Messages

[Is it just we're at our ceiling?]

I totally understand the logic here and it's one that in a perfect world I would love to see. But,  things in Antrim feel complicated at times.

Someone from within has a pride in taking the team that just cannot be matched by a coach from another county. But, have we not seen this film before? Coaches from Antrim have never really had much success for various and complex reasons.

I speculate that the thinking over the years has been to get an outsider from a strong hurling county who has no baggage or club allegiances and will bring knowledge and fresh ideas.

It depends what the vision is short, medium and long term? I have always felt southern coaches are like a sticking plaster and very much a top down approach. It would be nice to see an Antrim man do well at it, however history shows it's very tricky.

Are we at a point where this is just our level regardless of management?

Like I see the work being done at a lot of clubs in North Antrim. Some struggling for numbers but they're putting the wee lads out every other week for a blitz. Those kids are getting a load of hurling and have lads that were good hurlers themselves coaching them.

I know geography has always been mentioned. We're not able to have loads of games against the Tipps, Kilkennys, Limerick, Cork etc as these lads grow up. Is it just we're at our ceiling?

If you wrote everything down there's probably 100 different opinions but the only thing we know is for over 30 years we've barely laid a glove at Liam McCarthy level.

Yes. We are not competing near the A levels at underage and haven't been in years. I don't think realistically we can really expect boys with years playing at that level to come in to senior level and suddenly be competitive. It's the same with the football really.

From Laois myself I think yee would be better of with an antrim manager who will have more pride for the county amd a stronger desire. Davy Fitzgerald is overrated. When Laois had Eddie Brennan everyone thought he was great but as soon as he had got enough and used us to make him look good he left. This year we have Tommy Fitzgerald a Portlaoise man true hurling man with pride and desire to see laois hurling doing well wants to see laois clubs doing well even if it means his own club gets beat no favourites just picked on merit. I think we have a good chance this year of repeating 2019 once we make sure to get a handle on Kildare.

Did Wooly not throw Eddie Brennan under the bus, when after an interview for his podcast he kept recording while Eddie was having a cut of a few Laois county board officials ?

Then Wooly released the entire interview via the socials.

[I don't think the lad O'Connor is county standard, and his stupidity cost Antrim yesterday.]

The general opinion in Tullamore yesterday was that the Offaly match would be Davy's last.

It's obvious that the Davy experiment hasn't worked.

Sambo's article wasn't too far off the mark. Any manager needs to get all his players onside instead of throwing lads under the bus as Davy has done. Antrim could have done with one of those lads yesterday who he ostracised after the Dublin match.

I thought Michael Kennedy gave Offaly that wee bit more, but he was correct when it came to the sending off as television cameras later showed.

I don't think the lad O'Connor is county standard, and his stupidity cost Antrim yesterday.

If Antrim had the 15 players on the pitch Id say they would have won and Offaly deployed their extra man in and around the half back line which Antrim had difficulty bypassing, especially in the second half when Antrim played their best hurling of the year. It was do or die at that stage.

Paddy Burke and Stephen Rooney in the full back line, Conor Boyd, Big Joe and Conor Bohill in the half backs were immense. Scott Walsh played a blinder, James McNaughton his usual excellent performance and Gerard Walsh fairly came into it in the second half.

However, Id question why Ryan McCambridge was deployed at full forward in the first half - his strength is in around midfield / half forward and why Eoghan Campbell was playing in the full forward line. Lads played out of position.

If Derry win the Christy Ring next week, there'll be 3 Ulster teams in next seasons Joe McDonagh.

Regards the next Antrim manager, Eddie Brennan's name has been mentioned. He hasn't been involved with a county since he was thrown under the bus by Wooly on his podcast.

Obviously, Mickey McShane will be in pole position. If he gets the job, Antrim will need to look at the U20 set up to continue the work that Mickey has begun at that age group.

Couldn't agree less with your take on NO'C. He is full of potential if he was allowed to realise it. Potentially fcuked up yesterday, I didn't see it first hand but as level a headed young lad you wouldn't find. Big Joe gets the headlines in our club but Niall is a way more consistent performer.

Unfortunately, it was a stamp and the referee was right on top of it. His sending off did cost Antrim as that was the turning point in the match.

Obviously as your club mate you have seen much more of him, and you state he is full of potential if allowed to realise it. Is he being played out of position or what would appear to be the issue?  Which position does he play for NE and would more time under a different county manager bring him on?  Im making my judgement on what I have seen from the county team this year.

The general opinion in Tullamore yesterday was that the Offaly match would be Davy's last.

It's obvious that the Davy experiment hasn't worked.

Sambo's article wasn't too far off the mark. Any manager needs to get all his players onside instead of throwing lads under the bus as Davy has done. Antrim could have done with one of those lads yesterday who he ostracised after the Dublin match.

I thought Michael Kennedy gave Offaly that wee bit more, but he was correct when it came to the sending off as television cameras later showed.

I don't think the lad O'Connor is county standard, and his stupidity cost Antrim yesterday.

If Antrim had the 15 players on the pitch Id say they would have won and Offaly deployed their extra man in and around the half back line which Antrim had difficulty bypassing, especially in the second half when Antrim played their best hurling of the year. It was do or die at that stage.

Paddy Burke and Stephen Rooney in the full back line, Conor Boyd, Big Joe and Conor Bohill in the half backs were immense. Scott Walsh played a blinder, James McNaughton his usual excellent performance and Gerard Walsh fairly came into it in the second half.

However, Id question why Ryan McCambridge was deployed at full forward in the first half - his strength is in around midfield / half forward and why Eoghan Campbell was playing in the full forward line. Lads played out of position.

If Derry win the Christy Ring next week, there'll be 3 Ulster teams in next seasons Joe McDonagh.

Regards the next Antrim manager, Eddie Brennan's name has been mentioned. He hasn't been involved with a county since he was thrown under the bus by Wooly on his podcast.

Obviously, Mickey McShane will be in pole position. If he gets the job, Antrim will need to look at the U20 set up to continue the work that Mickey has begun at that age group.

[they]

Wee Davy using 'they' quite a bit there when talking about Antrim.

He's gone

Noticed that. Wouldnt be too concerned if he bailed out.

[and they're growing the club base as well which is good to see.]

Donegal have improved a lot over this past few years but I still didn't see that coming. Great to see it!

I refereed a challenge game few years ago and I said to a mate afterwards that they have the makings of a good squad, skill level was decent and physicality good, strength and conditioning better than I expected also.. they have progressed well through the leagues

There can't be much of a player pool for Donegal to pick from, three, maybe four clubs???


Burt and Setanta are the only two I can name off the top of my head.

Maybe the Tain league has its benefits after all.

Donegal have improved a lot over this past few years but I still didn't see that coming. Great to see it!

I refereed a challenge game few years ago and I said to a mate afterwards that they have the makings of a good squad, skill level was decent and physicality good, strength and conditioning better than I expected also.. they have progressed well through the leagues

There can't be much of a player pool for Donegal to pick from, three, maybe four clubs???


Burt and Setanta are the only two I can name off the top of my head.

Maybe the Tain league has its benefits after all.

Burt, Setanta, Eunans, McCumhaills, Buncrana, Carndonagh contest the Donegal hurling group stages, although in last year's championship, Buncrana and Carn failed to field in a couple of matches.

Final position determines senior and intermediate championship.
McCumhaills are rebuilding after a few years in the doldrums. Carn and Buncrana are slowly developing.

Four Masters and Aodh Ruadh have hurling teams but Im not sure how they are developing. They'd be in a good position to kick on following the recent county board interest in setting up new clubs in the county.

Dungloe in West Donegal founded by a Tipp lad whos living there now, I believe, are spreading the hurling gospel in that part of the county.

There was an underage hurling team in Gaoth Dobhair coached by a Belfast man but unfortunately the 'other' game takes priority there and not sure if they are still going.

There was a meeting recently in West Donegal to facilitate the establishment of new hurling clubs in the area so hopefully something positive came from that.

Good to see.

I did get talking to a few ladies involved with Camogie within Donegal and they're growing the club base as well which is good to see.

They made lovely scones 

Ask nay questions, told nay lies.

4 camogie clubs so far contest the camogie championship - Burt, Carn, Eunans and Markievicz. MacCumhaills might have a camogie section as well..

[left handers are more skilled at the dexterity]

Sure Johnny you would be time served at the soldering given the time spent with the iron in the left hand and the solder in the other way back in the day 😁

My soldering was exemplary back in the day, even on fine pitch stuff as us left handers are more skilled at the dexterity than you right handers ever if we did look awkward.

Now, it's not worth a fúck but stil good enough to reflow the connectors on MK2 ford focus dash boards which I get every once in a while from a few local mechanics.
A crowd in East Belfast were charging almost £200 for a five minute job.

Especially during your 'gaelic football' playing days with the company footballers   

Sure Johnny you would be time served at the soldering given the time spent with the iron in the left hand and the solder in the other way back in the day 😁

Antrim's last league match is against Laois in Ballycastle on March 9th. They then play Wexford in the championship on April 19. That's the guts of 5 weeks to turn things around and have Antrim championship ready.

Having watched the Dublin and Waterford matches and the Biffo match on TV, I'm not sure what sort of system or pattern of play Antrim are trying to adhere to, bar using the sweeper,  but things really need to change and soon.

The 3 matches Antrim have already played, players appear to be lost. Normally on the sideline Davy is hopping mad, shouting for every ball etc. The past 2 matches he has been very subdued.

Im wondering if he lost his mojo and enthusiasm for the game or else he is blowing smoke up everyone's arse to hit the championship with a bang. I hope this is the case.

The Hurling Pod on Off The Ball with Skehill, Murph and Will The Biffo have their take around 58 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWYbKwhBOPI

Wexford   V Antrim, Saturday, 19.4.2025, Wexford Park, 2.00pm

Motorway / dual carraigeway most of the way.

[Wexford]

Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Offaly and Wexford.

Who are we targeting for a win there to keep us in Leinster?

Fair point. At our best, which is rare, I'd say we should target Dublin, Offaly and Wexford.

Definitely big underdogs in all those games. Not sure if the draw has been made yet? Can't see anywhere but hopefully those games at Corrigan.

Wexford, Offaly & Galway are away - just two home games against Dublin & Kilkenny

Wexford will be waiting in the long grass after last year's match. Rossiter will probably have them hopping off the changing room walls for that match.

The Biffos in Tullamore is winnable and its a match that Antrim must win.

Donegal have improved a lot over this past few years but I still didn't see that coming. Great to see it!

I refereed a challenge game few years ago and I said to a mate afterwards that they have the makings of a good squad, skill level was decent and physicality good, strength and conditioning better than I expected also.. they have progressed well through the leagues

There can't be much of a player pool for Donegal to pick from, three, maybe four clubs???


Burt and Setanta are the only two I can name off the top of my head.

Maybe the Tain league has its benefits after all.

Donegal have improved a lot over this past few years but I still didn't see that coming. Great to see it!

I refereed a challenge game few years ago and I said to a mate afterwards that they have the makings of a good squad, skill level was decent and physicality good, strength and conditioning better than I expected also.. they have progressed well through the leagues

There can't be much of a player pool for Donegal to pick from, three, maybe four clubs???


Burt and Setanta are the only two I can name off the top of my head.

Maybe the Tain league has its benefits after all.

Burt, Setanta, Eunans, McCumhaills, Buncrana, Carndonagh contest the Donegal hurling group stages, although in last year's championship, Buncrana and Carn failed to field in a couple of matches.

Final position determines senior and intermediate championship.
McCumhaills are rebuilding after a few years in the doldrums. Carn and Buncrana are slowly developing.

Four Masters and Aodh Ruadh have hurling teams but Im not sure how they are developing. They'd be in a good position to kick on following the recent county board interest in setting up new clubs in the county.

Dungloe in West Donegal founded by a Tipp lad whos living there now, I believe, are spreading the hurling gospel in that part of the county.

There was an underage hurling team in Gaoth Dobhair coached by a Belfast man but unfortunately the 'other' game takes priority there and not sure if they are still going.

There was a meeting recently in West Donegal to facilitate the establishment of new hurling clubs in the area so hopefully something positive came from that.

Ryan Elliott's poc outs in the first half were a concern.

Against the wind he put snow on his poc outs as he normally does, which were held up by a very strong breeze.

Several poc outs in a row came down the right, by the stand, which Waterford copped on to early and their players drifted over to that side, winning most of the breaks and setting up several scores.

You'd need to query why the poc outs weren't varied.

Antrim's man marking was poor - too many Waterford players santered through the Antrim defence, especially in the second half but the heads had dropped by that stage.

A right balls up regarding the substitution when Keelan Molloy was 'mistakenly' taken off. He wasn't the intended substitute, but the slip given to the 4th official had his number written on it.

Wee Davy wasn't too happy and the correct substitution made at the cost of one of the allowed changes.

Id say the Westmeath and Laois matches at home would have been matches that were targeted to gain points, especially as the Carlow match next week is probably not going to result in a victory going on recent performances.

Enda Rowland has left the Laois panel and he's a huge loss..

Most of the the players on the squad were involved in going toe to toe with Cork after winning the Joe McDonagh.

It was level scores until the 65th minute when Hoggie rattled the Antrim net and Cork added on more scores after Antrim had emptied the tank and began to tire.

So the hurling is definitely there. The question is can Davy find the magic League - Championship switch in time for the Leinster Championship.

A facile win in the minor championship today, we played our U-16 panel in this last year - I thought that would be the case again.

Your U20's didn't put a young Down team to the sword as much as I'd have expected.

Two quick Antrim goals in the first half proving to be too big of a margin for Down to overcome, but they did get it down to 2 points in the end and maybe rue not having big Shea closer to the Antrim goals earlier.

That's some management team with Mickey!
Shane Elliott, Johnny Tosh, Brian McFaul, the great and good of Antrim coaching.

Are they ready to take over from wee Davy?

Down were in that match right until the final whistle although Antrim just had that wee bit more to see them through.

Great fightback in the second half and the lad Pucci is some operator.

Im guessing Antrim started to believe the hype after the victory over Derry and thought all they had to do was turn up and collect the points. But Down were having none of it.

On that showing Down should overcome Derry in the final match which if they defeat Derry would set up a rematch with Antrim which Down wont fear at all.

[Larne]

Division 1 same 10 teams as last year.

Bredagh coming up the only change in 2.

Gort and Davitts up to 3 with reserve teams from Dunloy, Ballycastle and Cushendall added too. No Na Magha.

In 4 Larne and St Galls Reserves gone but reserve teams from Glenarm, Naomh Eanna and Rossa added in.

I hate how they do this nonsense tbh. Meetings to decide what division clubs are in. Set a structure in place, 2 up 2 down and let teams find their level. Anything else makes it pointless. Teams scrapping for points to stay up but a board meeting actually is what decides their fate then you've teams winning league and championship and back in the same league. Pointless.

Might want to get your facts right here, chap.

That was a hard watch on Saturday night.

Antrim were completely rudderless.

It looked like musical positions with players switching positions every so often. Eoghan Campbell was playing in the half forward line at one stage and hardly seen much of the ball.

Different players faded in and out of the match.

Paddy Burke and James McNaughton came out with any pass marks.

Niall O'Connor was deployed from the full forward line to sweep up at the back, which didn't work as Dublin cut through the Antrim defence at will.

The match ended up as a glorified challenge match with Antrim offering very little resistance in the end.

An awful lot of work is required but its early days and championship matches aren't won in the last week of January but as NAG1 has highlighted a few red flags all over that performance.

The Westmeath match next week is a must win.