Antrim Hurling

[SaffronSports]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

[johnnycool]

Niall Hynds at 13 is also a Con Magee

I wonder if there's a Downpatrick connection there!!!

[NAG1]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

[marty34]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

Yeah, it's tight alright. A rugby pitch.

I suppose when Mageean Cup Final is in December (for the supporters), it's really the only option travel wise.

[johnnycool]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

It's one of those 130 metre pitches, feckin hate those for anything above U15/16.

[NAG1]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

Yeah, it's tight alright. A rugby pitch.

I suppose when Mageean Cup Final is in December (for the supporters), it's really the only option travel wise.

The main pitch at Dunsilly (weather permitting) would have been/ be a better option for players and spectators.

[NorthAntrim]

Niall Hynds at 13 is also a Con Magee

Brilliant. Hopefully they can push Glenravel forward hurling wise as they have shown they are a club on the up and by staying intermediate championship last year look to have big ambitions on the hurling front too.

Too many young lads throwing in a transfer form to a bigger club instead of throwing their shoulder to the wheel and helping their own club push on

[Milltown Row2]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

Yeah, it's tight alright. A rugby pitch.

I suppose when Mageean Cup Final is in December (for the supporters), it's really the only option travel wise.

The main pitch at Dunsilly (weather permitting) would have been/ be a better option for players and spectators.

Where was it played? Queens? The pitch is generally in great condition and yes it may be short but rucks happening more and more and the size of the pitch has nothing to do with it, possession hurling has a bigger say in how and way more rucks are occurring. As for viewing, Queens has a covered stand.

If it wasn't at Queens ignore everything I said, except the rucks lol

[NAG1]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

Yeah, it's tight alright. A rugby pitch.

I suppose when Mageean Cup Final is in December (for the supporters), it's really the only option travel wise.

The main pitch at Dunsilly (weather permitting) would have been/ be a better option for players and spectators.

Where was it played? Queens? The pitch is generally in great condition and yes it may be short but rucks happening more and more and the size of the pitch has nothing to do with it, possession hurling has a bigger say in how and way more rucks are occurring. As for viewing, Queens has a covered stand.

If it wasn't at Queens ignore everything I said, except the rucks lol

It was at Queens and agree the pitch is always in a decent standard but the length of the pitch definitely contributes to the type of game that it was.

[johnnycool]

Cormac McKeown had a great game as did Charlie McAuley at 6. Think 4 clubs had players on the panel. Cushendall, Glenariffe, Glenravel and Glenarm.

Probably a big factor was that Glenariffe team that won the All Ireland Feile a couple of years ago. A lot of those boys on this panel.

This had to be the year for the Tower. Think there was 11 of last season's starting 15 back again this year.

Interestingly, a lot was made of CPC being a young team but their average age was actually very slightly older than GT in the starting 15s.

Although it has been a good venue for the Final in the past couple of years, I think it may be time to look at a new spot for it. The pitch is way too short and narrow for hurling.

Even in an u19 game the bunching is ridiculous and leads to too many rucks and mauls.

Yeah, it's tight alright. A rugby pitch.

I suppose when Mageean Cup Final is in December (for the supporters), it's really the only option travel wise.

The main pitch at Dunsilly (weather permitting) would have been/ be a better option for players and spectators.

Where was it played? Queens? The pitch is generally in great condition and yes it may be short but rucks happening more and more and the size of the pitch has nothing to do with it, possession hurling has a bigger say in how and way more rucks are occurring. As for viewing, Queens has a covered stand.

If it wasn't at Queens ignore everything I said, except the rucks lol

It was at Queens and agree the pitch is always in a decent standard but the length of the pitch definitely contributes to the type of game that it was.

Shorter pitches do lead to poor games IMO. We'd a senior championship game on one of these pitches in the summer against Bredagh in Cherryvale and on at least four occasions the keeper hit a short puck out to a defender 30 metres out, the defender ran about another 5 metres and went for the score. The Bredagh centre back got two points doing this, now our lads were asleep at the wheel, both sets of forwards were got very little intentional ball into them as the scoring zones are now 75% of the pitch.

I'm being told our local council who are still on the hook for a MUGA on the peninsula able to support gaelic games are in the process of starting one just outside Portaferry in conjunction with the EA and it's to have a pitch 135 plus metres long and 90 wide, but I'll wait until I see it.

Jamie Bryson will be pleased 

[johnnycool]

Niall Hynds at 13 is also a Con Magee

I wonder if there's a Downpatrick connection there!!!

I think there is, if his Da is big Ian, better known for the footballing exploits who happened to marry into the large Higgins crowd of females who were abound in the Elms back in the day.

[Oso]

It was poor enough fare. Hurling in the first week in January will do that I suppose. The more physically developed team at this age won, which is often the case on heavy and smaller pitches.

I'm surprised it's taken the Tower so long to win it again since they changed their entry requirements. Back when it was a grammar school they didn't have big numbers to pick from. Going all abilities definitely gives them a bigger pick, they should be contenders most years.

[Kidder81]

It was poor enough fare. Hurling in the first week in January will do that I suppose. The more physically developed team at this age won, which is often the case on heavy and smaller pitches.

I'm surprised it's taken the Tower so long to win it again since they changed their entry requirements. Back when it was a grammar school they didn't have big numbers to pick from. Going all abilities definitely gives them a bigger pick, they should be contenders most years.

I think some people are forgetting neither team has had any meaningful challenge this year and their last competitive games were the Mageean semis at the start of November , and neither were competitive.

[Oso]

So you're blaming the standard of the whole competition?

You're right, it should have been run off sooner. But if gearing up for the winners playing down south than maybe it should only be starting after Christmas and run off then, compressing the schedule?  If it had been completed in November would the standard have been any higher? Would it have made a difference? Then how do you spend your time preparing and ticking over to play down south in spring?   

The Macrory cup is down to last 16 which is kicking off now, but there are a lot more teams enter that.  Maybe the Mageean being run off earlier is to avoid a potential clash for dual schools so that hurling gets a fair crack of the whip in schools like St Pat's Maghera? It's bad enough the 2 Lavey lads getting kicked off their Macrory Cup panel for playing club hurling never mind guys having to choose between committing to school hurling or football competitions which might be run off at the same time?

I'm not sure what your post is angling at. I just thought it wasn't a great level, I've seen much better Mageean finals.

[Kidder81]

Who is "blaming" anyone for anything you eejit ?

I am telling you both teams last played a competitive game in November, (which weren't competitive) they are young fellas playing on a big stage, you aren't going to get a consistent level of performance all the time at that age.

Not one GT player will give a fiddlers f**k what any of us think.

You have seen better Mageean finals ? Well done. There are no style points available though.