Antrim Hurling

Ruairi Og exile · July 04, 2007, 12:20:23 PM

North Antrim...In my opinion this year will not be easy for Cushendall. I think Dunloy will be alot stronger this year & hungrier now...3 years without Big ears will have hurt them. Loughgiel without Watson might struggle for scores but they do seem to be training hard & abit tougher, maybe with Watsson away they might be a happier bunch. For us, alot will depend on hunger & possibly injuries, without being big-headed..I think if Cushendall if we have a full team & play to our potential we should win....but thats a big if & I'm sure the other teams will have a big say in that. For the rest, Ballycsstle seeming to making a big push & I think we'll struggle against them in the first matchas we have done in the last few years. Rossa seem to be struggling bigtime & st johns just a few players short & abit young just yet.

Everything has been very quiet this year...no decent matches thus far. We are down to play Dunloy this weekend but with the county playing on Saturday/injuries/Weddings & Holidays both teams will be short a few

North Antrim · July 04, 2007, 12:26:26 PM

just got a txt frm a mate who said he heard winker got turned at shannon airport!!!

Ruairi Og exile · July 04, 2007, 12:47:24 PM

Heard that myself. I was told it was problems wih his visa & not anything to do with a nite out in magherafelt. Think he's gonna fly out in a couple of weeks when he gets his visa sorted. Dont know if the management would take him back anyway

girt_giggler · July 04, 2007, 01:17:33 PM

3 days old this 'news'....

North Antrim · July 04, 2007, 03:10:26 PM

Ah well thanks for sharing with us then

He certainly is well named then.....he prob missed his ma's cooking.....Winker "CJ" watson

Balboa · July 04, 2007, 03:32:07 PM

Quote from: North Antrim on July 04, 2007, 03:10:26 PM
Ah well thanks for sharing with us then

He certainly is well named then.....he prob missed his ma's cooking.....Winker "CJ" watson

CJ didnt have problems with his visa, he had problems with not getting a bedtime story read to him every night by his oul girl.

aontroim · July 04, 2007, 03:36:53 PM

Says on county website the same team has been named for the Laois game.

McCracken · July 04, 2007, 03:59:57 PM

Quote from: North Antrim on July 04, 2007, 10:53:04 AMWell McCracken - do you play? Will you lads deliver this year?

No, vastly over the hill I'm afraid. Never was that good anyway.

WRT delivering this year, I'd love to see it, its been a long time coming, but I think we have lost with better squads than the current one. There are alot of young guys knocking around at the moment who are excellent propects, but I think it may be too soon for them. Hope I'm wrong.

IMO its between Cushendall and Dunloy, with Dunloy shading it. Not because Cushendall are a worse team but simply because Dunloy have had a rest and are now as hungry as before!! Their only problem will be lack of experience with a young team, although they seem to be managing ok so far.

North Antrim · July 04, 2007, 04:17:25 PM

McCracken - heres your chance in the big time - i have named my preferrd ballycastle team - you piv=ck your preferred Loughguile team

Guillem2 · July 05, 2007, 08:25:07 AM

Lads lets get behind the team on Saturday. We have to avoid a return to Christy Ring! A good turn out will lift the lads.

milltown row · July 05, 2007, 08:38:18 AM

I hope Antrim will win this match and i hope we win it by at least ten points, but i cant see it. this will be a very tight affair Laois did well to stick with galway and i know we have come on from the last time we played Galway in the league (a game in which i watched) although Galway ran out 12 point winners Laois made a real game of it. i hope our lads don't fall into this trap of thinking it's only Laois and we should stuff them.

Antrim by 2 points

Glensman · July 05, 2007, 08:56:32 AM

There should arguably be no trap to be falling into.

I watched Antrim play Laois in the friendly match down there in late Feb/early March (after the Ballyhale/Toomevara club semi in Portlaoise). Laois blew Antrim away. I left with about 15 minutes left but Laois were still up by a fair bit.

Admittedly challenge matches that early are not a real guide and the squad has changed a fair bit but it should hopefully mean that Sambo/Woody avoid complacency.

I am not sure of how the relegation to the Christy Ring works. If Antrim beat Laois and get beat by Galway where do they stand? Cheers.

Give-it-Timber · July 05, 2007, 09:52:49 AM

@ Glensman - as far as i am aware, the team who finish bottom of bath groups play each other in a relegation play-off to see who goes into the Christy Ring, not 100% so anybody clarify.

@ North Antrim -was also talking to a couple of cushendall players at Cemetary Sunday last week and they both said, that this year was going to be very difficult. They have quite a few injuries and with so many away at the county, training hasnt been that good so far. been training with the minors to get the numbers this year. IMO opinion its between Loughgeil, Dunloy and Cushendall again (not in that order), Ballycastle are improving but still just too early for them yet.

Hope Antrim win this weekend, its very important that we stay in the LMCC.

glens73 · July 05, 2007, 10:01:58 AM

There is no relegation to the Christy Ring Cup this year -:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christy_Ring_Cup

Balboa · July 05, 2007, 10:34:50 AM

I think we will beat Laois, purely because we have home advantage. I dont see how we can get caught up in the idea that we will stuff Laois on Saturday, there has never been much between the 2 teams. I am not sure what form Eastwoods are using to make up their odds but Antrim at 8/13 is a bit mean.