Antrim Hurling

[johnneycool]

Cork relegated, maybe.

That'll probably mean restructuring with Antrim and Laois shafted into a Div2. just wait and see!!


In the mean time, our winning streak continues with an 11 points to 6 win over our friends in Portaferry.

Match was switched to Portaferry as our pitch was still a bit soft from the rain on thursday night and friday but the gale made it a game of two halves. We played with it first, Ports got the first and their only point of the half early on but we managed to get 11 and should have gotten at least one goal and IMO we'd it all to do in the second half.
With Dule well shackled Portaferry didn't make much headroom and only managed another 5 points, we didn't manage a score but missed another few goal chances.

Poor conditions and a poor game but we've now the same points already than we managed all last year,so no complaints as yet. Corrigan park on wednesday night is our next outing I'm led to believe.

[btdtgtt]

Wednesday

Division1

Ballycastle and Dunloy to be a close affair just a point or two either way - would normally go for Dunloy but the Town at home and in need of a good display after a poor start.

Cushendall to win easily over a Glenarrife team that will struggle this year.

St Johns home advantage to count over Ballygalget - two teams getting their points early which will stand by them later in the year when they play an improved field of teams.

Ballycran to continue their good start and beat a Rossa team that don't like travelling.

Division 2

A close game with St Pauls and Cloughmills - maybe a draw.

St Galls to beat Armoy easily.

Sarsfields to win away to Clooney Gaels.

Gorts to beat Lamh Dearg.

Home advantage enough for Tir Na nOg over Carey.

YES I AM BORED ON A MONDAY MORNING ON THE ROAD!

[johnneycool]

Wednesday

Division1

Ballycastle and Dunloy to be a close affair just a point or two either way - would normally go for Dunloy but the Town at home and in need of a good display after a poor start.

Cushendall to win easily over a Glenarrife team that will struggle this year.

St Johns home advantage to count over Ballygalget - two teams getting their points early which will stand by them later in the year when they play an improved field of teams.

Ballycran to continue their good start and beat a Rossa team that don't like travelling.

Division 2

A close game with St Pauls and Cloughmills - maybe a draw.

St Galls to beat Armoy easily.

Sarsfields to win away to Clooney Gaels.

Gorts to beat Lamh Dearg.

Home advantage enough for Tir Na nOg over Carey.

YES I AM BORED ON A MONDAY MORNING ON THE ROAD!

That would imply that we've trained like mad and may peak too early which ironically isn't what has happened. We didn't have a manager in place until March and training up to that point was pretty ad-hoc and taken by some of the senior players. We're far from fully fit yet as when you see big magic you'll see what I mean, he's far from fit, but in fairness is putting in the graft this year and will shake off those excess pounds/stones before we see the best of him come the summer months.

Granted the likes of Loughgeil will still be relying on whatever work they did in January and Feb to keep them ticking over until they get to training in earnest later on in the year gearing up for championship but I still think we've a lot more to offer yet ourselves and hopefully a lot of the young lads confidence will continue to build.

[btdtgtt]

Wasn't being disrespectful Johnny - just saying I ur lads & St. John's being top of the table won't be representative of long term status when the season is done.
Will hopefully make it to corrigan on Wednesday myself if I get out of work.

[clootfromthe21]

was at the game yday. poor enough performance through the entire game. we did enough to win the game but i was starting to panic that we wernt going to get the scores.
good move taking shane into the half forward line, he got onto the ball more and took a great score. though shorty was our best player, brian mc faul played well when he came on as well.
neill mc manus had prob his poorest game for us, i havent seen him play like that before for antrim, missed some easy frees.
still were up again, hopefully the lads can build from this and push on.

At the game myself. Cannot over emphasise the impact the wind had on the game. Puck outs were on occasion not reaching the 45.

Antrim did rightly for the first 20 minutes or so with the scores level. Nearly got a goal in the first couple of minutes but after that left Carson and Shanebo inside as everybody drifted back. Carlow got a bit of a run on just before half time but with the score at 8 4 at half time, you'd have thought it was well within our grasp in the second half.

However, it was Carlow that kicked on at the start of the second half and you felt the team get a bit anxious as McManus hit a couple of wides from frees. I think he is easily our best player but you just simply dont have the confidence when he goes for goal from 20 metre frees that you would have with Winker hitting it. His attempt after about 15 minutes was well saved and you feared it could be a turning point as we were not making any inroads into Carlow's lead. Fair play to the boys though, they kept going and eventually got a run of scores in the last 10 minutes to see them home. Carlow keeper made a cracking save to keep out what seemed a certain goal. Shane coming out the field was a big factor, as was McFall when he came on. Eddie Mc came much more into the game in the last 15 as well.

General observations:

- fair play to them for keeping going when they could have dropped the head (as other Antrim teams have done before)

- touch generally was quite poor. Lots of fumbles lifting the ball and lots of very short handpassess that immediately put the receiver under pressure

- McGarry had little enought to be doing and full back line was competent without being spectacular

- Half back line was strong with both Shields and McAuley excellent.

- Midfield was quiet until McFall came on, as was the half forward line, althought the wind might have had a lot to do with that. Carlow made sure to have a couple of men on McManus any time the ball came near.

- Shane was very quiet until coming out the field. Carson caught a fair amount of ball but did very little with it. Understandable in the first half when he was very much on his own and quickly surrounded but worrying in the second half when we were trying to kick on. It is all very well using him as a target man, but there has to be a plan as to what happens when he does catch it.

Anyway, good to see us staying up "on our own merits" although i wait with baited breath what the impact of Cork's relegation has on the possible re-organisation of the league.

[manballandall]

How did young Mc Greevy do ?

[clootfromthe21]

How did young Mc Greevy do ?

Was grand, but the other two in the half back line were just more prominent.

[imtommygunn]

It's good to hear Shiels is starting to come good. He always seemed to have the ability but suffered from being a bit light and being versatile and not finding his true positon. If McRory is playing good stuff too then Shiels, McAuley and him would be a strong line. (No harm to McGreevy)

[Jesusjones]

The half back line is really settled, Mc Crory, Mc Auley, Shiels. I'd actually like Mc Greevy at midfield instead of Matthew Donnelly. I'm not saying there isn't a place for Donnelly on the team/panel but it isn't midfield.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

The half back line is really settled, Mc Crory, Mc Auley, Shiels. I'd actually like Mc Greevy at midfield instead of Matthew Donnelly. I'm not saying there isn't a place for Donnelly on the team/panel but it isn't midfield.

i like matty as a hurler but i think hes too slow for the middle of the park.

our biggest weakness is the half forward line. waaaay to much ball isnt wont from our pucks or isnt won on the second ball

[johnneycool]

The half back line is really settled, Mc Crory, Mc Auley, Shiels. I'd actually like Mc Greevy at midfield instead of Matthew Donnelly. I'm not saying there isn't a place for Donnelly on the team/panel but it isn't midfield.

Surprised that McAuley was playing as he certainly looked injured the previous Sunday against us and wasn't moving freely.

Expect to be shafted in a rejigging of Div1b (2) making that win on Sunday irrelevant.

[Simon Says]

What is the story with karl stewart?

[NAG1]

What is the story with karl stewart?

His injury/ training habits or non have caused a bit of controversy from within the squad.

[Milltown Row2]

What is the story with karl stewart?

His injury/ training habits or non have caused a bit of controversy from within the squad.

Hasn't hurled for the club either this year, citing work, he's a new job with unsociable hours. Not sure if he played on Sunday either, wasn't at our game

[NAG1]

What is the story with karl stewart?

His injury/ training habits or non have caused a bit of controversy from within the squad.

Hasn't hurled for the club either this year, citing work, he's a new job with unsociable hours. Not sure if he played on Sunday either, wasn't at our game

All of which is totally understandable and the man has to work, but the manager cant have one rule for the squad and then bend it for individual players. Made a rod for his own back with that one.