players struggled but let's judge them after a full league campaign.

That was a serious bit of ballbaggery from the Dublin physio. There was at least 2 minutes of the ref and linesman discussing what had happened which was not played.

Id say Antrim could have gotten a draw as their tails were up at that stage following Bradley's point if the correct time had been played. 2 points dropped unfortunately due to a lucky goal against the run of play.

7 starters out for yesterdays match and Id like to have seen Conor McCann in at full forward, but the lads who came in all put in a serious shift.

[home and away arrangement in place]

Toss a coin for Owenbeg or Corrigan.
[/quote

Toss a coin for Owenbeg or Corrigan.

Nearly all ulster games used to be in casement. Was no home advantage back then!

I beg to differ and was pretty vocal on here at the time about the advantage afforded to the Antrim club champions who'd already had competitive club games there prior to playing the Derry or Down club champions.
And don't start me on the stewards etc etc who refused the disabled brother of three of our players a parking permit inside the ground only to be met by all the Dunloy team getting allowed to drive in past them.

I get your point obviously. But im sure now if you were playing a north antrim team in an ulster final, given the choice of casement or athletic grounds(poor pitch) or owenbeg(wore done this time of the year) you take the belfast venue

The "new" casement will be like a neutral venue as i cant see it being widely available for antrim club games

Id love to see 1st year opened every club in antrim getting the chance to play on it. We've waited too long

Showing my age here, but there used to be a home and away arrangement in place.

Remember Ballygalget playing The Town in Ballycastle way back in the day, so there would have been some sort of arrangement.

When it came to hurling the Ulster Council never gave a monkeys - the same exists today.

Any club / county championship match would have been fixed for Casement Park.

[Christy McNaughton]

Who was Alex Delargy replacing on Sunday? Was it Niall McCormick? He was very good in the county final and would be a good guy to have there too.

Christy McNaughton is honestly one of if not the most skillful player I have seen from Antrim but unfortunately he just doesn't have the conditioning. He is still definitely a very useful boy to have around.

Jaysus, he has some set of wrists.

Must have missed them on Sunday 

   

[Christy McNaughton]

Who was Alex Delargy replacing on Sunday? Was it Niall McCormick? He was very good in the county final and would be a good guy to have there too.

Christy McNaughton is honestly one of if not the most skillful player I have seen from Antrim but unfortunately he just doesn't have the conditioning. He is still definitely a very useful boy to have around.

Jaysus, he has some set of wrists.

[McCormick]

i thought that with Christy but I couldn't see McCormick even on the subs that came on so wondered was he injured.

Is he not in Canada

[I'd put Paddy Burke on Rodgers]

I'd put Paddy Burke on Rodgers. Campbell got it tight against James McNaughton in the county final so I'd probably prefer to try something else. Either way though you're losing a bit going the other way by having one of them doing a man marking job.

Cant see that happening.

Rodgers would drag his marker all over the pitch. If you watch Rodgers, he might have No 11 on his back but one minute he'd be in at full forward, next minute he'd be in at his own corner back position.

A bit like Danny Cullen of Setanta and Donegal if you have ever seen him hurl. Impossible to mark.

To put Paddy Burke to man mark Rodgers would leave a massive gap in the Cushendall full back line which would be exploited by Slaughtneil and you can bet Mickey McShane and Nander would be cute enough to have them do just that.

Id say Cushendall will go with the same defensive set up as the Portaferry match.

If Eoghan Campbell is detailed to man mark any Slaughtneil player, that takes away part of Cushendall's attacking threat, as a lot of ball out of defence goes through Eoghan Campbell who sets up several Cushendall attacks, although he was quiet during the Antrim final.

Regardless of the match ups, if Cushendall turn up and play the way they played on Sunday past, it is going to be a long afternoon.

True.

The Portaferry match will have given Cushendall the opportunity to have shaken a lot of rust from the undercarraige but if they play like that against Slaughtneil they'll be in for a tough shift.

I wonder how the long lay off will affect Slaughtneil. They never got out of second gear in the Derry final against Lynches. I suppose we wont know until throw in.

[I'd put Paddy Burke on Rodgers]

I'd put Paddy Burke on Rodgers. Campbell got it tight against James McNaughton in the county final so I'd probably prefer to try something else. Either way though you're losing a bit going the other way by having one of them doing a man marking job.

Cant see that happening.

Rodgers would drag his marker all over the pitch. If you watch Rodgers, he might have No 11 on his back but one minute he'd be in at full forward, next minute he'd be in at his own corner back position.

A bit like Danny Cullen of Setanta and Donegal if you have ever seen him hurl. Impossible to mark.

To put Paddy Burke to man mark Rodgers would leave a massive gap in the Cushendall full back line which would be exploited by Slaughtneil and you can bet Mickey McShane and Nander would be cute enough to have them do just that.

Id say Cushendall will go with the same defensive set up as the Portaferry match.

If Eoghan Campbell is detailed to man mark any Slaughtneil player, that takes away part of Cushendall's attacking threat, as a lot of ball out of defence goes through Eoghan Campbell who sets up several Cushendall attacks, although he was quiet during the Antrim final.

Dungannon didn't play in Antrim this year did they?

No. Opted out the season after the Damien Casey tragedy.

That's a pity as they have been in it for years.

To be honest they haven't progressed much in close to 20 years playing in Antrim.

The season before last they were one point above relegation.

I think its the travelling that would be the issue.

Looks like they are going to play in the Derry league.

[Antrim caters for clubs from Armagh, Tyrone, Derry and Down, we are certainly doing our bit in Ulster]

should they not have an ulster club league for hurling  antrim derry down can maybe keep their leagues and championships  the ulster club championship could be rest of ulster champions then down derry antrim champions.

There has been many formats over the years, there was a winter Ulster league (my last medal  ) that teams from all over played in prior to normal leagues.. nearly sure there was a mid Ulster league too..

Antrim caters for clubs from Armagh, Tyrone, Derry and Down, we are certainly doing our bit in Ulster and long gone are the days of all Antrim club's winning the grades in the Ulster club, so standards across Ulster has improved..

The problem for most clubs is the duality of the various clubs and fitting those fixtures into already busy leagues..

Don't think they allow teams in now, especially at underage level.

Dungannon and Na Magha (iirc) are in at league level but down the divisions at senior level.

Antrim happy enough not to promote other teams/counties which is fair enough.

Ulster League could be an option for the rest of the counties. Bit of travel but it could work.

They are in at the level they are at, the best way for them to improve is by beating better teams

Im sure that Dungannon pulled out of Antrim the season after the Damien Casey tragedy and Na Magha are withdrawing for next season.

Which leave the 3 Ards clubs in Division One, Bredagh and Carryduff in Div 3 and Div 2.

Cuchullains from Armagh will be plying their trade in Antrim Division 2 next season.

[derry City for a 6.30 throw in early last ye]

Also from St Endas Point of view. I get the county player argument as different teams have different rules. But as for the 1st round games being played in County antrim. What difference is there travelling to Ballygalget or Ballycastle on a Wednesday evening? The county usually handle the midweek fixtures well re this. Although I do recall seeing a North antrim team travelling to derry City for a 6.30 throw in early last year

Dont think that will happen this year. I think are Na Magha withdrawing from the Antrim leagues