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GAA Discussion => Hurling Discussion => Topic started by: Milltown Row2 on February 02, 2020, 08:49:39 PM

Title: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on February 02, 2020, 08:49:39 PM
Limerick coasted today I thought! Cork impressive enough the other night. Clare good win also and the Cats will learn nothing from that today.

As will Antrim today against Mayo, Down good win v Roscommon and the rest going to form I think
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: johnnycool on February 03, 2020, 09:41:48 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on February 02, 2020, 08:49:39 PM
Limerick coasted today I thought! Cork impressive enough the other night. Clare good win also and the Cats will learn nothing from that today.

As will Antrim today against Mayo, Down good win v Roscommon and the rest going to form I think

Down won pulling up but will struggle against big physical teams as the year goes on.

Tipp won't be overly concerned about the loss to Cork as while both were missing players Cork were far stronger in terms of starting players, forwards in particular.

the Park looked well under lights all the same.

Big grudge match in Wexford with Brian Lohan getting one over on wee Davy. Former team mates but no love lost there by all accounts.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on February 03, 2020, 05:05:55 PM
Quote from: johnnycool on February 03, 2020, 09:41:48 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on February 02, 2020, 08:49:39 PM
Limerick coasted today I thought! Cork impressive enough the other night. Clare good win also and the Cats will learn nothing from that today.

As will Antrim today against Mayo, Down good win v Roscommon and the rest going to form I think

Down won pulling up but will struggle against big physical teams as the year goes on.

Tipp won't be overly concerned about the loss to Cork as while both were missing players Cork were far stronger in terms of starting players, forwards in particular.

the Park looked well under lights all the same.

Big grudge match in Wexford with Brian Lohan getting one over on wee Davy. Former team mates but no love lost there by all accounts.

Tipp won't care about the league. They have too many miles on the clock. they are waiting for the ground to harden and the stretch in the evenings.
Samhradh samhradh.

Good article in the Irish Times re the Clare feud


https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/how-the-friendship-between-davy-fitzgerald-and-brian-lohan-unravelled-1.4156780

How the friendship between Davy Fitzgerald and Brian Lohan unravelled
The one-time dynamic goalkeeper-full back partnership will meet at Wexford Park on Sunday


Malachy Clerkin



Shortly after Brian Lohan was appointed Clare manager at the end of October, a mutual friend of his and Davy Fitzgerald's set about seeing if something could be done. It was always likely to be a fool's errand, given the souring of relations between the pair. But if there was potential for a détente, it lay in the fact that they were going to be opposing intercounty managers now.
The hurling world is small, the elite end of it smaller still, and there are only so many Bainisteoir bibs to go around. With their teams certain to run into each other, it was going to come up and it was going to be public. The point of the intermediary was to see if a little of the poison could be drawn.
It couldn't. Answer came there none. Three months on, Fitzgerald's Wexford welcome Lohan's Clare to Wexford Park on Sunday and the shoulders will be cold on all sides. The photographers will hover at the end, looking for the rare GAA handshake pantomime. In Fitzgibbon matches between LIT and UL in recent years, the pair have gone their separate ways at the final whistle without exchanging the usual pleasantries. All indications suggest they will likely do the same on Sunday.
"As you know and I know and everyone else knows, they were two great hurlers," says Fr Harry Bohan, friend and mentor to both of them stretching back as far as anyone cares to remember. "But above and beyond that, they were and are two very, very strong personalities. They are their own men, both of them. They would make up their own minds and they would stick to it.
"I would know both of them very well and I think the world of them both. My thinking is that whatever happened between them, it had to do with the Fitzgibbon Cup and their time involved there. Both of them are winners, both of them are so competitive and both would do anything to win."
It's all a bit needless, all a bit petty. And nonetheless, for the rest of us peering in from the outside world, unavoidably fascinating. This isn't just two regular Eddie Punchclocks having a falling out, after all.
Go back through the past half-century of hurling and think of goalies and their full backs and immediately you think of Davy Fitz and Lohan. In the 50-year history of the All Stars, the goalkeeper and full-back spots have gone to players from the same county nine times. Fitzgerald and Lohan are the only combination to do it twice.
Clare manager Brian Lohan will take his side to Wexford Park on Sunday to face Davy Fitzgerald's side. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
"All through their hurling years, there was a bond between them," says Fr Harry. "They were both leaders and they would both stand up for themselves but they had that bond that you need between a full back and a goalkeeper. They were a combination that worked very well together, with each other and for each other.
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"But it was when they took over college teams in Limerick that the rivalry started to come between them. I don't know what specific thing it was over, I wouldn't have a clue. But you're talking about two very driven men. They both wanted to win."
Before we pull on the heavy gloves and go digging down to the roots of the issue, it should be stated that The Irish Times contacted both men for this piece to see if they had anything they wanted to say about it and both declined, politely and firmly. For his part, Lohan has resisted a few attempts to get him to open up on it, saying at a press event last May: "I don't have anything to say about him, to be honest."
By contrast, Fitzgerald's side of the story is largely out there, dealt with in his book of a couple of years ago. According to the Wexford manager, the pair had been getting on well in their post-hurling lives, golfing together, putting bits of business each other's way and so on. Right up until they came face-to-face in the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2014; Lohan as coach of UL and Fitzgerald over LIT.
In many ways, the passage in his book makes it a classic Davy Fitz tale. LIT were underdogs and Fitzgerald pulled a few tricks to blindside the fancied UL team on the day – emerging en masse from the bushes (!) onto the pitch, warming up on the side of the field where UL already had their cones laid out. Small but pointed outrages, the sort of vaudeville defiance act that has sometimes been his stock in trade. LIT won the day and, in Davy Fitz's eyes, the end had justified the means.
"Brian never came near me afterwards," he wrote. "I didn't need to be told he was absolutely bulling. When the dust had settled a couple of months later (we'd lost our semi-final to Waterford it by a point), I decided to ring Lohan. Had just pulled in to the Clareabbey car park and was killing time before a meeting. The silence between us had been playing on my mind and I wanted to put an end to it.
"But it soon became clear that Brian wasn't in any mood for a handshake and fresh start. He told me that he couldn't accept 'some of the stuff' that had gone on in that quarter-final, suggesting that – in his eyes – I'd been personally responsible for the worst of it. My response was, "Brian, my job is to win for LIT. I've to do what I have to do, just as you have to do what you have to do for UL. You know me long enough, you know I'd do anything for you. But when we're on opposite sides in a game, it's war. It has to be. You need to get over this."
Davy Fitzgerald on the sideline for LIT during a Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final against UL in February 2015. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Now, of course, we only have Davy's side of the phonecall to go on here. Lohan may have had a bigger grievance than a few fast ones pulled at a Fitzgibbon match but in the absence of any enlightenment, we have to go with what we have.
One way or the other, the heat got turned distinctly higher in 2015 when Clare, with Fitzgerald at the helm, went out of the championship in early July after a wan qualifier defeat to Cork. Lohan had a go at the county board and called for a top-to-toe review, which Fitzgerald took to be a direct swipe at him and his father, long-standing county secretary Pat Fitzgerald.
Whatever the merit in Lohan's suggestion, Davy Fitz is Davy Fitz. And he reacted accordingly. There was a phonecall, there were words, there were more words and then there was silence. Which has more or less held ever since. Fitzgerald's book came out in 2018, detailing the whole thing as he saw it and Lohan didn't bite when asked about it in public.
That said, he did have a small dig at that same press event last May. Having been asked several different ways about what he thought of Davy Fitz, he dead-batted everything apart from one question about the Wexford manager's sideline persona.
"I don't know if it's genuine passion," said Lohan. "We're all passionate about the game, but we don't . . . we show it in different ways. He has the way he does things and people have to kind of fit into that. But I think some of the antics, they're not great."
So here we are. A new season, on otherwise non-descript February league game in Wexford Park and a subplot that means as many eyes will be trained on what's happening on the sideline as the action taking place on the pitch.
Sad, in a way. Compelling too, though.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 02, 2020, 09:49:08 PM
When will the venue be picked for Munster hurling final? Looking to take a few lads down possibly for a stag
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: johnnycool on March 03, 2020, 03:56:57 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 02, 2020, 09:49:08 PM
When will the venue be picked for Munster hurling final? Looking to take a few lads down possibly for a stag

Thurles wouldn't be the greatest of nightspots, so go for Limerick or Cork and sure a wee bit of travelling on the Sunday if needs be isn't a biggie if you're already a 6 hour drive from home.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 07, 2020, 01:10:08 PM
Isn't it crazy that Cork and Dublin have to wait for about  70 days to their next proper competitive fixture i.e. the Munster/Leinster championship?

Surely the league should be starting later - giving lads a proper break - and closing the gap to championship games a bit closer.

I mean, 70 days, that's some gap.  It's like another pre-season after it.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: imtommygunn on March 07, 2020, 09:52:05 PM
Not only that but then when they do play it's a crazy compressed schedule with little time for recovery.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Blowitupref on March 08, 2020, 04:19:28 PM
Offaly stuck in Div 2A for another year. Antrim with two goal deep into injury to grab a draw and a place in the league final v Kerry.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 08, 2020, 04:47:30 PM
Quote from: Blowitupref on March 08, 2020, 04:19:28 PM
Offaly stuck in Div 2A for another year. Antrim with two goal deep into injury to grab a draw and a place in the league final v Kerry.

Serious comeback from Antrim in that game, the final will be a lot tighter than the league encounter. Kerry were missing a few lads last day out
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 08, 2020, 04:59:03 PM
Quote from: Blowitupref on March 08, 2020, 04:19:28 PM
Offaly stuck in Div 2A for another year. Antrim with two goal deep into injury to grab a draw and a place in the league final v Kerry.

Fair play Antrim.  Going really well. Sets them up for a good run in the Joe Mc Donagh now.  Stronger panel now I think which drives things on.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: sekibanki on March 08, 2020, 05:17:03 PM
Any idea as to where Antrim v Kerry might be played?
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 08, 2020, 08:35:32 PM
A great win for Galway against Tipp in Páirc na Gaoithe . Tipp were 7 up at half time and lost by 8.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: manfromdelmonte on March 08, 2020, 09:38:15 PM
Duignan moaning about the injury time and refereeing

Must be very frustrating when a referee starts blowing for illegal handpasses in one game, considering the amount of them thrown in every game. The rule needs to be redefined
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 08, 2020, 10:31:00 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 08, 2020, 09:38:15 PM
Duignan moaning about the injury time and refereeing

Must be very frustrating when a referee starts blowing for illegal handpasses in one game, considering the amount of them thrown in every game. The rule needs to be redefined

So the ref lost the game for Offaly? 6 points up but ended up drawing the game, one game, the league is played over lots of games, the best teams generally go up
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: didlyi on March 08, 2020, 11:45:48 PM
Once again we hear calls for Offaly to be restored to their rightful place at the top table. Only for a few storms and an outbreak of mumps they would not have been playing an Antrim team who had nothing to loose. Surprising the Biffos didn't sit on the field after the match.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 09, 2020, 07:41:06 AM
They need to hurl their way back to status. Same as everyone else
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: johnnycool on March 09, 2020, 10:06:25 AM
Quote from: seafoid on March 09, 2020, 07:41:06 AM
They need to hurl their way back to status. Same as everyone else

Too much sense in that post Seafoid. It'll not catch on.


WRT Cork, Dublin and whoever not playing again for 70 days, I'm sure those lads can go back and play for their clubs and get plenty of hurling.

Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: LooseCannon on March 09, 2020, 04:24:47 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 08, 2020, 09:38:15 PM
Duignan moaning about the injury time and refereeing

Must be very frustrating when a referee starts blowing for illegal handpasses in one game, considering the amount of them thrown in every game. The rule needs to be redefined

The main issue was that all bar perhaps one were perfectly legitimate handpasses. A fuckup on our own behalf because we couldn't deal with 2 high balls. Deservedly not in the final.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: manfromdelmonte on March 11, 2020, 09:20:34 AM
Quote from: seafoid on March 09, 2020, 07:41:06 AM
They need to hurl their way back to status. Same as everyone else
I agree completely
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: redsetanta on March 11, 2020, 12:52:50 PM
Justice was served really as it would have been hard on Kerry to go out particularly when a re-scheduled game was played after all other league games were finished. Kerry had the mumps issue which had a big affect on their team.
Offaly knew what they had to do and obviously took their foot off the pedal. Fair play to Antrim though who were already in the final.
Unfortunately with the way the game has gone I can't see a situation where Offaly will be back winning Leinster's let alone AI's any time soon.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: imtommygunn on March 11, 2020, 02:38:29 PM
The football and hurling are getting the same now. Most teams are miles away and the top handful will beat the rest out the gate.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: johnnycool on March 11, 2020, 04:15:40 PM
Quote from: imtommygunn on March 11, 2020, 02:38:29 PM
The football and hurling are getting the same now. Most teams are miles away and the top handful will beat the rest out the gate.

Was it ever any different though when you look at the stack of AI's accumulated by Kilkenny, Cork and Tipp compared to the rest?

Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: imtommygunn on March 11, 2020, 05:03:07 PM
Not so much in the hurling I guess more football. The backdoor / league etc will mean less upsets until really semi final (really KK Limerick wouldn't have happened 7 or 8 times out of 10 last year I'd say so that was at least one thing although it's usually KK the strong ones so hard to see that as too big a surprise).

The back door etc probably the killer for all of it. Weaker teams might do a one off and could you imagine an ulster team getting to an AI final these days  :o
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: imtommygunn on March 11, 2020, 08:52:27 PM
Yeah in reality we are probably a bit below that level. I think the Kerry game will be very telling as to where we are and will be tough for us but hopefully we will win. We have some handy hurlers but a wee bit worried how reliant we are on McManus especially given he probably doesn't have that many years left in him.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 10:47:36 PM
Quote from: imtommygunn on March 11, 2020, 08:52:27 PM
Yeah in reality we are probably a bit below that level. I think the Kerry game will be very telling as to where we are and will be tough for us but hopefully we will win. We have some handy hurlers but a wee bit worried how reliant we are on McManus especially given he probably doesn't have that many years left in him.

Was thinking that but lads will have to step up to the plate, I haven't seen a direct replacement for Neil in fairness
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 11, 2020, 10:56:31 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 10:47:36 PM
Quote from: imtommygunn on March 11, 2020, 08:52:27 PM
Yeah in reality we are probably a bit below that level. I think the Kerry game will be very telling as to where we are and will be tough for us but hopefully we will win. We have some handy hurlers but a wee bit worried how reliant we are on McManus especially given he probably doesn't have that many years left in him.

Was thinking that but lads will have to step up to the plate, I haven't seen a direct replacement for Neil in fairness

Impossible to replace - if Mc Manus was from any of the big 3 - Kilkenny, Tipp or Cork, he'd be raved about and rightly so.

Competition for places is crucial and the Joe Mc Donagh will be interesting this year.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: manfromdelmonte on March 12, 2020, 09:56:36 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 01:59:52 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 12, 2020, 09:56:36 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 12, 2020, 03:31:49 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 01:59:52 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 12, 2020, 09:56:36 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness
I dunno. It never made much of a difference before.
Antrim have a stronger historical tradition.
Antrim should be at the level of Laois.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 06:13:42 PM
Quote from: seafoid on March 12, 2020, 03:31:49 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 01:59:52 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 12, 2020, 09:56:36 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness
I dunno. It never made much of a difference before.
Antrim have a stronger historical tradition.
Antrim should be at the level of Laois.

Antrim played a lot of years at div one back in the day, during the mid late 80's through to the late 90's  we possibly have recovered from the shake up of the backdoor format and while our club teams compete we haven't pushed on at county level, schools wise we never really did much too.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 13, 2020, 06:22:04 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 06:13:42 PM
Quote from: seafoid on March 12, 2020, 03:31:49 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 01:59:52 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 12, 2020, 09:56:36 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness
I dunno. It never made much of a difference before.
Antrim have a stronger historical tradition.
Antrim should be at the level of Laois.

Antrim played a lot of years at div one back in the day, during the mid late 80's through to the late 90's  we possibly have recovered from the shake up of the backdoor format and while our club teams compete we haven't pushed on at county level, schools wise we never really did much too.
I think the system now is more sympathetic to counties outside the top 9 or 10. Before they were ignored. What are Laois doing that Antrim could emulate ? It would be great to see Antrim or Down horsing a bigger team out of it in the championship.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: imtommygunn on March 13, 2020, 08:34:11 AM
Sending their clubs from a very young age to compete in tournaments in surrounding counties with a much stronger hurling "tradition".

That is tough geographically and financially.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 13, 2020, 09:04:25 AM
Quote from: seafoid on March 13, 2020, 06:22:04 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 06:13:42 PM
Quote from: seafoid on March 12, 2020, 03:31:49 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 12, 2020, 01:59:52 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on March 12, 2020, 09:56:36 AM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 11, 2020, 08:46:47 PM
The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level
westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness
I dunno. It never made much of a difference before.
Antrim have a stronger historical tradition.
Antrim should be at the level of Laois.

Antrim played a lot of years at div one back in the day, during the mid late 80's through to the late 90's  we possibly have recovered from the shake up of the backdoor format and while our club teams compete we haven't pushed on at county level, schools wise we never really did much too.
I think the system now is more sympathetic to counties outside the top 9 or 10. Before they were ignored. What are Laois doing that Antrim could emulate ? It would be great to see Antrim or Down horsing a bigger team out of it in the championship.

Thing is the Ulster champions got straight into an All Ireland semi-final for years.  That's the way the system was then. As Ulster champions, you were guaranteed a semi-final slot every year.

Not it's a more fairer competition, Ulster counties, especially Antrim, are at their level.

So in reality, Antrim were considered a 'tradititional' county as they always played in All Ireland semi-finals every year but apart from '89, they had very limited success.

Now they are, where they are and are building gradually.  Hopefully they can get a good run in the Joe Mc Donagh - but whether this goes ahead now is anybody's guess!!
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 13, 2020, 11:18:22 AM
Look take away the getting into the semi finals after the Ulster campaign, the fact that we played div 1 for a lot of years and then for spells yo/yo'd between the divisions, we never feared Dublin Westmeath Laois Carlow, they were below us and have overtaken Antrim and Dublin have went on to become a top team...

Yes Antrim has to take responsibility of its own actions and hopefully we are on a progressive upturn, Like when Dinny came in we had a great lift in terms of attitude and the clubs bonded better when they were grouped together, I can see a change similar to that at the minute.

But we can't just dismiss the reasons I've outlined, distance between hurling counties, Antrim is surrounded by footballing counties, less competitive teams around us means travelling and that cost's money, we can only pit ourselves against the better teams if we play them more often. School/college hurling also needs a boost, grand getting Ulster but the likes of the traditional schools are being hammered at the semifinal stage nearly every year.

Something happened and I'm not sure when but there was an increase of skill, physicality, a change of approach and attitude with the traditional counties that Antrim didn't see, I've no reason why but the gulf started to appear and we have never been able to get back to that place, when we were able to hang onto the coat tails of the big teams, or steal a win here and there.

Antrim clubs can't be sure of even winning their Ulster club titles at club level (juinor, interm and senior) anymore! so while we have a great club championship at the minute with 4 competitive teams, we need to sort that out, and basing on what I've seen of S'neil these last few years we'd need get our act in order!
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: fearsiuil on March 16, 2020, 07:44:01 AM
What sort of numbers clubwise we talking about that hurl in Antrim ?
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 16, 2020, 03:34:13 PM
Quote from: fearsiuil on March 16, 2020, 07:44:01 AM
What sort of numbers clubwise we talking about that hurl in Antrim ?

We've four hurling divisions,  8 Antrim teams in div one, four competing teams. Th e senior team had a mainly div1 players but a a few starters from lower leagues plus our captain
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: johnnycool on March 16, 2020, 04:07:34 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 13, 2020, 11:18:22 AM
Look take away the getting into the semi finals after the Ulster campaign, the fact that we played div 1 for a lot of years and then for spells yo/yo'd between the divisions, we never feared Dublin Westmeath Laois Carlow, they were below us and have overtaken Antrim and Dublin have went on to become a top team...

Yes Antrim has to take responsibility of its own actions and hopefully we are on a progressive upturn, Like when Dinny came in we had a great lift in terms of attitude and the clubs bonded better when they were grouped together, I can see a change similar to that at the minute.

But we can't just dismiss the reasons I've outlined, distance between hurling counties, Antrim is surrounded by footballing counties, less competitive teams around us means travelling and that cost's money, we can only pit ourselves against the better teams if we play them more often. School/college hurling also needs a boost, grand getting Ulster but the likes of the traditional schools are being hammered at the semifinal stage nearly every year.

Something happened and I'm not sure when but there was an increase of skill, physicality, a change of approach and attitude with the traditional counties that Antrim didn't see, I've no reason why but the gulf started to appear and we have never been able to get back to that place, when we were able to hang onto the coat tails of the big teams, or steal a win here and there.

Antrim clubs can't be sure of even winning their Ulster club titles at club level (juinor, interm and senior) anymore! so while we have a great club championship at the minute with 4 competitive teams, we need to sort that out, and basing on what I've seen of S'neil these last few years we'd need get our act in order!

A few things happened.

The resources required to compete at senior intercounty level is just on another plain now than it ever was back in the late 80's and 90's when it was a shock that Tipp County board paid a lad to come in and milk Bobby Ryans cows so that he could get to training. The Antrims of this world don't have that clout now and neither do the Laois's of this world..
If you look at the backroom teams in Limerick, Tipp, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny (even though they only go out and hurl  ;)  ), Wexford, and even Clare the rest can't keep up with that.

Secondly with the removal of the semi-final slot, initially to a quarter final slot then to nada the intercounty game lost its sparkle and you'd the likes of Dunloy there or there abouts in AI semi-finals and finals at club level it made staying with the club more appealing to players and that became prevalent from there on in and IMO is still there today.

Derry have always produced great club teams like Dungiven and Lavey in the 90's and 00's and S'Neill have taken Derry club hurling to another level, but not sure it'll have the desired impact at IC level.


Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 17, 2020, 09:05:36 AM
Quote from: johnnycool on March 16, 2020, 04:07:34 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 13, 2020, 11:18:22 AM
Look take away the getting into the semi finals after the Ulster campaign, the fact that we played div 1 for a lot of years and then for spells yo/yo'd between the divisions, we never feared Dublin Westmeath Laois Carlow, they were below us and have overtaken Antrim and Dublin have went on to become a top team...

Yes Antrim has to take responsibility of its own actions and hopefully we are on a progressive upturn, Like when Dinny came in we had a great lift in terms of attitude and the clubs bonded better when they were grouped together, I can see a change similar to that at the minute.

But we can't just dismiss the reasons I've outlined, distance between hurling counties, Antrim is surrounded by footballing counties, less competitive teams around us means travelling and that cost's money, we can only pit ourselves against the better teams if we play them more often. School/college hurling also needs a boost, grand getting Ulster but the likes of the traditional schools are being hammered at the semifinal stage nearly every year.

Something happened and I'm not sure when but there was an increase of skill, physicality, a change of approach and attitude with the traditional counties that Antrim didn't see, I've no reason why but the gulf started to appear and we have never been able to get back to that place, when we were able to hang onto the coat tails of the big teams, or steal a win here and there.

Antrim clubs can't be sure of even winning their Ulster club titles at club level (juinor, interm and senior) anymore! so while we have a great club championship at the minute with 4 competitive teams, we need to sort that out, and basing on what I've seen of S'neil these last few years we'd need get our act in order!

A few things happened.

The resources required to compete at senior intercounty level is just on another plain now than it ever was back in the late 80's and 90's when it was a shock that Tipp County board paid a lad to come in and milk Bobby Ryans cows so that he could get to training. The Antrims of this world don't have that clout now and neither do the Laois's of this world..
If you look at the backroom teams in Limerick, Tipp, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny (even though they only go out and hurl  ;)  ), Wexford, and even Clare the rest can't keep up with that.

Secondly with the removal of the semi-final slot, initially to a quarter final slot then to nada the intercounty game lost its sparkle and you'd the likes of Dunloy there or there abouts in AI semi-finals and finals at club level it made staying with the club more appealing to players and that became prevalent from there on in and IMO is still there today.

Derry have always produced great club teams like Dungiven and Lavey in the 90's and 00's and S'Neill have taken Derry club hurling to another level, but not sure it'll have the desired impact at IC level.

It's not about the hurlers

It's all about the money

https://youtu.be/qMxX-QOV9tI
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: clonadmad on March 17, 2020, 03:02:20 PM
Population wise

Shouldn't Antrim have the resources?

618,000 in the county at the last census

I presume 40-45% of the population would be naturally predisposed towards playing Gaelic Games?

Which would still give you a potential  population pool greater than all serious hurling counties bar Cork and Dublin


Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 17, 2020, 03:52:17 PM
Quote from: clonadmad on March 17, 2020, 03:02:20 PM
Population wise

Shouldn't Antrim have the resources?

618,000 in the county at the last census

I presume 40-45% of the population would be naturally predisposed towards playing Gaelic Games?

Which would still give you a potential  population pool greater than all serious hurling counties bar Cork and Dublin

Population wise its mainly in the city! West Belfast has a plenty of clubs, too many in my view, that's a different argument for another day, the rest is made up of South/west teams, generally football only and the North Antrim lads, mainly all hurling.

The problem the city has is that we've lost the ability to hold on to them, lots of distractions other well run sports too, soccer is very well run at juvenile level. So the whole point of Galefast is to rejuvenate the GAA in Belfast, from primary through to college levels.

If we could gain promotion in both codes, if they ever happens with current issue, the need for a county ground to call home also required to boost enrolment.

But I get what you're saying population wise we should be doing better
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 03:16:36 PM
Watching the Tipp v Kilkenny final on at the minute TG4, brilliant
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 04:28:38 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 03:16:36 PM
Watching the Tipp v Kilkenny final on at the minute TG4, brilliant

Unreal entertainment - 3 draws in a row.

Some intensity in that game. Thw hooking and blocking was  fantastic.  The game had everythinng.

I'm sure the umpire at the end was glad Hawkeye was invented - that was his get out of jail card.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 04:30:10 PM
There was one minute of injury each half! Barry Kelly wouldn't have been Cody's mate
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 04:34:53 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 04:30:10 PM
There was one minute of injury each half! Barry Kelly wouldn't have been Cody's mate

Watching it again, Kelly gave 2 ropey enough penalties to Tipp.

I though Darren Gleeson was lucky not to give one away when he dived out, feet first, to down Eoin Larkin.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 05:14:33 PM
Quote from: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 04:34:53 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 04:30:10 PM
There was one minute of injury each half! Barry Kelly wouldn't have been Cody's mate

Watching it again, Kelly gave 2 ropey enough penalties to Tipp.

I though Darren Gleeson was lucky not to give one away when he dived out, feet first, to down Eoin Larkin.

Aye but he won the ball and cleaned Larkin in the process, play ball in my opinion
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 05:58:24 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 05:14:33 PM
Quote from: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 04:34:53 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 04:30:10 PM
There was one minute of injury each half! Barry Kelly wouldn't have been Cody's mate

Watching it again, Kelly gave 2 ropey enough penalties to Tipp.

I though Darren Gleeson was lucky not to give one away when he dived out, feet first, to down Eoin Larkin.

Aye but he won the ball and cleaned Larkin in the process, play ball in my opinion

But if a defender dives in like that, say another 10m out from where Gleeson was, it'd be a definate free.

You can't come lunging out feet first, regardless of whether you take the ball or not.

That's like saying I pulled across a man's head but it's ok, I got the ball.

Regardless, that was some finish to a game. The drama, even watching it back, was unreal.

Richie Power was some operator.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 07:12:08 PM
Quote from: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 05:58:24 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 05:14:33 PM
Quote from: marty34 on March 22, 2020, 04:34:53 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 22, 2020, 04:30:10 PM
There was one minute of injury each half! Barry Kelly wouldn't have been Cody's mate

Watching it again, Kelly gave 2 ropey enough penalties to Tipp.

I though Darren Gleeson was lucky not to give one away when he dived out, feet first, to down Eoin Larkin.

Aye but he won the ball and cleaned Larkin in the process, play ball in my opinion

But if a defender dives in like that, say another 10m out from where Gleeson was, it'd be a definate free.

You can't come lunging out feet first, regardless of whether you take the ball or not.

That's like saying I pulled across a man's head but it's ok, I got the ball.

Regardless, that was some finish to a game. The drama, even watching it back, was unreal.

Richie Power was some operator.

I thought he got the ball cleanly, players going for a 50/50 is not a foul unless they connect with the player before they play ball or miss the ball, I think Kelly let a lot go also so it was normal.

If the player strikes the head then it's a red now, he did blow for lads swinging through and missing the ball a few time's

How Kelly ref'd is how I'd like to do it

Richie was something else, had the pleasure of playing against him in an All Ireland semifinal, albeit an interfirms junior!
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 27, 2020, 04:30:19 PM
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/0326/1126601-gaa-round-table-daly-cusack-on-knockout-championship/


What is the pecking order in hurling right now?

Anthony Daly : All things being equal, I think Limerick are the best team in Ireland, even this league there was no day they didn't make four or five changes and they were still at their ease. The pecking order for me would be Limerick, followed by Tipp, then Kilkenny, and maybe Wexford after that. The misfortune is for the likes of Clare, Galway and Waterford with new managements. I do think it's the established teams with established managements that are best placed to deal with this lay-off.
DOC: Undoubtedly Limerick are the team to beat, you look at their form over the last couple of years – they won the All-Ireland two years ago, they won the league last year, they gave Tipperary an awful hammering in the Munster final and arguably they got hit with a couple of early blows in the semi-final, that by the time they recovered from them the fight was over. It will be a test of them to see how much they've learned from that, but all of the signs are that they've responded well and are undoubtedly the team to beat.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: mouview on March 28, 2020, 09:48:34 PM
Quote from: seafoid on March 27, 2020, 04:30:19 PM
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/0326/1126601-gaa-round-table-daly-cusack-on-knockout-championship/


What is the pecking order in hurling right now?

Anthony Daly : All things being equal, I think Limerick are the best team in Ireland, even this league there was no day they didn't make four or five changes and they were still at their ease. The pecking order for me would be Limerick, followed by Tipp, then Kilkenny, and maybe Wexford after that. The misfortune is for the likes of Clare, Galway and Waterford with new managements. I do think it's the established teams with established managements that are best placed to deal with this lay-off.
DOC: Undoubtedly Limerick are the team to beat, you look at their form over the last couple of years – they won the All-Ireland two years ago, they won the league last year, they gave Tipperary an awful hammering in the Munster final and arguably they got hit with a couple of early blows in the semi-final, that by the time they recovered from them the fight was over. It will be a test of them to see how much they've learned from that, but all of the signs are that they've responded well and are undoubtedly the team to beat.

What have KK done in recent times to be so rated? Galway might have a new manager but the players are the same and arguably more in their prime than Kilkenny who still seem to be somewhat in transition. Definitely don't think they could be rated third in the pecking order.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 28, 2020, 09:55:02 PM
They won league in 2018, got to the AI final last year, us got the tradition.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: imtommygunn on March 29, 2020, 12:19:00 PM
They beat limerick when no one else could.Had hogan not went off they'd have been much more competitive in that final.(I think 9 out of 10 times limerick beat them though). Any team with TJ Reid hitting them over from absolutely anywhere and colin fennelly in full forward will not be easy beat.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: marty34 on March 29, 2020, 02:10:24 PM
1980 All Irland Final-  Galway V Limerick on TG4 now.

Some amount of ground hurling and no high catching allowed!!!
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on March 29, 2020, 02:20:33 PM
Quote from: mouview on March 28, 2020, 09:48:34 PM
Quote from: seafoid on March 27, 2020, 04:30:19 PM
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/0326/1126601-gaa-round-table-daly-cusack-on-knockout-championship/


What is the pecking order in hurling right now?

Anthony Daly : All things being equal, I think Limerick are the best team in Ireland, even this league there was no day they didn't make four or five changes and they were still at their ease. The pecking order for me would be Limerick, followed by Tipp, then Kilkenny, and maybe Wexford after that. The misfortune is for the likes of Clare, Galway and Waterford with new managements. I do think it's the established teams with established managements that are best placed to deal with this lay-off.
DOC: Undoubtedly Limerick are the team to beat, you look at their form over the last couple of years – they won the All-Ireland two years ago, they won the league last year, they gave Tipperary an awful hammering in the Munster final and arguably they got hit with a couple of early blows in the semi-final, that by the time they recovered from them the fight was over. It will be a test of them to see how much they've learned from that, but all of the signs are that they've responded well and are undoubtedly the team to beat.

What have KK done in recent times to be so rated? Galway might have a new manager but the players are the same and arguably more in their prime than Kilkenny who still seem to be somewhat in transition. Definitely don't think they could be rated third in the pecking order.
I was thinking the same. Might suit Galway to be dark horses as well.
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on April 06, 2020, 03:28:13 PM
https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/where-the-top-15-hurling-counties-rank-following-their-allianz-league-showings-39106402.html
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: Milltown Row2 on October 18, 2020, 05:39:54 PM
Great to win the league title today against Kerry, who for recent seasons have given us a torrid time.

Very close game and never much more of a puck of a ball between them. Thankfully we have the win that'll bring us to Div 1

Darren Gleason has managed to get us over the line.. the McDonagh cup will be as tight, but the real target was winning the league!
Title: Re: NHL 2020
Post by: seafoid on October 31, 2020, 04:07:34 PM
Picking the top 2 in March to contest the final was shown up in championship. Clare were way off the pace.