Antrim Hurling

[Jesusjones]

You've just about summed it up Colonel. Congratulations to Rossa getting promoted and good to see them back in Div 1. You always get a tough game up in Rossa Park. They've won 2 U-16's in a row now after 2 minor a few years ago. They should build from here and start looking at winning championships again in the next 5-10 years. Also a bonus that we don't have 3 trips down the ards this year

[Milltown Row2]

If truth be told I'd rather go up as winners, and I hope we don't go up right away, maybe next year, some of the younger lads have a bit more experience now and the panel is getting bigger Less lads at college and and no Minors next year so less games for them to be playing.

Just need a manager now, hopefully one will come in early and put a plan in to sustain a long league campaign. Good luck to him

[johnneycool]

as far as im aware te antrim conty board call off ports v galgets as if ports played  week side would nt be fair on other teams

yeah Joe did call off our game with the Ports, not that it matters now, but are they setting a dangerous precedent for other years by doing so or will it be conveniently be forgotten if it doesn't suit.

When in Rome and all that.


As for league changes, where we're at currently with team development a year (or even two) in the current Div2 mightn't do us any harm and allow us to bring in some of the youngsters through the ranks without getting tanked week in week out. Taking the likes of St Galls, Glenariffe etc would obviously weaken Div2 and TBH, I think we'd be competitive with them even with our young lads thrown in, If we're to be in Div2 I'd prefer them to keep the leagues as is.

[the colonel]

Any word of a backroom team for the county?

[btdtgtt]

As a Belfast man if it's 4 to be brought up then thats great from the perspective of including Galls & sars.

However as a hurling man - I think the league points show that only the top 2 can make a viable case for division 1 standard. (over the course of a full season - not as a one off obviously!)

Long term - i think its a no brainer.
Top & bottom should be promoted & relegated.
2nd top&bottom play-off at a neutral venue.
Simple.

I haven't heard anything about the back room team but the new manager was up over the weekend. I suspect finalising one city man and one glensman - plus taking in a couple of games.

[Milltown Row2]

As a Belfast man if it's 4 to be brought up then thats great from the perspective of including Galls & sars.

However as a hurling man - I think the league points show that only the top 2 can make a viable case for division 1 standard. (over the course of a full season - not as a one off obviously!)

Long term - i think its a no brainer.
Top & bottom should be promoted & relegated.
2nd top&bottom play-off at a neutral venue.
Simple.

I haven't heard anything about the back room team but the new manager was up over the weekend. I suspect finalising one city man and one glensman - plus taking in a couple of games.

Will Rossa stay up next year?

[manballandall]

If truth be told I'd rather go up as winners, and I hope we don't go up right away, maybe next year, some of the younger lads have a bit more experience now and the panel is getting bigger Less lads at college and and no Minors next year so less games for them to be playing.

Just need a manager now, hopefully one will come in early and put a plan in to sustain a long league campaign. Good luck to him

Surprised you havent heard considering your inside knowledge  but the talk is that a guy with county management experience has already put his name forward for the job next year. Not a bad year to be in charge if the new league structures are put in place albeit to the dissatisfaction of btdtgtt

[Milltown Row2]

As a Belfast man if it's 4 to be brought up then thats great from the perspective of including Galls & sars.

However as a hurling man - I think the league points show that only the top 2 can make a viable case for division 1 standard. (over the course of a full season - not as a one off obviously!)

Long term - i think its a no brainer.
Top & bottom should be promoted & relegated.
2nd top&bottom play-off at a neutral venue.
Simple.

I haven't heard anything about the back room team but the new manager was up over the weekend. I suspect finalising one city man and one glensman - plus taking in a couple of games.

Will Rossa stay up next year?

Last time I checked I had two balls - neither were crystal.

Just wondering, will your balls tell you if the management team will stay on? They have done really well considering the start they had

[btdtgtt]

As a Belfast man if it's 4 to be brought up then thats great from the perspective of including Galls & sars.

However as a hurling man - I think the league points show that only the top 2 can make a viable case for division 1 standard. (over the course of a full season - not as a one off obviously!)

Long term - i think its a no brainer.
Top & bottom should be promoted & relegated.
2nd top&bottom play-off at a neutral venue.
Simple.

I haven't heard anything about the back room team but the new manager was up over the weekend. I suspect finalising one city man and one glensman - plus taking in a couple of games.

Will Rossa stay up next year?

I would say it depends on which Rossa!
Bulk of their side out consistently - they will stay up easily.

Too often fielding weakened team with players "away" - then its a dogfight to scramble enough points.

I suppose it depends in the new structures - if there are any?! Which I wouldnt hold out on.
Manballandall I wouldnt say I was dis-satisfied at all, sure I just suggested a new system.
If you mean the 4 teams up, I have it in black and white I would be happy with mroe Belfast teams! Just not sure it would work. And its also in black and white that I think a full compliment of committed Galls can compete.
But this is unlikely over a full season just as it has been in past years - through no fault of their own. Dont know how many times I have to say that.

[Minder]

I hope we stay in Div 2, 20 point defeats would do nothing for us.

[aontroim]

Jim Nelson presented league restructuring proposals last night.  From what our delegate could remember, the proposal was more or less what has been discussed on here i.e. 12 teams in Div 1.

Div 1 - 12 teams (1-way) to include Rossa, Oisin, Galls, Sars (i'd imagine Gort / Lamhs may be slightly annoyed given how little points difference there is to the top 4 and not knowing this was possibly coming)

Div 2 - 8 teams (2-way) remaining div 2 teams plus Ahoghill, Armoy, C'mills, St. Paul's

Div 3 - 8 teams (2-way) remaining div 3 sides plus St. Teresas, C'Dun, G'ravel, Endas

Div 4 - 6 teams (2-way) those left in Div 4

Promotion / Relegation - not sure I got this 100% but think it was bottom 2 in a division play each other to decide who stays up - the loser then plays a game against the winner of a top 2 game in the division below.  So theoretically there could be no relegation / promotion in any given year!

Championship tied to league status (talk that C'ship may be round-robin);

Senior = Div 1
Intermediate = Div 2
Junior = Div 3/4

Clubs were to receive the actual proposals in the next few days.

[wino]

for the new league system to work with 12 teams in a one way league, it means for the top teams like Loughgiel, Dunloy, Cushendall etc.. they will only get to play each other once and the balance of their fixtures will be against so called weaker teams.
it wont be great for the top teams unless the other teams up the ante and start to perform.
it wont be great for the weaker teams getting tanked every weak, yes a lot of them can hold their own against each other but in my opinion it will do nothing for the top teams.

the only way it will work if all clubs give full commitment and the weaker teams improve their senior teams and underage structures so that on a long term basis they become more competitive. Maybe that's the long term aim but i remain very dubious.
club treasurers wont be delighted: less big gates against top clubs.

[CitySlicker11]

Wino, I suspect you are right. Can't see the stronger teams agreeing to these proposals due to the lack of games they will receive against the top opposition. It will also be cutting down the number of big derby games such as Dunloy/Loughgiel, Loughgiel/Ballycastle and Rossa/St Johns.

Leave the leagues the way they are for now, as I feel it is totally unacceptable to make proposals at the end of the season. Honestly couldn't imagine any other county doing it. Let the clubs have their vote, and if passed, implement it for next season.

[johnneycool]

Jim Nelson presented league restructuring proposals last night.  From what our delegate could remember, the proposal was more or less what has been discussed on here i.e. 12 teams in Div 1.

Div 1 - 12 teams (1-way) to include Rossa, Oisin, Galls, Sars (i'd imagine Gort / Lamhs may be slightly annoyed given how little points difference there is to the top 4 and not knowing this was possibly coming)

Div 2 - 8 teams (2-way) remaining div 2 teams plus Ahoghill, Armoy, C'mills, St. Paul's

Div 3 - 8 teams (2-way) remaining div 3 sides plus St. Teresas, C'Dun, G'ravel, Endas

Div 4 - 6 teams (2-way) those left in Div 4

Promotion / Relegation - not sure I got this 100% but think it was bottom 2 in a division play each other to decide who stays up - the loser then plays a game against the winner of a top 2 game in the division below.  So theoretically there could be no relegation / promotion in any given year!

Championship tied to league status (talk that C'ship may be round-robin);

Senior = Div 1
Intermediate = Div 2
Junior = Div 3/4

Clubs were to receive the actual proposals in the next few days.

That's only 11 league fixtures in the year, I would consider that to be less than most senior leagues in most counties and not enough to keep club hurlers interested throughout the year.

Go for the 1 way fixtures and split the league into a top/bottom six and then play mini leagues. That'd give an additional 5 fixtures at you standard, giving the better teams more competitive games and reducing the hammering sessions.

Still think if you finish top you should automatically get promoted. Let the second bottom team play the Div2 runners up as someone else suggested.

[btdtgtt]

I agree with HS - win a league and you deserve to go up, come bottom and you deserve to go down.

Play-offs in Winter might be contentious - and also the one way league means an imbalance in home/away games along with less gates for the big games.

Its not perfect but like I said before - neither is what we have got.
That split at half-way is a decent shout JohnnyCool.

I would keep the number of teams in each league the same (possibly change div3&4 where problems exist) and like I said the top&bottom automatically up/down - one off play off at neutral venue for 2nds.

I like the idea of linking league positions to championship somehow - increases the importance of the leagues and creates a balanced championship draw.