Antrim Hurling

[Saffrongael]

When does the Joe Mcdonagh start?

16th April v Offaly in Corrigan I'm assuming

[imtommygunn]

Jc I see you're playing the division two final in the convenient location of thurles. I guess it's equidistant give or take 200 miles or so

[Saffrongael]

Jc I see you're playing the division two final in the convenient location of thurles. I guess it's equidistant give or take 200 miles or so

I think Down are happy enough with this? Will be great for them to play in Thurles

[johnnycool]

Jc I see you're playing the division two final in the convenient location of thurles. I guess it's equidistant give or take 200 miles or so

I think Down are happy enough with this? Will be great for them to play in Thurles

I'd be happy enough to play in Semple if I was a player too, so no worries in that regard.

Hard to beat the same team twice would be my main concern and there's nothing between these two teams when they met three or four weeks ago.

A big step up for Down if they do win it but sure you need to be pushing yourself all the time.

Best of luck to the lads.

[imtommygunn]

It would be good to see Down up in division 1.

Might give us  chance of winning a game too   

In all seriousness Kerry a good side too though. I see they'd a boy in the fitzgibbon team of the year but he was also on the sigerson one so I imagine big ball would win down there. In Conway they have a cracking player too.

Yeah I would say you are both right about players and Semple. Meant to be a great experience playing there.

[johnnycool]

It would be good to see Down up in division 1.

Might give us  chance of winning a game too   

In all seriousness Kerry a good side too though. I see they'd a boy in the fitzgibbon team of the year but he was also on the sigerson one so I imagine big ball would win down there. In Conway they have a cracking player too.

Yeah I would say you are both right about players and Semple. Meant to be a great experience playing there.

It's Westmeath we've to play in Thurles, they beat Kerry in the semi final on Saturday. Like most teams at this level they're much bigger than the Down team but with the Sands brothers and a few others there's serious pace in the Down forwards, just need to be able to get the right ball in.

The last time we beat both in the league we gave Westmeath a good beating in Limerick to win Div2 title back in the mid 00's..

[BrendanAntrim]

When did we play Westmeath in Dunloy? Must have been 2019, they were huge, and physically very strong. Good luck to Down in this final.

[NAG1]

I think getting to play WM in Thurles is massive for Down.

The ball will move quickly and should allow Down's pace to actually count. Big open spaces on a large pitch should suit.

Funny the additional pace worked for Antrim at the weekend too 

[marty34]

I think getting to play WM in Thurles is massive for Down.

The ball will move quickly and should allow Down's pace to actually count. Big open spaces on a large pitch should suit.

Funny the additional pace worked for Antrim at the weekend too 

Yeah, great occasion for Down. Should be a big crowd in for the second half. Hopefully the weather holds up.

Down should be well able for the open spaces in Semple but Westmeath will be tough - an experienced side.

[johnnycool]

I think getting to play WM in Thurles is massive for Down.

The ball will move quickly and should allow Down's pace to actually count. Big open spaces on a large pitch should suit.

Funny the additional pace worked for Antrim at the weekend too 

Yeah, great occasion for Down. Should be a big crowd in for the second half. Hopefully the weather holds up.

Down should be well able for the open spaces in Semple but Westmeath will be tough - an experienced side.

considering myself and quite a few like me felt Down would do well to stay up then we're into bonus territory but once you get a chance like this then you'd want to take it.

[imtommygunn]

It would be good to see Down up in division 1.

Might give us  chance of winning a game too   

In all seriousness Kerry a good side too though. I see they'd a boy in the fitzgibbon team of the year but he was also on the sigerson one so I imagine big ball would win down there. In Conway they have a cracking player too.

Yeah I would say you are both right about players and Semple. Meant to be a great experience playing there.

It's Westmeath we've to play in Thurles, they beat Kerry in the semi final on Saturday. Like most teams at this level they're much bigger than the Down team but with the Sands brothers and a few others there's serious pace in the Down forwards, just need to be able to get the right ball in.

The last time we beat both in the league we gave Westmeath a good beating in Limerick to win Div2 title back in the mid 00's..

Oops I thought it was Kerry!

[BigBallWeeBall]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2022/0328/1289005-cusack-project-belfast-needs-ramping-up/

[Milltown Row2]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2022/0328/1289005-cusack-project-belfast-needs-ramping-up/

Same guy was running us down in the McDonagh cup final win, I've no time for him at all

[NAG1]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2022/0328/1289005-cusack-project-belfast-needs-ramping-up/

Same guy was running us down in the McDonagh cup final win, I've no time for him at all

Took you a while to get there MR2, he has no priority other than himself. If it suits his agenda at that time he will be all over it.

You wont hear him mention Antrim or Belfast for the rest of the year now.

[Milltown Row2]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2022/0328/1289005-cusack-project-belfast-needs-ramping-up/

Same guy was running us down in the McDonagh cup final win, I've no time for him at all

Took you a while to get there MR2, he has no priority other than himself. If it suits his agenda at that time he will be all over it.

You wont hear him mention Antrim or Belfast for the rest of the year now.

Our approach in Antrim should be slightly different to what's being done currently, but it will only annoy others who'll like to keep their own clubs as they are.

The dual approach doesn't work, we can't sustain it, we'd have a better county team if we had 4 or 5 hurling only clubs in Belfast, all playing and competing in div 1 and chasing senior championships.

Who'll forward that motion will be laughed at or chased out. At the minute we are diluting the hurling due to the amount of clubs that hurl and play football in Belfast. It also can't be a type of club like we have tried in the past, it needs to have a start and proper structure to it, by all means, if you play both continue to do so, but training all season with you team as one set of players will only bring us forward.