Antrim Hurling

[Lecale2]

They should play it pre-season like the McKenna or Walsh Cup. God only knows when the final will be now, there's a full round of club fixtures on 14th July.

[Seamroga in exile]

Does anybody care about the Ulster championship anymore?

[No Soloing]

Ulster championship.  Definite over haul needed   Fact that its played on casement all the time doesn't help

The final is in Celtic Park this year!

There isnt really any other way to play the Ulster Championship except to have 2 semi-finals. At least there is a championship. It may be a bit of a farce and Antrim may win it basically every year but it gives players from Derry, Down & Armagh the chance to play in a final and a slight chance to win an Ulster title.

I would think it meant a lot to the Derry players in 2000 becoming the first ones from the county to win a title in nearly 100 years. Down matched Antrim for a good part of the 90s and havent been a million miles away in finals recently. Who, even 10 years ago, would have though Armagh hurlers would have been playing in an Ulster final? There is a little bit more to hurling in Ulster than just Antrim!

[Seamroga in exile]

When Derry won it, it meant something. There was progression to an all Ireland quarter or semi final. Now it's meaningless. It's a pity.

[No Soloing]

True. But I dont think it would be meaningless to someone from Derry, Armagh or Down to have the chance to play in an Ulster final and maybe win one. I would think many of the Antrim players would be pleased with a winners medal. Not every club player gets to play in or win All-Irelands

The only overhaul would be not to have an Ulster Championship at all and maybe combine Ulster & Connacht - or with Antrim, Galway, London in the Leinster Championship (and as Christy Ring winners there is an argument that Down could be there as well) just have a Munster and non-Munster championship. In my opinion that would be sad. I think its better to be involved in even a 2 team championship that have no championship at all. I think the Ulster Championship still has value, maybe moreso for the counties other than Antrim.

It has always been more of a pity that there isnt a proper championship. Some Ulster counties basically have no hurling, or in others its concentrated in one area or between a handful of clubs. Maybe clubs are too scared of upsetting their chances of winning the football championship or something. Maybe it is something the Ulster GAA should do more to redress

[CitySlicker11]

Congratulations to Rossa in their Feile win today in Limerick.

[Sleeping giant]

Brilliant for Rossa and Antrim.   Fair play!!

[btdtgtt]

Fabulous result for Rossa and Belfast and Antrim!

I see 2 ex-seniors as coaches great to see them putting back into their club.

[NAG1]

Brilliant stuff. Well done Marty, Jim & the lads.

HS will this provide a bit of a boost for the club in general and start to maybe look at facilities etc?

[jdyok]

Well done Rossa. We need our rivals to be strong if we are to improve. Better facilities needed for most Belfast clubs. Pretty much left to our own devices to come up with funding and a plan.

[NAG1]

Well done Rossa. We need our rivals to be strong if we are to improve. Better facilities needed for most Belfast clubs. Pretty much left to our own devices to come up with funding and a plan.

What like every other club?

[clootfromthe21]

From today's Irish Times:

"No date has yet been fixed for the Ulster senior hurling final against Antrim, which will be played in Celtic Park.

A relieved Down manager Gerard Monan called on the Ulster Council to give his side a few weeks of a break before taking on the Saffrons."We have seven or eight boys going on holidays and to the Mumford and Sons concert [in Dublin] next week so we're hoping not to play it until the end of July, start of August."
"

Bloody Mumford and Sons. Do they not take into account the possibility of replays in the Ulster Championship when fixing the dates for these sort of things???

[johnneycool]

From today's Irish Times:

"No date has yet been fixed for the Ulster senior hurling final against Antrim, which will be played in Celtic Park.

A relieved Down manager Gerard Monan called on the Ulster Council to give his side a few weeks of a break before taking on the Saffrons."We have seven or eight boys going on holidays and to the Mumford and Sons concert [in Dublin] next week so we're hoping not to play it until the end of July, start of August."
"

Bloody Mumford and Sons. Do they not take into account the possibility of replays in the Ulster Championship when fixing the dates for these sort of things???

I don't think they did, shock horror, Ulster hurling as an afterthought!!

Was talking to one of the Down lads the other day and they just want the thing over and done with, this lad even suggested a cross bar challenge to decide it, watches too much soccer AM this boy!!

[optimus cheese]

So the Ulster final can't be played because a load of players are going to Dublin to listen to that arse gravy. Very good.
In fairness, the Ulster Council have made a complete bollocks of this, not allowing for a possible semi-final replay. There was a two-week gap between QF and SF, yet one scheduled between the SF and final. Shows the esteem the Ulster SHC is held in really. Dunno why they persist with this annual farce

[jdyok]

Well done Rossa. We need our rivals to be strong if we are to improve. Better facilities needed for most Belfast clubs. Pretty much left to our own devices to come up with funding and a plan.

What like every other club?

Yip...