Antrim Hurling

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

For God's sake man, we couldn't even win the Christy Ring cup, we made up all the excuses of the day why we failed to perform in croke park etc..
We couldn't play on a proper pitch against second tier teams who we could see off no bother in Corrigan.  We ran out of steam and very exposed big time against Kerry the year we did win it.... Because we couldn't handle the pitch, nothing to do with occasion or anytime else.  The excuses were embarrassing

This paragraph was an eye-opener.

Interestingly, we lost 2 Christy Ring finals. 2016 and 2017.
In 2016, we played our home games in Ballycastle, Dunloy & Loughgiel.
In 2017, we played one home game in Corrigan and the rest in Cushendall.

But it's Corrigan holding us back....

[Oso]

For God's sake man, we couldn't even win the Christy Ring cup, we made up all the excuses of the day why we failed to perform in croke park etc..
We couldn't play on a proper pitch against second tier teams who we could see off no bother in Corrigan.  We ran out of steam and very exposed big time against Kerry the year we did win it.... Because we couldn't handle the pitch, nothing to do with occasion or anytime else.  The excuses were embarrassing

This paragraph was an eye-opener.

Interestingly, we lost 2 Christy Ring finals. 2016 and 2017.
In 2016, we played our home games in Ballycastle, Dunloy & Loughgiel.
In 2017, we played one home game in Corrigan and the rest in Cushendall.

But it's Corrigan holding us back....

If you're content with poor to mediocre then you'll be happy with Corrigan.  Corrigan isn't the only problem there are loads to address......but let's not pretend it's not a problem.

Can you and wee man read? It is intentional that you take specific sentences out of context? Or do you simply not see the big picture?

Are any of those pitches as big as casement was or most county grounds , or croke park? Ballycastle perhaps? The rest not.

So slowly again...the pitch (Corrigan) is one of the problems (not the only problem, no one ever said it was THE problem, that was what yourself and mighty mouse took from what I said because neither of you can see the wood for the trees).

All of the pitches that you listed could have been adjusted and developed to a full scale county pitch had the money been ploughed into developing those instead of Corrigan and a covered stand and terracing built (the only good things Corrigan has going for it).  All of those pitches have a much superior surface to Corrigan. All of those surfaces have better goalmouths as far out as the 21 (though I don't like the 3g in the small square that Ballycastle have).

Why? Because all of those clubs and communities invested in themselves and raised the money to develop their own facilities. They all have a second pitch to train on (unlike the johnnies).  The money never goes to develop grounds like that from the county, even if it's to help the county teams.

Because that's what wrong with Antrim at core level, instead it goes to a Belfast club incapable of raising the funds to develop their dilapidated ground, with no scope to extend anything, with barely standard toilets where you have to almost leave the ground again to go. With one pitch for all it's teams and all the traffic that goes with it hence the state of the pitch. With terrible access and parking.

It was a sh#t decision and it's a sh#t setup, other counties laugh at us, there are club facilities all over Ulster way above our designated "county ground". Is it any wonder Cavan objected to playing there on Ulster championship day?? Then handed us our ass on a plate when we foolishly suggested it was because they were afraid of coming to play in Corrigan. Decisions made by the same sort of individuals who think that any club championship match of any significance should be played in somewhere like hightown.

So for the last time.....
There are many other grounds around Antrim which should have been chosen ahead of the turd of the whiterock.  Had a more suitable ground been chosen we'd have had at least the same covered stand there, at least the same terrace there and scope to develop everything else including the pitch and not be confined by space and restraints.  So apart from 31 other counties laughing at our set up the only others laughing are the johnnies themselves.  And if you want and accept mediocre in the set up then accept mediocre on the pitch!

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

And I'll return to how I entered this discussion.
Casement, Corrigan, Ballycastle, Dunloy, Loughgiel, Cushendall....our county has called them all home at some stage in the last 20 years and not a blind bit of difference has it made to the standard of our county hurlers.

[Milltown Row2]

So you're not a fan of Corrigan?

What pitch/ground currently in Antrim can be used?

I've asked you this a few times but you haven't come back to me.

Been to a few grounds already this year, they are in piss poor state.

So I'll be interested to hear what's better.

Now if you are thick enough to keep going back over old ground on where Antrim are currently playing their home games then knock yourself out.
 
It's been discussed, plenty.

You've been made to look like a fool a good few times but keep coming back. I love your endeavour

[Milltown Row2]

How bad is Omagh's pitch? I'm surprised they are actually allowed to play on it!

[Oso]

How dad is Omagh's pitch? I'm surprised they are actually allowed to play on it!

Lorry load of sand in the goal mouth to patch it up?  Nah didn't think so.

[Oso]

So you're not a fan of Corrigan?

What pitch/ground currently in Antrim can be used?

I've asked you this a few times but you haven't come back to me.

Been to a few grounds already this year, they are in piss poor state.

So I'll be interested to hear what's better.

Now if you are thick enough to keep going back over old ground on where Antrim are currently playing their home games then knock yourself out.
 
It's been discussed, plenty.

You've been made to look like a fool a good few times but keep coming back. I love your endeavour

It's ironic that someone who has made some of the decisions you have in public before has the audacity to call someone thick!

Like I've said before wee man, you don't know what you don't know.

You are asking an irrelevant question because no other ground received the funding and input that Corrigan did to develop it and continues to receive. That can't be undone. What bit of that don't you understand??

Most clubs are only just opening their pitches and no club has had to prepare their pitch to host county matches so what would be the rush with maintenance?  And all 5 Ft 5 (in your studs) of you calling someone thick on the internet!    

So at any of these numerous pitches you were at, did you get parked or did you have to go looking parking in a housing estate nearby?   Meanwhile another sh#t show for parking and access to Corrigan today. Keeping the Johnnies afloat. Maybe they'll be the first club in Belfast able I afford floodlights at this rate, that'll be a proud day for the gaa in Belfast, team effort paid for by us all.

[Milltown Row2]

I'm nearly sure Ardoyne have floodlights

I'll ask one more time, which pitch currently can do county games?

We've spoke at length at the time Corrigan was picked as the County ground. And everyone said the same thing at the time.

So you going over stuff we've already agreed with won't cover my question.

If you can't answer, that's ok 👍

[Milltown Row2]

How dad is Omagh's pitch? I'm surprised they are actually allowed to play on it!

Lorry load of sand in the goal mouth to patch it up?  Nah didn't think so.

Omaghs pitch was atrocious, probably why they lost today

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

So you're not a fan of Corrigan?

What pitch/ground currently in Antrim can be used?

I've asked you this a few times but you haven't come back to me.

Been to a few grounds already this year, they are in piss poor state.

So I'll be interested to hear what's better.

Now if you are thick enough to keep going back over old ground on where Antrim are currently playing their home games then knock yourself out.
 
It's been discussed, plenty.

You've been made to look like a fool a good few times but keep coming back. I love your endeavour

It's ironic that someone who has made some of the decisions you have in public before has the audacity to call someone thick!

Like I've said before wee man, you don't know what you don't know.

You are asking an irrelevant question because no other ground received the funding and input that Corrigan did to develop it and continues to receive. That can't be undone. What bit of that don't you understand??

Most clubs are only just opening their pitches and no club has had to prepare their pitch to host county matches so what would be the rush with maintenance?  And all 5 Ft 5 (in your studs) of you calling someone thick on the internet!    

So at any of these numerous pitches you were at, did you get parked or did you have to go looking parking in a housing estate nearby?   Meanwhile another sh#t show for parking and access to Corrigan today. Keeping the Johnnies afloat. Maybe they'll be the first club in Belfast able I afford floodlights at this rate, that'll be a proud day for the gaa in Belfast, team effort paid for by us all.

Hold on, so parking at Corrigan seems to be a major issue for you?
Yet, you've been championing Casement lately. Surely much of the parking there was side streets & housing estates?
How is the parking at Croke Park?

You have an issue. It's something to do with St John's/Belfast/Antrim Co Board but it's hard to work out because instead of just coming out and saying what the problem is, you are desperately trying to create other non-issues to channel it through.

[saffman]

Very easy for people to criticise and for what its worth i dont think corrigan is a poor choice as such. We've had some good days out there particularly in hurling.

Which other grounds could at the drop of a hat pick up a county game? Considering pitch, accessibility, parking etc

Ballycastle, Dunloy, St endas,

Id also mention cushendall, creggan, ahogill but since the clubs last hosted i feel our crowds have really picked up and not sure if they could cope now days with big games

[barnish oggie]

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.

[Milltown Row2]

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.

Viewing the game is important also, covered stands are a must, tiered terrace also. Standing around a fence is not how you want to watch a game.

 

[SaffronSports]

Loughgiel or Cargin might be some you could add to your list.

[saffman]

Of the list i dont think any of them tick all the boxes - remembering they also didnt get the money pumped into the ground that corrigan has.

Parking to me hosting top div 1 sides is a bigger food for thought as opposed 5 years ago.

Ballycastle to me is the closest to meeting most criteria aside from a covered terrace.

Reason i mention st endas is they have a school nearby to facilitate parking (albeit never been used for a big club fixture)
Secondly they have a natural tiered terrace - why this has never been adapted with rails and proper footing? Would make good viewing.

Portglenone is a great setup but could it host a game against your kilkenny or always come championship? Thinking of crowds?

My point is i believe other grounds could've been adapted to the standard of a good home base to a higher standard than corrigan with less spent on it