Antrim Hurling

[johnneycool]

This pack support mentality for teams that have nothing to do with the place we come from is so sickeningly sad. GAA men who follow soccer do so just to be part of "the gang". You can't tell me that pish is enjoyable to watch.

The fact they walked away and let down their own club is very sad.

That's very true Skull, however i think that it is also important that clubs use common sense.  Alright, i'd love for our boys not to support English and Scottish soccer clubs but that is the nature of the beast, certainly in Belfast but i know it applies to the rest of the county.  It doesn't make you less of a Gael to rearrange a fixture like our club did, funnily enough at the request of Ballygalget (we play them tonight).

Loughgeil should have accomodated St Galls.  What has happened now is that for Loughgeil wanting to play the game 'because they hadn't had a match in ages' is that they ended up without a game when they could have guarentee'd a match for themselves tonight!!

In my street alone, there were united flags out from people's windows, kids are being bombarded with the media telling them that Ronaldo and Messi are gods to be adored and they're non-gaa friends are backing this all up.  I think the GAA could be doing a lot lot more to sell our product to kids.  But anyway, the seniors of today were once those kids who began to be influenced by the skysports culture in the 90s and whether its good or bad, its reality!!

Ronaldo and Messi are impressive though!!

i don't think the CL had anything to do with our request to move the game Hatchet, we're currently fucked with injuries and our thirds team had a game on tuesday night and the majority of our reserve team are the one and the same personnel currently and it was felt it would be too much to play two nights on the trot for a lot of the aging players obviously in agreement of the Gorts which thankfully they did.

Certainly the hype generated by sky/ITV and other media outlets hides the fact that its an inferior product to hurling (my opinion obviously) and the GAA doesn't seem to be on that page as you'd find it hard to know that Cork and Tipp, two of the biggest hurling counties are on TV this sunday, Kids don't read the Irish news, examiner etc, so how do you get across to kids and IMO an ad on TV like the Guinness 'giants' campaign minus the guinness about tea time on RTE and UTV/TV3 can only but help.

[bredaghgael86]

Clubs are loosing sight of the reason we play the game.  teams are not just concerned with getting points, instead of playing because they enjoy it. it hppened to us in the down league where we asked for a fixture to be re-arranged because we had a match in the antrim league, the down club refused, so we had to give them the points.  maybe its just me, but id rather play a game and lose than get the points for a game that isnt played.

[milltown row]

as you have said Johnnycool, this reserve team had a match v Ballymena on sunday Divisional board game v St Paul's on Monday and a div 4 game on Tues night!!! a combination of injuries boys working and the dreaded CLF meant that we were seriously depleted. Loughgiel were phoned a few times on the sunday but didn't want to move it to a date of their choice.

I've already refused points against Banagher when they couldn't travel one sat in the Ulster hurling league, and the fookers wont play us which may mean we will lose out on a semi final spot.

Loughgiel reserve team would beat our senior team. but sure have the points and i hope ya's don't win the Championship this year again

[Minder]

I think someone said it isnt "form" for Loughguile but i can only speak from our experience and Loughguile have never been anything but difficult and unnaccomodating when it comes to rescheduling games.

[maxpower]

A couple of points

1. I don't think it makes youany less a gael by supporting a English soccer team, the reality is for most young active children in ireland is they will enjoy most sports, and that is to be embraced, The GAA season for u14's usually ends in august, the soccer season begins, what is the harm in keeping a interest in sport in the winter months.  Certainly as a lifelong supporter of Manchester United i enjoy reading the reports,previews,hyperbole that surrounds the Premiership.  I'd never foresake my club for a soccer match but i was very keen to watch the CLF

2. It very much is loughgiels form to do this, they did a similar thing last year to us in senior league

3. GAA seriously needs to look at how it promotes these games, two of the three giants of hurling play this week and very little noise about it.  with all these paid professionals in the GAA has no one thought about the marketing of the games themselves

[theskull1]

Max...many teams train/play during the soccer season. How many people sit on their arses to watch sky sports rather than lend a hand taking teams or even make the effort to go out and support their local teams. Thats a real problem. It is an excuse for lazy people to cop out in the areas that they live in......aww the liverpool match is on...blah blah blah.....same with golfers btw.

[maxpower]

Agree entirely, it sickens me when people who claim to be clubmen, and who talk the talk in bars, don't back it up with action.  but thats is too do with people's attitude to the GAA not other sports., excuses can be found in anything.

[Glensman]

However, its a tough one and not very accomodating of Loughgeil...they are known to be many things but that is not one of them.
A mid week fixture next week would have been ideal.

Apologies if the above was seen to be suggesting Loughgeil are accomodating. The intention was to say that they are many things but one of them is not accomodating. Anyone, enough of the body/bodie bashing (for a few hours at least).


What does anyone think the team will be for next weekend v Dublin?
Hopeful? I can't wait for it. No reason we can't beat them.
Will any dual players be allowed to play football this weekend?

[milltown row]

its only a seven day rule i'd imagine. besides playing a match wont do them any harm

was not bashing them only stating they would not change fixture thats all. more annoyed at the club players who'd rather watch CLF

So what are the clubs going to do for the next 6 weeks? no fixtures till the 12 of July!! will have to arrange a few challenge games. who's interested?

[Two Hands FFS]

North Antrim clubs have the Feis at the end of June & start of July.

Or if some clubs have no county players they could re-arrange one of their matches to be played during this break. Obviously some teams would struggle without theirs(Cushendall/Loughgiel/St Galls/Ballycastle)..but St Johns have no county players, even Dunloy have only 2/3( & 2 of them may be injured? shorty/Woody)....county players..if they wanted to they could re-arrange fixtures...entirely their choice if they didnt wish to....just saying if clubs wished to do this they could. Some of the Divison 2/3 teams could play fixtures i'd imagine. Not sure what fixtures Down have though?? Fair enough some players may have holidays booked for this time. But it could save you playing hurling in October/November

[milltown row]

Antrim County Chairman John McSparran tonight challenged clubs to seriously reconsider the current arrangements with club fixtures in the top divisions of both hurling and football leagues.

"I was approached by a number of well respected people from some clubs tonight at the Under 21 football final and over the past couple of weeks. They were very unhappy at the apparent lack of club fixtures, particularly at this time of the year. None of these individuals are currently involved in administration within their own clubs, but the common complaint was  that at a time of the year which is most suited for playing games, our senior clubs are not being given fixtures".

McSparran went on to explain to these individuals that these clubs have repeatedly made it clear to the Competitions Control Committee that they do  not now want any fixtures unless all their players are available to them. "The CCC has consequently arranged fixtures in such a way that their county players are therefore available to them for all league games. Because County team preparation and fixtures are now at their peak, this means that very little club activity in the higher divisions is possible. That is the arrangement that clubs agreed to at the beginning of the year".

"In my address to County Convention, I called on clubs to abandon this madness. I do not believe that club activity ought to be abandoned because county teams are involved. I understand that some clubs might well be more disadvantaged than others due to the unavailability of county players, but the fact that these clubs have a greater number of county players must indicate that they have greater strength in depth than others. The current arrangements where the vast majority of our club players are disenfranchised from playing at this time of the year because of county teams must be ended".

The County Chairman went on to say that there never is a perfect situation where every player that could be available to a club is realistically available for a particular fixture, for a multitude of reasons. "Injuries, suspensions, holidays and personal commitments all impact on how a team might perform in a certain fixture.  However, we seem to be more obsessed with devising ways and means not to play games than what we are supposed to be doing, in ensuring that we do play games.  I am repeatedly told by some club officials that their club cannot afford to be relegated and that unless their county players are available for all club fixtures, they probably will be faced with relegation. I really find this hard to accept. In hurling, just one club is promoted and one relegated. I am confident that our league structures are much better in hurling now than they have been for years."

"In football, I believe that we need to get down to 8 team leagues where the fear of relegation will be seen as less disastrous.  It is this fear-factor that is currently our prime motivation for arranging fixtures in the way that we currently do. It is time we got back to basics and understand that our primary objective is to play our games and winning, losing or drawing is of secondary importance"

The County Chairman was robust in defending the Antrim CCC organisational abilities. "When our CCC gets together with their provincial colleagues at the end of the season, we can confidently demonstrate that we have organised and administered a far greater number of fixtures in both codes than any other Ulster county. That myth that this is an Antrim problem is complete and utter nonsense".

McSparran concluded by challenging clubs to contact the Antrim Competitions Control Committee to request fixtures now, rather than wait until October or November and that he would welcome debate on this matter at the next of the County Committee.

from county website.

ok play games without county players is his main solution. fair enough if your club is not worried about relegation, as who would be? if your club has county players then your sorted cause you've great depth in your squad. so if your club is, say my club and you have three hurling for the county and a couple playing for the football county team then really you should not worry about promotion or relegation.  Just play games without your best players, get relegated and you'll be sorted come championship, cause you'll bring into it, good form!!!! WHAT A LOAD OF SHITE.

if the county play one Sunday then nothing wrong with clubs playing the following Sunday. 6 weeks off is not the right answer

[JamesH]

Has the match been cancelled at weekend ,no chat about it. Any word on the team?

[Tony Baloney]

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Strong lineup. The coke should be flowing in Croker on Sunday with Dubs on the Hill for the football after the main event!

[Minder]

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Its a formidable team, the only weak links i can see are at full back and midfield.

[NAG1]

So whats the story with the weekend then? I see we have got the excuses in early already!