Antrim Hurling

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

Ok to sum it up lgiel ate running scared then lol

We're playing our game, cancelling was never an option.

[CitySlicker11]

St Johns 2-06 Rossa 0-8 in the minor final at half time. St Johns with goal just before half time.

[btdtgtt]

At the game myself slicker looks like johnnies win as expected but credit Rossa - at the start of the year this would have been thought of as a tanking. Either Rossa have developed or the johnnies have slipped.

Seamy Shannon manages minor and seniors at Rossa!
McFall with the johnnies!

[CitySlicker11]

Going on reports from St Johns win over main rivals Cushendall, I would say it is a case of both, Rossa have definitely upped their standards, I would take a guess that their entire team is back next year? Whilst St Johns who swept all before them at younger age groups have slightly went backwards. This is most of the time only natural of course, as other teams develop. But this final is a good thing for city hurling.

[btdtgtt]

Going on reports from St Johns win over main rivals Cushendall, I would say it is a case of both, Rossa have definitely upped their standards, I would take a guess that their entire team is back next year? Whilst St Johns who swept all before them at younger age groups have slightly went backwards. This is most of the time only natural of course, as other teams develop. But this final is a good thing for city hurling.

+1

[btdtgtt]

Comhgairdeas naomh Eoin!
From a selfish point of view it's great to see an all city final (&3 of semi teams incl galls). 

Its 8 years since Rossa brought the volunteer cup to the city - can I ask our posters (esp north Antrim) how long we think it will be before a city team claims it again?

[imtommygunn]

Be a while yet...

St johns need to bring it through to senior and have a few minor titles which haven't delivered much.

Rossa I think will be back up there in a few years.

[Sleeping giant]

Comhgairdeas naomh Eoin!
From a selfish point of view it's great to see an all city final (&3 of semi teams incl galls). 

Its 8 years since Rossa brought the volunteer cup to the city - can I ask our posters (esp north Antrim) how long we think it will be before a city team claims it again?

Not wanting to sound like Cody.   But it depends on themselves.  Attitude towards hurling.   Galls have a shout if they put in the effort,   St johns was one game from a final and didn't look the slight bit interested.   Rossa have a decent set up coming through.   Get out of it what you put in. 

[CitySlicker11]

St Johns seemed to have a very small panel at the semi final, what is going on there?

[btdtgtt]

Never much peace or harmony up the whiterock!

[the colonel]

They have a small panel- only had 17/18 all year

[north aontroim gael]

Next 6/7 championships to be shared between North Antrim teams.  Loughgiel, Dunloy, Cushendall and Ballycastle.  We have a really talented pool at present that took a long time to make the 'breakthrough'.  Hope they win a few more championships as we waited long enough for our time in the sun.

Fair play to 'that' Dunloy crop that came through, they maintained some standard for a lot of years and some are still plugging away.  Hope our boys do the same, you never know when the next famine is on the way which is why our support are milking the current success.

[Gizzy15]

problem is that in belfast there is a small threshold for kids to stay on after minor. unlike a parish the kids come from being on a team to not even being part of a squad(after minor) and with the massive culture shock and the outside influences they end up drifting away.

Unlike the Glens clubs, if these boys go off the radar they dont see other members day in day out and will be allowed to drift. it is all to evident if you look at minor champs between 1990 and 2001, rossa won at least 8 of these minor titles but yet only managed to get 1 senior. even if they did scrape past dunloy in the semis. Just think there needs to be a proper structure in place at these clubs to facilitate the kids coming through

[btdtgtt]

Very much so gizzy. That awkward age is where city kids can drift away as u say whereas at least the country boys see each other more frequently.

In fairness to Rossa they had a fantastic senior team but kept coming up against a dunloy side who were a once in a generation outfit (prob my favourite club side ever in Antrim).
That said the Rossa boys are renowned for spending plenty time together off the field!

It will be a big test for st johns now with back2back minors to see if they bring anything thru to senior but their record in this respect wouldn't be outstanding.

Surprised not to see loughiel figure at this level - Altho happy galls made semis hopefully enough coming thru there.

But as u say gizzy - minor is still a young age group - its when these boys become men over the coming years that they will be judged.

[Gizzy15]

from honest opinion dont think B Scuse would have mattered. he had the wrong attitude, in his words "hated the GAA" but was a good player