Antrim Hurling

[imtommygunn]

Antrim: C O'Donnell, A Graffin, C McKinley,

M Devlin, N McAuley, N McManus (0-2), B McFall, S McCrory, C Duffin (0-1), S McNaughton (0-2), C McFall (0-2), E McCloskey (0-1), S McDonnell (0-1), P Doherty (1-2), P Shiels (0-6). Subs: C Donnelly (0-1) for S McCrory; McKeague for C Duffin.

There's the team. The only positive thing I could say is that most of that team are u21 again next year.

I would suspect that this team are still very light for u21 level and maybe derry produced some physical hurling in order to expose this.

Still an awful awful result. I was really hoping these boys could have given the dubs a good rattle.

If this is the level we are at with our "great hopes" then you would have to ask where is the real hope for us.

Can only get better...

[North Antrim]

Derry didnt have any physical strength over us - i read in another thread where Paddy Henry was very good for Derry - hes still a minor....2 Dodds brothers and SL McGoldrick were all playing too and as far as i know they are underage for next 2 years...hardly  use strength as a factor......and Sambo is hoping McManus, and co can out hurl Galway, Tipp etc

[johnjoe]

Would have a knowledge of some of the Derry team that played last night, and suffice to say, they have not been locked away for months preparing for last nights game.

At the end of the day, talking to a few from the Derry camp this morning, it seems to me that Derry were winning a lot more 50/50 ball than Antrim.

No point in having a lot of gifted players, if the other team wants it more. Definitely one very very bad night for Antrim hurling, especially as this year group was supposed to be the dogs bollox.

[North Antrim]

Heard dunloy v Loughguile U-21 semi final is off 2nite! Our game is still on v Rossa at Casement 7.30pm. Anyone hear why their game is off??

[NAG]

Its not off apparently just changed to saturday night by agreement of the two clubs.

[theskull1]

i believe no player has MADE IT at U21 level, no matter how good he is.

I think most people would agree with this comment, but S&W have talked up alot of young hurlers and put undue pressure on them to deliver consistently at senior level long before their time. This can have a tendancy to put talked up hurlers back as they start believing the hype before the have all the tools in the box (so to speak). These boys need to hurl one game at a time without the weight of expectation on them. They'll come in their own time.

Judging by the score it must have been an entertaining game. Fair play to Derry

[milltown row]

how's your training going Skull for Championship?

we had ten last night for senior hurling 3 seniors and the rest reserve, football training the night before, 25 most senior hard drills and boys said it was tough training.

pissing against the wind in our club at the minute.

[theskull1]

Trying to lure us in and catch us on the hop milltown? 

Training going well enough, but we probably have the same number of dual players as yourselves so alot of tired legs i'd say

[milltown row]

trust me no lure, at this rate i'll be lining out

[maxpower]

last time dunloy and the gallsmen meet in milltown it finished a draw if i'm right

[milltown row]

yes was an end of season draw (thought i scored the winner that day, untill you scored on the final whistle) was played at good pace but way of Championship pace.

[maxpower]

drawing that match actually cost us the league in the end, let the shamrocks claim another league title.  it was a week after we had been dumped out of the championship, decent, high scoring game.

[milltown row]

why didn't you say before the game we could have come to an agreement

though league titles count for nothing, which comes to something i've been thinking about for years. the league should have more importance, either seeding in championship the following year or league winners from all the counties play a format like the Club hurling/football championships. ulster then provincal. the way it stands now there seems to be no importance put into it. we concentrate on the teams who we think we have a chance of beating to ensure Division one status

take Cushendall last year, they played about 7 league games i think and seem to be going down that road now. if thier was some sort of reward for beating all the teams in the league like taking to the national stage, possible final in Semple.
in Derry they play the league first and the standings decide who plays who

[NAG]

I know for a fact that Dunloy in the early nineties went unbeaten in the league for a few years and actually won the league a couple of years in a row and none of the Dunloy players that I have spoken to have ever recieved a medal or actually wanted one. However when loughiel won it recently there was a big hunt on for the league trophy so they had something to present at their dinner dance.

Leagues are for playing in championships are for winning.

Big game on sunday the johnnies v Rossa, any one care to voice an opinion?

Think the johnnies are too many for them but wouldnt write off rossa just yet this is a big game in terms of bragging rights. Could be the changing of the guard for hurling superiority in Belfast. I would say it has probably been maybe early nineites or even late eighties since the naomh eoin could call themselves top dog in belfast.

[Balboa]

Leagues are for playing in championships are for winning.Big game on sunday the johnnies v Rossa, any one care to voice an opinion?

Think the johnnies are too many for them but wouldnt write off rossa just yet this is a big game in terms of bragging rights. Could be the changing of the guard for hurling superiority in Belfast. I would say it has probably been maybe early nineites or even late eighties since the naomh eoin could call themselves top dog in belfast.

Not sure what people are basing their opinion of the Johnnies on, i wouldnt be surprised if Rossa beat them. Top Dog in Belfast? It does not amount to an awful lot !