Antrim Hurling

[Sham Man]

Well it seems being a 'Shamrock' has its advantages.  Another 'Shamrocks' team in AI Club Final - Ballyhale! Must be something in the water???  Up da Shams.  Aye, and our Camogs beating the trail to another AI final as well today, Enniskeen, here we come. 

How'd Camogs do? Haven't seen.

Beaten on the day by a better team, but cant win them all.

[johnneycool]

And Cushendall's lack of preparation and 3 matches in 3 weeks doesn't count for anything? Or neither did Portaferry's fresh legs and fortnight preparation? Cushendall didn't beat Portaferry on the day but are a better team. Ports benefitted from being in the Down championship and then having an easy entry to the final. Ok their last championship between both teams proved otherwise but there were influences on that game as I have pointed out.

I'd say Portaferry got a tighter run out in the Down final than Cushendall did in the Antrim one, so what?

Ports did get the easier run in Ulster, luck of the draw and all that, and had the cushion of a neutral venue to face the Dall, a luxury no Down club has had for 25 odd years!

Best team in Ulster    ( I can't believe I typed that FFS)

[Megaman]

FFS who gives a shite.

i still don't believe we are the best team in Antrim but we still won the Antrim championship last year. 

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

FFS who gives a shite.

i still don't believe we are the best team in Antrim but we still won the Antrim championship last year. 

prob says more about the rest of the teams, mines included 

[NAG1]

FFS who gives a shite.

i still don't believe we are the best team in Antrim but we still won the Antrim championship last year. 

prob says more about the rest of the teams, mines included 

There is very little in the Antrim championship IMO at the moment. Either LG Cushendall or Dunloy could win on their day just takes the hop of a ball and a bit of confidence and any of the three could take. Ballycastle would need a slight bit more this year but they are also not that far away.

[btdtgtt]

FFS who gives a shite.

i still don't believe we are the best team in Antrim but we still won the Antrim championship last year. 

prob says more about the rest of the teams, mines included 

There is very little in the Antrim championship IMO at the moment. Either LG Cushendall or Dunloy could win on their day just takes the hop of a ball and a bit of confidence and any of the three could take. Ballycastle would need a slight bit more this year but they are also not that far away.

Fully agree - but I will still plump for the shamrocks to make up for last year.

[WTF u on about?]

FFS who gives a shite.

i still don't believe we are the best team in Antrim but we still won the Antrim championship last year. 

prob says more about the rest of the teams, mines included 

There is very little in the Antrim championship IMO at the moment. Either LG Cushendall or Dunloy could win on their day just takes the hop of a ball and a bit of confidence and any of the three could take. Ballycastle would need a slight bit more this year but they are also not that far away.

Fully agree - but I will still plump for the shamrocks to make up for last year.

Think shams will take it comfortably enough this year. A winter off to recharge and clear up all the niggly injuries they've never had a chance to get rid of. They'll be flying come championship time instead of just gettin started.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

i dont think they will win it this year. last year they were not the same team they were and you could see it. they are a team in a change period now. they need the youth in to replace all of the older guys or risk pushing themselves back further. now's the time to change it and bringing back older guys this season is not the answer or the way forward.

cushendall would be my choice. a lot of lessons learned for them last year and if they have they will be an improved team. alot of good young players in their team and with that minor team pushing up through into senior they should be the team to beat.

[hurlingstick]

I'll go Ballycastle. They have to come good sometime. Their players have to step up to the plate. Their forward six are as good as any. One or two of their back six aren't the best but every team has its weakness.

[NAG1]

I'll go Ballycastle. They have to come good sometime. Their players have to step up to the plate. Their forward six are as good as any. One or two of their back six aren't the best but every team has its weakness.

Firstly if someone keeps saying it every year it is bound to happen one of them.

Secondly their problem for the past ten year or more has been to develop a forward unit, they are still a low scoring team that rely heavily on their defensive unit to keep them in the big games. 

[Sham Man]

A bit too early for the town yet I think, another year or two possibly, but sure to peak at some stage soon!    Its me mixed allegiance ya see. (family ties in both camps) certainly makes things difficult.

[hurlingstick]

I'll go Ballycastle. They have to come good sometime. Their players have to step up to the plate. Their forward six are as good as any. One or two of their back six aren't the best but every team has its weakness.

Firstly if someone keeps saying it every year it is bound to happen one of them.

Secondly their problem for the past ten year or more has been to develop a forward unit, they are still a low scoring team that rely heavily on their defensive unit to keep them in the big games. 

Saul McCaughan, Stephen McAfee, Ciaran Clarke, Stephen McGarry, Shane Jennings, Matty Donnelly. Some serious quality there. A good manager would win a championship with those six forwards. Cushendal won the championship last year with a lot less firepower.

They deserved to win it as the manager got what he could out of a limited bunch of players. The Dal have the meanest defence in the county which was their platform. The town would greatly benefit from a quality offensive coach. Will they pay attention to that sort of detail? Probably not.

If you always do what you always did you always get what you always got.

[WTF u on about?]

I'll go Ballycastle. They have to come good sometime. Their players have to step up to the plate. Their forward six are as good as any. One or two of their back six aren't the best but every team has its weakness.

Firstly if someone keeps saying it every year it is bound to happen one of them.

Secondly their problem for the past ten year or more has been to develop a forward unit, they are still a low scoring team that rely heavily on their defensive unit to keep them in the big games. 

Saul McCaughan, Stephen McAfee, Ciaran Clarke, Stephen McGarry, Shane Jennings, Matty Donnelly. Some serious quality there. A good manager would win a championship with those six forwards. Cushendal won the championship last year with a lot less firepower.

They deserved to win it as the manager got what he could out of a limited bunch of players. The Dal have the meanest defence in the county which was their platform. The town would greatly benefit from a quality offensive coach. Will they pay attention to that sort of detail? Probably not.

If you always do what you always did you always get what you always got.

There's more to forward play than puttin the ball over the ball. All talented forwards but unless they all dig in on the bad days and work hard for the team even if individually they're not playing well then they won't win a championship. Talent alone will win u the odd game but it won't win a championship

[imtommygunn]

I'll go Ballycastle. They have to come good sometime. Their players have to step up to the plate. Their forward six are as good as any. One or two of their back six aren't the best but every team has its weakness.

Firstly if someone keeps saying it every year it is bound to happen one of them.

Secondly their problem for the past ten year or more has been to develop a forward unit, they are still a low scoring team that rely heavily on their defensive unit to keep them in the big games. 

Saul McCaughan, Stephen McAfee, Ciaran Clarke, Stephen McGarry, Shane Jennings, Matty Donnelly. Some serious quality there. A good manager would win a championship with those six forwards. Cushendal won the championship last year with a lot less firepower.

They deserved to win it as the manager got what he could out of a limited bunch of players. The Dal have the meanest defence in the county which was their platform. The town would greatly benefit from a quality offensive coach. Will they pay attention to that sort of detail? Probably not.

If you always do what you always did you always get what you always got.

Yes cushendall have had better teams win the championship but they're by no means a limited bunch of players.

[hurlingstick]

They are limited. Ulster championship proved it.