Antrim Hurling

[theskull1]

Ballycastle beat Johnnies by 4 i think in the end, once more St Johns flatter to deceive.

For the simple reason that they are not a good team. I posted about a month back that I was surprised that they were considered any sort of threat. They were never going to do anything and I don't know where the hype came from.

I believe that was me  . I genuniely thought that they could step up this year after Dunloy played them in an ulster league match earlier this year but they have blown it

[Balboa]

I have went on record a few times before questioning the reason or logic people were using in calling them "up and coming" and "dark horses". I dont know whether it was because they got to semis last year, but in doing so they drew with Ballycastle, got tanked by the Dall & beat us. Not exactly electrifying form, i think they scored about 0-9 or 0-10 tonight (the scoreboard wasnt working, Corrigan is still a throwback to the 70's). Cossie got a straight red near the end, it seemed a bit of a needless sending off but Ray Matthews likes a bit of attention.

[theskull1]

I bow to your greater knowledge rocky  .  Rossa must be fancying their chances now

[milltown row]

6 each at half time in poor enough conditions for both teams, Loughgiel came out and scored the next 3 scores and we lost a player (2 yellows, first was a bit soft second was a yellow) game was over and they scored 5 frees to run out 8 point winners.

we knew they would come out strong at the start of second half but we lost our heads a bit and give awat tap overs for Winker who never missed, scored ten frees in all.

at half time we thought we would never get a better chance......

Owen Eillott refereed the game and bar the soft yellow did a great job, good referee considering the conditions and the game flowed well.

right thats me off to watch the big boys train down later and i'll stay off the booze

[NAG]

Match Reports from the games friday night?

Corrigan and Shaws Rd

[Balboa]

Milltown i did that double,(Tipp minors 4/6 & Kilkenny -6 pts even money) and didnt lose my docket !!    Eddie Brennans point at the end of injury time won it for me ! £20 double will pay about £70.

[milltown row]

pays for you ticket and a couple of scoops.

feeling rough today, stayed at the Harcourt Hotel, great bar and a night club downstairs, good spot, 79 euro for a twin room, good value.

off drink for a week hands shaking here.

balboa, when do we play our game

[maxpower]

No antrim chat today at all

anyone read paddy heaney's views in the irish news today,  interesting enough article especially his comments on the dual players.  tend to agree with him that dual players, even at club level are now heading to extinction.

i remember not 8 years ago our club playing cargin in the SFC semi final and had 13 player who lined out in the SHC final that same year,  now we'll prob only have between 1-4 players start on both teams.

The demands of playing both have lessened the numbers doing so, is it now time for the fixtures committee's to allocate fixtures idependantly of each other.  it would be interesting to see the stats on the actual number of dual players.

[NAG]

Yeah think it is increasingly difficult for the dual players, I would say that part of that 13 players Max were also on the county hurling panel at the time if I recall correctly.

How are Dunloy shaping up for the weekend clash with the sham's?
Could be an important game to tell us where both teams are really at, at this stage of the championship.

[milltown row]

using CJ as an example, the demands are a lot, but to be fair he mostly just plays for the club and trained with the county.

killing the dual club i hope wont happen as i really dont want to be affilated with another club for hurling purposes only. i grew up playing for both teams and still do. a lesser extent in the football but still play every week with ones i grew up with. hurling always first choice but all dual players have a preference to one or the other.

clubs and players can make it work if they want, Paddy Heaney has no love of hurling and said so at a talk-back evening at our club last year. so he can keep his thoughts to himself.

we even have certain members, past dual players wanting the club to drop into div, 2 in the hurling, crazy

like yourself Max, 2 years ago we won a football final and ran Loughgiel to 4 points in a hurling semi final,

that year our lads went to an all  Ireland football final so it can be done, rafferty said that the competitive games that the dual players had that year sharpened them up. so it can be done

[maxpower]

Yeah NAG, the most of the players where on the county team at that time too, i think we'd 11 or 12 on county squad at that stage

Milltown on your point about the hurling sharpening up your footballers, now maybe this is my hurling tinted glasses on here, but i think because of the finer skills involved in hurling, and the time required to hone these, that for a hurler to also play football takes more away from the hurler than if a footballer plays hurling

[milltown row]

well i thought that those lads that played both were the better footballers during that run.

but your right regarding the skills a hurler needs, during all our matches this year, you could spot all the boys who did not put the effort in at training or missed training.

shame really as there are real committed mentors in our club who love the sport so much and can do nothing to stop the rot which has begun. the management will be stepping down this year after 3 years in charge. it's been like a rollercoaster.

hopefully the new man in charge can bring us a step closer. but it's all down to the players

[NAG]

I think it could be fairly siad that Hurlers benefit from football in a fitness way and as long as they are getting the appropriate skills training as well then it would be to their advantage.

Footballers on the other IMO opinion would benefit from playing hurling because it is a smarter more thoughful game and quicker as well, which would sharpen their minds and their bodies.

Anyway we all know that hurling is a far superior game and that footballers are lucky to be allowed to play it 

Hows the weekends game shaping up? Can the town do it?

Can see Dunloy taking loughgiel, dunloy seem to have recaptured that illusive hunger again which could mean trouble.

[maxpower]

would love you too be right nag, we'll see on sunday

on the other game, is it a straight quarter final.  is the draw for the semi's being done after that match like last year

[Give-it-Timber]

is the draw for the semi's being done after that match like last year

would only make sense if it was....................so more than likely not then