Antrim Hurling

[Bonamargy]

You asked my club and I told you, so you come back with a smart dig about 30 years. I wouldn't swap my club for yours. You can't even do me the courtesy of answering what club you are from. Good luck in your league campaign lol

[sylvieslynanesnutsack]

My goodness you're sensitive. Good luck with championship, I actually think you will run Loughguile closer than anyone else. You have both the forwards and defenders to do so. Horses for courses!!

[Bonamargy]

Time will tell. What is said on here will make do difference on the field. I am away out now for a pint or seven down the Town. Good luck

[sylvieslynanesnutsack]

Enjoy Bonamargy - watch all the headcases about this weekend in the town.

[the waffler]

How long have antrim seniors been in leinster and how much of an improvement has it made to all Ireland title chances
Remember cork w e re destroyed by that team aswell

[sylvieslynanesnutsack]

Think if minors, U21s, possibly even younger were getting that competition regularly it can't do us any harm. Was at all group league games this year (even though it was middle of the road teams) we have definitely improved. Even the Wexford game we were competitive, just silly goals cost us. All Ireland is a long long way off yet.

[btdtgtt]

I think if anything it even more important that minors would be in Leinster than the seniors - I repeat however - not at the expense of internal fixtures.
Play there for more games - don't cut off out nose to spite out face by cancelling them with the other hand.
Play play and play more games.
This builds the pool of hurlers - if someone gets injured then there's another to take their chance in their place. And on we go.
The disease around the country of club fixtures cancelled to preserve the tiny minority of county players is one of the biggest threats we face.
In terms of the seniors - I'm really not sure we have progressed much at all.

[sylvieslynanesnutsack]

Agree with almost everything. We have made a tiny bit of progress, you would be contradicting yourself  if you said otherwise and here is why. You said only way to improve is games, games, games. That's what the group league did. They may not have been the greatest teams in Ireland but they are a step up from Down, Derry and Armagh. I'm not saying it's perfect (far from it). But being in Leinster is a step in the right direction. 

I agree 100%, the younger our players are playing at Leinster level the better.

[btdtgtt]

Not a contradiction at all.
Here's why:

- perhaps the benefit of the increased games is realised from minor and by senior it's not sufficient to progress "that much" is what I said.

- also the insistence on cancelling games if they are within a light year of a county game has off set any benefit of increased Leinster games by stagnating our club scene and inhibiting players.

[north_antrim_hound]

Think if minors, U21s, possibly even younger were getting that competition regularly it can't do us any harm. Was at all group league games this year (even though it was middle of the road teams) we have definitely improved. Even the Wexford game we were competitive, just silly goals cost us. All Ireland is a long long way off yet.

How do we address the lack of interest that exist in every club with members and young players
The clare team on view yesterday is the pick of there clubs- can we say the same
We need to get the prestige of hurling for the county from u16 up
For every hurler that was on view for Antrim yesterday we have lost ones just as good due to a feeling of no status or credibility for the saffron jersey
All of us have some accountability for it

[sylvieslynanesnutsack]

I've always wondered how much we are affected by the following;
Half our population (in the north) is protestant.
Very, very few protestants play hurling.
Do we therefore suffer from having a smaller pool?
Maybe someone can shed a little light on this.

[btdtgtt]

Simple but good point sylvie.

In terms of commitment - I doubt loughgiel are having much problems - it's a success thing. 

Couple that with shoddy admin shooting ourselves in the foot and hurling for Antrim isn't always an attractive prospect.

Not the way it should be - but a reality.

Once the teenage years of modelling Antrim gear is no longer impressive there's not much left?

Just a theory.

[Seamroga in exile]

It's not just a success thing, Although that helps undoubtedly. The thing is there isn't much else for young fellas and girls to do around loughgiel other than head for the pitch of an evening and strike a few balls. There's very little in the way of distractions.

[btdtgtt]

It's not just a success thing, Although that helps undoubtedly. The thing is there isn't much else for young fellas and girls to do around loughgiel other than head for the pitch of an evening and strike a few balls. There's very little in the way of distractions.

I have to say seeing north Antrim hurling fields swarming with kids at half time or even when there's no organised session on is something we don't get in Belfast.

[sylvieslynanesnutsack]

It's a great sight seeing the pitches swamped at halftime. Btd, I assumed you were North Antrim, don't know why!