Antrim Hurling

[johnneycool]

didnt make it too the game on sat so had to make do with the tv.

have to say i was disappointed in lgiel, they can play far better than that. that being said i though MLR were better all over the pitch. they were a good passing team whereas lgiel couldnt pass it, rather played long balls in. something they never do.

the goals kept them in the match. what happened at the end was unreal. couldnt understand what was going on and why ronan got sent off and a hop ball.

it was just a case of not playing well and the other team playing far better.

Probably the worst type of defeat to accept, there'll be a few sleepless nights getting over that one. To be beaten by a point and knowing you didn't play remotely at your best is worst that getting hammered off the park by a superior team.

The slick passing of Loughgiel of previous AI campaigns was gone, the ball wasn't going to hand and being taken cleanly giving MLR lads a chance to get a tackle in and use their size to come out with it. MLR were good at finding their men with stick and hand passing and had two very handy corner forwards who used the ball well and caused problems all day.

They also took some fine points from distance when Loughgiel got both goals, taking the edge off the Loughgiel revival.

DD had to do something ala the short puck outs as I didn't see one aerial battle won by a red jersey from their own puck out, he had to try something, Ding seemed to be his go to man, but twice that I saw Ding turned onto his left and drove it straight down the middle not any further than DD could have pucked it out anyway. Didn't make sense unless no one was making themselves available up the field.
If you're not going to win clean aerial ball you've gotta make sure there are lads flying in to get to the breaking ball, but MLR seemed to be there quicker to it and with that wall in front of their fullback line, Watson the other wee lad in the corner were feeding off scraps.
The MLR centre back played centre back for Carlow against Down a few years back and didn't give either Dule nor Magic a look at it and is a very handy tool, he swept up a huge amount of ball and used it well, rarely getting caught in possession and give it off to a team mate. It's always wise to try and keep the play away from a lad like that.

For all the hole picking at the Loughgiel performance they still had a few chances to level it, but alas it wasn't to be, you have those days some days, even Watson is human.

Yeah the ref made mistakes, but they didn't have any bearing on the final outcome. Not sure about the second yellow for duck, but the first was merited alright even if it was unintentional. Even after that hop ball there was another chance to level not including the long range one which was caught near the endline but nothing came off.

If they're to be beaten in Antrim or Ulster it'll still take a big performance to do it, but getting the appetite back for it may take a few months of doing no hurling at all for some of those lads who haven't set a hurl down in almost four years, Antrims loss will be Loughgiels gain.

[All seeing I]

Loughiel lost the game on Saturday - nothing to do with the ref. He made some questionable calls against both sides, but in the balance of it there was no particular bias towards one side or the other. The only person who can feel hard done by is Ronan McCloskey. Ronan was ran ragged for 10 mins and just when he could have been taken off he settled and was in complete control in the area where MLR were sending all balls to their man of the match. The "non yellow card" which he was awarded meant it was too much of a risk to leave him in there - PJ made the right call. Pity - because i fully believe Ronan could have been the key to stopping their attack.

On another note, Loughiel didnt have the same appetitie as MLR. The team that wanted it most won it!
However, Loughiel were still within touching distance despite the below par performance. I honestly think the difference was the 'Jim Nelson' factor. Whilst Jim's ill health is devastating for all Antrim people - his calm and calculated eye was missing on Saturday. There were a few things happening on the pitch which Jim would have eradicated in seconds. The sideline had a lot to do on Saturday but Jim would be coolly sitting back and noticing small things like the fact that LG forwards didnt win any high ball - which was consistently fed in to them.

It was just an unfortunate day for Antrim and LG and MLR deserve a lot of credit.

[Milltown Row2]

Loughiel lost the game on Saturday - nothing to do with the ref. He made some questionable calls against both sides, but in the balance of it there was no particular bias towards one side or the other. The only person who can feel hard done by is Ronan McCloskey. Ronan was ran ragged for 10 mins and just when he could have been taken off he settled and was in complete control in the area where MLR were sending all balls to their man of the match. The "non yellow card" which he was awarded meant it was too much of a risk to leave him in there - PJ made the right call. Pity - because i fully believe Ronan could have been the key to stopping their attack.

On another note, Loughiel didnt have the same appetitie as MLR. The team that wanted it most won it!
However, Loughiel were still within touching distance despite the below par performance. I honestly think the difference was the 'Jim Nelson' factor. Whilst Jim's ill health is devastating for all Antrim people - his calm and calculated eye was missing on Saturday. There were a few things happening on the pitch which Jim would have eradicated in seconds. The sideline had a lot to do on Saturday but Jim would be coolly sitting back and noticing small things like the fact that LG forwards didnt win any high ball - which was consistently fed in to them.

It was just an unfortunate day for Antrim and LG and MLR deserve a lot of credit.

Very good, especially the 'Nelson' factor. On th line can be a horrible place to assess a game

[Milltown Row2]

condolences to the Quinn family

From County Website:
It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Barbara Quinn, wife of our esteemed County Secretary Frankie Quinn, and we would like to offer our sincere sympathies to all the family.

[NAG1]

Loughiel lost the game on Saturday - nothing to do with the ref. He made some questionable calls against both sides, but in the balance of it there was no particular bias towards one side or the other. The only person who can feel hard done by is Ronan McCloskey. Ronan was ran ragged for 10 mins and just when he could have been taken off he settled and was in complete control in the area where MLR were sending all balls to their man of the match. The "non yellow card" which he was awarded meant it was too much of a risk to leave him in there - PJ made the right call. Pity - because i fully believe Ronan could have been the key to stopping their attack.

On another note, Loughiel didnt have the same appetitie as MLR. The team that wanted it most won it!
However, Loughiel were still within touching distance despite the below par performance. I honestly think the difference was the 'Jim Nelson' factor. Whilst Jim's ill health is devastating for all Antrim people - his calm and calculated eye was missing on Saturday. There were a few things happening on the pitch which Jim would have eradicated in seconds. The sideline had a lot to do on Saturday but Jim would be coolly sitting back and noticing small things like the fact that LG forwards didnt win any high ball - which was consistently fed in to them.

It was just an unfortunate day for Antrim and LG and MLR deserve a lot of credit.

Very good, especially the 'Nelson' factor. On th line can be a horrible place to assess a game

Especially when you get involved in everyone decision and are riled up.

Have often wondered why more manager dont get away from the hustle along the line and go up into the stand and have a cool calm look at the game and where they can have an influence (if possible at all) to help their team.

[Milltown Row2]

Loughiel lost the game on Saturday - nothing to do with the ref. He made some questionable calls against both sides, but in the balance of it there was no particular bias towards one side or the other. The only person who can feel hard done by is Ronan McCloskey. Ronan was ran ragged for 10 mins and just when he could have been taken off he settled and was in complete control in the area where MLR were sending all balls to their man of the match. The "non yellow card" which he was awarded meant it was too much of a risk to leave him in there - PJ made the right call. Pity - because i fully believe Ronan could have been the key to stopping their attack.

On another note, Loughiel didnt have the same appetitie as MLR. The team that wanted it most won it!
However, Loughiel were still within touching distance despite the below par performance. I honestly think the difference was the 'Jim Nelson' factor. Whilst Jim's ill health is devastating for all Antrim people - his calm and calculated eye was missing on Saturday. There were a few things happening on the pitch which Jim would have eradicated in seconds. The sideline had a lot to do on Saturday but Jim would be coolly sitting back and noticing small things like the fact that LG forwards didnt win any high ball - which was consistently fed in to them.

It was just an unfortunate day for Antrim and LG and MLR deserve a lot of credit.

Very good, especially the 'Nelson' factor. On th line can be a horrible place to assess a game

Especially when you get involved in everyone decision and are riled up.

Have often wondered why more manager dont get away from the hustle along the line and go up into the stand and have a cool calm look at the game and where they can have an influence (if possible at all) to help their team.

Obviously a lot of league grounds can't facilitate this as they have no higher vantage point, hurling is played quick and and those first 30 mins fly by especially in championship. If you have a good team of management staff you can maybe move off to a vantage point and calmly look at the game and get a better perspective on it, I know Jim did this quite a lot and talked via the head set, Culbert also used this when managing our seniors.

As Johnney said 11, 6 and 13 were players that the ball needed to be kept away from, no doubt PJ had this Intel and the players would have known. As for the short puck outs surely there is less chance of conceding a score in the oppositions halfback line than losing ball on your own 21? as the lad who won ball on the 21 was only going to get an extra 10 yards than DD.

Ah well, Loughgiel will raise it again I'm sure, will PJ take a break, hard going after so many miles, while the good times are great the losses do take their toll

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

i was impressed with MLR again. their passing game was very good and they look a big strong side. they do fully deserve to be where they are now and well done to them.

i noticed the puck outs as well going short from DD. didnt make any sense to me as they were then sent in long. when the passing game went there was no plan b it seemed.

5 in a row isnt beyond them this year and the rest of us are still playing catch up with lgiel. im sure a long rest is needed for a few of the players now

[johnneycool]

Loughiel lost the game on Saturday - nothing to do with the ref. He made some questionable calls against both sides, but in the balance of it there was no particular bias towards one side or the other. The only person who can feel hard done by is Ronan McCloskey. Ronan was ran ragged for 10 mins and just when he could have been taken off he settled and was in complete control in the area where MLR were sending all balls to their man of the match. The "non yellow card" which he was awarded meant it was too much of a risk to leave him in there - PJ made the right call. Pity - because i fully believe Ronan could have been the key to stopping their attack.

On another note, Loughiel didnt have the same appetitie as MLR. The team that wanted it most won it!
However, Loughiel were still within touching distance despite the below par performance. I honestly think the difference was the 'Jim Nelson' factor. Whilst Jim's ill health is devastating for all Antrim people - his calm and calculated eye was missing on Saturday. There were a few things happening on the pitch which Jim would have eradicated in seconds. The sideline had a lot to do on Saturday but Jim would be coolly sitting back and noticing small things like the fact that LG forwards didnt win any high ball - which was consistently fed in to them.

It was just an unfortunate day for Antrim and LG and MLR deserve a lot of credit.

Very good, especially the 'Nelson' factor. On th line can be a horrible place to assess a game

Especially when you get involved in everyone decision and are riled up.

Have often wondered why more manager dont get away from the hustle along the line and go up into the stand and have a cool calm look at the game and where they can have an influence (if possible at all) to help their team.

IMO winning their own puck outs has been Loughgiels achilles heel against St Thomas' last year and even this year against us it was something they struggled with and we're not a big team, hence the need for a bit of different thinking with the puckouts.
Whilst you're not going to directly concede a score from pucking the ball down on top of their dominant half back line you are giving them a steady supply of possession they'll put into their forwards anyway, DD had to do something as just pumping it long wouldn't work either, the short puck outs are inherently more of a risk but if Ding was able to drop the ball down on the opposite 21 it would have by passed that wall at halfback and gave the full forward line some sort of supply.
It just didn't work on saturday but neither would have DD whaling it down the throats of the MLR half backs.

On the viewing angle thing, there's no doubt viewing a game from a bit of height gives you greater perspective of the game from a positional sense and movement and one of the reasons I can understand why in Rugby the management teams sit high up in the stands, but alas not too big of an issue in club hurling in Ulster unless you bring a cherry picker with you. On top of a dug out, just isn't the same.

[Milltown Row2]

Loughiel lost the game on Saturday - nothing to do with the ref. He made some questionable calls against both sides, but in the balance of it there was no particular bias towards one side or the other. The only person who can feel hard done by is Ronan McCloskey. Ronan was ran ragged for 10 mins and just when he could have been taken off he settled and was in complete control in the area where MLR were sending all balls to their man of the match. The "non yellow card" which he was awarded meant it was too much of a risk to leave him in there - PJ made the right call. Pity - because i fully believe Ronan could have been the key to stopping their attack.

On another note, Loughiel didnt have the same appetitie as MLR. The team that wanted it most won it!
However, Loughiel were still within touching distance despite the below par performance. I honestly think the difference was the 'Jim Nelson' factor. Whilst Jim's ill health is devastating for all Antrim people - his calm and calculated eye was missing on Saturday. There were a few things happening on the pitch which Jim would have eradicated in seconds. The sideline had a lot to do on Saturday but Jim would be coolly sitting back and noticing small things like the fact that LG forwards didnt win any high ball - which was consistently fed in to them.

It was just an unfortunate day for Antrim and LG and MLR deserve a lot of credit.

Very good, especially the 'Nelson' factor. On th line can be a horrible place to assess a game

Especially when you get involved in everyone decision and are riled up.

Have often wondered why more manager dont get away from the hustle along the line and go up into the stand and have a cool calm look at the game and where they can have an influence (if possible at all) to help their team.

IMO winning their own puck outs has been Loughgiels achilles heel against St Thomas' last year and even this year against us it was something they struggled with and we're not a big team, hence the need for a bit of different thinking with the puckouts.
Whilst you're not going to directly concede a score from pucking the ball down on top of their dominant half back line you are giving them a steady supply of possession they'll put into their forwards anyway, DD had to do something as just pumping it long wouldn't work either, the short puck outs are inherently more of a risk but if Ding was able to drop the ball down on the opposite 21 it would have by passed that wall at halfback and gave the full forward line some sort of supply.
It just didn't work on saturday but neither would have DD whaling it down the throats of the MLR half backs.

On the viewing angle thing, there's no doubt viewing a game from a bit of height gives you greater perspective of the game from a positional sense and movement and one of the reasons I can understand why in Rugby the management teams sit high up in the stands, but alas not too big of an issue in club hurling in Ulster unless you bring a cherry picker with you. On top of a dug out, just isn't the same.

Ok johnney I understand short puck outs but Loughgiel conceded 3/4 points this way, that wasn't working and only working against them, dirty ball wasn't won by Loughgiel when it went in. It's the winning and losing of a game on day like that IMO.

I just think positionally they were at sixes and sevens, which is surprising as a lot of teams would deploy that type of tactic on Loughgiel, Loughgiels fitness was evident in the last 10 mins, the MLR lads were dropping all over the show. Ah we could analyze this all day, fair play MLR great to see an underdog do well, just not yesterday.

Beware the wounded animal!!

[NAG1]

Tactically the loss of JC was a bigger one that maybe it first appeared. Anyone who has watched LG in recent times, would have noticed that the short puckouts invariably went to JC or the half back, normally 30-40yrds out and right on the sidelines. This had two effects on opponents, meant LG could then by pass the middle third, easier done from the HBL than the FBL and secondly it dragged the opposition HFL up the pitch to try and counter it leaving more space around the middle for a cross field pass.

Whether there wasnt the same confidence in going there without JC or MLR had twigged and dropped the man out to deliberately avoid this, forced them into going shorter.

[johnneycool]

The issues with the short puck outs were just a microcosm of what was going wrong for Loughgiel in general play, the ball was dropped, not sharp enough to it, losing it in possession etc etc, but IMO with every ball pumped into the MLR half back line being turned back down their throats DD had to do something, it just didn't work out.

He had to try something though, maybe Ding when he did manage to get his head up would have been better running it out a bit further as NAG1 suggests, but in the heat of battle its not always possible and the support needs to be there if he runs into traffic. MLR always seemed to be able to get the ball away to a man in space, a feature you'd always associate with Loughgiel.

[north_antrim_hound]

Hard luck to LG they put in a mighty effort for this game and where close to drawing playing badly by there standards. All the previous analysis on the money but to me the biggest factor was LG looked very lethargic in the first half. Surely there heads where conditioned for a very physical contest with MLR. Was there a bit of complacency, imm sure there mentors would have been telling them MLR are the  real deal but they where overwhelming favourites. Some of that stuff just seeps in no matter what your management tells you. Some posters on here we even saying LG was going to go down there and rip them a new arse hole.  Still the team to beat in antrim though where they will enjoy more space and have time for more a accurate passing and shooting

Five in a row on the cards for sure

[Catch and Kick]

MLR are a team of battlers who have refined their stick and team work no end in the past few years. A lot of their players have grown in stature in the past 24 months - they now believe they are able to take on anyone. How good are they? The All Ireland Final will reveal all. Can't see them being overawed in anyway or suffering f=stage fright. it's not in them.
Small tight unit, an amalgamation of 3 clubs who have had a section trying to turn the clock back to the old days of 3 separate units. I think that has drawn them closer. As hard to beat at football where they haven't near as many natural big ball players.
They are very level headed; they haven't lost the run of themselves with the big wins in Leinster and are well grounded. Very thorough and sensible in preparations.
As for Loughiel; I got the impression in recent weeks that deep down supporters at least thought this was a gimme. Did that rub off on players?
You won't beat Rangers unless you put your body on the line for every ball and I just thought Loughiel were expecting their superior craft to just do it for them.
On the ref; Rangers def got easy frees in the first half. But in the second half the ref made some shocking decisions, mostly in favour of Loughiel.
Things like the face mask being clearly pulled off a Rangers player, no free and the move ended up int he first goal. Didin't think we're man deserved yellow for the pull - I thought he pulled fairly on the ball.
Looked to me like nearly all the yellow cards were awarded by the linesmen in communication with the ref.

[Seamroga in exile]

MLR are a team of battlers who have refined their stick and team work no end in the past few years. A lot of their players have grown in stature in the past 24 months - they now believe they are able to take on anyone. How good are they? The All Ireland Final will reveal all. Can't see them being overawed in anyway or suffering f=stage fright. it's not in them.
Small tight unit, an amalgamation of 3 clubs who have had a section trying to turn the clock back to the old days of 3 separate units. I think that has drawn them closer. As hard to beat at football where they haven't near as many natural big ball players.
They are very level headed; they haven't lost the run of themselves with the big wins in Leinster and are well grounded. Very thorough and sensible in preparations.
As for Loughiel; I got the impression in recent weeks that deep down supporters at least thought this was a gimme. Did that rub off on players?
You won't beat Rangers unless you put your body on the line for every ball and I just thought Loughiel were expecting their superior craft to just do it for them.
On the ref; Rangers def got easy frees in the first half. But in the second half the ref made some shocking decisions, mostly in favour of Loughiel.
Things like the face mask being clearly pulled off a Rangers player, no free and the move ended up int he first goal. Didin't think we're man deserved yellow for the pull - I thought he pulled fairly on the ball.
Looked to me like nearly all the yellow cards were awarded by the linesmen in communication with the ref.

where did you get that impression from? The loughgiel supporters on here or elsewhere took nothing for granted. The players certainly didn't. You'd know That if you'd seen the training these lads put in over the last few months. It was a poor first half for Loughgiel. That's where the match was lost. Fair play to Mlr, better team on the day.

[Catch and Kick]

Maybe I read the comments on here wrong (maybe they weren't Loughiel supporters) but there were quite a number of posts about winning by large margins. I was guessing this may have been the kind of loose talk that creeps into the minds of players. Loughiel are a great outfit and I hope they bounce back and challenge again for All Ireland honours. Antrim hurling folk deserve great credit - always play a lovely brand of hurling.