Antrim Hurling

[Kidder81]

Wexford 3-9 Antrim 0-10 Halftime

[Seamroga in exile]

Playing with breeze second half. Big ask though.

[Seamroga in exile]

4-14 to 0-14

[Seamroga in exile]

5-14 to 0-18

[Seamroga in exile]

Down to 14. Campbell sent off straight red. A bit harsh too be honest.

[Seamroga in exile]

5-15 - 0-20

[Seamroga in exile]

5-19 - 0-21 full time

[btdtgtt]

Rush to kavanaghs for the game from Thurles.
McManus can't be faulted he put a shift it.
Shiels gave a good account.
Scoreline says all with the goals and physically we were miles away.
Galway to put a score on Laois I think.
Thurles could be close.

[clootfromthe21]

5-19 - 0-21 full time

Anybody with the appetite for an analysis of yesterday?

Car crash stuff at the beginning. I am a fan of Ryan but we were badly set up at the start to deal with the extremely strong wind which favoured Wexford.

Was bizarrely optimistic at half time given strength of the wind but didn't use it well in the second half. Appreciate that bodies and minds were tired after all the games and we needed a good start to the second half which didn't happen.

Ciaran Clarke in at full forward was never going to get the high ball played in on top of him. When Mattie Donnelly went in, the sweeper(s) in front picked up everything.

Have heard that Wexford were going very well in challenge games but still very disappointed at how the game played out.

[imtommygunn]

The way we were setup to begin with, and no harm to McKinley, but the reluctance to move another defender onto their no 14 who was lording everything were big downfalls.

Some half decent performances from a few and some poor performances from others. While we were beat well and that's disappointing the number of errors we made at key times was disappointing as was Ryan's reluctance for change.

Jacob always causes us real problems and did again yesterday. The FF lorded it and they sweeped up significant amounts in defense.

I thought Conor McCann was excellent - at times McManus very good but could give the ball quicker. FF line suffered from lack of height / quality ball in. The space they got between their half and full forward lines in the first ten minutes was ridiculous. You could see it unfold. The FB line were left very isolated - I'm not sure if they pulled the HF line out to do this intentionally or not - more than likely though. Conor Carson also put in a big shift.

Again disappointing. Like most of us you always go to these games with a bit of hope thinking things will be different this time and it doesn't pan out like that but I do think there are still decent players in there. As has been said physically we maybe struggle but hopefully as we're young that will change. I thought some of the younger boys while perhaps overawed showed good ability with the simpler aspects of the game which is often our downfall against these teams. It was more in their half we were making the errors rather than our own.

[btdtgtt]

Wouldn't disagree with much of that.
But I also thought despite our lack of shape (don't know if this was bad set up from the line or players lost run of themselves) the physicality was not on a par. Even our bigger lads were not using their bodies as effectively when fighting for possession.
And then there was another step up to the game in Thurles!

Also I think Ryan let's us down badly complaining about the schedule again.
Dry your eyes!
We want more games - and when we get them we complain they come as frequently?
You cannot have it both ways!
Do we expect the other counties to wait around on their games while Antrim play our own little competition first?
And that's not to mention the club players waiting on the procession ending!

[imtommygunn]

I think the lack of break had a bearing in the Laois game. While it probably didn't help us I very much doubt a week's rest wouldn't have changed the outcome.

Laois should have won. The difference in the two performances yesterday given the result the previous week was quite staggering!

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

The way we were setup to begin with, and no harm to McKinley, but the reluctance to move another defender onto their no 14 who was lording everything were big downfalls.

Some half decent performances from a few and some poor performances from others. While we were beat well and that's disappointing the number of errors we made at key times was disappointing as was Ryan's reluctance for change.

Jacob always causes us real problems and did again yesterday. The FF lorded it and they sweeped up significant amounts in defense.

I thought Conor McCann was excellent - at times McManus very good but could give the ball quicker. FF line suffered from lack of height / quality ball in. The space they got between their half and full forward lines in the first ten minutes was ridiculous. You could see it unfold. The FB line were left very isolated - I'm not sure if they pulled the HF line out to do this intentionally or not - more than likely though. Conor Carson also put in a big shift.

Again disappointing. Like most of us you always go to these games with a bit of hope thinking things will be different this time and it doesn't pan out like that but I do think there are still decent players in there. As has been said physically we maybe struggle but hopefully as we're young that will change. I thought some of the younger boys while perhaps overawed showed good ability with the simpler aspects of the game which is often our downfall against these teams. It was more in their half we were making the errors rather than our own.

have to agree with what you say. i thought we were all over the place at times. too many positional changes it was hard to keep up with where players were playing.

woody had a torrid time on the FF, the ball played into him was brilliant, no lofted high balls but fast head/chest height which he came for every time. gave the full back no chance to get at it.

they out thought us most of the game.

mc cann played well thoughout, mc manus as well but his reluctance to play first time ball in and rather run the ball was a comnon theme.

tired legs and minds on our side which isnt their fault. the few weeks rest will do us no harm. we have a solid panel of players now in there which is good to see, i want them to all stay there along with Ryan.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

Wouldn't disagree with much of that.
But I also thought despite our lack of shape (don't know if this was bad set up from the line or players lost run of themselves) the physicality was not on a par. Even our bigger lads were not using their bodies as effectively when fighting for possession.
And then there was another step up to the game in Thurles!

Also I think Ryan let's us down badly complaining about the schedule again.
Dry your eyes!
We want more games - and when we get them we complain they come as frequently?
You cannot have it both ways!
Do we expect the other counties to wait around on their games while Antrim play our own little competition first?
And that's not to mention the club players waiting on the procession ending!

it doesnt help whenever some clubs call games off either. cushendall called our game off wednesday past when we were wanting to play it. it became irrelvant after Jim McClemments passed away but it shows some clubs wont play without county players, something which at convention was it not pushed for to ensure club games continued?

[btdtgtt]

Wouldn't disagree with much of that.
But I also thought despite our lack of shape (don't know if this was bad set up from the line or players lost run of themselves) the physicality was not on a par. Even our bigger lads were not using their bodies as effectively when fighting for possession.
And then there was another step up to the game in Thurles!

Also I think Ryan let's us down badly complaining about the schedule again.
Dry your eyes!
We want more games - and when we get them we complain they come as frequently?
You cannot have it both ways!
Do we expect the other counties to wait around on their games while Antrim play our own little competition first?
And that's not to mention the club players waiting on the procession ending!

it doesnt help whenever some clubs call games off either. cushendall called our game off wednesday past when we were wanting to play it. it became irrelvant after Jim McClemments passed away but it shows some clubs wont play without county players, something which at convention was it not pushed for to ensure club games continued?

They are not county players, they are club players representing the county.
No club should be forced to play without their own players.
Sure enough - this might lead to games being called off - but the solution is to allow these players to play - not to call games off.
Consider a club looking for a spot in the top half - or trying to avoid relegation - why should they not have their full team at the behest of the county manager dictated who can and cant play?
Like I said the solution is to allow the players to play - not to call games off.
Much simpler and much fairer - and will ultimately benefit the standard across the board.