Antrim Hurling

[north_antrim_hound]

Div2 hurling in Tipp etc. would be of a  higher standard than in Antrim I would have thought.

Middletown Armagh beat the Munster champions, a Limerick Div 2 team. Would you have thought that Limerick Div 2 was better than Antrim Div 2?

We beat the Galway Intermediate champions, does that mean we (Antrim) is better than all those teams?

Bushwacker, think before you post please.

Getting carried away here, we were talking about Antrim's performance yesterday and all of a sudden Loughgiel will beat county teams, their reserve players should be on the county team, and Div 2/3 players are crap and shouldn't be on the team!!!! WTF I took on a lot of sun yesterday and head/dome slightly burnt but some guys out there are delirious!!

Anyways, Limerick next. Will Antrim have their main players back? If they do, by the posts on here, we should hammer them considering what Loughgiel did to their best club team

+1 on all the above,  I hope we have w**ker and eddie,dd back  for limerick as offlay done us a favour. I would be quite happy to stay in division 1b anyway unless some louhgeil reserve's commit to the panel then we could give kilkenny and tipp a good rattle in 1a LOL

[Shamrockman]

If we were being selfish as a club then we wouldnt want to see too many of our players head up to the county. I know it can help raise an individuals skill/speed etc but collectively if there are too many from one club it can harm them. For a number of reasons, mainly burnout, and missing out on playing week in week out with club team mates. So in that regard I hope we dont have too many up at the county. But obviously I want to see best for county as well so tough call.

On Ronan mc closkey, im not sure id send him up just yet. Still developing his game and more experience with club needed first but im sure he'll be a star for the future.

I also think that the winning and losing of a game is usually on the half forward line. The half back line is usually one of the strongest on any team and if that can be broken then the supply line to the inside forwards is the key to victory.
Ironically were antrim seem to be struggling were we have had a lot of joy in our half forward line in Loughgiel.  They have had an amzing work ethic throughout the all ireland campaign both offensively and importantly defensively too. They dont often get the plaudits because they feed the inside forwards and it is them that get on the scoresheet but ultimately its the result that counts so just as important!

[the colonel]

Div2 hurling in Tipp etc. would be of a  higher standard than in Antrim I would have thought.

Middletown Armagh beat the Munster champions, a Limerick Div 2 team. Would you have thought that Limerick Div 2 was better than Antrim Div 2?

We beat the Galway Intermediate champions, does that mean we (Antrim) is better than all those teams?

Bushwacker, think before you post please.

Getting carried away here, we were talking about Antrim's performance yesterday and all of a sudden Loughgiel will beat county teams, their reserve players should be on the county team, and Div 2/3 players are crap and shouldn't be on the team!!!! WTF I took on a lot of sun yesterday and head/dome slightly burnt but some guys out there are delirious!!

Anyways, Limerick next. Will Antrim have their main players back? If they do, by the posts on here, we should hammer them considering what Loughgiel did to their best club team

Well said MR. There's always serious over reaction after some games. Need to take stock of things!

I would doubt the Loughgiel players will see any league action.

[Milltown Row2]

My team, if available

DD
A Graffin
Hippy
McGourty/Kerr If Ciaran isn't fit
N McAuley
McManus
Martin Scullion
Shane McNaughton
Shortty
McCloskey
Karl Stewart
S. McCrory
PJ O'Connell
Micko
Watson

[Shamrockman]

I assume ur trying to be controversial with a team like that MR2?? Any serious suggestions?

[Seamroga in exile]

Marty Scullion won't be playing for Antrim this year.

[Shamrockman]

Marty wont be playing, Mick in full forward? Shane McNaughton (one of our best forwards) in midfield? Come on MR2 try again

[Milltown Row2]

If we were being selfish as a club then we wouldnt want to see too many of our players head up to the county. I know it can help raise an individuals skill/speed etc but collectively if there are too many from one club it can harm them. For a number of reasons, mainly burnout, and missing out on playing week in week out with club team mates. So in that regard I hope we dont have too many up at the county. But obviously I want to see best for county as well so tough call.

On Ronan mc closkey, im not sure id send him up just yet. Still developing his game and more experience with club needed first but im sure he'll be a star for the future.

I also think that the winning and losing of a game is usually on the half forward line. The half back line is usually one of the strongest on any team and if that can be broken then the supply line to the inside forwards is the key to victory.
Ironically were antrim seem to be struggling were we have had a lot of joy in our half forward line in Loughgiel.  They have had an amzing work ethic throughout the all ireland campaign both offensively and importantly defensively too. They dont often get the plaudits because they feed the inside forwards and it is them that get on the scoresheet but ultimately its the result that counts so just as important!

Another Loughgiel man, Shamrockman I hope you're not like thon Sham Man

I thought in your last game that midfield and half forward (bar McCloskey) was cleaned out and you still won handy. For me it was the defence and FF line that did the damage

[Milltown Row2]

Ok, Antrim v Limerick this weekend.  Starting team assuming everyone back? Lets hear them..

The bit in bold is what you wanted to hear i presume?

What's your team then Sham man?

[north_antrim_hound]

Marty wont be playing, Mick in full forward? Shane McNaughton (one of our best forwards) in midfield? Come on MR2 try again

Shane in midfield for me to, he,s industrious and can pop them over form that range all day. hes only in the forwards because we have no options. I think dinny played him there with karl at CF. micko not going well at the moment.

welcome to the board shamrock

[Shamrockman]

Cleaned out in mid field and half forward? Seems a bit of a strong comment considering we won the game by so much and these two areas are critical to success. I thought we done quite well in these areas but i respect your opinion. I take into consideration the workrate and overall play not just the scores. The Loughgiel system has been set up to cater to the inside forward line mainly to get the scores.

Anyway back to the team. I wasnt sure if you were serious because you have some pretty wild choices there but maybe you have reasoning behind them which is fair enough.  OK i'l have a look at the panal and come up with my suggestions then we can compare and slate eachothers lol. Be rght back..

[btdtgtt]

Pretty obvious consensus on yesterdays game - sleeping at the start (maybe its a good sign of the times that we assumed we would beat Laois, although obviously thats not the way to approach any game). But in the 2nd half we switched on and came through eventually. It will be interesting to see what sort of starting XV develops over the coming weeks as the shamrocks come back on board. Also a few lads gettin exposed or staking claims.

Also great to see the hurling fixtures finally out - I can book my Monday's off and caravan weekend now!

Hardstation - I hear your lads had some pre-season work at the weekend? And that after you rebuked my tongue in cheek comment last time! Maybe not so much rumours started outside Rossa?

[Shamrockman]

1) DD
2) A Graffin
3) Hippy
4) McGourty
5) N McAuley
6) Micko
7) Simon McCrory
Shorty
9) Barry McFall
10) Karl Stewart
11) Neil McManus
12) Eddie McCloskey
13) Shane McNaughton
14) Liam Watson
15) PJ O'Connell/J Scullion

Now I have done this quickly so its not flawless but heres my reasoning behind it.  Micko is not playing that well recently but still worth a start, he can play better at back than up front. 
We all know that its up front we need a bit more punch so ive strenghtened up the half forward line with good ball winners and carriers. 
Now the midfield is a little small and lacking in physicality but plenty of industry in these two players so given the players available i think this is as good as we got. 

The inside forward line with Shane and Liam are two players that like to roam about and get a lot of success with this and very deadly in front of the posts. the other spot is up for grabs and pjs stickwork and speed would make him a good choice but Joey has been very impressive for us this year with his physicalness and laying off ball and id love to see what he could do closer in to goals, especially bringing the others two lads into it (maybe just my red tinted galsses speaking here but could be worth a look)

The full back line and goalie pick themselves. My only concer would be mcgourty who maybe has lost a yard and strking lets him down but very good reader of the game.


So let the bashing begin!

[Last Man]

Marty wont be playing, Mick in full forward? Shane McNaughton (one of our best forwards) in midfield? Come on MR2 try again

Shane in midfield for me to, he,s industrious and can pop them over form that range all day. hes only in the forwards because we have no options. I think dinny played him there with karl at CF. micko not going well at the moment.

welcome to the board shamrock

I would rather see the inside forward line with real teeth which Shane brings. Not sure we need a player like him in M/F as long as we have players who will work hard there to hook,block,break,disrupt. The Shams have created a system around 2 converted corner backs at MF and got it to work. 

[imtommygunn]

1. DD
2. Graffin
3. Hippy
4. McGourty
5. McAuley
6. McManus
7. JC
8. Barney McAuley
9. Stewart
10. Shields
11. ?? - not sure who I'd have here
12. McCloskey
13. PJ
14. Watson
15 Shane McNaughton

McNaughton is a forward and only has played midfield to cover deficiencies elsewhere.

Not sure who I'd put in CHF. I think it's a position we don't have someone to fit into. Maybe McCloskey in there and Barry McFall on the wing. Think "shorty" is too light for midfield and would do better in the half forwards.