Antrim Hurling

[Lecale2]

Clever idea and I wish them all the best with it. These changes work to the advantage of Kilkenny and nobody else in my opinion.

[Give-it-Timber]

Looks like Antrim are going to make an application to play in the munster shc.

Cant see it succeeding, Munster does not need us. The Munster championship would lose some of its lustre & prestige if Antrim were getting beat out the gate every year. It may raise Sambos profile, which he seems keen on, but would it really help Antrim hurling?

I see that chip on the shoulder about Sambo is still very apparent. whats wrong Rocky, did he throw you out of the saffron.

[Balboa]

Looks like Antrim are going to make an application to play in the munster shc.

Cant see it succeeding, Munster does not need us. The Munster championship would lose some of its lustre & prestige if Antrim were getting beat out the gate every year. It may raise Sambos profile, which he seems keen on, but would it really help Antrim hurling?

I see that chip on the shoulder about Sambo is still very apparent. whats wrong Rocky, did he throw you out of the saffron.

No chip at all, just think he is an egomaniac. I was never thrown out of the Biaffron, just carried out.........

[NAG]

I think the whole idea of moving Antrim to the Munster championship is unworkable. However I have to say I like the attitude of the Antrim board in sticking two fingers up at the HDC and trying to mess up their ridiculous system.

We have to start to face facts here I think anyway, NO ONE at Ulster council level cares about hurling be it in Ulster or anywhere else for that matter. They dont want to promote it and they dont want anything to do with it in general.

It is up to Antrim to get our own house in order and do the best job we can to promote hurling in the county and to build it as strong as we can and then Ulster council will have to sit  up and take notice and put some money where its mouth is.

For all the paid coaches and officials we have now pay for in Ulster how many have we got working to promote Hurling in our schools and colleges in Antrim? Someone please tell me because if it is more than two people in the whole of the county then I am shocked.

[North Antrim]

In my opinion, only token work in being put in by schools especially primary level. With notable exceptions to prob Cross and passion and maybe St Marys the rest of our schools are failing us. No hurling in pe lessons and only playing fulfilling fixtures.

When i was at skool many moons ago all we played was practically hurling with Brian Thompson (RIP). Maybe some 5 aside in hall but emphasis was on hurling. Is that happening now??

On sunday - good luck to both teams. Dunloy will start as favourites, but although i want loughgiel beat, i have a sneaking feeling they will finally win their big yin....they seem well coached and ready to deliver.

[Balboa]

In my opiion, only token work in being put in by schools especially primary level. With notable exceptions to prob Cross and passion and maybe St Marys the test of our schools are failing us. No hurling in pe lessons and only playing fulfilling fixtures.

When i was at skool many moons ago all we played aws practically hurling with Brian Thompson (RIP). Maybe some 5 aside in hall but emphasis was on hurling. Is that happening now??

On sunday - good luck to both teams. Dunloy will start as favourites, but although i want loughguiel beat, i have a sneaking feeling they will finally win their big yin....they seem well coached and ready to deliver.

Are you sure you have been to school North Antrim?

[maxpower]

that was a dreadful attempt at a post alright NA.  have to agree with your senitments, i believe the Schools are A major factor in the lack of progress of this County.

Look at the Ballymena Schools, St Louis & St Pats are fed by two of the biggest clubs in Antrim, they have a large number of boys from the surrounding clubs yet the effort is pure tokenism.  Once in 7 years of PE did we play hurling, 90% time it was soccer.  The after schools teams where poorly organised and any success was almost in spite of itself.

I remember vividly speaking to our esteemed principal and asing about bring in the hurls and going for a poc about in the astro turf field at lunch time etc, (not a being in the entire field ever at lunch time) he said it would be too dangerous carrying them in and out.  thats the mindset your up against and good hurilng men like Seamus McCamphill and Mr O'Loan had to face to keep hurling going.

Compared that to the hurling nursey that is St Kierans in Kilkenny, played them in a game once and the bate us out the gate, Eoin Kelly of tipp fame was the star attraction, but speaking to their coach after the game, they got out of classes for training. whole different approach to the game

[Balboa]

I agree with you Maxpower but a friend of mine takes Garron Towers Mageean team and he reckons St Louis are as strong as any of them this year and could be a dark horse.

[Ruairi Og exile]

Garron Tower is a farce as well considering the good hurlers they've had down during the years. The coaches were & are still very poor. C & P are doing alot of work especially with this new project to be a sporting school of excellence??. Alot of the ones from C'dall are starting to go to C&P instead of GT or St Als(which is shutting) cos of teh hurling being played there. Ballycatle & Loughgiel are reaping the rewards at juvenile due to work being done at C&P.

NA...glad to see you think highly of Brian Thompson...legend

[Balboa]

Garron Tower is a farce as well considering the good hurlers they've had down during the years. The coaches were & are still very poor. C & P are doing alot of work especially with this new project to be a sporting school of excellence??. Alot of the ones from C'dall are starting to go to C&P instead of GT or St Als(which is shutting) cos of teh hurling being played there. Ballycatle & Loughgiel are reaping the rewards at juvenile due to work being done at C&P.

NA...glad to see you think highly of Brian Thompson...legend

Its a bit too easy to blame the coaches all the time, Garron Tower have had some good hurlers over the years but they have never had 15 good enough ones. The last time GT were in a Mageean Final, 2 years ago i think they had a few lads, now on the Antrim panel, that didnt want to know against Maghera. I think last years win for CPC was their first in about 14-15 years.

[Ruairi Og exile]

Agree with you Balboa that it takes 15 good enough players to win but they still had enough to challenge consistently, & that comes down to the coaching.

[Balboa]

Agree with you Balboa that it takes 15 good enough players to win but they still had enough to challenge consistently, & that comes down to the coaching.

I agree with you to a certain extent but we have to accept that they are teachers first and coaches second, another factor i feel plays a part is for example if a player is involved with their club around this time school hurling will not be as intently focused on, which i have no problem with. Club first everything else second..........

[Tony Baloney]

Most the CPC coaches have been PE teachers or in Mickey Dallat's case Maths but he had zero interest in teaching so it was easy for them dedicate their time to coaching the teams. Brian Thompson spent more time hoking at his toes with his car keys than taking any hurling and about 90% of PE was 5-aside football.

[Tony Baloney]

What it says! Sat at the side of the sports hall during PE with his trainers and socks off gouging toejam from his toes. Nice! I think he had gangrene in his toes eventually and got a few removed. Really nice man though (for a Dall man!).

[imtommygunn]

Developing talent at schools is important.

However for all St Mary's success from the late 90s / early 2000s it doesn't appear to have progressed Belfast hurling as much as you would have thought it would.