Antrim Hurling

[podge]

Would also like to know why they are so touchy about being called Dungiven?

Is it not fair to say that most teams go by the town/village name?

and what did spillanes book say?  was it specific to KL's?

[monkey]

Ulster Junior Hurling Final
Glen Rovers (Antrim) 1-09
Setanta (Donegal) 0-11

[Last Man]

Just to pull this discussion into the appropriate thread. McDs have indeed given Armoy a lifeline and they should stay in Div 2 albeit by the skin of their teeth. Cloughmills will join them as they have proved to be the best organised team in Div 3 which has been a shambles as we all know. I wouldn't like to guess how may matches ave been conceded this year in Div .3 due to teams outside the top 4 getting fed up taking hammerings. This cant continue but I agree changes should be deferred for a year.

[podge]

I think Div 2 can cope with 1 down from Div 1 (possibly 2 if L Dearg want to go down?) and one up.  plenty of room for more matches in this league.

I am not sure if Glenarm are going up.  If they want to go up, they should be allowed to do so but thats up to them.  I think they would be mad to go up.

Cloughmills will be a welcome addition to Div 2 and can compete there. 

Div 3 has been a shambles and the blame for that must rest firmly at the footstep of those clubs who have conceded matches all year round.  They would be very quick to criticise others if they weren;t getting leagues/ matches to play so when they are arranged they should have the courtesy to fulfill.

[Antrim Coaster]

Last Man, have McDermotts withdrawn from competitive hurling and given Armoy a chance to stay in Div 2? Too many teams in Div 3 didnt bother to fulfill fixtures towards the latter stages of the league, Mitchells, Na Fuisoige, St Pauls 2nds, etc..Would there be any point in having these teams remaining in the hurling leagues. I know that Mitchells have been struggling to field this past couple of seasons. Congrats to Cloughmills on their promotion and on the opening of their pitch.

[Lecale2]

What has happened to McDermott's? They were very competitive in Div 2 last year - I think Portaferry IIs beat them in a play off for the title.

[imtommygunn]

The same has happened in the football Lecale.

I think a few players may have went to St Pauls and surrounding clubs.

I think all is not well internally in that club.

[Last Man]

Mc Ds managed to miss relegation at the expense of St.Endas last year although the hightown men beat them fairly handy in the league. St.Endas management problems last season killed them but Mc Ds were already in a big nose dive. I hear they couldn't field this season so withdrew from the league but turned out for the C'ship. It has also been said that some of their footballers were seen playing soccer at cherryvale while they had failed to field for a gaelic match on the pitch beside.

[slow corner back]

With regards to what has been happening in Division 3 is there not a case for creating a division four where some of the smaller clubs, Na Fueiseog, Mitchells etc a chance to compete at there own level. We might also consider creating a junior B championship for the Division 4 teams which you would see in quite a few counties down south.
On an associated point I read something in the Antrim guestbook about players from football only clubs such as Pearses or Eire Og wanting to try out at hurling but not being able to since there are no hurling only clubs in Belfast. Would it be worthwhile for say Mitchells or McDs declaring themselves hurling only and giving some of these guys a run out. It might not work but if these teams are struggling to fulfil fixtures it may not be a mad idea.

[Antrim Coaster]

Mitchells tried an amalgamation with Eire Og and O'Donnell's and play under the name O Mitchell Og. I think they got one player from O'Donnell's and a couple from Eire Og. I dont think Mitchell's have any sort of underage structure and I believe they would have folded had it not been for Gilly McIlhatton, who has ran the length of the county in order to keep the Mitchells club alive. Heard McD's are in trouble allright. A few other Belfast teams would be in the same boat as well. Has any of the Belfast posters heard if anything came out of that meeting called by the South Antrim board a few weeks ago in relation to hurling in Belfast. A few years ago there was a Div 4 in the hurling league but the county decided to amalgamate that with the teams in Div 3.

[Glensman]

Creating a junior B championship is a very good idea but as regards the leagues the only way teams improve are to play better teams.

Larne for example are a club that are striving to make moves...there is a bit if impetus there. They should be given the opportunity to play those better teams in Div 3. They get beat by 10 points by St Theresa's one time, then get beat by 5 the next and work at it. Antrim Coaster just using you as an example!

It is a joke if that rule is in place still that stops someone like an Eire Og football player being able to give hurling a go for a club that has a hurling team (regardless of whether they have a football team). It really does seem pre-historic that someone would have to leave their home club in order to be able to play both codes. I can see no sense in it whatsoever and it does not promote gaelic games in the slightest.

[slow corner back]

The way the rule is at present if you play for a hurling only club, like Armoy you can then play football for a football only club like Cargin however if you were to try out the football for a dual club like Dunloy you would have to transfer for hurling as well. It is certainly a bit strange but as far as I know it is a croke park rule and not something specific to Antrim

[Lecale2]

That rule is doing hurling harm in Belfast!

[Last Man]

That rule is doing hurling harm in Belfast!

No doubt about it, I'd say there must be a fair few players that have been hoovered up by the likes of St.galls for example with the enticement of football success and never hurled again, a tragedy for both them and their original clubs.

[milltown row]

last man, i can think of one/two dual players of such note and this happened while they were juvenile's. one being Sean Burns. but he was mainly a footballer anyway the rest all played hurling.

and when burnsy came to us we were not a major force in football, yeah we won a couple but we were also relagated. the main players of the current championship wining teams have all came through the youth set up.

this is an old argument about us 'hoovering up players' name me a club which in belfast which has not got players from another club?