Antrim Hurling

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Not sure he'd be that far wrong either tbf.

[groundlie]

This team is the product of seriously underperforming underage teams for the last two decades. I do not blame the players at all, collectively their level is their level.
When was our last competitive minor teams? 05/06 under Sambo if am correct. Yes, we have a decent club game but intercounty is an entirely different animal.

The heat on Davy may actually provide a welcome distraction from how flawed our underage to senior system is within the county. My opinion is our fingers should be pointing elsewhere rather than the convenient scapegoat from Clare.

That said, it's highly possible we could finish on 4 point. It's looking unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if we turn Carlow and Down over.

[johnnycool]

This team is the product of seriously underperforming underage teams for the last two decades. I do not blame the players at all, collectively their level is their level.
When was our last competitive minor teams? 05/06 under Sambo if am correct. Yes, we have a decent club game but intercounty is an entirely different animal.

The heat on Davy may actually provide a welcome distraction from how flawed our underage to senior system is within the county. My opinion is our fingers should be pointing elsewhere rather than the convenient scapegoat from Clare.

That said, it's highly possible we could finish on 4 point. It's looking unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if we turn Carlow and Down over.

You'd still go down on the head to head with Kildare.

[groundlie]

This team is the product of seriously underperforming underage teams for the last two decades. I do not blame the players at all, collectively their level is their level.
When was our last competitive minor teams? 05/06 under Sambo if am correct. Yes, we have a decent club game but intercounty is an entirely different animal.

The heat on Davy may actually provide a welcome distraction from how flawed our underage to senior system is within the county. My opinion is our fingers should be pointing elsewhere rather than the convenient scapegoat from Clare.

That said, it's highly possible we could finish on 4 point. It's looking unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if we turn Carlow and Down over.

You'd still go down on the head to head with Kildare.

I was making the point that, despite how poor we've been, it wouldn't be surprising if we won the Carlow and Down games.

[north_antrim_hound]

This team is the product of seriously underperforming underage teams for the last two decades. I do not blame the players at all, collectively their level is their level.
When was our last competitive minor teams? 05/06 under Sambo if am correct. Yes, we have a decent club game but intercounty is an entirely different animal.

The heat on Davy may actually provide a welcome distraction from how flawed our underage to senior system is within the county. My opinion is our fingers should be pointing elsewhere rather than the convenient scapegoat from Clare.

That said, it's highly possible we could finish on 4 point. It's looking unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if we turn Carlow and Down over.

At last a post with some relevant insight into a problem which calls for more reflection than having the wrong manager. Davy not helping but not the biggest issue as will be proved when he's gone. Never seen us as short for a battle hardened mature good skilled panel. Time to look inwardly as a change of management might help but won't cure our woes.
Sometimes these disasters are more of a wake up call than initiating a witch hunt in pure frustration. For want of a better analogy the "head" is under age structure, college hurling( so overlooked), competing at minor and u21. If we can sort out the "head" our "ass" (county senior) will follow. One last thought Kildare won the Joe Mc Donagh convincingly and have been working seriously hard this last few years so maybe the weekend is not as shocking as we first assumed.

[NorthAntrimSaff]

We have a good strong u20 team and panel this year. it will be interesting to see how they shape up this year.

[podge]

Genuine question .  How long have Gaelfast and the development squads which focus on technical and physical development been around?

I am guessing that few if any of the current senior squad came through that 'system'?  Are the recent u20 squads the first real cohort that have come through?

Personally I think it's a good concept but I am not convinced the accountability is anywhere near where it should be and there is a lot of box ticking going on .  Maybe that's unfair.

[Be even better]

Antrim at least appear to making some effort to keep up at underage. Very hit and miss here in Down and needs revamp. Minor such a key age. Antrim were very competitive with Sambo and think Woodie at that age for a few years. Why? What was different? Are all the best players currently playing for Antrim? Watching on TV Kildare appeared bigger and better conditioned. No easy answers but Antrim have regressed.

[groundlie]

We have a good strong u20 team and panel this year. it will be interesting to see how they shape up this year.

I'm certainly not getting at anyone involved in this but did Dublin not beat them by 20+ points recently and Derry pushed them all the way on Friday.

Personally I feel the standards have slipped massively over the last two decades (not Davys fault) and currently the senior team is simply a reflection of poor structures within the county.

[bannside]

Em...

The position of games and coaching development officer was not filled at our recent county agm.

So any talk about structures etc is a long way off atm.

[Upandover]

Seen a few boys saying online that its an issue when the best players in the county decline the county invite but realistically who is missing from the panel?

Antrim have took some tankings over the years, its nothing new, but its the cost associated with getting davy in that is causing issues, alot of people could of came in for far less and delivered the same, what is it 1 win since he came in?

If we are talking about issues at underage, have a look at kids in primary schools, not allowed to take thir hurls in, no school teams or games, if they arent playing until secondary schools youve already lost the vast majority.

[Milltown Row2]

If ya didn't have a hurling scar by the age of ten, did you hurl at all?

I drive through Ballymena every morning and its great seeing all the boys and girls with the hurls

[NorthAntrimSaff]

If ya didn't have a hurling scar by the age of ten, did you hurl at all?

I drive through Ballymena every morning and its great seeing all the boys and girls with the hurls

Great to see, every morning too and more have hurls than dont! 4g pitch covered in bodies in the morning time

[johnnycool]

Terence has spoken on the "off the ball" podcast.

He has a point that the kids aren't exposed at a high enough level soon enough, but what comes first, do you need to competitive at U14 up before you get that exposure or do you take the hammerings in the hope that some of the team are able to survive at this level when they get older?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

When you think about it we've lost serious talent the past season really. Niall McKenna, Ryan McGarry, Nigel and Ryan Elliot, Conal Bohill, Conor Boyd, Eoghan Campbell. Thats half a team almost