Antrim Hurling

[DearyMe]

From Hogan Stand

Antrim hurling manager Jerry Wallace is on the look-out for a new selector after Gregory O'Kane opted out.The Dunloy clubman, who also served as a selector under Wallace's predecessor Dinny Cahill and managed the Ulster inter-provincial team earlier this year, has cited family commitments as his reason for stepping down. Jim Nelson, who led Antrim to an ill-fated All-Ireland final appearance against Tipperary in 1989, is being tipped to replace O'Kane.

Antrim, who will face Westmeath in their Leinster SHC opener on May 19, play Ballyhale Shamrocks next Saturday evening in Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny in a game which will raise funds for Crumlin Children's Hospital in Dublin. Henry Shefflin is expected to make his long-awaited return from a shoulder injury in the same game.


Thoughts?

[Milltown Row2]

I'm more worried that we won't have our better players due to county training weekends this Sunday, CCC want us to play away and this league is really tight. Hope we win, but will be difficult

[btdtgtt]

True - I noticed on the county website the delightful Admin stating that we are one of the only counties that arrange fixtures for county players to play. Well I have news for them - the players belong to clubs not county! They were nurtured at clubs and will return to clubs.

I am all for throwing everything behind the county but when our seasons are fairly routine (win Ulster, maybe one or two wins in leinster, show over) should we not prioritise the bread and butter of clubs. After all, the stronger the club scene the stronger the county will be in turn. A rising tide lifts all boats.

I think its a bit nuts asking county men to travel the length of Ireland to return for their clubs - some will some wont, which will cause division. The weekend should have been arranged at a more suitable time, and if that cannot be done then it should not happen at all.

And thats coming from a fervent Antrim supporter.

[NAG1]

The leagues are a joke anyway what club takes them seriously in the top division?
They play the games and most of the time are not overly concerned win lose or draw.

If JW thinks this is the way to prepare the team then go for it.

Sympathise with the Div 2 teams who have players involved as their games are more meaningful and close.

[lonely1]

It will have to be someone from NA, the city lads don't know S*** from S*****

[Milltown Row2]

The leagues are a joke anyway what club takes them seriously in the top division?
They play the games and most of the time are not overly concerned win lose or draw.

If JW thinks this is the way to prepare the team then go for it.

Sympathise with the Div 2 teams who have players involved as their games are more meaningful and close.

We all know div 1 teams don't give a shite about the leagues, but the teams looking promotion from 4/3 and 2 don't have much room for defeats. The footballers are away also, thats another two of the our hurling team, 4 main players away ffs!! Madness

[Two Hands FFS]

I wouldnt say all the Div 1 teams don't give a toss..ok it's not the priority. Look at last years div 1..it went down to the final match of the season.
The admin on the county website is a total ballbag.

[johnneycool]

I wouldnt say all the Div 1 teams don't give a toss..ok it's not the priority. Look at last years div 1..it went down to the final match of the season.
The admin on the county website is a total ballbag.

If you're at the bottom end of it you most certainly give a shite.

Loughgeil, Cushendall etc probably don't have to exert themselves too much to be in with a shout come November in all fairness.

[Last Man]

The leagues are a joke anyway what club takes them seriously in the top division?
They play the games and most of the time are not overly concerned win lose or draw.

If JW thinks this is the way to prepare the team then go for it.

Sympathise with the Div 2 teams who have players involved as their games are more meaningful and close.

We all know div 1 teams don't give a shite about the leagues, but the teams looking promotion from 4/3 and 2 don't have much room for defeats. The footballers are away also, thats another two of the our hurling team, 4 main players away ffs!! Madness

The leagues are a joke anyway what club takes them seriously in the top division?
They play the games and most of the time are not overly concerned win lose or draw.

If JW thinks this is the way to prepare the team then go for it.

Sympathise with the Div 2 teams who have players involved as their games are more meaningful and close.

We all know div 1 teams don't give a shite about the leagues, but the teams looking promotion from 4/3 and 2 don't have much room for defeats. The footballers are away also, thats another two of the our hurling team, 4 main players away ffs!! Madness

Agreed Milltown as we have said for a long time gaining promotion from the lower leagues is a scrap and very often balances on luck in terms of player availability. This is a potential boot in the henrys for St.Galls for sure.

[El Plato]

The leagues are a joke anyway what club takes them seriously in the top division?
They play the games and most of the time are not overly concerned win lose or draw.

If JW thinks this is the way to prepare the team then go for it.

Sympathise with the Div 2 teams who have players involved as their games are more meaningful and close.

We all know div 1 teams don't give a shite about the leagues, but the teams looking promotion from 4/3 and 2 don't have much room for defeats. The footballers are away also, thats another two of the our hurling team, 4 main players away ffs!! Madness

The leagues are a joke anyway what club takes them seriously in the top division?
They play the games and most of the time are not overly concerned win lose or draw.

If JW thinks this is the way to prepare the team then go for it.

Sympathise with the Div 2 teams who have players involved as their games are more meaningful and close.

We all know div 1 teams don't give a shite about the leagues, but the teams looking promotion from 4/3 and 2 don't have much room for defeats. The footballers are away also, thats another two of the our hurling team, 4 main players away ffs!! Madness

Agreed Milltown as we have said for a long time gaining promotion from the lower leagues is a scrap and very often balances on luck in terms of player availability. This is a potential boot in the henrys for St.Galls for sure.

St. Galls don't have any 'Henrys' well not at the moment anyway.  The McG's cost them too much apparently, hip, knee operations and cosmetics 

Joking apart, this could certainly be hard on St. Galls given the competitiveness of Div. 2.  Not such a factor or impact on the top Tier as Championship is all that matters.

[Hurler24]

I think this years U21 championship will be super.So many strong teams in with a chance.Rossa,Lgiel,Cushendall even ourselves could be in with a chance.As well i fancy St Kevins to do very well with the amount of talented players in their ranks!Any predictions for tonights games?

[JamesH]

Lads , i can only speak on Cushendalls behalf , that in the last two years the league has been taken a lot more seriously due mainly to the fact that we are searching for new talent and that's were you blood kids try different things out. Anybody that was in the 100 or so at the Tain league final on Saturday in Casement will testify to Our effort in winning it. We had 2 new backs on and gave another young lad another 60 minutes hurling at senior level, We brought on young Eoghan Campbell in midfield and he did well, but we need new blood and quickly, over the next 2/3 years we have some great kids coming through so the league will be vital to us. Its to easy for outsiders to say we don't care but that's far from the truth.

[Milltown Row2]

I wouldnt say all the Div 1 teams don't give a toss..ok it's not the priority. Look at last years div 1..it went down to the final match of the season.
The admin on the county website is a total ballbag.

Agreed

If the clubs were to say that 4 of their best players are not available due to a training weekend arranged by the clubs they would call a halt on it right away, Can you imagine if Hippy, McManus, Shane and McCloskey were held back by their clubs?

[Gold]

I wouldnt say all the Div 1 teams don't give a toss..ok it's not the priority. Look at last years div 1..it went down to the final match of the season.
The admin on the county website is a total ballbag.

Agreed

If the clubs were to say that 4 of their best players are not available due to a training weekend arranged by the clubs they would call a halt on it right away, Can you imagine if Hippy, McManus, Shane and McCloskey were held back by their clubs?

He is an absolute, humourless ballbag of the highest order

[Milltown Row2]

I wouldnt say all the Div 1 teams don't give a toss..ok it's not the priority. Look at last years div 1..it went down to the final match of the season.
The admin on the county website is a total ballbag.

Agreed

If the clubs were to say that 4 of their best players are not available due to a training weekend arranged by the clubs they would call a halt on it right away, Can you imagine if Hippy, McManus, Shane and McCloskey were held back by their clubs?

He is an absolute, humourless ballbag of the highest order

Another typical response from the admin. Obviously someone who has never taken a team nor understands the difficulties of running a team. By his logic we shouldn't need our best players to win a match, by his logic it's grand to call a training weekend on the weekend of club hurling games!! By his logic the county is right and everyone else is wrong

Laughable, offers no debate at all