Antrim Hurling

[Seamroga in exile]

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.

ah, ok. Those were non Loughgiel supporters alright. They should've known better.   

[johnneycool]

Clooney Gaels 0-7 Rower Inistoge 1-14

Mount Leinster 0-16 Rower Inistoge 2-16

Must be rare that Intermediate champs  beat Senior champs. 

How much would Loughgeil expect to beat Clooney Gaels by?

Shams by a bagful & good luck in the final.

Stop now, you are not allowed to predict scores Loughgiel by 10 pulling up, maybe MLR put out their reserves lol

Catch and Kick, ignore these lads, they haven't seen the marked improvement in Carlow hurling close up like some of us Down lads.

[Milltown Row2]

Clooney Gaels 0-7 Rower Inistoge 1-14

Mount Leinster 0-16 Rower Inistoge 2-16

Must be rare that Intermediate champs  beat Senior champs. 

How much would Loughgeil expect to beat Clooney Gaels by?

Shams by a bagful & good luck in the final.

Stop now, you are not allowed to predict scores Loughgiel by 10 pulling up, maybe MLR put out their reserves lol

Catch and Kick, ignore these lads, they haven't seen the marked improvement in Carlow hurling close up like some of us Down lads.

We can only go on form in fairness. MLR have proved a lot of people wrong, though if you do check a lot of post we did say if they allow MLR to stick with them then it could get interesting, I like others were thinking Loughgiel would get a commanding leading but it never happened.

Very good Catch and Kick, keep the hurling going in Antrim line, love it. used it myself when we beat the Galway champions in the semi final, keep her lit lads, I know it's tough in Galway  lol

[imtommygunn]

Not sure about that JC. The Carlow team that came to casement park and played us when Dinny was in charge and we were flying really put it up to us and to be honest it's the most character I've seen from any antrim team to win that game. Kevin Ryan did a lot of good down there(I'm sure many grass roots people and up did too but he improved them a lot too).

In the 2nd game on saturday I was disappointed in NaPiarsagh. I really thought they looked up for it this year but they looked very flat on saturday. It'll be an interesting final.

Every game MLR win against "bigger" opposition you read on here about their opposition not playing well on the day and they will regret it etc etc. It's not really a coincidence that no team has played to their full potential against them with their more physical nature and how much pressing they do - teams can't breathe. I think the final will be a step too far for them as Joe Canning is maybe too much of a scoring machine but what they have achieved thus far is amazing and they have nothing to lose.

Incidentally the "intensity" they show is something I have only really seen from one club team before - Loughgiel 2 years ago.

[NAG1]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

[Milltown Row2]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

Teams down south have been doing if for years, they are an amalgamation but a proper club, due to numbers clubs have combined but they are real clubs, the Galway champions we played, TAD were an amalgamation, seems to be the norm. be like Creggan and Tir Na Og amalgamating and creating a hurling club. Belfast teams are starting to do it now Eire Og and McDermotts have joined now

[NAG1]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

Teams down south have been doing if for years, they are an amalgamation but a proper club, due to numbers clubs have combined but they are real clubs, the Galway champions we played, TAD were an amalgamation, seems to be the norm. be like Creggan and Tir Na Og amalgamating and creating a hurling club. Belfast teams are starting to do it now Eire Og and McDermotts have joined now

I know they have MR2 just questioning the ethics of it really or maybe fairness of it I guess more.

[Seamroga in exile]

O'loughlin Gaels are also an amalgamation. Interesting question nag1

[Milltown Row2]

O'loughlin Gaels are also an amalgamation. Interesting question nag1

But they are clubs in their own right now. Once they are affiliated to the GAA then that's that I suppose, unless they play as their own parish clubs at juvenile level, as was the case for Commedagh and Ballymurphy when I was a kid growing up they were two separate clubs at underage level then at championship underage they were joined, they were a formidable team too

[johnneycool]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

Amalgamations aren't allowed to represent a county in any interprovincial competitions as is common in places like Cork and Kerry where amalgamations have won the county championship but can go no further so I'd presume MLR or O'Loughlin gaels aren't deemed amalgamations in the eyes of Croke park.

I'd presume they're outright senior clubs rather than two or three junior clubs getting together for senior championship.

IIRC Thurles Sarsfields have two separate juvenile clubs, themselves and Durlas Og's. Not entirely sure of the connection or its maybe just an unwritten rule that the better juveniles play for the sarsfields, either way they'd not be considered an amalgamation.

do Loughgiel not get the pick of the junior clubs around them anyway, Armoy, Cloughmills etc, etc, especially if they haven't enough younsters to form a team of their own??

[Seamroga in exile]

 Cloughmills are a senior team now Johnny. 

[north aontroim gael]

Gutted about Saturdays result.  First time in 3 or 4 years that we haven't performed to a decent level.  Too many players were below par on the day.

Hopefully the lads enjoy their rest, they deserve every bit of it.  That's two semi-finals we've left behind us now, I'm sure these lads will want another crack at it.

[Milltown Row2]

Cloughmills are a senior team now Johnny. 

Some achievement considering then 

[Catch and Kick]

MLR are a fully fledged club. They replaced three older clubs who are now gone out of existence. It is a rural area based around the village of Borris. They are not like 'West Kerry' or 'Avondhu' which pick from clubs of their catchment area.

[NAG1]

MLR are a fully fledged club. They replaced three older clubs who are now gone out of existence. It is a rural area based around the village of Borris. They are not like 'West Kerry' or 'Avondhu' which pick from clubs of their catchment area.

Catch and kick, wasnt having a go at MLR, I would say this is likely to happen more and more especially with the economic situation the country is in, LG do like a recession 

But my wider point was just that the clubs up here have a different reaction to amalgamation I would assume because of the nature of identity and what the club means to the people. So that is maybe to 'our' disadvantage when coming up against these types of clubs with maybe a bigger catchment even if that is a rural catchment.