Antrim Hurling

girt_giggler · September 08, 2008, 10:55:58 AM

http://www.tribune.ie/sport/article/2008/sep/07/kicked-to-touch/

NAG · September 08, 2008, 11:14:20 AM

thanks Girt

THE EGO HAS LANDED - WHAT A COMPLETE CROCK!

Liam Watson claims Antrim used double standards in apparently dumping him for playing soccer

Past glories: Liam Watson in action for Antrim against Kildare, a sight he claims probably won't be seen again until there is a change in the county set-up inpho/donall farmerHe wants to finally put the record straight. It is the only reason why Liam Watson has decided to break his silence over his exclusion from the Antrim hurling squad.
On the day that hurling is the spotlight Watson is still coming to terms with being shunted off the game's centre stage.
But there will be no attempt by him to try and rebuild a relationship with the Antrim county set-up.

"As long as Terence McNaughton and Dominic McKinley are in control there is no chance of me ever thinking about pulling on an Antrim shirt. I don't suppose they are too fussed either way. They do their own thing.

"It has led to me being forced out of county hurling. Now all I want to do is concentrate on my club hurling with Loughgiel and make a career in Irish League football.

"When I look at the way I have been treated by Antrim perhaps concentrating on soccer, and having the respect that comes with playing in a professional setting, is something I should have done a lot sooner."

Watson's anger is matched by his frustration at the way he feels he has been unfairly labelled as a sports turncoat.

Earlier this year he was told he was surplus to requirements as far as the Antrim hurling hierarchy was concerned. The management team, with the backing of the county board, took an uncompromising stance.

It was thanks, but no thanks as far as Liam Watson's Antrim career was concerned. The move shocked many given the outstanding return the player had provided for the county during the last six years. Five Ulster titles, two Ulster under-21 titles and a Christy Ring Cup medal have already been salted away.

The official line was that Watson, because of his involvement in a summer soccer competition, had missed a crucial training session prior to Antrim's All Ireland qualifier against Galway. The Saffron's subsequent humiliating loss caused soul-searching and anger in the Antrim camp. Fingers were pointed.

The scapegoat was Watson. He was accused in many Antrim quarters of betraying the county cause. There are few worse crimes in the eyes of many GAA supporters than selling out your soul to soccer.

The allegations have hurt Watson. They have hurt his family and friends. At the start, he says, he couldn't be bothered to contradict the one-sided claims.

"If some people wanted to make up their minds without hearing the full story then that was up to them. All I wanted to do was let them get on with what they wanted to believe.

"They weren't aware of the truth. At the time I was so sickened by the way I had been treated that it was easier to keep quiet."

Liam Watson's version of events is vastly different from that placed in the public domain by Antrim.

He has no problem with admitting that he had missed the pre-Galway training session in order to play soccer. "That's the way it was. But what hasn't come out up to now is that the management in Antrim knew in advance that I wouldn't be available because of the overlap.

"Both Sambo and Woody were told about the clash. They said they were fine about the problem. They said they would be able to work around it. But I never felt they would work around it by dumping me from the panel. Maybe they want to concentrate on developing the Minors from the squad they had a few years ago.

"Maybe they feel that at 25 I haven't got what it takes any more, that I am getting on a bit. To use, however, soccer as the reason for questioning my commitment to Antrim is a joke.

"There were never any problems over the past couple of years when I was allowed to play soccer for Ballycastle United on a Saturday afternoon and then travel on to places like Waterford and Kilkenny for a hurling game the next day.

"I'll leave it to others to decide if a certain amount of double standards are part of the decision to now get rid of me. The truth is that I didn't walk away from Antrim. I was never warned to expect to be dropped for missing that training session."

Antrim and Ulster hurling has few individuals that could be bracketed among the best in the game. Watson however has consistently shown that when it comes to mixing with the elite of the game he has never been out of place. At just 25 he is the type of talented player that Ulster hurling needs to keep to the forefront of the sport. But instead of being the face of the game he has turned his back on county hurling. The choice, he stresses, was taken out his hands.

His commitment to the sport at club level remains absolute. However his objective is now to make a career as a striker in the Irish League with Donegal Celtic. A series of stunning pre-season displays for the West Belfast club, including outstanding displays against Celtic and Ipswich made the offer of professional terms a formality.

This afternoon he won't even bother to take the time to travel down to Dublin to watch the biggest spectacle in the hurling calendar. The pain of rejections still cuts deeply.

He is the player who has dominated the Ulster hurling scoring charts for the past three years. Last season he recorded the fourth highest average in the country, even in a mediocre team.

But those statistics are now part of the past. His primary objective is to help Donegal Celtic develop as a power.

The inevitable conclusion is that the real loser is Antrim hurling

theskull1 · September 08, 2008, 12:34:53 PM

Jesus Christ

This is one good reason not to believe anything you read in the papers. A laugh from start to finish. Was that article in the advertising section of the tribune?

Last Man · September 08, 2008, 05:44:34 PM

A Good question would be what would Brian Cody do with the likes of Watson.......I've a fair idea he would let him continue with his chosen career in LALA land.

Dunloy · September 08, 2008, 06:38:55 PM

Anyone got any idea on who the writer is? not exactly great journalism to carry a story of a second rate intercounty hurler(lets face it thats what he is) in the build up to the biggest game of the year. Pretty pointless telling his story now, as for what Brian Cody wouldve done i think we all know that it wouldnt have been much of an issue, hed have been gone without a trace, but thats merely speculation,

Ahh well sure theres always Irish League soccer with Donegal Celtic.....

Oh thats right, Donegal Celtic arent even in the Irish League.

MrT · September 08, 2008, 09:16:20 PM

lads really, what is all your problems with winker. He was badly treated at the county so would you stay. He is the best hurler in ulster atm and it is antrims loss, he'd also easily get on any team in the country. What has donegal celtic got to do with it as well? use jealous or what lodds??

Last Man · September 08, 2008, 10:12:38 PM

I would say he's one of the best individuals in Ulster but what does that count for. He doesn't give a f£ck about anyone except himself, as much as he thinks the county shafted him he still got his all Ireland tickets courtesy of Casement.

the colonel · September 08, 2008, 10:33:29 PM

Quote from: MrT on September 08, 2008, 09:16:20 PM
lads really, what is all your problems with winker. He was badly treated at the county so would you stay. He is the best hurler in ulster atm and it is antrims loss, he'd also easily get on any team in the country. What has donegal celtic got to do with it as well? use jealous or what lodds??

aye he definately would have been an addition to the kilkenny panel!!!

theskull1 · September 08, 2008, 10:54:59 PM

Quote from: MrT on September 08, 2008, 09:16:20 PM
lads really, what is all your problems with winker. He was badly treated at the county so would you stay. He is the best hurler in ulster atm and it is antrims loss, he'd also easily get on any team in the country. What has donegal celtic got to do with it as well? use jealous or what lodds??

I agree with LM. He's one of the best individual hurlers in Antrim. He is a loss to Antrim. But when one of your most talented players decides to pick and choose what commitment he is willing to give, what would you expect should happen?....should management pander to such behaviour?

Catch yourself on you eejit and take your blinkers off.

Dunloy · September 08, 2008, 11:14:59 PM

Agreed totally, when i talk of talent hurling wise i am referring to team ethic and committment every bit as much as skill or ability. He is skillful yes of course but to play in a silly summer soccer game(for all the mention of Donegal Celtic in the article it wasnt actually them he was playing for it was a local team from ballymoney direction) over going to a pre championship training session is unforgivable. I could see how he would feel agrieved if the management had agreed to it as he claims and if that is the case then they have questions to answer but i doubt very much that they did.So how was he treated badly? it is such a badly constructed article it wouldnt take alot of effort to blow holes in his argument, he claims double standards? were are they? i could see his point if someone else on the team was missing training because they were playing soccer but wasnt kicked off the panel but that isnt the case. how exactly does anyone expect the management to react? The fact of the matter is that the world is full of talented individuals who fail to fulfill their potential for one reason or another and then point the blame at everyone else but themselves. He is no different.

NAG · September 09, 2008, 08:54:00 AM

I think the article is pure drivel and just exactly sums him up, everything is about him and not about the team he was supposed to play for or the guys around him including his own club men.

Oh and by the way turning up with drink on you to training doesnt exactly highlight a professional attitude to training, it shows the lack of respect he had for the panel, mentors and the supporters. If it wasnt over soccer it would have been something else that he walked away over.

Just thought it was an interesting article and agree that is was a really strange weekend to publish it.

Glensman · September 09, 2008, 02:28:35 PM

I hate wasted talent but there is so much of it around. Shame he has ruled himself out under Sambo and Woody.
You read and you almost feel sorry for him but anyone with any shred of knowledge about his antics in the past should read it with that in mind. And NAG is right that it was some game for Limivady United I think...not Donegal Celtic in his new professional set up.
He is a gifted hurler and a joy to watch - I thought he would have grown out of being a petty, self-absorbed, trouble-making boy but it appears that is not the case.

NOW to the big match at the weekend...how are Dunloy shaping up Skull, Dunloy, Max Power?
Shamrock...any inside info?

Looking forward to it big time.

Shamrock · September 09, 2008, 04:06:40 PM

Training going well from what i hear. Its the biggest competition for places for a while. But ultimately its do or die for our lads. They need to stand up and be counted. Dunloy at present are the champions, favourites and imo the best team in the county. however the best team doesnt always win. We wont be far away, im confident that if a few lads stand up, we can turn our aul enemy over and go on and deliver the one we all crave!! I honestly believe we have the players.

theskull1 · September 09, 2008, 04:29:22 PM

Quote from: Shamrock on September 09, 2008, 04:06:40 PM
Training going well from what i hear. Its the biggest competition for places for a while. But ultimately its do or die for our lads. They need to stand up and be counted. Dunloy at present are the champions, favourites and imo the best team in the county. however the best team doesnt always win. We wont be far away, im confident that if a few lads stand up, we can turn our aul enemy over and go on and deliver the one we all crave!! I honestly believe we have the players.

Sounds like something you have been saying about yourselves for a few years now Shamrock

. If you do believe you have the players then why not tell us you think they are the better team? Keeping the pressure off??

No matter. The best team "on the day" normally does win, so here's hoping for a cracking game on Sunday and the right result of course.

Dunloy · September 09, 2008, 05:54:58 PM

To my knowledge it wasnt even Limavady United he was playing for, around these parts during the summer(the soccer off season june-july) there are several summer leagues, cups etc played. they dont actually involve teams which compete during the regular soccer season but more or less a gather up of players who just want a game, thats what he was playing in,anyways enough of my extensive soccer knowledge

game on sunday im sure will be a good one, silly the way the semi finals were played so far apart but hey what do you do? All i hope is that its a free flowing game and the derby element is kept to a minimum, as i feel more often than not this lowers the standard of the hurling.