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Carrickmore gave Carey plenty this year and it went all the way to penalties.

Personally, i think Glenariffe 2025 are ahead of Carey 2024 and the main difference is the depth Glenariffe have. You had a decent intermediate team and added in a load of very talented young lads over the last couple of years who were good enough to be crowned best in Ulster at minor. Some of those boys start and have pushed decent hurlers to the bench while others are strong options off the bench.

If Carrickmore or anyone else beat them theyll have earned it no doubt. Theyve set a very high standard this year with only one league defeat and one loss in a championship dead rubber. Intermediate hurling is usually extremely competitive and it hasnt really been this year which to me is testament to how good this team are and id regard them as favourites to win this competition.

You neglect to appreciate Carey had the physicality and experience of winning Antrim in 2021 and losing 7 finals previously - big factors in us beating Glenariffe last year, in addition the experience of being horsed by Carrickmore in Ulster that year.

 As noted previously, too many on here do not acknowledge the leveller of conditions and physicality

Having seen Carrickmore last year i wouldn't be writing them off - they will bring a level of physicality that they have yet to be exposed to - it was the same for us last year and we just about came through. Conditions will also play a big part alongside discipline.

Many people fall into the trap of just assuming the Antrim team will win based on having more hurling - Ulster campaign is much more than this as the roll of honour attests

Good luck to Glenariffe

Would be great to see an Antrim clean sweep but some of the points in earlier posts hit about physicality and conditioning hit the nail on the head.

The Ulster matches Carey came through last year were all battles of attrition - in truth not a massive amount of hurling in any of them bar the final v Swatragh!

Discipline is key in these games

It's pretty much the same teams in the champ from last year - Carrickmore will be a massive test for Glenariffe, and will be hurting from the defeat from us last year on penalties. Surprised to see Swatragh beaten at the weekend but shows that pitch conditions, physicality and having a number of good hurlers levels the playing field massively in this competition - as shown by the point that Antrim wins in the comp don't come around like buses.

Good luck to all Antrim teams!

What St Endas have that few others have is catchment and people. They are to
be admired but the likes of Carey simply don't have the population to action this.

Carey's success this year came from a very small squad which may see significant retirements and simply put, we don't have the personnel to compete in D1 and not a great place to be blooding youngsters. Similar pattern happened in 2022 and there were very few positives and also has happened to other clubs in the past where we have also seen clubs actively avoiding promotion to division 1.

I can see both sides tbf. 

Not many clubs have capacity to step into senior and stay there - playing population is a massive part of this and not in the control of rural clubs.

 

Otherwise, what's the point of entering that competition/league in the first place?

Cushendall before their breakthrough were maybe a yoyo club, someone can fill me in on that, but that's been my view on it.

You had established clubs like Loughgiel, St Johns, Rossa, Balycastle then other clubs came along like the Down clubs and they established themselves and Dunloy made the breakthrough and continued to be the the more dominant team these past few decades.

You have to make or take a leap of faith, St Enda's are currently benefiting from restructuring of the leagues, good structures in house and good management that has allowed them to have a longer stay in Div 1 than what they normally have had over the years...

If a club that makes the breakthrough to senior, they should be modeling themselves on St Endas, who knows where the next generation of kids take ya...

Glenariffe will be looking to make that jump, but they either have to win the league or the intermediate championship to bring through a lot of their own youngsters

Spot

As a neutral I felt Peter Owens was poor overall yesterday for both teams.  There was some blatant fouls on both sides (High Tackles, Holding, push in the back when bending to lift etc) that were just seemed to be waved played on.  I understand the conditions weren't great and lads were slipping but on most occasions these fouls were clear as day and in clear view of Peter Owens.  He may have been trying his best to let the game flow but when there are some outrageous fouls being let go it becomes dangerous.

Spot on. If he's going to let it go he has to be consistent, some of the things going on were absolutely scandalous, so Carey started matching it as there was no other option. As you mention the second thing was the danger element - headlocks, high sticks etc.

First half / Rocket smashed in mouth and his helmet split in two - result / two man ball

The refereeing in that game was a total and utter disgrace. 

What resolve to win.

Tough tough battle in horrendous conditions - a week to get ready for Swatragh, who have had the benefit from an extra week. However we would rather be having this problem than not!

Will be another very tough battle don't expect there to be much in it either way. Hope Carey can get over the line after another emotional couple of weeks for the club.

Surprised and happy with the choice of venue - wasn't expecting it!

Sunday's Carey v Blayney match may be called off due to a bereavement.

Yea James 'Rocket' Black's father has passed away.  Condolences go out to Rocket and his family at this difficult time.

The power behind that team is Rocket

Condolences to him and family

A generational player for Carey, a rock for many, many years.

Condolences to the Black's and entire family circle.

Castleblaney will be a very tough game - similar to Carrickmore, a heavy pitch and not much time on the ball and very physical. The days of assuming an Antrim team will win easy due to playing a non traditional hurling county are over - ask Rasharkin.

What's everyone's thoughts on Saturday's game between Cushendall and Slaughtneill.  I think Cushendall might just edge it.  More experienced side and there seems to have been a changing of the guard in Slaughtneill with alot of younger players featuring in their team.  Tho I wouldn't completely rule out Slaughtneill.  Carey should win on Sunday in their semi final and unfortunately it wasn't to be for Rasharkin last Sunday.

Still no confirmation on the IHC fixtures/venues?

Where is the news about Ballycastle hosting SHC final posted?

Felt the striking was very poor, disappointing after a strong championship. Feel sorry for glenariffe who I'm told were the best side in this grade but we're shafted due to a number of factors.

If Glenariffe were best team they wouldn't have had 3 draws in the round robin. Went in Carey's favour that GNM had nothing to play for  but that situation was out of their control.

3 outstanding "team" performances got Carey over the line thankfully, so glad for the panel after so many disappointments

Hope to see a great game in cushendall tomorrow, could go either way but St Endas big favourites after a fantastic league campaign. 

Hoping that the referee gives decent protection to Rocket as he's targeted every game by opposition and nothing has been done about it in the championship to date. 

heard 2 or 3 different venues on the way home for that replay. between colaiste feirste, Ballymena for a weds night and then our own pitch this weekend.

Either way St johns will yet again be kicking themselves they didn't get it over the line. Fair play to Cdall as they looked dead and buried but they got the draw at the end. It was a game that went one way and then back again esp in the first half. Cdall were well in control and then St Johns hit 6 unanswered scores to get back in it again.

As for our game, thank god its over. I swear you dont need anymore games like that in a season lol

i wont lie, i was very quietly confident we would get the job done this time. last year was a real learning curve for our team and Lgiel taught them a lesson that day. It was made harder work than we needed to at the end up as with 4 points to the good we should of seen that game out. But fair dues to Lgiel, they could of got a goal at the end up.

a tough game and a good contest between the teams.

Big difference in Dunloy conditioning this year - last year there were a few light boys - this year  they have become men. Loughgiel need to say goodbye to their All Ireland generation and move on.

I'd go a step further. The county should allocate a sizeable annual contribution to Saffron Gael..in effect they have a private firm doing their PR and Marketing, and not only that, do it exceptionally well. They're certainly not making money out of the venture atm, and need all the support possible to make this sustainable.

The biggest value is the promotion of our games to the next generation. How can you put a price on this??

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