Antrim Hurling

[ojonathanrossa]

I'm talking about the arrogance which you displayed with your 'as for the rest, hmm' comment as if you guys are a cut above bad old Sarsfields and bad old Gort who come to bully the puritans of Milltown Row. Whether or not you are a fan of my club is irrelevant.

You said St John's = good, Rossa = good, the rest = hmm. I just asked where you think you would be in that list of Belfast clubs. I can only assume by your lack of response that you believe yourself to be a hurling club like Rossa and St John's who (in your own words) just want to hurl while the others are aggressive first and hurlers second. Reading this and if I were a member of either club, I certainly wouldn't want a certain St galls referee to take charge of my games with that judgemental attitude before a ball is struck.

By the way I was at the Sarsfields/Gort game as our game was the next day and what was wrote on here and alluded to by you in one of your last posts was a load of tosh. First game of season and both teams were up for it but it certainly wasn't the royal rumble that was described on here.

See you on the 1st July. Try not to spit the dummies out this time like the last time. There'll be no excuses then. You should have plenty of sessions under your belts by then.

[brendanbelfast]

Regarding the attendance last Saturday, I can't say as I wasn't there. Like everyone on this Board it seems. But, I was in Armoy for the regular league match V Laois - home game, lovely venue, critical match and with all of that there was about 200 people there. An awful level of support.

A very depressing few days.

[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.

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).

If you're looking for the messiah to lead you to the promised land, I think you're in for a fruitless wait.

In the meantime surely its time the Antrim hurling clubs got together and banged heads to come up with the basic steps to progress that can be achieved outside the bureaucratic nonsense that is county boards, activities committees and whatever else. It doesn't have to be earth changing stuff, just a bit of vision to see how things can be progressed in the short term.

What is preventing Antrim from progressing and competing with counties of a similar hurling population?

How do you encourage youngsters to lift a hurl and want to play?

How do you make it an honour to play for Antrim teams and something for up and coming hurlers to aspire to?

How do you make club hurling stronger at all levels?

Are there enough fixtures of sufficient quality and at the proper times of year? (IIRC I think a minor hurler in Kilkenny is guaranteed 18 games a year, not including championship)

How do you improve the playing population in Belfast and how do you keep them playing into adulthood?

How do you develop schools hurling and increase club involvement in translating those players into club teams?

Are St Galls better than Rossa? 

[clootfromthe21]

Regarding the attendance last Saturday, I can't say as I wasn't there. Like everyone on this Board it seems. But, I was in Armoy for the regular league match V Laois - home game, lovely venue, critical match and with all of that there was about 200 people there. An awful level of support.

A very depressing few days.

I was. Unfortunately. 50 max, including children.

[brendanbelfast]

I dont regard taking kids teams as 'slaving away' - frankly those are among the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of my week, any week. If you feel like its is slaving away - then don't do it, because you can be sure the kids aren't getting much joy out of it. What do you want, paid for taking a kids team?

[getevennotcross]

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.

Heavens forbid! Sambo, you cant be serious, are you?  Don't take this as a direct slur on the individuals character, but Director of Hurling??

I remain of the opinion that our county needs to look outside the box and secure the credible services of someone with no hidden agendas or baggage to carry.  The internal quangos and nepotism already in place have not served us well at all!

We need an objective and visionary outsider tasked to implement a real and meaningful strategic plan, if hurling is to survive in these parts.

[getevennotcross]

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.

I wasn't there regrettably due to work commitments.  I was Armoy (Laois game)all the same and left very dejected.  If people will also recall, I did indicate that we should never take Kerry, Westmeath or Carlow for that matter, lightly!   We are where we are, and evidently it is where we deserve to be at this moment in time.  Sad but true.

With regard to the Rossa and St. Galls debate, does it really matter who is the better team in Belfast?  History would prove it has been Rossa without question.  Rossa have always had the greater hurling prowess and tradition, whilst St. Galls and St. Johns delve in both codes and continue to pursue success.  If truth be know, Rossa have always opted as a preference for the small ball code and have demonstrated a greater desire to achieve success in hurling.  St. Johns and St. Galls on the other hand would clearly commit a lot more resource and effort to the big ball code.

Either way, St. Galls beating Rossa in hurling (and vice versa) is of no significant consequence and does not make hurling strong in Belfast or Antrim.  Gorts and Sars, battering six buckets out of each other does not improve our lot also.

A sad sate of affairs!

[btdtgtt]

I'm glad I'm not a johnnies stalwart listening to that debate 

The point about are salaried official remains valid Brendan - to deflect the argument doesn't deal with that.

I wasn't in Parnell and I have no qualms about that. I've spent a fortune travelling Ireland for good and bad times with Antrim - does not having the time or money to attend that game mean someone's opinion isn't valid?
Better still - many people couldn't go because they were so busy doing work with their own clubs.
Look at scheduling - does it allow club men to support our county? Does it hell! This from a county that scheduled club championship at the same time as the county U21 hurlers were winning an all-Ireland semi final!

But if someone can't afford to go to a game, has to work, or is busy in their club - then they cannot comment on their county.

Deflecting the point is another way of hiding from it.

Instead of trying to turn the argument by asking what others are doing - maybe the 1st step would be for our executive to acknowledge that something is seriously wrong. Heavens forbid.

And I will say again - it's an Internet chat room. If you complain about people offering comments then you can't grasp that concept.

[bannside]

Sambo is spot on in everything he says in today's Irish News. He is still passionate about Antrim hurling and I'm sure he takes no pleasure in having his views splashed across the paper. I'm sure he would be much happier with a healthier state of affairs in the county. Yet some on here take it as an opportunity to have a swipe at Sambo.  The difference is Sambo has never stopped working away at either club or county level - often both - and owes hurling nothing.

And better still, if he was face to face with some of the people in county or provincial management he would be giving them both barrels. Fair play to the big man. I'd be a lot more concerned if he stopped caring.

[getevennotcross]

Sambo is spot on in everything he says in today's Irish News. He is still passionate about Antrim hurling and I'm sure he takes no pleasure in having his views splashed across the paper. I'm sure he would be much happier with a healthier state of affairs in the county. Yet some on here take it as an opportunity to have a swipe at Sambo.  The difference is Sambo has never stopped working away at either club or county level - often both - and owes hurling nothing.

And better still, if he was face to face with some of the people in county or provincial management he would be giving them both barrels. Fair play to the big man. I'd be a lot more concerned if he stopped caring.

Its only column inches and a bit of sensationalism.  Despite his passion, he or any of us here are not going to change anything.  Regrettably, we have a fragmented county and an administration at National, Provincial and County level who are in denial , that's a fact.  Our clubs have to stand up and take stock also, they elected the county officialdom.

In many respects also, none of us have any god given right to criticise, we are all culpable, but underlying that, none of us is prepared to be responsible or accountable for initiating the necessary change.  As BTDTGTT has frequently alluded to, this is only an internet forum and not much different than a back page in the Irish News (which I dont read by the way)!  It is going to need loads of testosterone, radicalism, transparency and a high degree of single mindedness.  CB, UC and Croke Park need to be challenged, do you think Sambo on his own is the man to head such a challenging crusade, personally I don't think so?  Are you or I prepared to do grasp the nettle and lead the required change/challenge?  Is any one on Antrim GAA Board prepared to do it either???  For many, I would say there is no desire to drive this change other than talk about it on Antrim GAA Board.  That's another fact! 

So who is prepared to initiate the crusade and the drive for change, eh??

Otherwise, we can continue to talk here until the cows come home!

[getevennotcross]

"The silence is deafening"   - Enough said I think.

[Milltown Row2]

I'm talking about the arrogance which you displayed with your 'as for the rest, hmm' comment as if you guys are a cut above bad old Sarsfields and bad old Gort who come to bully the puritans of Milltown Row. Whether or not you are a fan of my club is irrelevant.

You said St John's = good, Rossa = good, the rest = hmm. I just asked where you think you would be in that list of Belfast clubs. I can only assume by your lack of response that you believe yourself to be a hurling club like Rossa and St John's who (in your own words) just want to hurl while the others are aggressive first and hurlers second. Reading this and if I were a member of either club, I certainly wouldn't want a certain St galls referee to take charge of my games with that judgemental attitude before a ball is struck.

By the way I was at the Sarsfields/Gort game as our game was the next day and what was wrote on here and alluded to by you in one of your last posts was a load of tosh. First game of season and both teams were up for it but it certainly wasn't the royal rumble that was described on here.

See you on the 1st July. Try not to spit the dummies out this time like the last time. There'll be no excuses then. You should have plenty of sessions under your belts by then.

Would you catch yourself on?? What age are you? PM me your issues and leave the thread for normal debate and stop being a WUM and a troll.  As for 1st of July I wont be here, keep me informed though as its the most interesting thing that goes on in my life lol.....wally😉

[north_antrim_hound]

I'm talking about the arrogance which you displayed with your 'as for the rest, hmm' comment as if you guys are a cut above bad old Sarsfields and bad old Gort who come to bully the puritans of Milltown Row. Whether or not you are a fan of my club is irrelevant.

You said St John's = good, Rossa = good, the rest = hmm. I just asked where you think you would be in that list of Belfast clubs. I can only assume by your lack of response that you believe yourself to be a hurling club like Rossa and St John's who (in your own words) just want to hurl while the others are aggressive first and hurlers second. Reading this and if I were a member of either club, I certainly wouldn't want a certain St galls referee to take charge of my games with that judgemental attitude before a ball is struck.

By the way I was at the Sarsfields/Gort game as our game was the next day and what was wrote on here and alluded to by you in one of your last posts was a load of tosh. First game of season and both teams were up for it but it certainly wasn't the royal rumble that was described on here.

See you on the 1st July. Try not to spit the dummies out this time like the last time. There'll be no excuses then. You should have plenty of sessions under your belts by then.

Would you catch yourself on?? What age are you? PM me your issues and leave the thread for normal debate and stop being a WUM and a troll.  As for 1st of July I wont be here, keep me informed though as its the most interesting thing that goes on in my life lol.....wally😉
[/quot

Will you two get a room
Enough already

[ojonathanrossa]

I'm talking about the arrogance which you displayed with your 'as for the rest, hmm' comment as if you guys are a cut above bad old Sarsfields and bad old Gort who come to bully the puritans of Milltown Row. Whether or not you are a fan of my club is irrelevant.

You said St John's = good, Rossa = good, the rest = hmm. I just asked where you think you would be in that list of Belfast clubs. I can only assume by your lack of response that you believe yourself to be a hurling club like Rossa and St John's who (in your own words) just want to hurl while the others are aggressive first and hurlers second. Reading this and if I were a member of either club, I certainly wouldn't want a certain St galls referee to take charge of my games with that judgemental attitude before a ball is struck.

By the way I was at the Sarsfields/Gort game as our game was the next day and what was wrote on here and alluded to by you in one of your last posts was a load of tosh. First game of season and both teams were up for it but it certainly wasn't the royal rumble that was described on here.

See you on the 1st July. Try not to spit the dummies out this time like the last time. There'll be no excuses then. You should have plenty of sessions under your belts by then.

Would you catch yourself on?? What age are you? PM me your issues and leave the thread for normal debate and stop being a WUM and a troll.  As for 1st of July I wont be here, keep me informed though as its the most interesting thing that goes on in my life lol.....wally😉

You'll not be getting any PMs.  1B looms

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

who for? lol