Club Hurling 2023

[NorthAntrim]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Tend to agree with this... Missed the boat today. That and they would have had every chance vs St Thomas's in the final.  No disrespect to them, they have some super hurlers and real physical and mental strength but they are not Ballyhale. They were fortunate last night, Ballygunner beat themselves with the free count they conceded and their game management every time they went ahead.

When McManus eventually goes Cushendall will be well down the pecking order in Antrim for a few years.

Who knows? As good as Neil is, and I mean absolutely unbelievable....
Not comparing him but
Argentina recovered after Maradona, Brazils with Pele, KK with Shefflin etc
Neil will leave a legacy to aspire to.
You just have to keep going
After your Slaughtneil prediction 😂

Good post! 

When Maradona retired Argentina went 32 years before winning the world cup again in 2022, having won '86 and been beaten in the final in' 90!

When Pele retired Brazil went another 24 years before winning the world cup again.

When Shefflin retired in 2015 kilkenny won the all Ireland later that season and haven't won it since. But if yiu think that's down to Shefflin alone you're not giving the rest of Shefflin's team mates enough credit for those achievements including TJ who I rate above Shefflin.

I said "a few" years.  Mcmanus said it himself afterwards yesterday that they are struggling a bit for numbers. Cushendall played in the U19B championship in antrim this year, they have amalgamated with Ballymena recently at underage also to be competetive.

I got the Slaughtneil game wrong based on their form and what they brought in previous seasons and the ability of some of their players. I held my hands up. They looked off the pace and tsome of their footballers looked rusty and as if they hadn't hurled much all year.

However I got yesterday's game spot on. I said they'd need 2 goals to win (they got 1) and that's because they dont have enough other quality forwards to take enough scores around midfield and half forwards against top teams, way too reliant on Mcmanus.  I was also proven right on that front. Posters are lamenting the 3 or 4 chances for points Cushendall missed going down the home straight, they missed them because that's a weakness in their team/game that I'd alluded to. They relied on points from further out with the wind at the start of the game, paddy Burke, Eoghan Campbell and Ryan McCambridge all from way further out but thag was never going to be an option in the second half shooting into the wind.


But seriously man.... Good post!

They lost mcateer to what looked like a hamstring who had already scored a point and was a regualar on the score sheet this year. Ed McQuillan motm ulster final 4 from play from half forward and another point yesterday and very unlucky not to raise a green flag too! Paddy Burke and Eoghan Campbell are both regular scorers too taking ball off the midfield and driving forward So maybe they do have enough around the middle of the pitch

[imtommygunn]

I thought McAteer going off was arguably the losing of that game as they maybe don't quite have enough depth there. He was very good up until that point.

[Oso]

McAteer did start well and was definitely a loss, has a physical presence also. McQuillan was largely anonymous apart from his point though he was very unlucky with the effort that hit the post.  Campbell and Burke are both defenders, shouldnt have to rely on them time and time again to contribute regularly on the scoresheet....that highlights a deficit in the rest of the forwards. No one scores relatively heavily regularly apart from McManus although McLaughlin is showing excellent promise.

Let's not forget that if OLGs had taken their goal chances and the points they missed they could have been out of sight. It was Cushendall's blistering start in the first 10 minutes that kept them in the game to the end 1-4 to 0-0 up. After that they actually never looked like getting enough scores to win the game and although OLG didn't hit the front until about 10 minutes from time they carved Cushendall open time after time and were woefully wasteful in front of goal.

[Zooming around]

That and McManus won't have much left in him and he will be impossible to replace. That was the best chance cushendall will get at an all Ireland 

Not necessarily. Ballyhale may not return. The championship may be open for a few years. Who learns the most wins.

"They hit 4 wides in a row at a crucial time in the 2nd half, from the camera side of the pitch."

 It is all about the iterations. You have to be the best to win an all Ireland hurling championship.  No reason the Dall can't do it.

The Shamrocks (proper name) will definitely be back. They only lost by a disputed point to O'Loughlins who are now in the final. The Shamrocks will have Darren Mullen, Brian Cody, Joe Cuddihy and Ronan Corcoran back next year. Possibly Joey Holden as well although he may be finished now. All these have been Kilkenny panellists and will greatly add to their team. They would be my favourites right now to win Kilkenny 2024 and club all ireland 2025.

They may be more like Kilcoo or Corofin though. Great teams have limited time at the top table and have to recycle. Especially with the split season. Finding and developing the top players is a challenge. You can't replace the experience of a retiring 35 year old with an under 20. Even in Kilkenny.

All going well, The Shamrocks starting 15 next year will have:
10 Kilkenny panellists: 4 starters (TJ Reid, Eoin Cody, Adrian Mullen and Richie Reid) and 4 subs (Dean Mason, Brian Cody, Darragh Corcoran and Patrick Mullen)and 2 extended panel members (Joey Cuddihy and Ronan Corcoran)
1 Kilkenny U20 starter. (Killian Corcoran)
3 players who have played for Kilkenny seniors in the past. (Joey Holden, Colin Fennelly and Darren Mullen)

That's not a bad base to start from.

[Saffrongael]

McAteer did start well and was definitely a loss, has a physical presence also. McQuillan was largely anonymous apart from his point though he was very unlucky with the effort that hit the post.  Campbell and Burke are both defenders, shouldnt have to rely on them time and time again to contribute regularly on the scoresheet....that highlights a deficit in the rest of the forwards. No one scores relatively heavily regularly apart from McManus although McLaughlin is showing excellent promise.

Let's not forget that if OLGs had taken their goal chances and the points they missed they could have been out of sight. It was Cushendall's blistering start in the first 10 minutes that kept them in the game to the end 1-4 to 0-0 up. After that they actually never looked like getting enough scores to win the game and although OLG didn't hit the front until about 10 minutes from time they carved Cushendall open time after time and were woefully wasteful in front of goal.

I take your point but they have been doing enough, just, Neil never scored from play in County final from memory - and just 0-1 & 0-2 from play against Sneil & OLG respectively. He obviously has big totals from taking the frees

[Milltown Row2]

If a team coughs up 10 or 11 scoreable frees you'll want someone to put them over and Neil has the skill and composure to do that for few more seasons.

They are Antrim and Ulster champions and a whisker away from stepping out at Croke park again, so a lot of positives, you only need to add 2 or 3 minors to your senior team to keep it ticking over

As for next year, who knows. this years championship Loughgiel made Dunloy look very average on the day, and bar a last few minutes in the final Cushendall made Loughgiel look average.

S'neil are done at Ulster level for a while so a few seasons of Antrim dominance or an odd slip up to the Down winners should gather plenty experience to make the breakthrough.

[SaffronSports]

If a team coughs up 10 or 11 scoreable frees you'll want someone to put them over and Neil has the skill and composure to do that for few more seasons.

They are Antrim and Ulster champions and a whisker away from stepping out at Croke park again, so a lot of positives, you only need to add 2 or 3 minors to your senior team to keep it ticking over

As for next year, who knows. this years championship Loughgiel made Dunloy look very average on the day, and bar a last few minutes in the final Cushendall made Loughgiel look average.

S'neil are done at Ulster level for a while so a few seasons of Antrim dominance or an odd slip up to the Down winners should gather plenty experience to make the breakthrough.

He's still plenty capable of being more than a free taker too. He has that big paw on him that tends to get him a few scores as well. Yesterday injuries forced him out the field a bit more and there was even points he was right back in the defence.

A few people on here seem quick to point to the demise of quite a few including even Ballyhale Shamrocks. I'd say they'll be close in KK again. In Antrim there's not much between Cushendall, Dunloy or Loughgiel. Loughgiel probably improving the quickest at the minute but Dunloy and Cushendall will still have plenty to offer next year. It would be great if one of them could go all the way but there's plenty of good sides at that level and yesterday Cushendall ran one of them all the way.

[imtommygunn]

Ballyhale far from done. Cushendall will struggle to replace McManus but hopefully he's not finished yet. Rest of the team a decent age spread. Loughgiel will get better and Dunloy will be back so it's good for the Antrim championship but there will be no givens in it. (Tbh most people probably thought Dunloy would have walked it this year).

[Milltown Row2]

Ballygunner will also be back... they didn't break much sweat in Munster

[imtommygunn]

They're not near done. Best chance in years for others to win an ai with them both out!

[seafoid]

The latest iteration of Ballyhale in the all Ireland started in 2014 . A decade ago. Man Utd couldn't stay at the top level without falling back. The All Black's couldn't
  Barcelona couldn't.  Ballyhale will also struggle. And with all due respect 4 Kilkenny county players doesn't mean what it used to.

[imtommygunn]

Eoin Cody is young as is Adrian Mullan and they're as good as you'll get in club. The Reids are getting on yes but the rest of that team isn't that old. That said KK won't replace TJ easily so when he goes a club team won't either. They are not going to become a poor team overnight.

KK are more or less the 2nd best team in Ireland.

[Saffrongael]

The latest iteration of Ballyhale in the all Ireland started in 2014 . A decade ago. Man Utd couldn't stay at the top level without falling back. The All Black's couldn't
  Barcelona couldn't.  Ballyhale will also struggle. And with all due respect 4 Kilkenny county players doesn't mean what it used to.

Why do you keep comparing the GAA to professional sports that have zero relevance ?

[seafoid]

The latest iteration of Ballyhale in the all Ireland started in 2014 . A decade ago. Man Utd couldn't stay at the top level without falling back. The All Black's couldn't
  Barcelona couldn't.  Ballyhale will also struggle. And with all due respect 4 Kilkenny county players doesn't mean what it used to.

Why do you keep comparing the GAA to professional sports that have zero relevance ?

If you don't like pro comparisons, try Corofin then. They aren't a bad team but they couldn't win Connacht this year. Transitions of top teams regardless of sport take time. TJ is irreplaceable. 

Kilcoo are the same. Non professional, have won the all Ireland but have dipped. It is impossible to win all Ireland club titles indefinitely. Winning clubs trade sustainability for medium term performance .  This is another advantage for Antrim teams going forward.

[seafoid]

Eoin Cody is young as is Adrian Mullan and they're as good as you'll get in club. The Reids are getting on yes but the rest of that team isn't that old. That said KK won't replace TJ easily so when he goes a club team won't either. They are not going to become a poor team overnight.

KK are more or less the 2nd best team in Ireland.

A very long way behind Limerick. It is a poisoned chalice in Kilkenny. At least the camogie team are successful .