Antrim Hurling

[NAG1]

You have to remember as well that Cushendall beat Ballycastle in three finals in the 90's and Dunloy beat them in a few finals as well. We beat them in 1992, 1993 and 1996 and they should really have won in 1992 but for some heroics from the late Danny Mc Naughton and Jackie Carson who both got goals in the final ten minutes. They had great players at that time, Humpy, Jennings, Liam Gallagher, Stephen Boyle, Dessie, Brian & Ronan Donnelly.

Leyland nothing against the club at all, just going on pure facts and having watched them for a good number of years.
Always expect them to do better than they have done and then when it comes to it they don't produce. Maybe this crop of young players coming through will help maybe they won't, but too many times I have expected them to come to the championship and be really competitive recently and when it came to it just didn't count.

If your not from Ballycastle NAG, what facts are you going on that gave you such optimism about Ballycastle over a good number of years and that has left you so disappointed?

I can give you some facts as well. The 1990's was a barren time for our underage development and teams and apart from a handful of players there wasn't sufficient numbers coming through to step in to the senior panel. That meant when the core of the team from the 90's left the scene in the mid 2000's we were at a very low ebb at senior level and there was no real competition for places. It came to a stage that around 2007/08 there was only really Pinky and Cosey over the age of 24/25 in the senior team and it was a case of putting in players from the '07 u21 team like Cormac Donnelly, Neil McAuley, the Dallats, Gerard Laverty etc. That still didn't give us a big enough squad and we have then really had to wait to the last couple of years for the next good underage crop (this years u21 team mainly) to blend in with those other lads. This has given more numbers at senior level and competition for places again but of course this year we are missing one of the top players in the county and no team can afford to lose a player like that.

We are still developing a team and a squad and who knows it could be a few years before we get back to a senior final but we will get there. So I certainly haven't been disappointed with the teams efforts over the last few years, in fact I have been getting more and more optimistic.

This is exactly my point, look at the calibre of those players and add a few others not mentioned, reaching all those finals and not getting over the line, in my book that's under achieving whatever about lack of underage development. At that time they had a serious team and should have done better, yes there have been barren years since but my point is still valid. IMO they have under achieved in the last number of years and are not the championship team that they have the reputation for any more.

[Seamroga in exile]

You're very quick to bracket other clubs nag. One could put the present cushendall team into that bracket using your way of thought considering their last 3 championship final performances. Couldn't one?

[NAG1]

You're very quick to bracket other clubs nag. One could put the present cushendall team into that bracket using your way of thought considering their last 3 championship final performances. Couldn't one?

One very much could if one was so disposed.

However this is more of a recent thing and not going back over two/ three decades.

Yet no one has proved me wrong in my bracketing thus far? 

[Seamroga in exile]

How would you bracket cushendall for the 7 decades prior to 1981?

[NAG1]

How would you bracket cushendall for the 7 decades prior to 1981?

I wouldn't as I said when at the outset of this element of the discussion I was referring to the recent past.

[Seamroga in exile]

How would you bracket cushendall for the 7 decades prior to 1981?

I wouldn't as I said when at the outset of this element of the discussion I was referring to the recent past.

My point is that most clubs go through a period like this. What's more is that this is a completely different ballycastle team. They're young, eager and talented. And going by how their under age teams are performing, they'll be around for a while yet. Maybe this year will be too soon, who knows? But they'll be contending and most likely winning finals in the next few years.

[NAG1]

How would you bracket cushendall for the 7 decades prior to 1981?

I wouldn't as I said when at the outset of this element of the discussion I was referring to the recent past.

My point is that most clubs go through a period like this. What's more is that this is a completely different ballycastle team. They're young, eager and talented. And going by how their under age teams are performing, they'll be around for a while yet. Maybe this year will be too soon, who knows? But they'll be contending and most likely winning finals in the next few years.

You are missing my point SIE - yes it is plain to see that every club goes through spells like this - my point was the Ballycastle shouldnt have been, that they have had enough talent through the club to have had titles in that period. So IMO they have under achieved in the recent past.

[Seamroga in exile]

And my point is that you can say that about any club that gets to a final. They're no different to any other club.

[NAG1]

And my point is that you can say that about any club that gets to a final. They're no different to any other club.

Can or Can't?

I can say it and in fact I think I did say it - hold on for those in the back IMO in relation to the talent that has been in the Ballycastle club over the past 20-30 years IMO they have under achieved. Obviously they are coming again with great underage success and that is a credit to them but that was not part of this element of the discussion.

Example - Rossa with a similar group (maybe slightly better) of players got the job done once in that period.

[Seamroga in exile]

You posted that they'll "roll over" like before. My point is that this is a different team.

[NAG1]

You posted that they'll "roll over" like before. My point is that this is a different team.

Yeah like before in the past 20-30 years, yeah maybe they are different this year but I for one will wait on a bit more evidence than a carnival Feis match to base that on.

[theskull1]

Ballycastle over the period youre talking about NAG were never in the top 2 sides on any year I can mind. I think they just didnt have the panels rather than "rolling over". Like every team they pulled off a few shock wins over the years but unlike Rossa (who I'd put in the same category as McUilins) they didnt have that wee bit of luck on the day.

[NAG1]

Ballycastle over the period youre talking about NAG were never in the top 2 sides on any year I can mind. I think they just didnt have the panels rather than "rolling over". Like every team they pulled off a few shock wins over the years but unlike Rossa (who I'd put in the same category as McUilins) they didnt have that wee bit of luck on the day.

Well maybe rolled over was a bit on the harsh side, but as an outsider looking in I would have expected more of them for the talent they had is all.

[Milltown Row2]

Ballycastle over the period youre talking about NAG were never in the top 2 sides on any year I can mind. I think they just didnt have the panels rather than "rolling over". Like every team they pulled off a few shock wins over the years but unlike Rossa (who I'd put in the same category as McUilins) they didnt have that wee bit of luck on the day.

But yous did on one occassion against Rossa, were Rossa just couldn't get past ya's!!

[btdtgtt]

Not sure Rossa had any luck when they won it?
I watched them win a semi final vs Dunloy and despite being in maternity ward I recall they beat loughgiel convincingly?
That team add to my earlier point about the town - great side but relevant to the opposition. Rossa & ballycastle might have won more but for a once in a generation Dunloy team and now the shamrocks.
The black & amber ears must be burning this last few days!