Antrim Hurling

Started by milltown row, January 26, 2007, 11:21:26 AM

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Tony Montana

Bottle Of Stout......And where is he going to get the required competitive games in the next 6 days?? There is no substitute for playing matches and unfortunately he hasnt been able to get them. It would be foolhardy to risk him from the start, from what i saw of Cushendall yesterday and Micky in particular it will be a huge task, he looked way off the pace.

slow corner back

If used at all Mick monty should be used coming off the bench to give fans and players a psychological lift early in the second half. There is no way anyone could come back into this grade of match after such a long lay off and last the full game. Bring him on after 5-10 mins of the second half to plug a gap somewhere if he manages 20-25 mins of the required grade of hurling after such a lay off it would be as much as could be asked of any player.

BottleOfStout

Tony Montana - your last post is correct.  The problem Cushendall have is the lack of any quality on the bench and this may force the management teams hand.    Would I be correct in assuming that you belong to that strangely large band of "antrim" hurling followers who will take delight in cushendalls defeat next sunday.

Tony Montana

Re Cushendall getting beat, yes Bottle of Piss you are correct, i am proud to be part of this group.....

Antrim__Lad

Quote from: Tony Montana on February 06, 2007, 09:36:27 AM
Re Cushendall getting beat, yes Bottle of Piss you are correct, i am proud to be part of this group.....

Tony, it is people like you that make me sick. People in Antrim should get behind and support C'dall or whoever represents Antrim in the AI Series. If C'dall where to get stuffed as you probaly hope what would this say for Antrim Hurling and how could it help hurling in antrim what-so-ever. At the minute C'dall are the best team in Antrim and if they get get stuffed it doesnt say much for the other clubs in Antrim or your own club.

As for Mick Monty i was at the match and as far as i saw although he started in 3/4's he was moved cause someone got hurt, then had to be taken off as he got hurt himself, he is one if not the most dedicated and fittest hurlers cushendall have and i have no doubt will cope with the full 60 mins. There where other players who looked worse than he did, in fact Pinky roasted Karl McKeegan.

And as Bottle days i think C'dall would far prefer a good dry day rather than a shitty day

ps How much of Loughrea have you seen Tony anyway. and regards the keeper, who was it made a clanger in the county final (incase your not sure it was the current county keeper who i still believe is the best keeper in Antrim but proves all keepers drop a few clangers)

Tony Montana

What has happened to the posts on this site, there was 5 pages yesterday and at the time of this post there is only 4 with no new post since yesterday morning........

aontroim



Davy sends his best wishes to all the Antrim teams for Sunday's games especially Clooney Gaels  >:(

Tony Montana

Does anyone want to talk me through how the Dall are gonna win on Sunday, i have heard all the usual cliched bullshit pubtalk, "get stuck in" "die for the jersey" so on and so on......I watched them on Sunday and i know they were missing players so i will not read too much into a friendly. In all honesty if it had been any team with a bit of balls and courage playing them in the Antrim Final we wouldnt be having this conversation, Loughguile had them beat then did as they always do.......went back into their shell when they needed a few leaders. And that Dungiven team is one of the worst i have seen in the Ulster Championships, i know i am gonna get the usual clowns on saying "nobody like us we dont care" & "why is the whole county not getting behind us" but i just want a bit of sensible debate & no time wasters please

Colonel Kurtz

When are Cushendall naming their team?

slow corner back

Cushendall have a number of factors in their favour Tony, firstly a great team spirit and never say die attitude which has brought the back to back county titles despite their lack of star names. Secondly a very astute manager who has the ability to shuffle his pack when things are not going well. Skinner may not have much on the bench but he gets the absolute most out of what it is. Thirdly it is a hurling match in february, these games can be a lottery as it is completely the wrong time of years to be playing hurling. Finally Tony I do not know what age you are but I am old enough to remember the Loughgiel team that won in 1983, I was at the county final that year the all ireland semi in Loughgiel and the replayed final in Casement. That Loughgiel side were not the best side ever to leave Antrim, they were not even the best ever Loughgiel side but they raised their game when it mattered most and that is what championship hurling is all about.

slow corner back

By the way does anyone have any directions to the pitch in Mullingar?

theskull1

Think youre being a bit unfair TM (and could I suggest a little blinkered) in your opinions. I agree with SCB's points. Cushendall are a well drilled side. Their defense work well as a pack, they play deep and move the ball into open spaces up front where they have a hard working, mobile forward line that I think will cause a few problems. I think they will win on Sunday
It's a lot easier to sing karaoke than to sing opera

imtommygunn

Tony to be honest you're being ridiculous TM.

Loughgiel may have been poor in the second half of the county final but Cushendall were immense.

Cushendall have often been a victim of complacency in competitions further on than Antrim and that , I believe, was the reason they drew with Dungiven. Remember they were beaten by a London team in the 90s and a Ballycran team who they should have walked through.

They struggle with a) a settled midfield and b) a presence in the full forward position. However their defense is very very solid, McKillop at midfield has been outstanding and they have excellent ability to get scores in Aidan Delargy and Conor McCambridge with Magill able to chip in too.

With all the above said I think your views are completely blinkered. They are no average team - they are one however who on certain occassions struggle to raise their game and can be poor. I would very much doubt they will struggle to raise their game on Sunday - it's an AI semi and they would be severe underdogs. It will be very tough - but if they believe and play with character then I think they can do it. I also have a funny feeling that given they're not entirely settled at midfield they will maybe put Micky McCambridge in at midfield.

All that said - good luck to them, Gort NaMona and Ahoghill. I hope you all win and if you don't win give it your all and leave nothing behind. The attitude of some southern counties towards hurling up here is appalling - do antrim and ulster hurling proud.

Syd The Sailor

I wouldnt exactly say Tony Montana was being ridiculous. I think he had some fair comments even though he can get a bit carried away at times, there are people in Cushendall who will tell you they are the weakest Cushendall team to go down south. Its all very well having a well drilled outfit but you need something extra as the bar will be raised several notches in terms of opposition they have faced so far. I would love to see them sticking it to the knackers but i just dont think they have enough class..........
"I coulda been a contender.....i could've been somebody"

BottleOfStout

Glad to see the last few posters have added some rational balanced debate on this. 

As regards Cushendalls midfield, there is a big question mark over Declan McKillop's fitness ( stomach muscle injury).  I think Cushendall could (will )  struggle without him.  The team linout is fairly settled although there could be changes at half-back and midfield depending on where Michael McCambridge plays,  whether Declan is fit , or where to get the best out of Aiden Delargy.