Antrim Hurling

[podge]

One and only Sean Kelly is the man behind the excellent camogie promotion. Light years ahead... Antrim football and hurling could do with his PR skillset.

And Saffron Gael shouldnt be taken for granted, Curly and Paddy wont be around forever and who will step up and try to fill those boots.

County should be supporting them much more too imo...

The saffron gael is a team now to be fair. Paddy and John do a lot but likes of BMCT, Kevin Herron, Bert, Brian McKee plus a lot more contribute a lot to it

They've been slagged on here already also but the we are antrim podcast is fantastic. Look forward to it every week.

Saffron Gael do a great job - certainly shouldn't be taken for granted and we should all support in whatever way possible.  Just not clear on whether in a formal/ informal policy of the county Board's to leave them to it.  It feels like it is !

I find the We Are Antrim podcast a bit naff to be honest but it will improve over time I expect .

[Round or stuffed]

what happened to the other crowd who did the podcast, behind the half way line or something?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Derry hurling structure is shocking. Swatragh contest a junior final this weekend having competed in ulster intermediate the previous 2 years

Feel for an antrim team making it that far as they are up against it

[podge]

Derry hurling structure is shocking. Swatragh contest a junior final this weekend having competed in ulster intermediate the previous 2 years

Feel for an antrim team making it that far as they are up against it

It's very unfair on junior and intermediate clubs in other counties. 

That said, I think the Antrim system whereby junior and intermediate clubs are forced to go up the next season is flawed as well.  The gap between these grades is significant and going up to a higher grade can be the ruination of a small club.  Sure in recent years Creggan went up to the SHC and didn't even compete in it as far as I recall.

I would suggest something like, if a team wins the Junior or Intermediate twice in three years, they must go up;  In addition, they have a choice to go up after winning it each year should they wish

[Silver Eel]

Derry hurling structure is shocking. Swatragh contest a junior final this weekend having competed in ulster intermediate the previous 2 years

Feel for an antrim team making it that far as they are up against it

They effectively play an 8 team championship and the winner of the final is senior champion, winner of losing semis is intermediate and winner of losing quarters is junior.    If Antrim had the same set up, we could be sending (for example only) Dunloy/Loughgiel to Ulster senior, St johns/Cushendall Intermediate, Glenariffe/Ballycastle to Junior. 

[johnnycool]

Derry hurling structure is shocking. Swatragh contest a junior final this weekend having competed in ulster intermediate the previous 2 years

Feel for an antrim team making it that far as they are up against it

They effectively play an 8 team championship and the winner of the final is senior champion, winner of losing semis is intermediate and winner of losing quarters is junior.    If Antrim had the same set up, we could be sending (for example only) Dunloy/Loughgiel to Ulster senior, St johns/Cushendall Intermediate, Glenariffe/Ballycastle to Junior. 

If Antrim had only 8 teams then that might make sense. I'm not sure the point you are making as I still feel Antrim have it right in giving all teams a chance at a county final at their level.

In Down they've changed it. None of the 6 teams in senior will drop down to the intermediate grade which is probably fair as normally the bottom 2 senior teams end up playing in the intermediate final.

The intermediate round robin sections of 4 in each group, the top 1 from each section play off in the intermediate final with the 2nd and 3rd teams then playing off in semi-finals and final for the junior title.

[Deerstalker]

Not much loyalty among our refereeing fraternity

[Silver Eel]

Report from the beeb on the 'brawl' outcome:  Loughgiel and St John's have been hit with bans following the on-field brawl after the 12 September Senior Hurling Championship clash between the clubs.

The Group One game, which Loughgiel won 0-30 to 3-14 at their Fr Healy Park home to secure top spot and a direct route into the semi-finals, was streamed live and the footage has been central to the fast-moving investigation.

County champions St John's have four players and one official served including defender Ryan McNulty who has been handed a one-game ban, while Loughgiel have three hit including Dan McCloskey - also for one game.

An official from each club have each been handed 12-week suspension for their part in the ugly scenes.

All of those named have 48 hours to appeal with St John's due to face Glenariffe at the quarter-final stage in Ballymena on Saturday [16:00 BST].

Loughgiel have a wider time frame as they await their semi-final opponents on 10/11 October, which is likely to be either Cushendall or Ballycastle who meet in Dunloy on Sunday [16:00].

[paddyjohn]

Not much loyalty among our refereeing fraternity

??

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Not much loyalty among our refereeing fraternity

A belfast man shall not tout on a fellow belfast man?

[MalluskMan]

Not much loyalty among our refereeing fraternity

A belfast man shall not tout on a fellow belfast man?

Loyalty amongst refereeing fraternity??!! That's up there with nonsense post of the month, tongue in cheek or not!! The referee should have stayed on the pitch as he did not have direct involvement, at a safe distance and done what the linesman did. Good to see things being done right by one of them. Refereeing standards are shockingly low within Antrim. Toland et al have a lot to answer for. Referees are completely devoid of blame and can't be questioned or even asked a question or there's punishments, fines etc. Give respect Get respect should be a two way avenue. It's not.

Only Slaps on the wrist so far for the two clubs involved. Maybe more to come.

[saffman]

Could the collective punishment have gotten any weaker?

[Two Hands FFS]

Could the collective punishment have gotten any weaker?

That's only for the on field stuff..
The crowd trouble still to be dealt with

[BrollysArmy]

The ref and one of the linesmen did right. No point hanging around to potentially get smacked themselves then that opens up another can of worms! The other guy enjoys the attention anyway! Leaking sneaky Joe's messages will get some of those boys off too

[johnnycool]

Could the collective punishment have gotten any weaker?

That's only for the on field stuff..
The crowd trouble still to be dealt with

Lose a few home games in next years league.

A couple of extra trips down to the Ards will soften their coughs.

I'm not sure what guidance referees are given for things that happen amongst the players and officials after the game, whether they're to stand back, observe and take notes, I don't know, but what happens with supporters will be on both clubs I'd have thought.

Easy to say the referee copped out, but there wasn't a whole pile of actual digs in the players and waterboys melee from the video's doing the rounds.