Antrim Hurling

[NAG1]

Bonamargy who said playing challenge matches or preseason matches in feb/March actually improves quality of hurling, I'll accept it will help pick up league points early doors but so what.  The season starts and end with Championship!

Not my choice but I'd quite happily let a team focus on conditioning and working on hurling weaknesses without the distractions of hurling through bogs in March, build performances through the league and be ready for Championship

Tony - more a casual lurker these days!

You can train all you want. There is no better preparation than playing matches. See you in September then!

Confident then?

It is a long long way to September 
There will be lots of ups and down between now and the first championship weekend.

[Bonamargy]

I mean, I look forward to and will be at lots of good games of hurling from now until the championship in September. The hurling season is too short. It is more important than ever this season to hit the ground running and get league points on the board.  You can concentrate on the championship after the halfway split IF you are in the top 5.

[maxpower]

I don't agree its too short - the hurling season is too long already. Only teams playing in February should be those in AI campaigns.

I think hurling in pitches in march is completely different to hurling in late summer.  I don't agree playing friendlies or Ulster league now helps get ready for Championship, but a good fitness/skill programme now would

[cfclg]

I don't agree its too short - the hurling season is too long already. Only teams playing in February should be those in AI campaigns.

I think hurling in pitches in march is completely different to hurling in late summer.  I don't agree playing friendlies or Ulster league now helps get ready for Championship, but a good fitness/skill programme now would

I agree there shouldn't be matches in March/April but the fixtures committee continue to play club games (league and championship) outside the core summer months of June/July/August. That is the long standing issue here. I know county teams, leinster hurling championship, Ulster football cship etc etc are on. But playing our club cship off over 3 weeks in Septmeber (when the weather is on the downturn) is not the solution and chances are you'll be standing up in Ballycastle on county final day at the end of September in the cold with the wind howling and rain lashing which will not provide a great spectacle for players or supporters.

[All seeing I]

I don't agree its too short - the hurling season is too long already. Only teams playing in February should be those in AI campaigns.

I think hurling in pitches in march is completely different to hurling in late summer.  I don't agree playing friendlies or Ulster league now helps get ready for Championship, but a good fitness/skill programme now would

I agree there shouldn't be matches in March/April but the fixtures committee continue to play club games (league and championship) outside the core summer months of June/July/August. That is the long standing issue here. I know county teams, leinster hurling championship, Ulster football cship etc etc are on. But playing our club cship off over 3 weeks in Septmeber (when the weather is on the downturn) is not the solution and chances are you'll be standing up in Ballycastle on county final day at the end of September in the cold with the wind howling and rain lashing which will not provide a great spectacle for players or supporters.

Was Ballycastle not basking in sunshine on county final day last year?

[btdtgtt]

I don' think the issue of fixture dates in confined to Antrim - or hurling.

Across both codes, and across the country - someone at National level needs to find a way of marrying the inter-county and club seasons better!

The county season goes on far too long - it's basically all year round.
I think pretty much everyone agrees with that and the amount of column inches devoted to it is amazing - so do something about it.

This would allow for an improved club scene.

Also, perhaps have a period of time during the year where county activity is on hold, and allow club games. This would need done within the context of championship re-structure and sounds radical. However look at the Heineken Cup in rugby - it takes a natural break between groups / knockout when the six nations is on. This works well for different levels of fixtures - and especially for supporters.

But the status quo cannot go on as it's killing the club scene all over Ireland - as recognised by no less than the new Uachtaran.

[Bonamargy]

Should certainly be less breaks in games for club players. If we played more games in the summer we wouldn't have to play championship at the end of September and finish the leagues in late October when pitches have gone again.

[theskull1]

Club competitions are meerly a means to an end for the top brass in CP. We develop IC players that they then use to fill stadium all throughout the summer months. They're not about to give up the cash cow just because its affecting club competitions. Not one flying f do they give about their rights or frustrations

[NAG1]

Club competitions are meerly a means to an end for the top brass in CP. We develop IC players that they then use to fill stadium all throughout the summer months. They're not about to give up the cash cow just because its affecting club competitions. Not one flying f do they give about their rights or frustrations

Sure the club game in the south has more or less gone to winter championships, look at when the Munster and Leinster championships are played off. Clubs just seem to accept that that is the ways things are and get on with it.

[btdtgtt]

That's true skull - but how long before a dying club scene impacts on the supply to the counties?

Nag this is indeed the case - but the clubs in those provinces are not happy about it either! Ofcourse they have to get on with it but as I said there's so many column inches devoted to the need to re-organise. And it's mostly in southern papers!

[NAG1]

That's true skull - but how long before a dying club scene impacts on the supply to the counties?

Nag this is indeed the case - but the clubs in those provinces are not happy about it either! Ofcourse they have to get on with it but as I said there's so many column inches devoted to the need to re-organise. And it's mostly in southern papers!

I was playing devils advocate btdtgtt, there is a massive issue for top level hurling and for participation level hurling.
The powers that be know its an issue yet are sticking heads in the sand over and as you have said its a problem coming down the tracks for the game as a whole and that includes the intercounty game.

[johnneycool]

That's true skull - but how long before a dying club scene impacts on the supply to the counties?

Nag this is indeed the case - but the clubs in those provinces are not happy about it either! Ofcourse they have to get on with it but as I said there's so many column inches devoted to the need to re-organise. And it's mostly in southern papers!

In some counties with the advent of development squads and what not, the need for a strong club game isn't the be all and end all.

Most top hurlers in big hurling counties wouldn't be seen near their club from one end of the year to the next till a run out for championship, barring the likes of Kilkenny where Cody lets them play with their clubs right the way through the AI championships.
Young lads on the up are picked on the strength of minor or U-21 performances a-la Clare, Dublin etc, etc. Very few lads are now plucked from the club scene into the intercounty scene as they wouldn't have been doing all the 'required' pre-season stuff..

[btdtgtt]

Very much so NAG - I fully agree.

JC I am really not convinced by how the development squads operate in Antrim.

It's fine in the big counties with big numbers - but in Antrim I see these squads taking players away from clubs and as such harming the overall picture. I am fully supportive of the weekends down south playing games but continuous training sessions with the team are not going to improve their standards any more than being with clubs and ensuring that scene is allowed to prosper. That will benefit them.

Also my experience is that they become the same players on the squad - harder to get off than on. Perhaps this proves that they can subdue the overall scene or maybe it's a lack of scope from officialdom.

Overall I think for Antrim these development squads should be limited to set weekends away with games and "celebrity" coaching sessions rather than continuous training through the year.

In terms of senior - as I say the county management must release players or croke park needs to guarantee set club periods. Otherwise the GAA will become so top heavy that'll it will fall over!

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

to be fair coaching and training has changed so much at club level in antrim since from whenever i was playing (and no doubt people on here) that its a totally different game now. that said the training is no different from what the other counties are doing and how we are executing it.

they have much bigger numbers to pick from which is a big factor. in KK 90% of the county could be involved in the GAA in some sort of fashion whereas in Antrim it could be around 20% of the county.

in antrim our county set up relies on the clubs to produce the hurlers for them whereas KK, clare etc their players improve at county level then go back to their clubs

[johnneycool]

Very much so NAG - I fully agree.

JC I am really not convinced by how the development squads operate in Antrim.

It's fine in the big counties with big numbers - but in Antrim I see these squads taking players away from clubs and as such harming the overall picture. I am fully supportive of the weekends down south playing games but continuous training sessions with the team are not going to improve their standards any more than being with clubs and ensuring that scene is allowed to prosper. That will benefit them.

Also my experience is that they become the same players on the squad - harder to get off than on. Perhaps this proves that they can subdue the overall scene or maybe it's a lack of scope from officialdom.

Overall I think for Antrim these development squads should be limited to set weekends away with games and "celebrity" coaching sessions rather than continuous training through the year.

In terms of senior - as I say the county management must release players or croke park needs to guarantee set club periods. Otherwise the GAA will become so top heavy that'll it will fall over!

Trying to run development squads in Antrim (or Down) the same way they're run in Dublin or the likes won't work. I know we can't afford to be without four or five minors let alone four or five seniors and still put out a team on a sunday, but thats whats happening in most counties, the league hurling is carrying on without the intercounty players.
For clubs in Antrim and Down to play without their county players would be a huge drop in standard or you get what we have now, either players expected to play two days in a row, no game at all or squeezed in on a wednesday night.
In general I think Antrim club fixtures in Div1 are as good as can be expected with the long drawn out Leinster championship/qualifying rounds, then us playing in a round robin Christy Ring, then that worthless Ulster championship.