Antrim Hurling

milltown row · February 18, 2008, 10:37:12 AM

Cracking result yesterday considering Wexford's high of the week before, even though we started of pretty slow with some of our better players unable to dip the ball and fumbling it settled down in a good contest against evenly matched teams.

Everybody tried the whole game and that was the difference, some good tackling and great passing went on during the match. Winkers cross field pass in the second half for a score being one of the better moves. Big Donal did well for most of the match at midfield tired near the end but done enough McManus is a cracking hurler and has been consistent in all of the games I've seen him play. Maybe tends to get caught in a few fracas but I'm sure he'll knock that on the head.

The back line were on top yesterday, we still have periods were we stop playing so it was good that Wexford were poor in front of goal.

I noticed that a lot of the div2/3 players had a good game Ciaran Herron, Karl Stewart and Brendan Nipper Quinn played well before coming off, sorry just a cheap dig there.

Still think that big hippy needs to be moved to maybe the halfback area, as a fullforward his not as effective. Was given a freebie and instead of walking round the keeper he blasted straight at him.

So who's for Waterford next week?

milltown row · February 18, 2008, 10:42:51 AM

hardstation, have you ever marked Kar Stewart? when you do you will form a different opinion

imtommygunn · February 18, 2008, 11:14:26 AM

NAG that is an awful negative report.

Ciaran Herron, Sean Delargy and Neil McManus were also excellent yesterday. Graffin got it tough but did well against Rory Jacob - a boy who has given maybe top intercounty defenders their fill of it but he performed well.

Granted I thought our handling / first touch looked like it could need a bit of work and we could have been sharper to the breaking ball but there were a lot more positives out of the game than negatives. The upper body strength of our players looks much greater than it has been too. We also would need more from our full forward line but them boys are young and will hopefully learn.

Wexford were poor and on that performance will be beat by Dublin but they've proven in the past they can up it when it counts so they may do so against Dublin - you never know.

milltown row · February 18, 2008, 02:11:08 PM

'Karl Stweart flatters to decieve the whole time'

YOUR WORDS NASTY

Minder · February 18, 2008, 02:11:56 PM

Quote from: hardstation on February 18, 2008, 02:08:49 PM
Quote from: milltown row on February 18, 2008, 10:42:51 AM
hardstation, have you ever marked Kar Stewart? when you do you will form a different opinion
When to fcuk did I ever mention Karl Stewart?

Aye i was gonna mention that earlier only the board is fcuked ! Mistaken identity i take it Milltown.......

milltown row · February 18, 2008, 02:17:36 PM

Quote from: NAG on February 18, 2008, 10:35:52 AM
Full forward line was poor enough in my estimation, nipper quinn was hooked on several occasions we he planted his feet to hit the ball. Young donnelly is exactly that young, he had the ball in his hand once in the entire 70mins of hurling when he just had to pass the ball into the net which he failed to do. This is def not working for him and I think he is only warming the positon until the return of richmond. Karl Stweart flatters to decieve the whole time, he did pounce on the goal well in the first half and the second was reached to him, but IMO i think you need more from a corner forward in terms of attacking threatening play.

I dont mean to sound negative but I know that I have, a win is a win is a win as they say. But i think we have to qualify that with the poor poor standard of wexford yesterday.

NAG · February 18, 2008, 02:18:20 PM

Milltown

It was me that said that about Stewart and i think if you look back over his county career he has done just that.

He got two handy goals yesterday and IMO contributed very little else to the game, yes you can say two goals is massive but against other teams we just wouldnt have got those two sloppy chances.

Minder · February 18, 2008, 02:22:23 PM

Quote from: hardstation on February 18, 2008, 02:18:44 PM
Are you some sort of nut?
NAG - hardstation. Two different people.

Or are they?? Its hard to tell in the current Gaa Board climate........

NAG · February 18, 2008, 02:27:31 PM

Cheers Hardstation but i aint no ones bitch!

milltown row · February 18, 2008, 02:31:11 PM

sorry Station my fault, cant read

Nag i'd be very hard on Karl if he's had a bad game and if you check my previous posts then you'd see that. on his day he's one of the best forwards in Antrim. and if he was given more quality ball then we get more out of him. your other assessments seem to be spot on. Wexford blow hot and cold a bit like ourselves but they had a decent team on and i'm sure expected to win the match.

NAG · February 18, 2008, 02:34:44 PM

I agree with the quality ball aspect of your arguement, too many times we had time on the ball and failed to deliver that killer ball when it was actually easier to play it.

Watson was the exception with the ball to simon mccrory which was sublime!

maxpower · February 18, 2008, 03:16:08 PM

Would agreement with alot of the sentiments on with regards to the match. On the venue, it is pleasing to see the large crowd that turn out at these North Antrim venues for matches, and traditionally the team performs well on the club pitches. but the atompshere is dire for such a large crowd, and i do actually wonder if alot of the people are there to support antrim or just criticise the players of other clubs.

I thought at the start wexford were going to run away with it, and they will regret not playing with a bit more urgency early on when Antrim looked anything but settled. But gradually as the half wore on the Saffron began winning a few more battles, inspired it has to be said by a rather fortunate goal.

Antrims defence looked strong, the full back line played well and i though young graffin had a good game on wexfords classiest forward. Sean Delargy and Ciaran herron were excellent and the biggest improvement in Antrim this year was their discipline in the tackle, very few easy frees given away and forced Wexford to shoot from distance and angles which contributed to the 16 wides they hit

midfield was bypassed for much of the game, but Donal Mcnaughton did enough to suggest he may be a option there for championship and Simon McCrory looked good in that foraging role. Half forwards played well as a trio, there is serious talent in that line. The full forward line doesn't carry the same threat and you can help but feel they are seriously missing a scoring target man in the Dick O'kane mould. don't think Hippy is the answer

overall a poor wexford team and a decent performance from the Saffrons

orangeman · February 18, 2008, 03:19:55 PM

Great result for Antrim - it certainly looks like they are making great progressu under Sambo -

Minder · February 18, 2008, 03:22:42 PM

Quote from: orangeman on February 18, 2008, 03:19:55 PM
Great result for Antrim - it certainly looks like they are making great progressu under Sambo -

Steady on there Orangeman.....

theskull1 · February 18, 2008, 03:33:21 PM

Quote from: Minder on February 18, 2008, 03:22:42 PM
Quote from: orangeman on February 18, 2008, 03:19:55 PM
Great result for Antrim - it certainly looks like they are making great progressu under Sambo -

Steady on there Orangeman.....

Terry, you're just a bit too quick to pounce on any praise Terence might get. I'm not saying that some of the praise isn't false (alot of it is), it's just you appear to have a personal rather than an objective position when it comes to da management.