Antrim Hurling

[Jesusjones]

Cushendall V Loughgiel tomorrow night, will either show their hand or will the 2 teams be full of reserve hurlers?

[NAG1]

Why would anyone risk anything other than a reserve team in this game, who will remember who won this game at the end of the season. Crazy to have it fixed so close to the pointy end of the season.

[Seamroga in exile]

Some crack about the loughiel team lads. From the top of my head I think the oldest fella on the team is dd then Scully and ding. All of whom are no more than 31/32. Winker had just turned 30. None of them are going anywhere anytime soon.

[Milltown Row2]

I think Cushendall needs to lay down a marker, and Loughgiel will do the same

[Jesusjones]

SIE I hurled against DD all the way through underage, he'd be 33 and Ding was older than our age group I'd put him at 34 or 35. Loughgiel would have their core group of players around the 30 mark, Martin Scullion, Johnny Campbell, Neilly Mc Garry, Barney Mc Auley and Watson are all at the 30 mark so the core of the team would be 30 or older. They are top of the tree now but it won't always be that way. We were on top when Karl Mc Keegan, Declan Mc Killop, Mickey Mc Cambridge, Odhran Scullion, Aidan Delargy and Kevin Elliott were around the 29/30/31 mark. Its swings and roundabouts, enjoy it while it lasts.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

JJ you musta been around the same time i was playing! lol dings def 35 as i played against him at every grade. DD is i think 34 and as you say martin, johnny, laim, neilly etc are all over 30 now. in fact the core of the team is in their 30's.

as you say they should enjoy it while it lasts as replacing those types of players is dammned near impossible no matter how good a squad you think you may have.

we had to do it, cushendall had to. it moves in circles for squads.

thant said we have alot of young fellas in the team now in their early 20's so that bodes well for the future.

[Jesusjones]

Realist were you playing in the minor final in 1997 when we beat Dunloy?

[theskull1]

Some crack about the loughiel team lads. From the top of my head I think the oldest fella on the team is dd then Scully and ding. All of whom are no more than 31/32. Winker had just turned 30. None of them are going anywhere anytime soon.

I'd have to agree with that. All those boys (bar the odd exception) seem to look after themselves pretty well

[north aontroim gael]

Loughgiel team which won the All Ireland.

These are guesses to best of my knowledge:

DD - 33
Ding - 34/35
Neilly - 28/29
Ronan - 22
James - 23
Martin - 31
Johnny - 30
Barney - 29/30
Duck - 24
Eddie - 24
Skinner - 29
Joey - 27
Wee Benny - 25
Winker - 30
Shay - 25

Assuming highest edge for those I'm not sure of, equates to an average of - 27.8.

Which is probably about the perfect mix of youth / experience.

Few of those boys wil be hard to replace.  Some good young talent coming through in:

Dan McCloskey
Donal & Aidan McKinley
Maol Connolly
Niall McFadden
Aaron Carey

Accept what DR said about hanging on to older players too long to the detriment of youth.  Probably why Crossmaglen have been so succesful over a prolonged period of time.  They have the abiity to integrate 1/2/3 new payers each season.

That Loughgiel team above still has a good 3 years for everyman on it.

DD may be getting on but he is a keeper so fitness not as much a factor. Ding would be the one (if not thee) fittest in the group.  Looks after himself in terms of gym work, diet, not a big drinker etc.

Biggest factor will be hunger and keeping boys together.  Loughgiel lost 2 good hurlers in Liam McKillop (travelling in Australia) and Ciaran McKinley (work commitments in England / Scotland).  Liam would be a definite starter and Ciaran wouldn't be far away.  This is a probem for quite a few rural clubs given work situation in NI.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

Realist were you playing in the minor final in 1997 when we beat Dunloy?

I was 20 then. Was playin u21 then.

[btdtgtt]

I think the current age profile of the Loughiel team is perfect - so if the next few years see some changing of the guard then that can also be a good thing for them as it will stay fresh and they seem to have the supply coming through. Many people rush to retire boys that reach 30 - I think thats true at inter county perhaps (obviously not blanket statement) but at club level players in mid 30s are regularly the main men on a side.
In short - Loughiel are going nowhere in a hurry lads!

One other point north aontroim gael - dont think the emigration/work thing is confined to rural clubs!

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

I don't doubt they will. But having too many constant starters over 30 for say 5 years for instance means your young subs get older and a lot quit due to no games.

Anyway lgiel are deserved favourites for the title with cdall second favs. We just can enjoy our game with no pressure whatsoever on us. We have a keeper who is 18 and never did nets till 2 months into the season along with 3 lads making their first senior season so we are in a good place for the next few years. Our star player shorty is only 23 so we can dwf build for the next while.

[Jesusjones]

I wouldn't just be so sure Loughgiel have a conveyor belt, their under age teams this year have been poor.

[manballandall]

If any team is getting 3 to 5 good minors through every year they would be more than happy so just because they arent winning anything at minor means nothing

[Minder]

If any team is getting 3 to 5 good minors through every year they would be more than happy so just because they arent winning anything at minor means nothing

You're right, I don't think they are relying on any given years minor team. Two or three players every couple of years and they will still be there or thereabouts, they have a much stronger bench than Cushendall and Dunloy.