Antrim Hurling

[ojonathanrossa]

Ballycastle.

[johnneycool]

knew it wouldnt be too long before sambo would appear in the paper to talk about our county team in the Irish News

I dont always agree with what he says (rants) but hes pretty much spot on with what hes said this time.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/antrims-disaster-sparks-fears-over-future-of-hurling-in-ulster-31146844.html

Being a realist yourself DR, is the picture really as bad as Sambo is painting it or is there a bit of sensationalism in this article ( the headline in particular ) ?.

He says Ulster council have failed. How so ?.

All you have to do is see the Ulster Hurling final for the contempt that they show towards hurling.

God forbid that beautiful spectacle we all know and love that is football  would be affected in anyway!

The ulster council are like an ex. girlfriend, you know they are about, they sometimes affect your life yet you try to ignore them as best you can!

Sambo's sentiment is to be lauded, but not so sure if the Messiah approach from a director of hurling from whatever hurling stronghold would work in Antrim or indeed Ulster. What would Liam Sheedy for example, know of club hurling or the issues facing hurling in Belfast, Derry, Down or even North Antrim?

The answers have to come from within and needs someone or a group to take the thing by the scruff of the neck and put in place structures for everyone else to follow in behind. Spread the workload out to as many as possible to ease the burden, more people are inclined to get involved if they know that they're not on their own and can rely on the support of others.

TBH, Antrim CB seem to be a walking disaster zone, what is the full time secretary doing, how is he driving improvement and change? Who decides what's he's doing is worthwhile or the right thing?

Who decides what these full time coaches are doing?

Is it to a joined up plan, if so share with the rest of us so we can roll out the same thing in our clubs?

To my mind its all a bit piecemeal for me, a blitz at a certain age here and there, then nothing for a while, different rules one day to the next depending on the host club or county.

Foundation courses, level 1 courses run here and there, box ticked, move on to another itsy bitsy thing to be justifying their existence.

I know we're the poor relation to football, but FFS, playing ulster colleges hurling in November so that its out of the way to allow the football to go ahead in March, yet the hurling winners sit on their hands till March as well, just reinforces the point.

Tain league all over the shop, 'home' games and travelling an issue, sporadic fixtures, not enough to sustain an interest in the developing clubs, but hey, another box ticked.

There really needs to be better leadership from the top, but it just isn't there hurling wise in Ulster.

Oh, and Sambo talks about 'resources'. That generally means paid coaches, well if it does, I'm against it. I'd rather have enthusiastic volunteers with a hurling background properly prepared to do the coaching, given the correct equipment, hurls, balls, etc, etc to deliver worthwhile coaching sessions for the youngsters. Spend the money on equipment, facilities and development trips to stronger counties rather than someones zipped up tracksuit pocket.

The reason I'm against paid coaches is that we'll never be able to pay enough coaches to do the job in hand, so on one hand we'd be paying someone and expecting three more to do a similar job for free, its certainly not going to entice people to volunteer is it?

[btdtgtt]

knew it wouldnt be too long before sambo would appear in the paper to talk about our county team in the Irish News

I dont always agree with what he says (rants) but hes pretty much spot on with what hes said this time.

I think sambo's views reflect everyone on here
His heart is in the right place and last weekend was very dissapointing
On reflection all the bickering on here since means people still care
Wouldn't it be worse if there was no debate on it with very little posting since Saturday
Hardstations post is the most thought provoking one I have read this week
We have been here before apart from the odd spike on the graph it's the norm

I think we some times have delusions of grandeur about ourselves in Antrim when it comes to hurling. We seem to think due to our clubs being reasonably successful at the AI stage that were some sort of world beaters.

The progress of our clubs and county have rarely correlated. Clubs have alwys been able to compete at "parish" level but the strength in depth of other counties (more clubs at higher levels) means they have a greater talent pool that comes to the fore at county level.

Theirs a strong parish bond in our clubs and a passion for each and everyone of our club teams that simply isnt there for our county team. Truth be told it never has been there. Our county has alot of band wagoners - see ulster football final for recent example - when the success is there and we jump off it very quickly when it seems that were not going anywhere. Its what Antrim county teams have always been like.

Agree fully - the harsh reality is that most of us have always cared much more about clubs - except for the blazers etc in authority - how much of them contributed significantly to clubs? Not a dig, and not exclusive - just a fact that many county officials are not highly regarded by their clubs. So much so that some haven't even been associated with one!

Playing for Tipp, Cork, Galway, KK etc has a sense of pride about it. Its something you have to be god damned good at before your actually allowed to represent those counties. People don't just wander on and off one of those county panels because they dont like the manager, cant commit, dont agree with training arrangement (add any other antrim supporters mental conspiracy theory's in here!) it doesn't happen.

All to true. Its easier to play for your club with the chance of succcess, playing for Antrim is a masssive challenge for success and add in putting the miles and time in.

The problems we face are much different that the likes of KK, Tipp etc. Theres over 600k people in this county, at least 60% hate/despise the GAA due to them being unionist. Of that 40% theres a good chance alot of them have zero interest in sport in general.

Nail on head

Our primary and secondary schools (bar a few) dont promote the GAA at all not again have any interest in doing so. Further education campuses again have zero interest in the game and we at least Queens and Jordanstown do something.

Its not the schools/teachers job. Its the job of hurling the hurling fraternity to get into the schools. our system here isn;t set up to facilitate this. Definite area for development bnut I fear it's only going to be utilised in the South were they are more geared towards it

Theres so so so many kids out there who have never had the chance to even have a hurling stick in their hand and those are the ones who need to sought after. The kids are the future, its an old cliche but its soo true.

There was an article recently about promoting hurling at home before these grand schemes across the world. Never more true.

My nephew is playing his first match this weekend against Ballycastle in our academy for Dunloy in the under 8's i think. If he has told me once hes told me at least 20 times. His manager told me last night that he keeps asking him 'how many days is until we play Ballycastle?' hes near on the verge of peeing himself with excitement about playing a match lol

Thats the real GAA!

I think its brilliant and these people who give up their time to provide this opportunity for the kids are few and far between in all our clubs. We need more people involved, more coaches, more training for coaches, more people to get into the schools at Primary, Post Primary, further education etc and get them playing. Its no use a Primary School blitz once every year, it needs to be happening all term long.

Amen to that.

I think ive ranted enough

[btdtgtt]

knew it wouldnt be too long before sambo would appear in the paper to talk about our county team in the Irish News

I dont always agree with what he says (rants) but hes pretty much spot on with what hes said this time.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/antrims-disaster-sparks-fears-over-future-of-hurling-in-ulster-31146844.html

Being a realist yourself DR, is the picture really as bad as Sambo is painting it or is there a bit of sensationalism in this article ( the headline in particular ) ?.

He says Ulster council have failed. How so ?.

All you have to do is see the Ulster Hurling final for the contempt that they show towards hurling.

God forbid that beautiful spectacle we all know and love that is football  would be affected in anyway!

The ulster council are like an ex. girlfriend, you know they are about, they sometimes affect your life yet you try to ignore them as best you can!

Sambo's sentiment is to be lauded, but not so sure if the Messiah approach from a director of hurling from whatever hurling stronghold would work in Antrim or indeed Ulster. What would Liam Sheedy for example, know of club hurling or the issues facing hurling in Belfast, Derry, Down or even North Antrim?

The answers have to come from within and needs someone or a group to take the thing by the scruff of the neck and put in place structures for everyone else to follow in behind. Spread the workload out to as many as possible to ease the burden, more people are inclined to get involved if they know that they're not on their own and can rely on the support of others.

TBH, Antrim CB seem to be a walking disaster zone, what is the full time secretary doing, how is he driving improvement and change? Who decides what's he's doing is worthwhile or the right thing?

Who decides what these full time coaches are doing?

Is it to a joined up plan, if so share with the rest of us so we can roll out the same thing in our clubs?

To my mind its all a bit piecemeal for me, a blitz at a certain age here and there, then nothing for a while, different rules one day to the next depending on the host club or county.

Foundation courses, level 1 courses run here and there, box ticked, move on to another itsy bitsy thing to be justifying their existence.

I know we're the poor relation to football, but FFS, playing ulster colleges hurling in November so that its out of the way to allow the football to go ahead in March, yet the hurling winners sit on their hands till March as well, just reinforces the point.

Tain league all over the shop, 'home' games and travelling an issue, sporadic fixtures, not enough to sustain an interest in the developing clubs, but hey, another box ticked.

There really needs to be better leadership from the top, but it just isn't there hurling wise in Ulster.

Oh, and Sambo talks about 'resources'. That generally means paid coaches, well if it does, I'm against it. I'd rather have enthusiastic volunteers with a hurling background properly prepared to do the coaching, given the correct equipment, hurls, balls, etc, etc to deliver worthwhile coaching sessions for the youngsters. Spend the money on equipment, facilities and development trips to stronger counties rather than someones zipped up tracksuit pocket.

The reason I'm against paid coaches is that we'll never be able to pay enough coaches to do the job in hand, so on one hand we'd be paying someone and expecting three more to do a similar job for free, its certainly not going to entice people to volunteer is it?

Reading this brightened up my day JC!
Couldnt agree more with just about everything in it!
So so so true.

[theskull1]

knew it wouldnt be too long before sambo would appear in the paper to talk about our county team in the Irish News

I dont always agree with what he says (rants) but hes pretty much spot on with what hes said this time.

I think sambo's views reflect everyone on here
His heart is in the right place and last weekend was very dissapointing
On reflection all the bickering on here since means people still care
Wouldn't it be worse if there was no debate on it with very little posting since Saturday
Hardstations post is the most thought provoking one I have read this week
We have been here before apart from the odd spike on the graph it's the norm

Ahem ..... I said it first if you don't mind 

A sense of reality would do no harm.

99% of Antrim hurlers that have represented our county were only competitive at Div2 and the odd game in Div1B if another team wasn't going well. What's new at this time over and above the internet and unrealistic expectations? Not a wile lot. Its just being presented as a  disaster and its helping no one.

To create teams capable of competing at the levels we would like, takes more than a focus on KR and the current panel (or the one or two that might want to be part of it but aren't).

[Saffrongael]

Just read Sambos article. A few things. He seems to forget he was on teams that suffered some fairly chastening defeats too. As Hardstation said, now isn't much different in Antrim to any other period. It's just now we have social media etc so everything has to have an end of the world angle.

I could be wrong but Sambo seems to be making a pitch for this director of hurling that he reckons is so badly needed. I agree with JC about the paid coaches, and you find a lot of the time when certain people reckon that will solve all the ills they have a vested interest.

[theskull1]

Sambo is no Paudie Butler

...nor am I BTW ...I'm just saying he wouldn't have the skills for the job remit.

[johnneycool]

Sambo is no Paudie Butler

...nor am I BTW ...I'm just saying he wouldn't have the skills for the job remit.

Do you think everyone In Tipp fawns over Paudie Butler? Hard to be a prophet in your own town.

The person(s) needed to head it up doesn't need to be a hurling expert, if such a thing exists, they need to have good organisational and motivational skills to bring along the type of people who have all these other attributes needed for progression or at least to get the thing started. Local knowledge would be advantageous all the same.

[north_antrim_hound]

Sambo is no Paudie Butler

...nor am I BTW ...I'm just saying he wouldn't have the skills for the job remit.

Sorry for the copyright infringement  I forgot your post

Sambo for varying reasons is one of the counties high profile hurling figures down there so he was always going to be asked
The lack of help and money for underage development is an issue he hits on
I don't know about putting anyone else on the pay list
Unless wages are on  a performance basis over some years
The one consistent theme from everybody on here is the incompetence of our CB and there lack of transparency of how our funds are being used
It's time our accounts where made privy to all clubs
Is our delegates asking the right questions and making the right demands at these meetings

[ojonathanrossa]

A few things, MR2.  You keep mentioning over the last 8 years or something. I'd love to have the results in front of me but by fcuk, I don't think for a second you would have come out on top over us over 8 years.  I'll see if I can dig out the results somehow.  I think you're vision is being skewed by your two competitive senior championship games to forget that you weren't all that impressive outside of that.  The year you took them and got hammered by the KK team in the All Ireland IHC you were abysmal in that game.

But the real problem about you in particular and often with a lot of St Gall's men is that they think they are much bigger than their hurling boots.  Perhaps that is an arrogance that comes with winning a lot at the football but that's why it makes beating you the more sweet.  I noticed that arrogance in your last post as if you are a cut above the rest of the teams in Belfast. 

Maybe I'm mistaken, I've always enjoyed hurling against both teams as that's what you were allowed to do... As for the rest, hmm

From my memory, I can't remember you being any means shakes and certainly not better than what you term 'the rest, hmm' of Belfast teams.  You would be at Sarsfield's or GNMs level to be honest.  Don't think you are any better than that.  You beat Dunloy in the SHC and got beat by Cushendall narrowly. These are what has given you arrogance??  Give me a break.

But as I said, we'll more than likely confirm my opinion in our next outing on July 1st at Pairc Rossa.  Enjoy your trip to Ballycran next Wednesday, angry boy.

I don't know you from Adam and nor do I care, you posts are directed it seems to me, so I'll take a wild guess and think you are a reincarnation of the tools that have been on before, if you are going to debate hurling that's fine I'll engage with you, but if you want to be a WUM then sorry, no arrogance by me either, Rossa are the Premier club after all. Good luck to you to in all your games this year.... I mean that. Always liked Rossa and was in contact with your manager about refereeing the challenge games he has lined up on that run to Croker.... I've no axe to grind

Genuinely not a wind up merchant.  I've read this board for a long time and have just set this up.  What I do have a problem is with St Galls thinking they are better than what they are and I think it's arrogance.  Maybe I did get carried away in my last reply a bit but it drives me nuts listening to St Galls men in work and around the place walking around with this undeserved swagger about them when they talk about hurling and thinking they are a cut above the rest of the clubs in Belfast and especially over us over the last number of years.  I'll remind you of the arrogance I am referring to:

Maybe I'm mistaken, I've always enjoyed hurling against both teams as that's what you were allowed to do... As for the rest, hmm

I think that's a bit disrespectful to other clubs and after playing senior hurling for around 8 years now, I've never been that impressed by you or have never had tougher games against you compared to games against the other Belfast clubs.

We'll take our defeats this year but we'll stay up.  I can't say the same for yourselves.

I'll reply once more.... The others was a go at the style of play... Having played against these other teams for 3 times as long at senior level than yourself, I'm coming from a different perspective.. The Rossa let you play the Johnnies let you play... Sarsfields Gorts and the rest will be a little more aggressive than they need to be. Gorts played sarfields last week... Bit of a disaster I heard... I hope you'd do stay up great kids coming through and traditions to back it up. Who do youse get in the first round this year?

Again this is the arrogance that comes from yourselves.

We let you play hurling.
St John's let you play hurling.
Big bad Sarsfields and Gorts are aggressive. 

What are St Galls?

[theskull1]

Sambo is no Paudie Butler

...nor am I BTW ...I'm just saying he wouldn't have the skills for the job remit.

Do you think everyone In Tipp fawns over Paudie Butler? Hard to be a prophet in your own town.

The person(s) needed to head it up doesn't need to be a hurling expert, if such a thing exists, they need to have good organisational and motivational skills to bring along the type of people who have all these other attributes needed for progression or at least to get the thing started. Local knowledge would be advantageous all the same.

In many counties I'm sure, proper organisation of people who already want to be involved would be a good enough solution. Personally think in Ulster we need something/body more evangelical than that. We have a shortage of Indians. People need to be converted (if that is possible .... I'd be skeptical of that myself .... more often than not preaching to the converted).

[manballandall]

A few things, MR2.  You keep mentioning over the last 8 years or something. I'd love to have the results in front of me but by fcuk, I don't think for a second you would have come out on top over us over 8 years.  I'll see if I can dig out the results somehow.  I think you're vision is being skewed by your two competitive senior championship games to forget that you weren't all that impressive outside of that.  The year you took them and got hammered by the KK team in the All Ireland IHC you were abysmal in that game.


But the real problem about you in particular and often with a lot of St Gall's men is that they think they are much bigger than their hurling boots.  Perhaps that is an arrogance that comes with winning a lot at the football but that's why it makes beating you the more sweet.  I noticed that arrogance in your last post as if you are a cut above the rest of the teams in Belfast. 

Maybe I'm mistaken, I've always enjoyed hurling against both teams as that's what you were allowed to do... As for the rest, hmm

From my memory, I can't remember you being any means shakes and certainly not better than what you term 'the rest, hmm' of Belfast teams.  You would be at Sarsfield's or GNMs level to be honest.  Don't think you are any better than that.  You beat Dunloy in the SHC and got beat by Cushendall narrowly. These are what has given you arrogance??  Give me a break.

But as I said, we'll more than likely confirm my opinion in our next outing on July 1st at Pairc Rossa.  Enjoy your trip to Ballycran next Wednesday, angry boy.

I don't know you from Adam and nor do I care, you posts are directed it seems to me, so I'll take a wild guess and think you are a reincarnation of the tools that have been on before, if you are going to debate hurling that's fine I'll engage with you, but if you want to be a WUM then sorry, no arrogance by me either, Rossa are the Premier club after all. Good luck to you to in all your games this year.... I mean that. Always liked Rossa and was in contact with your manager about refereeing the challenge games he has lined up on that run to Croker.... I've no axe to grind

Genuinely not a wind up merchant.  I've read this board for a long time and have just set this up.  What I do have a problem is with St Galls thinking they are better than what they are and I think it's arrogance.  Maybe I did get carried away in my last reply a bit but it drives me nuts listening to St Galls men in work and around the place walking around with this undeserved swagger about them when they talk about hurling and thinking they are a cut above the rest of the clubs in Belfast and especially over us over the last number of years.  I'll remind you of the arrogance I am referring to:

Maybe I'm mistaken, I've always enjoyed hurling against both teams as that's what you were allowed to do... As for the rest, hmm

I think that's a bit disrespectful to other clubs and after playing senior hurling for around 8 years now, I've never been that impressed by you or have never had tougher games against you compared to games against the other Belfast clubs.

We'll take our defeats this year but we'll stay up.  I can't say the same for yourselves.

I'll reply once more.... The others was a go at the style of play... Having played against these other teams for 3 times as long at senior level than yourself, I'm coming from a different perspective.. The Rossa let you play the Johnnies let you play... Sarsfields Gorts and the rest will be a little more aggressive than they need to be. Gorts played sarfields last week... Bit of a disaster I heard... I hope you'd do stay up great kids coming through and traditions to back it up. Who do youse get in the first round this year?

Again this is the arrogance that comes from yourselves.

We let you play hurling.
St John's let you play hurling.
Big bad Sarsfields and Gorts are aggressive. 

What are St Galls?

Jasus give it a rest .
I'm not sure what st galls people you have been talking to but I can tell you the majority of the present and past hurling teams have no arrogance about them. Why would we, we've been division two (bar a few years) for the past 20 odd years. If anything the hurlers in the club have frustration more than anything else because of the what if and if only scenarios .
But you get out what you put in but we are where we are due to that simple fact. We only got a manager in place 4 weeks ago and have had 3 sessions worth talking about. Not ideal preparation for any division, certainly not division one so it doesn't look good for our survival this year and will be no ones fault but our own but at the minute we aren't div one quality. Hopefully with a few more weeks sessions we can get our act together and I'm sure the fellas will give every game a good rattle despite everything.
With regards to Rossa , like MR2 I hope they stay up as along with the johnnies on recent years the juvenile teams that they are producing has been a breath of fresh air and can only be good for everyone involved .
As for the best city team , who gives a fcuk. Certainly not us. We should just concentrate on our house and getting that in order instead of schoolboy comparisons so leave poor MR alone . He's not that bad despite what everyone says

[Milltown Row2]

A few things, MR2.  You keep mentioning over the last 8 years or something. I'd love to have the results in front of me but by fcuk, I don't think for a second you would have come out on top over us over 8 years.  I'll see if I can dig out the results somehow.  I think you're vision is being skewed by your two competitive senior championship games to forget that you weren't all that impressive outside of that.  The year you took them and got hammered by the KK team in the All Ireland IHC you were abysmal in that game.

But the real problem about you in particular and often with a lot of St Gall's men is that they think they are much bigger than their hurling boots.  Perhaps that is an arrogance that comes with winning a lot at the football but that's why it makes beating you the more sweet.  I noticed that arrogance in your last post as if you are a cut above the rest of the teams in Belfast. 

Maybe I'm mistaken, I've always enjoyed hurling against both teams as that's what you were allowed to do... As for the rest, hmm

From my memory, I can't remember you being any means shakes and certainly not better than what you term 'the rest, hmm' of Belfast teams.  You would be at Sarsfield's or GNMs level to be honest.  Don't think you are any better than that.  You beat Dunloy in the SHC and got beat by Cushendall narrowly. These are what has given you arrogance??  Give me a break.

But as I said, we'll more than likely confirm my opinion in our next outing on July 1st at Pairc Rossa.  Enjoy your trip to Ballycran next Wednesday, angry boy.

I don't know you from Adam and nor do I care, you posts are directed it seems to me, so I'll take a wild guess and think you are a reincarnation of the tools that have been on before, if you are going to debate hurling that's fine I'll engage with you, but if you want to be a WUM then sorry, no arrogance by me either, Rossa are the Premier club after all. Good luck to you to in all your games this year.... I mean that. Always liked Rossa and was in contact with your manager about refereeing the challenge games he has lined up on that run to Croker.... I've no axe to grind

Genuinely not a wind up merchant.  I've read this board for a long time and have just set this up.  What I do have a problem is with St Galls thinking they are better than what they are and I think it's arrogance.  Maybe I did get carried away in my last reply a bit but it drives me nuts listening to St Galls men in work and around the place walking around with this undeserved swagger about them when they talk about hurling and thinking they are a cut above the rest of the clubs in Belfast and especially over us over the last number of years.  I'll remind you of the arrogance I am referring to:

Maybe I'm mistaken, I've always enjoyed hurling against both teams as that's what you were allowed to do... As for the rest, hmm

I think that's a bit disrespectful to other clubs and after playing senior hurling for around 8 years now, I've never been that impressed by you or have never had tougher games against you compared to games against the other Belfast clubs.

We'll take our defeats this year but we'll stay up.  I can't say the same for yourselves.

I'll reply once more.... The others was a go at the style of play... Having played against these other teams for 3 times as long at senior level than yourself, I'm coming from a different perspective.. The Rossa let you play the Johnnies let you play... Sarsfields Gorts and the rest will be a little more aggressive than they need to be. Gorts played sarfields last week... Bit of a disaster I heard... I hope you'd do stay up great kids coming through and traditions to back it up. Who do youse get in the first round this year?

Again this is the arrogance that comes from yourselves.

We let you play hurling.
St John's let you play hurling.
Big bad Sarsfields and Gorts are aggressive. 

What are St Galls?

Seriously? Look if you want to chat to me about it then use the PM function... Other than that you're beginning to sound as if you have problems with me.... I'm a Rossa fan, always have been I've absolutely no gripe with them... Whatever has you stirred you need to chill out... Hundreds of more damming things going on in Antrim on whether I think Sarsfields and Gorts are aggressive... Which seems to be your argument with me now...

[shawshank]

I read Sambo's article there, is that right, was there only 20 or so Antrim supporters at the game last weekend, if that's right, my initial thoughts are, there are some slabbers on this thread, if its wrong, I apologise.

[clootfromthe21]

I read Sambo's article there, is that right, was there only 20 or so Antrim supporters at the game last weekend, if that's right, my initial thoughts are, there are some slabbers on this thread, if its wrong, I apologise.

I'd say 50 max.