Antrim Hurling

[PlayWithTheWind]

Team captain Richmond saves Antrim's blushes
02 June 2008


Antrim staged a second-half fightback to beat Derry by 2-17 to 1-12 in Sunday evening's Ulster Senior Hurling Championship semi-final at Casement Park.
The Saffrons seemed to be in big trouble when they trailed by 1-6 to 0-2 after twenty minutes, and down to fourteen men after top forward Liam Watson had been sent off after two yellow cards.
However a brilliant individual goal from team captain and man-of-the-match Paddy Richmond gave them a lifeline and they pulled back to trail by just two at half-time.
A piece of great opportunism four minutes into the second-half saw Richmond grab Antrim's second-goal to bring his side level, and though Derry did lead again on a couple of occasions afterwards, the home side were finally getting to grips with their opponents and eventually pulled away to record a somewhat flattering eight point win.
Relief in the end for all concerned but the management team will be acutely aware that a much better all round performance and attitude will be needed to beat Down in the final, and one shudders to think of what the consequences would be if they were to produce such a display on June 28th against Galway.

Antrim: Ryan McGarry, Aaron Graffin, James McKeague, Sean Delargy (capt), Ciaran Herron, Karl McKeegan, Johnny Campbell, Karl Stewart, Michael Magill, Paddy Richmond, Liam Watson, Paul Shiels, Michael Herron, Cormac Donnelly, Donal McNaughton.

Derry: A Magill, M Craig, C Quinn, C McQuillan, R McCloskey, S Henry, S McCullagh, D Brunton, O McCloskey, P Henry, K Hinphey, SL McGoldrick, P McCloskey, R Convery, G Kelly.

is S.D not captain?

[Minder]

Delargy was only acting captain in the league while Dunloy were involved in All Ireland Club. Will the Waterford match be away?

[groundlie]

Poor enough game last night. Win was important though. Winker was a silly boy. I cant really see Down beating Antrim in two weeks, I dont think you can turn around a 24 point beating that fast.

Hope that Neil McGarry is back to slot into full back (Antrim need him badly)

The half forward line that started was shocking, no scores from all three tells its own story, but maybe it was just one of them nights for the lads. Thought the half time subs did well, o'connell, mccrory and especially mccloskey who was excellent.

Galway and Waterford, unfortunately it could be a bad end to the summer.

[theskull1]

And there was me thinking that this was the type of opposition that Antrim wanted to test themselves against

As long as they fight to the end for each other then that would do me regardless of the score. If they would do that a bit more down south I think we would keep the score respectable against the better sides, but when boys start dropping the head early in a game they are not going to win, then a trouncing is guaranteed as well as the subsequent slating in the press.

[NAG]

skull

I would agree with you that most antrim supporters would be happy with a fighting spirited performance later in the year. But that is not what the management promised, I am just concerned that they are not delivering any kind of progress and they havent put in place any kind of structures that will see our moving forward in the next few years.

[theskull1]

Have to agree Graffin is a top quality player and would get his place on any county team IMO. Makes it look easy at times due to his mobility and his stickwork being so tight. Great reader of the game as well. Seems like a nice lad to boot.

[PlayWithTheWind]

Magill didn't play football today.

After about 3 mins he made a super catch a great burst out of defence but pulled up having pulled a muscle.
Thought at the time it was hamstring...told later it may have been his achilles.
Shame.
Hope he's not out for too long.

I heard today Magill played 20mins for his club in div3 football. Not great preparation for an ulster semi-final and could maybe explain why he got an injury in the game.

[Glensman]

I heard the same through the course of the day re Magill.

I just hoped it wasn't actually true.

All things told and that I hope its not as serious as it could be.

[NAG]

Is sambo serious with that drivel about Watson?

Does he not expect a lad of 25-6 to know how to handle this kind of thing.

Look at all the really good players they know how to handle this kind of treatment, what do you  think shefflin gets during a game!

[Glensman]

Has he come out in defence of Watson in today's IN? Anyone post the article?
Suppose there's some element of commending a manager defending his team?!?!

But completely agree about top players having to put up with more?
Declan Magee better not referee anything down south.

Any word on Magill's injury/hangover?

[Tony Baloney]

Has he come out in defence of Watson in today's IN? Anyone post the article?

He said the poor lamb was getting nipped and poked and the ref wasn't protecting him. He didn't take much abuse if he was sent off within 10 mins!

[Shamrock]

Lads.....whats your take on the County trying to stop both Dunloys and Loughgiels players from playing in the Feis final on Sunday evening. Its making my blood boil to be honest. Sambo was always mouthing about Dinny Cahill stopping club hurling. We have not been in Senior Feis final in over 10 years. Its the next biggest event in Antrim hurling bar the championship and these two half wits want to stop 6 lads from playing a game of hurling 8 days before they play Down in a mickey mouse Ulster final which in truth means F**K all!! i could go about some of the antics over the last week but this isnt the place!!!

[slow corner back]

I can understand why they are doing it although the hypocrisy charge is there for everyone to see. If Loughgiel are down six how many are dunloy down they had three on the starting line up last sunday. As I think of it Loughgiel are only down five as watson is currently suspended for two weeks and couldnt play anyway.
Is it really 10 years since loughgiel were in a feis final? You dont seem to have been taking it too seriously yourselves for the last decade if that is the case.

[Minder]

Regardless of how big a deal the Feis is the Antrim management should not be preventing players from playing,all Sambo did was castigate Dinny in the Irish news for hoarding players. Maybe he sees the Down challenge as a bigger one than i do,all we have been told the last couple of years how much of a non event the Ulster championship is and how it is not benefiting Antrim. As has often been the case with Sambo it is a case of "do as i say not as i do"

[milltown row]

McCarthy dumped by the Waterford team, big beating waiting for Antrim i'd say