Antrim Hurling

[johnneycool]

If youre good enough, youre old enough was the well used phrase. Very few are good enough at 16 for senior. So far all I can think of in no particular order is ally elliott, mill town and jc 

Anybody that had 'the pleasure' of marking cloot knows why he is held in such high esteem in hurling circles. He was a wizard

I couldn't be held in such esteemed company, I played adult hurling at 16. I had to wait a few years plying my trade in the reserves against the likes of Eddie Donnelly senior, I kid you not, his arm was thicker than my leg FFS, before I played senior hurling.

My first ever senior club game was against the Jew McMullan of Loughgeil, the beardy lad, still have the painful memories of that with me yet, he'd played in the AI final the previous year and I think I was 19 at the time. A week later it was Tony McGrath up in Dunloy, Learned hard and learned fast.

[north aontroim gael]

If youre good enough, youre old enough was the well used phrase. Very few are good enough at 16 for senior. So far all I can think of in no particular order is ally elliott, mill town and jc 

Anybody that had 'the pleasure' of marking cloot knows why he is held in such high esteem in hurling circles. He was a wizard

I couldn't be held in such esteemed company, I played adult hurling at 16. I had to wait a few years plying my trade in the reserves against the likes of Eddie Donnelly senior, I kid you not, his arm was thicker than my leg FFS, before I played senior hurling.

My first ever senior club game was against the Jew McMullan of Loughgeil, the beardy lad, still have the painful memories of that with me yet, he'd played in the AI final the previous year and I think I was 19 at the time. A week later it was Tony McGrath up in Dunloy, Learned hard and learned fast.

That is a steep learning curve!

[btdtgtt]

I am taking my belfast mc cooey hat (baseball cap) off just to say best wishes to the north antrim folk in the current conditions - some shocking scenes inflicted by nature.
Hope everyone is ok and ofcourse your precious cows & sheep!

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

How's the weather around the rest of the county outside the Glens do you think Mondays fixtures will be affected. pitches wil be wet and heavy with thaw

[saffron89]

you should be used to the puzzlement by now MR2

But like i say the Breadgh gaa nite with guest speakers would provide you a platform and there is only a few of us that would need a translator !!!!!!!!!!!!!

division 1a and 1b extremely competitive and every game now seems to be very important

it can only be good for the standard of hurling

[Milltown Row2]

you should be used to the puzzlement by now MR2

But like i say the Breadgh gaa nite with guest speakers would provide you a platform and there is only a few of us that would need a translator !!!!!!!!!!!!!
division 1a and 1b extremely competitive and every game now seems to be very important

it can only be good for the standard of hurling

Ulster Scots?

[btdtgtt]

How's the weather around the rest of the county outside the Glens do you think Mondays fixtures will be affected. pitches wil be wet and heavy with thaw

I would think the city pitches would be fine by Monday (except hannahstown).
What about the glens pitches?

[johnneycool]

How's the weather around the rest of the county outside the Glens do you think Mondays fixtures will be affected. pitches wil be wet and heavy with thaw

I would think the city pitches would be fine by Monday (except hannahstown).
What about the glens pitches?

Our pitch is holding up pretty well considering a quarter of it was under water last saturday. The gang mower was on it yesterday and if there's no real heavy showers it'll be good to go on monday.

[Hurler24]

Just in reply to the earlier thread about underage teams.You only need 3-4 each year to have a panel.However as it was with Crossmaglen it can take one team that wins the whole way up to reinvigorate a clubs senior set up. St Johns and ourselves are both in this boat.In regard to hardstation Ballycastles youth setup has come full circle.We compete in nearly every age division and have won three U21s in the past 6/7 years.Not bad for a club with poor underage structures.

[Seamroga in exile]

Jesus, this referee really hates us.same as last year against limerick, he's handed Offaly this game on a plate. Disgrace. If you follow young hippy on twitter he's summed it up perfectly.

[north_antrim_hound]

Jesus, this referee really hates us.same as last year against limerick, he's handed Offaly this game on a plate. Disgrace. If you follow young hippy on twitter he's summed it up perfectly.

+1 after last year i knew if it was close near the end he would shaft us. them biffos for big men sure go down easy and do some rolling about. well done to the ref he was the best offaly player on the pitch

[optimus cheese]

I feel physically sick over that today. Absolutely shafted. Hurling is a physical game yet that one today, it was played in a good spirit, hard and fair, not a dirty stroke pulled. But those frees just defy logic. Crazy.
At four up with 15 to play, Kelly gives Offaly a nothing free, helps them steady, gifted them a way back in. True, we didn't score for the last 15, but our cause wasn't helped by a referee willing to blow for nothing in favour of Offaly while letting them away with blatant trips and fouls as we tried to build from the back and at midfield. The penalty that wasn't awarded when Carson seemed well inside when dragged back.
One thing sticks in my head - giving out the Limerick v Wexford score seemed to galvanize Offaly a bit, forced them to up their game a bit, an error I think from announcer, almost seemed a turning point in a way.
Still - loads of positives. Shorty, McCrory and McManus were phenomenal. The whole team - honest endeavor, hooking, blocking, physically stood up. Really think these lads, given some time to develop, can do good things.
Maybe a playoff against Carlow, competitive game in two weeks, might be a good thing to keep it ticking over ahead of Westmeath in Championship.
No doubt we are moving in the right direction, Championship now starts on April 14.

[Milltown Row2]

I feel physically sick over that today. Absolutely shafted. Hurling is a physical game yet that one today, it was played in a good spirit, hard and fair, not a dirty stroke pulled. But those frees just defy logic. Crazy.
At four up with 15 to play, Kelly gives Offaly a nothing free, helps them steady, gifted them a way back in. True, we didn't score for the last 15, but our cause wasn't helped by a referee willing to blow for nothing in favour of Offaly while letting them away with blatant trips and fouls as we tried to build from the back and at midfield. The penalty that wasn't awarded when Carson seemed well inside when dragged back.
One thing sticks in my head - giving out the Limerick v Wexford score seemed to galvanize Offaly a bit, forced them to up their game a bit, an error I think from announcer, almost seemed a turning point in a way.
Still - loads of positives. Shorty, McCrory and McManus were phenomenal. The whole team - honest endeavor, hooking, blocking, physically stood up. Really think these lads, given some time to develop, can do good things.
Maybe a playoff against Carlow, competitive game in two weeks, might be a good thing to keep it ticking over ahead of Westmeath in Championship.
No doubt we are moving in the right direction, Championship now starts on April 14.

Will be a harder game against Carlow next time out, I'd say Carlow didn't show their hand last week

[Seamroga in exile]

I fancy this Antrim team to beat Carlow. 6 or 7 points.

[optimus cheese]

True, the football was absolutely horrible. But still, those frees blown played a major part. Not even scorable, but allowed their forwards to turn ball over and keep the game in that half of the field. Thought young fella, Jackson McGreevy had a fine game, will improve and made odd mistake but looks the real deal. Last ten was crying out for a Karl Stewart in the middle to win some ball. Feel good about our hurlers, really do, a work in progress but going in the right direction. I take it Carlow will be a neutral venue, Parnell?