Antrim Hurling

[NAG]

Yes I agree that the county seniors set the benchmark and if they are so badly under achieving as they are at present it makes it doubly difficult to promote the game. So some sort of fix is needed for the current squad and look inwardly as tommygun suggests.

Underage structures are the way forward

The gaa itself has to take some blame for the lack of investment in Blefast when you compare the money that is being invested in Dublin.

Time to get some people that know what they are doing promoting hurling and football in Belfast and get them the resources that they need to develop the games in schools and clubs across the city.

Get the gaa off its knees in Belfast and inject some much needed life!

[johnneycool]

Good point JC. Joined up thinking. Now theres a laugh.

There is not one ounce of joined up thinking in the whole sphere of development squads, what they do, how they are coached, who is coaching them, and what level are the coaches at, what finance is available, if any to take things to the next level.

All the talk at the minute on the shite performances of our senior teams (why stop there), new centre of excellence that the dogs in the street know we cant afford, and the massive fundraiser that netted about 15% of that achieved by a club team earlier this year (Errigal Ciaran).

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

I thought there was a think tank or something put in place recently to address hurling in the greater Belfast area headed up by the Ulster council, maybe some of the Bredagh contributors could elaborate as I think they are/were involved.

From my experiences of playing Belfast clubs at all levels but especially south Antrim leagues when our reserves were playing in them for a year or two most had two or three good hurlers but a good few were beer bellied wingnuts out for a bit of social hurling the odd evening so those good hurlers weren't getting the opportunities to progress. Maybe some of these clubs should amalgamate or set up as regoinal teams where three or four clubs would send along their better more dedicated hurlers and still have an adult team within the club for the social hurlers.

What way are the catchment areas for the Belfast clubs set up? Is it along parochial lines?

[theskull1]

Yes I agree that the county seniors set the benchmark and if they are so badly under achieving as they are at present it makes it doubly difficult to promote the game. So some sort of fix is needed for the current squad and look inwardly as tommygun suggests.

Underage structures are the way forward

The gaa itself has to take some blame for the lack of investment in Blefast when you compare the money that is being invested in Dublin.

Time to get some people that know what they are doing promoting hurling and football in Belfast and get them the resources that they need to develop the games in schools and clubs across the city.

Get the gaa off its knees in Belfast and inject some much needed life!

But is there enough bodies on the ground in Belfast to inject the type of coaching and enthusiasim required to turn things around ??

Max
St Johns (current Div 2 U14 all ireland champions) had a fantastic juvenile side a few years back, almost as talented as their current U14 side. Dunloy played them in a Minor County Final 3 years ago and they hammered us. Strong with good stickwork and fitness levels all round. This year Dunloy won the U21 Champiopship, whilst St Johns failed to enter a team in the championship? Dunloy have improved as a side in those 3 years but what happened St Johns? Alot of them have disappeared/got distracted/couldn't give a fcuk/have no alliegience to their club to keep representing it. I don't know for sure why but there's a good example of what I'm talking about.

[Maximus Marillius]

Fair enough point

[Shamrock]

Just in case any of you dont know, but we beat our cloe rival Dun laithi in the County reserve final on Monday night by 2-8 to 1-8. Decent enough game for reserves. each team had a few potential seniors playing - we had benny dillon, shay and young james campbell. Dunloy had Darren quinn, young dowds and one of the mcmullans at midfield.

Lads all the talk about the county etc. Read my previous post, the work must be done at underage level - u-6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 over the next 10 years or so. North antrim are definitely getting it sorted at min with some good initial work along with some of the schools most notably Cross and Passion who seem to be putting alot of work in. It will take 10 years of this, not 1 or 2 before we see any real benefit.

As for county - cant see sambo etc staying next year. Who would want the job.

Max read a couple of your posts - what does a club like bellaghy, ballinderry, slaughtneil etc do to achieve success?/

[NAG]

Anyone care to predict the spread for the game at the weekend or is it too scary a prospect?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Antrim (SHC v Waterford) - Ryan McGarry, Arron Graffin, Neil McGarry, Mickey Kettle, Ciaran Herron, Cormac Donnelly, Johnny Campbell, Karl McKeegan, Eddie McCloskey, Michael Magill, Karl Stewart, Donal McNaughton, Michael Herron, Paddy Richmond, Paul Shiels.

Subs - Chrissy O'Connell, Michael McCambridge, Simon McCrory, Brendan Quinn, PJ O'Connell, James McKeague, Shane McNaughton, Colm Duffin, Darren Hamill, Cathal McAuley

WATERFORD (SH v Antrim): C Hennessy; E Murphy, K McGrath, D Prendergast; S O'Sullivan, T Browne, J Kennedy; M Walsh, D Bennett; E Kelly, G Hurney, S Molumphy; E McGrath, D Shanahan, J Mullane.

I know Waterford have been somewhat in disarray this year but on paper this is still a very strong team.   Our boys are coming off a savaging by Galway, Watson now seems to have gone off Sambo's radar and with Waterford at home and Davy Fitz's first game in charge...I would have to be honest and say the Deise by 18-22 points...something like 5-20 to 1-12

[Minder]

Anyone care to predict the spread for the game at the weekend or is it too scary a prospect?

Antrim +19, i think Waterford will beat the spread though........Its up to Waterford as to the winning margin.

[NAG]

My feeling would be that waterford have to get back on the rails with a big performance and after the galway thrashing, fitxy will be attempting to beat the score form that game.

Fitzy may be all this talk about coming half way but believe me from the first minute of this game he will be making sure his new team are ripping into antrim at every break of the ball. There will be no sympathy or taking it easy on us in this one. Alot of their players will be trying to nail down places on the team for later in the summer.

really dangerous one this.

[Minder]

My feeling would be that waterford have to get back on the rails with a big performance and after the galway thrashing, fitxy will be attempting to beat the score form that game.

Fitzy may be all this talk about coming half way but believe me from the first minute of this game he will be making sure his new team are ripping into antrim at every break of the ball. There will be no sympathy or taking it easy on us in this one. Alot of their players will be trying to nail down places on the team for later in the summer.

really dangerous one this.

I always see Waterford as a team that can really run up a big score on Antrim because of the scoring forwards they have, their FB line has alway been suspect but in all probability wont be tested much.

[NAG]

Minder

Ken Mcgrath in their should slam the door shut on the full bk question for them, he virutally plays as an attacking full back when he is centre bk anyway. Thats why i would be so worried about the score that we are going to conceed as you stated they have classy forwards and scoring midfielders.

[Trouble Ahead]

Minder, i hear from my South Antrim colleague at work that some of your boys got lengthy suspensions handed down the other night over the game with the johnnies last week? How many lads where penalised?

[groundlie]

The match is on waterford fm, i'll keep ye updated.

[groundlie]

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[groundlie]

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