Messages

There have been a load of E mails flying about and posts on Hoganstand about Portaferry playing Paul Braniff in the IHC against Bredagh. Portaferry did nothing wrong. They played by the rules. Last year Ballygalget played Dingy Coulter in the IHC in similar circumstances.

The rules on Junior and Intermidiate eligibility are set by Croke Park and County Boards can't change them. A Reserve Hurling championship would solve the problem but it would destroy the IHC IMO.

I have to say that Bredagh aren't the club kicking up a fuss. They played the game, lost and got on with it. It seems to be Newry that complain about things all the time. If they can't beat the best team in the competition you don't deserve to win it IMO.

Ballycran have at least 40 players getting no championsip hurling this year because we won the IHC last year. Our juniors can't even enter the JHC. That's no way to promot hurling in the county and it needs to be sorted out.

I have to get this on before Lecale2 does.
Bredagh minor hurlers beat Ballycran by a point last night in a league match. I wasn't there but by all accounts it was well deserved win. Giood luck to them. Bredagh are doing great work for hurling and have been for a while. They enjoyed the win last night and so they should. Down needs more hurling clubs and the work of Danny Hughes, Liam Quinn and others is paying off.  Fair paly to them.

Minor hurling result

Portaferry 0-03 1-04 Ballycran. Conditions weren't good but that's the worst game of hurling I've seen played in the Ards for years. There are serious problems to be addressed at juvenile level IMO..

PS Which County are you from Zulu?

How can any County function without proper fixture lists? The soccer and rugby boys put us to shame sometimes but in fairness to Down and Antrim both are well organised at the start of the year.

It's the games that are fixed and not played that concerns me.

Worst: Milked 200 cows every day after school for a whole £5. It would either of frozen the hands off you in winter or the f**king flys would drive you insane in the summer. You get used to the smell after a while. Done that for two years christmas days and all.

And it made you the man you are tyoday! 

Any truth in the rumour that the Linfield goalkeeping coach has been giving the senior football keepers a few sessions down in Newcastle the odd Sunday?

I thought Linfield were opposed to playing sport on a Sunday? 

It's true. A late entry when we found out the boys would get no hurling in Antrim this year.

Anyone going to the Walsh Cup final could do worse than go along early for the minor match Ballycran v Gort Na Mona. Good luck Antrim.

A Chara
The Walsh Cup Final,Antrim V Offaly,  is now Scheduled for 1.30pm on Sunday @ Casement Pk,
Therefore the Div 1  Ulster Minor Final,  Ballycran v Gortnamona, will start at 11.45am.

Is Mise
Proinsias O Coinne

Today's Ulster Minor Hurling final, Ballycran v Middletown has been called off due to death in the Ballinascreen club.

Is there more than one farmers organisation in the Free State?

I'd be agin it.

We are happy enough with Casement. The only alternative would probably be Newry. That's the way the Ulster Council work. Newry is a good pitch but if we are to take on the best Ulster club side of the last 15 years I'd be happy to play them in Casement. We had it for the taking on Sunday, no doubt about it. I hope we can perform as well again.

That dancing might not be at Longstone in South Down but it does look like the stone itself and the man with his hanky hanging out looks very like Emmett Haughian.

Emmett Haughian morris dancing!! 

I'd say the Stone committee will be on the ball this weekend and there will be no repeat of last weeks carry on. The headline on this thread is way over the top IMO.

[Ballycran ready for Dunloy clash]

There was far too much celebrating done around the place for my liking and I fear it will show on Sunday. It's hard to hold young lads back when they've just won the first SHC in a dozen years. Ballygalget and Portafery probably would have been better prepared for a lash at Ulster but sure we'll do our best. This is a very young senior squad and if they stay focused hopefully we'll be competitive for a few years.

Well done to Bredagh & Liatroim for reaching the Ulster semi finals. Liatroim are lucky to be involved since Ballycran won the Down Intermediate title and they went out at the semi final stage but I'm sure they'll make the most of the opportunity especially now that the football's over.

From BBC
Ballycran ready for Dunloy clash 


Gregory O'Kane in action in the 2004 All-Ireland Club Final

Ballycran manager Dermot O'Prey says his players "have nothing to lose" in Sunday's AIB Ulster Club Hurling semi-final against favourites Dunloy.
The Antrim champions will be back at Casement Park (1530 BST) a week after edging out Loughgiel by three points in the Saffron county decider.

"Dunloy are very worthy favourites but we have nothing to fear," said O'Prey.

"We'll give them the respect they deserve but at the same time, we'll be looking to go and try and win."

Ballycran are playing in the Ulster Championship for the first time in 12 years, after ending their barren spell in the Down Championship and O'Prey acknowledges that Sunday's game will be a big occasion for the Ards Peninsula outfit.

"It means everything to the club. We've been too long in the doldrums and playing third fiddle to Ballygalget and Portaferry.

"To get to an Ulster semi-final is a bonus for us. To be playing Dunloy, who have been the standard bearers in Ulster for 10 or 12 years, is unbelievable."

  We know they are going to put in a tremendous effort again on Sunday

Ballycran manager Dermot O'Prey on his players

Ballycran went into the Down final against Ballygalget as underdogs but they went on to claim a comprehensive 1-13 to 0-9 success.

"Nobody gave us a chance against Ballygalget but the lads put in a tremendous effort that day.

"We know they are going to put in a tremendous effort again on Sunday. Hopefully, it's good enough on the day."

O'Prey says he was not surprised that Dunloy beat Cushendall and Loughgiel to claim the club's 10th Antrim title.

"They have a good mixture of old hands with Gregory O'Kane, Ally Elliott and the Richmonds and that bit of young talent as well.

"They have the ideal mixture for winning championships. I knew the motivation was there for them to win a 10th Antrim title.

"People wrote them off a year or two ago but you never write Dunloy off."

Dunloy forward O'Kane insists that he has just as much admiration for the Ballycran team.




Alistair Elliott hit a vital 1-4 for Dunloy in the Antrim final

"Dunloy will be installed as favourites - I don't know why - because Ballycran will certainly be coming with all guns blazing.

"A team can come of age during a champinoship and it sounds as if this Ballycran team has fully made that breakthrough."

However, while O'Kane professes huge admiration for Ballycran, Dunloy will go in as strong favourites after their impressive win over luckless Loughgiel last Sunday.

There will have been celebrations in the North Antrim village after last weekend's sweet success over their bitter rivals but the real prize for Dunloy this season is getting another crack at the All-Ireland stage.

The prospects of the likes of Gregory O'Kane and Alistair Elliott winning All-Ireland Club medals seemed over when the club suffered a fourth heartbreaking defeat in the All-Ireland decider in 2004 against Newtownshandrum.

But after seeing Cushendall claim the Antrim titles over the last two years, the Dunloy veterans, spurred by their young team-mates, summoned up one more push to keep the dream alive.

Like O'Kane and Elliott, Colm McGuckian is in the mid-30s while Sean Mullan is a year short of his 40th birthday but is playing better than ever.

Dunloy should set up a decider against Kevin Lynchs.