Antrim Hurling

milltown row · September 17, 2008, 10:51:20 PM

this was serious match. ye would have needed 5 sets of eyes to keep up, thought the intesity by both teams early on was top class. but by the 20th minute there was only going to be one winner, sharper to the ball and won all the breaks Loughgiel fully deserved this match, the roar from the stand was mighty. great craic. sad to see the strokes from the lads who were sent off. passions were running high and though tough at times it certainly made for a great match.

impossible to referee a game like that and Owen got most things in the match. though winkers pull on the dunloy boys head was seen coming from the Glen road!!!!

now Loughgiel have a big game ahead to stop the rot, 6 in a row is not what they are looking for. but it could happen a lot of the players took big hits during the match. hope the hurling is on before our game v Lamhs. Cant watch a hurling match before a football zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Glensman · September 17, 2008, 11:20:57 PM

Loughgeil deserved to win full stop, hungrier and better this evening.
Things never fell for Dunloy but in all honesty "the harder you work, the luckier you get" and Loughgeil deserved those breaks.

Agree that the dismissals had no bearing whatsoever, but in my opinion aside from the wild pull from Kevin Martin, which was coming (did Loughgeil not know) and he derserved to walk and a long ban, Dunloy were not as guilty as Loughgeil.

In my opinion (again) James McKeague's tackle on Watson was a booking. Watson moved inside him and McKeague reached out and caught his midriff. Booking.
McKeague is not a dirty player in the slightest.

After 5 minutes Johnny Campbell swung round Connor Cunning's head, plain and simple.
After about 15 Winker swung round Mickey McClements face plain and simple. If he wasn't wearing a facemask this evening his would be getting his face rearranged.
I would love to watch the game again and for the referee to watch it again. I would not have lied to referee that one whatsoever...there was so much going on I didn't know where to look.

Dunloy had no answer for the intensity and that spark like a Richmond goal never came for their supporters.

Loughgeil arguably favourites for the final now then?
Their supporters will be hard to take - "Shemrocks" still ringing in my ears!!
Advice to Cushendall - get to the stand in Casement and get there earlier and keep them eejits from banging the back of the stand.

theskull1 · September 17, 2008, 11:44:52 PM

Where do I start...absolutely gutted

First off I'm in total agreement with Minder. I hope Glenuliinabu actually elaborates on the quip he's made cause I have no idea what he's talking about......help me out. Was the most sickening part of the night getting two sent to the line. The first for to me was a second yellow (but with intent) and the second well.....I think it spoke volumes about where we got it wrong tonight. We got drawn in to a dog fight and forgot totally about hurling. No one can tell me that dunloy aren't better than that, but over the last two games we were pretty poor, so really we should have no complaints. beaten by the hungrier team.

Actually enjoyed the way owen elliott tried to let the game flow. Yes it was hot and heavy and he did miss some pretty rash exchanges (no more than barry kelly in the AI final to be fair), but he treated them like adults throughout and wasn't fussy at all, so I say well done.

Good luck in the final. After the match tonight I'm afarid I'm going to have to give you the favourites tag

MrT · September 18, 2008, 07:22:40 AM

Quote from: Glensman on September 17, 2008, 11:20:57 PM
Loughgeil deserved to win full stop, hungrier and better this evening.
Things never fell for Dunloy but in all honesty "the harder you work, the luckier you get" and Loughgeil deserved those breaks.

Agree that the dismissals had no bearing whatsoever, but in my opinion aside from the wild pull from Kevin Martin, which was coming (did Loughgeil not know) and he derserved to walk and a long ban, Dunloy were not as guilty as Loughgeil.

In my opinion (again) James McKeague's tackle on Watson was a booking. Watson moved inside him and McKeague reached out and caught his midriff. Booking.
McKeague is not a dirty player in the slightest.

After 5 minutes Johnny Campbell swung round Connor Cunning's head, plain and simple.
After about 15 Winker swung round Mickey McClements face plain and simple. If he wasn't wearing a facemask this evening his would be getting his face rearranged.
I would love to watch the game again and for the referee to watch it again. I would not have lied to referee that one whatsoever...there was so much going on I didn't know where to look.

Dunloy had no answer for the intensity and that spark like a Richmond goal never came for their supporters.

Loughgeil arguably favourites for the final now then?
Their supporters will be hard to take - "Shemrocks" still ringing in my ears!!
Advice to Cushendall - get to the stand in Casement and get there earlier and keep them eejits from banging the back of the stand.

Do you not think it gives the game much more of an atmosphere!!

Lads there was niggling all over the show, so i dont really think we can single certain people out. Neilly mcgarry and dick o kane (i think

) were knocking lumps out of each other just as the ball was being thrown in.

Owen elliott wasnt the worst last night at all, was pretty impressed with him as i would say it was a tough game to keep control of

girt_giggler · September 18, 2008, 08:23:37 AM

Towards the end of the first half the ref summed it up when he shouted across the field - 'We're here to hurl not cry!'

Cracking atmosphere last night & was thrilling to watch, first half in particular. Thought Johnny Campbell was excellent in the first half, & Liam McKillop & James Campbell in the 2nd. Better team won. Will this be the end for some of the Dunloy 'oul boys' or will they want another whip at it next year?

Also couldn't believe Loughgiel were 3/1 when I checked yesterday. Was told at the weekend they were the same price for the first game but didn't bother having a fluter. I sure did yesterday!

Two Hands FFS · September 18, 2008, 08:42:03 AM

Eh Girt liam mckillop came on in injury time?

Colonel Cool · September 18, 2008, 09:03:18 AM

Surprising result but it sounds like they were well worth it.

girt_giggler · September 18, 2008, 09:07:16 AM

No came off in injury time...

I was sitting beside his mate in the stand! When I first asked who it was that's who he said! As did other folk i heard who constantly shouted out his name when in possession.

If it wasn't him was it Shea Casey?

Minder · September 18, 2008, 09:16:14 AM

I wonder do some fellas ever engage their brain (assuming they have one) before opening their mouth at matches, there was a player down receiving treatment and some retard shouted "i hope his necks broke", it was probably the first or second match he was at all year and would be better suited sitting in a pub somewhere watching the Celtic match. Its an element that is creeping into Gaa matches that we could do without. The same fella probably wouldnt know what end of a hurl to use.

Glensman · September 18, 2008, 09:20:15 AM

Niggling all well and good, swinging round people's heads?!

Best team won, no doubt.
Owen Elliott loves a good one liner during a match. Have often seen him saying something which he thinks his funny and runs on chuckling to himself!
All in all his tactic of letting the game go seemed to generally work, the pace of the first 5/10 minutes couldn't be kept out so the game settled a bit...a few dangerous pulls aside.

Not one clear cut goal chance as far as I can remember.
Think Shea Casey started and Liam McKillop came on for him.
Rather strange throwing a minor in there with boys knocking lumps out of each other and their final tonight!

Still ringing in my ear..."Shemrocks"...
Get to the stand early Gort Na Mona tonight!

Glensman · September 18, 2008, 09:31:00 AM

Agree Minder

It was easy to get caught up in the game last night (my head still hurts trying to concentrate on everything and think I have a crick in my neck from moving to see where the next schmoozle was).

However, its only when you sit back or even where you have an impartial viewer with you that you fully realise the extent of some of the things that are said/shouted.

Now the game itself is the best game in the world and I was commenting last night if you through a purley soccer follower in there they couldn't help but love it but when people overstep the mark it is disgusting.

It may have equally happened if Loughgeil men had been sent off (I would guess) but some of the things that were shouted at the two Dunloy players as they walked off wouldn't even be allowed to be heard in most pubs.

theskull1 · September 18, 2008, 09:58:35 AM

I truely hope Liam Watson does not have a broken jaw. Just as I hope Mickey McClements skull isn't fractured from the "abuse" he took last night.

The reality is Cass that Loughgiels "style" of play brings out an over aggressiveness to the game. While it worked for youse to a large degree, it can also be to your detriment. Live by the sword and all that......

maxpower · September 18, 2008, 10:23:15 AM

Gutted

a lazy analysis would be that Dunloy didn't have the fitness of their near rivals, a brief look at the flow of the two games would give this credence, we seemed to run out of steam in ballycastle and the short recovery time meant our 'older' legs just ran out of steam earilier in the vast expanse of Casement. This is however to mask the shortcomings of Dunloy this week.

In reality the fitter team yes, but also the hungrier, the more aggressive, the better systems and methods and the more accurate team will go on to contest a county final. Dunloy can have no complaints and the referee unlike Sunday, had a fine game with so much happening.

If Cushendall are to ensure Loughgiel complete a 6 in row they will seriously need to look at the roles played by both Winker and JC who certainly make them tick, the system loughgiel play has changed somewhat will less ball directed at watson and with the other forwards charged with winning ball and looking to him for the off load.

I have also heard this morning that watson has a broken jaw, in the two matches it was he who pulled the dirtiest strokes, in the drawn game he got booked for doing exactly what kevin martin did, struck with the hurl to the midrift. had a couple of wild pull in the air and that mad swing last night.

clootfromthe21 · September 18, 2008, 11:09:16 AM

Not having been at the match, I can't give my own opinion, but I have heard second hand that the pulling was "hot and heavy" to say the least.

What is the story with winker? if he is out for the final, it will be some loss for Loughgiel.

clootfromthe21 · September 18, 2008, 11:13:56 AM

Sorry, meant to have this in my post as well . . . .

Have been reading with interest the debate on this board and elsewhere about Antrim refs being too whistle happy compared to their counterparts further south.

Have to say I agree that the stop/start "ah ref that's a f***ing free" stuff doesn't do the game as played in antrim any favours.

Would be interested in people's views as to the balance struck by the ref last night - did he let too much go or did he simply "let the players play"?