Antrim Hurling

[Sleeping giant]

What a comeback, sensational. St. Galls gave one hell of a performance, hats off to them. We showed great character to come back and are delighted to be back in the final. The one sower note was Ray Matthews, at it again.

At what again?

always something

[north_antrim_hound]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

[Sleeping giant]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

yeah a know, sure dall 'gave' us the championship last year,  i thought it was powerfull good of them

[Minder]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

It will be a while before a decent team appears by the looks of things.

[Sleeping giant]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

It will be a while before a decent team appears by the looks of things.

As things stand imo all the teams in the county are not far of each other, on there day, anyone can beat anyone

[Seamroga in exile]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

We've had decent teams that your lot would dream of having. We can only beat whatever is put out in front of us.

[pdiddy]

Next year different ball game they will be back to the Div2 wilderness, good result against Dunloy but were never going to follow it up! Well open for the shams now but not of their doing just standards dropping around them!

Thats a bit harsh given they came within a point of Cushendall.  Great performance from St galls and a breath of fresh air to this years championship. Out possessed Cushendall for most of the game but I think their stickwork at times let them down.  Feel sorry for the Keeper who had a good game apart from the goal incident but fair play to Fred for chasing in on the ball where others would have given up.

[ONeill]

Galls had a free in at the end but fell short. Lenny Harbinson was seen laughing.

Did'nt I tell the bollocks Harbinson would be happy they got beat.  McGourty Sen and fat PJ will also be happy, as I stated earlier!

Yea, but I was only coddin like.

[NAG1]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

We've had decent teams that your lot would dream of having. We can only beat whatever is put out in front of us.

Decent teams that lost championship after championship until the standrard dropped and you got one, stand by my statement that you havent beat a team to earn one but as I also said they all count the same handy or not!

[Milltown Row2]

Same can be said of all the teams that beat Cushendall in the All Ireland Club Semi's over the years. Will talk about match tomorrow. Feel sick and gutted for the lads.

[Forever Green]

All the results from the weekends Championship:

Loughgiel 1-17 0-7 Ballycastle
Cushendall 2-11 2-10 St Galls

Lamh Dhearg 2-9 1-9 Cloughmills

Creggan 0-17 2-6 Glenravel

St Johns 1-15 2-7 Cushendall

Rossa 2-18 5-8 St Pauls

Congrats to Lamh Dhearg, Creggan, St Johns and Rossa on winning their respective Championships. All the best to Loughgiel and Cushendall for the senior final. Should be an exciting game although I can see the Shamrocks prevailing with at least 6 points to spare

[Seamroga in exile]

SIE lg have been of the same standard for the last ten years, only the fact that the big two have dropped a level it has brought them up to it! Not that, that takes away from you winning it last year because every title counts the same point is you haven't beat anyone at the top of their game, just handy ones! :-p

It wasn't handy last year, we had to beat dunloy and cushendall,

dunloy and cushendall beat themselves last year, we only scored six points last year ffs, general discussion around north antrim is that antrim club hurling has got so sub standard that loughgeil is winning cups. if i where you SIE i would relish these days before a decent team shows up again

We've had decent teams that your lot would dream of having. We can only beat whatever is put out in front of us.

Decent teams that lost championship after championship until the standrard dropped and you got one, stand by my statement that you havent beat a team to earn one but as I also said they all count the same handy or not!

Rubbish!!! you earn it if you win it, end of. Yous were never that far ahead.

We won plenty before either Dunloy or Cushendall registered

[theskull1]

SIE would sicken your hole listening to him. Is it any wonder .............

Hard luck to St Galls ...thought at half time they might even push on. In football maybe (when you defend deep) you can hold off a challenge with a 10 point lead but in hurling you still have to keep pushing on. The dall really, if luck had been on their side earlier in the second half, could have taken the lead with 10 to play. Galant effort from St Galls who were dying on every challenge throughout but you could see them just trying to hold on and they just got deeper and deeper as the 2nd half wore on. They did the same against us on Wed night but we didnt take enough of our chances. But thats not to take away from a magnificent second half from cushendall. In the second half they stood up well to the physical contest and ground out a brilliant result.

[Milltown Row2]

Before I start, well done Cushendall, I wish you and Loughgiel all the best in the final.

As for the match, we got the start that was expected in fairness, the wind give us the spring board to get the scores. Defence on top and we built up a good lead. Cushendall looked dangerous up front when they had the ball but were smothered out of it most times. We gave away a few handy frees which kept them on the scoreboard.
10 points, as skull already said in hurling is not much (Cushendall v Loughgiel final) especially with the wind that both teams had. We dropped deep but it was very difficult to push on as the ball kept coming back, we moved Karl into the half forward line to see if he could get on the end of the ball but had to move him back to midfield again. We also haven't been in this position too many times so that inexperience was telling at the final whistle. When you're 4 up with one minute to go in normal time you should see it out. When you are 3 after 61.30 mins then it's gutting that we could see it out.

The effort our lads put into that game was tremendous. And the games against Dunloy were also top draw. Loughgiel may come away from this thinking this is in the bag. Standards have dropped I've heard people say, that's bullshit, the standard is ten times better than before (in Antrim) it's just that the other teams (Southern teams) are better,  fitter and stronger physically.

The challenge to the Antrim teams is to put the work in. Unfortunately for our club we are disadvantage in this department. Having county footballers who hurl causes problems. County team plays on a Sunday, club hurling games on that weekend. Footballers head off for training weekends, club hurling games fixed for that weekend. For us to put in a challenge into the league would mean having all our players available and committed.

I think we will fail at the All Ireland club stages because throughout the year the top 3 teams will only really have 2 games of any note. Some may only end up with one game played at any pace.

[BlackandAmber]

Hard luck St Galls. Thats 3 terrific games youse put in. Dunloy not as bad then or the Dall going bad too  Youse must be gutted to have run it so close and like someone said noone will want youse next year. Well done to the Dall. Coming back and keeping going. Of the 2 semi finals Cushendall will have got the most out of them. Loughgiel got it easy and Cushendall had to dig deep and that should stand to them for the final.