Antrim Hurling

[ABS]

Well done to Rossa and Dunloy, it will be quiet in the Pound tonight...

[Last Man]

Maybe it's just me but I thought the standard in the minor was poor and apart from a few 5 minute spells certainly didnt look like a championship final. Havent seen much minor this year but expected a bit more class from both teams.
Dunloy were excellent no doubt enjoying the underdogs tag, Dick O'K was powerful and most of the rest of the boys worked their balls off raising the intensity to a level the Dall couldnt work with.
Things were a bit ropey at the back at times but with a keeper like mcgee on form it didnt really matter. Of course the enigmatic Paddy richmond was on fire and when that happens Dunloy are usually unstoppable as it seems to really rub off on the rest of the forwards.

[slow corner back]

Congratulations to Dunloy, and I have to hold my hands up and say I did not see it coming. Victories as an underdog are the sweetest kind so I am sure it will be a good few days for all Dunloy folk. Well deserved by all the team but especially Dick O Kane, 11 championships over 20 seasons, some going.

[slow corner back]

That was a good result for Rossa today alright, when was the last time Rossa won the minors?

[imtommygunn]

Dunloy were by far the better team. Still the old guys doing all the damage.

The Cushendall defense looked in a good bit of disarray and were very ponderous with their first touches meaning they got closed down all the easier and dunloy were able to win ball and take scores off them.

Malachy Molloy was great too, He made some catches. I'm not sure if he was moved off McManus as McManus was doing damage on him? Cushendall only had four or five boys who played like they could. There are weak links in that team and Dunloy showed that. They're still a good team - just not a great one.

Last time Rossa minors won was about 99 I think? The youngest Close Brian scored 7-1 or 7-2 in the final! No that is not a typo either!

The minor game was poor enough I thought too. Loughgiel looked better first half and Rossa were way better second half. Not sure if that was because of two sucker goals and Loughgiel dropping the head. I think Rossa very much had the legs on them though.They had 15 boys on the field after a sending off for a brief period of time when they got the goal alright MR. Jim Close was going mental with the linesman after it. He was right beside it so really should have noticed it. McGuinness and the no 7 and 12 were excellent for Rossa.

[imtommygunn]

Where is Brian Close at now HS?

[north aontroim gael]

Congratulations to Dunloy they played brilliantly and looked like the Dunloy of old.  I had them completely written of after the Glenariffe game.  Funny old game hurling.  I'd say there was partying done in the bridge last night.

Our minors stopped in the second half.  Thought the minor game was poor enough fair didnt seem like a championship final in terms of atmosphere or quality.

[playwiththewind1st]

I was away home with 10-15 minutes left in the senior game, as it was clearly all over at that stage.

[theskull1]

Afternoon 

Great game yesterday. A real 15 man performance after a shakey first 10 minute spell. Magee was simply outstanding and to be truthful kept us in it in those early stages as we over committed on a few balls and left ourselves badly exposed. After that we settled brilliantly and from then we played as well as any Dunloy team in a County final. It was a joy to watch and was no surprise to anyone who knew the potential in our side. I'm a happy man today.

[Any craic]

http://antrim.gaa.ie/ - great video pictures from Dunloy's win.

[theskull1]

That is mighty stuff. Shows what it's all about in a single video clip. Cheers Jerome

[maxpower]

Delighted, absoltely thrilled and not just a wee bit hungover. 

I said on Friday i thought the game would be won in the ulgys, and i think that held true, Dunloy forwards gave Cushendall no time on the ball and that pressure play reaped dividends

i thought magee, dick, ally and malachy were exceptional but we know they do that in county finals, the real pride from a dunloy perspective was the performances of sean dowds, paddy doc, darren quinn, kevin molloy.  young players who weren't found wanting

[maxpower]

Back to the daily grind today, I have to say i enjoy the craic the day after a Championship win much more than the actual celebrations that night.  I think our managers have to take alot of credit for this win, alot of the big calls they made worked,

Paddy Richmond had been hurling exceptionally well in midfield but they felt he could be more effective in full forward, the move of Sean Dowds to wing forward worked wonders and even taking Malachy out from centre back seemed to bring the best out of him.

[Minder]

Have any of the Cushendall posters come out of hiding yet?

[playwiththewind1st]

M.R. must be stilll hungover from last night. Otherwise, we would have heard about his strategic plans to land the SFC / SHC double in 2010 by now.