Antrim Hurling

[Jack_Black]

was thinking that minder, also i dont think it was a square ball

you dont think it was a square ball - and you a referee 

thought it was a square ball at the time even from where i was sitting, just after watching it on TG4 and it was conclusive it was a square ball

[Guillem2]

Square ball.

[Minder]

In view of the video evidence,Monty over carrying for his goal and the square ball that wasnt a square ball Cushendall should do the decent thing and offer Ballygalget a replay.

[sameoldstorey]

did u guys also take note of the tipp and limerick  hurling finals.think that is why our hurling fails so miserably when we advance in the competition.
our referees destroy the games with ridiculous decisions. they be much more suited to a hockey match. credit to both teams yesterday, they played some good tough hurling and fair play to the referee for allowing them to do so.
think some of u pussy foot hurlers owe the ref an apology.

[Glensman]

It was a square ball, plain and simple following the rules (as far as I am aware). Doesn't matter whether the player is interfering wiht play (ala the offisde rule) or whether he got a touch...its if he is in the square. If I'm wrong I am happy to be corrected.
Very foolish positioning by the forward.

Cushendall will need to up it considerably.

Why no coverage of the St Galls Mayobridge match?

What's the usual in Newry MR?

[Glensman]

When is the Gorts intermediate final?

They will have a busy schedule ahead.

[johnneycool]

did u guys also take note of the tipp and limerick  hurling finals.think that is why our hurling fails so miserably when we advance in the competition.
our referees destroy the games with ridiculous decisions. they be much more suited to a hockey match. credit to both teams yesterday, they played some good tough hurling and fair play to the referee for allowing them to do so.
think some of u pussy foot hurlers owe the ref an apology.

Can any one decipher this one? I'm struggling to understand if he's having a go at the referee or some of us who've critised the ref on sunday.

[NAG]

Im not sure even he knows what he was trying to say there.

I dont think that we have struggled on the club scene going over the border because the teams seem to be able to say right this is the level of hurling we want to be at and we are prepared to get on with the game and hurl and not bitch at the ref for simple fouls.

Also there is none of the pettyness which haunts our games up here, trying to even the score because he hit you the last time or a couple of matches ago. I think we need to have ten strong teams to start to push the game forward here and until we have that across the board then we are going to be stuck in our ways.

[theskull1]

Anybody who watched the Tipp final would have seen some very average hurling in alot of that game. Granted the pitch/conditions were not ideal but there was some very poor technique in that game considering them. I would agree that they hurl with more aggression in the tackle but technicallly our best hurlers are as good IMO. Preparing teams to get ready for a tougher brand of hurling requires planning before it is implemented to ensure all hell doesn't break loose. NAG has of course hit the nail on the head. We need more club teams improving the standards in their hurling. Every county appears to have 3 (in some cases only 2) sides which stand out but they must have that strength in depth which we are lacking at the minute. Up to every club to focus on coaching standards for the next 10-15 years before improvements will come about in County hurling fortunes

[Last Man]

Agreed Skull, we will be feic'd in 10 years time if there isn't more work done on proper coaching and hurling development. There is a lot of work being done surely at the minute but too many clubs are lagging and with the Munster initiative getting pulled I honestly think it's worrying times for Antrim hurling. Strong clubs will no doubt use the St.Johns model but I don't think that's sustainable.
One of the key things we should be instilling in kids IMO is ball focus. If the ball is your main focus then your not worried about taking a slap and importantly not worried about settling old scores to the detriment of your game, the best hurler in Donegal Celtic is perfect example of this.

[NAG]

Right,

The season is over, I want 3 things and I mean only 3 that you would change in Antrim hurling to make an improvement, can be for next season or can be for the future.

[johnneycool]

Agreed Skull, we will be feic'd in 10 years time if there isn't more work done on proper coaching and hurling development. There is a lot of work being done surely at the minute but too many clubs are lagging and with the Munster initiative getting pulled I honestly think it's worrying times for Antrim hurling. Strong clubs will no doubt use the St.Johns model but I don't think that's sustainable.
One of the key things we should be instilling in kids IMO is ball focus. If the ball is your main focus then your not worried about taking a slap and importantly not worried about settling old scores to the detriment of your game, the best hurler in Donegal Celtic is perfect example of this.

probalby the lack of clubs means that we're playing each other fairly often in a given year meaning the petty squabbles just fester all the while.

With the antrim leagues (home and away), ulster league, north antrim feis, championship and god know what other tournaments, pitch openings in a given year some clubs may have played each other up to 5 or 6 times which isn't good but there is no other options available if we want regular fixtures.

Obviously a change of player mindset is also required and it'll probably be the biggest issue to address as I believe the biggest problem facing referee's is that if they do let a bit of physicality go that it'll quickly get out of control and end up in mass handbagging which does no one any good. Chicken and egg scenario.

[maxpower]

Right,

The season is over, I want 3 things and I mean only 3 that you would change in Antrim hurling to make an improvement, can be for next season or can be for the future.

Over this winter and every winter a few things that might help

1. Schools coaching, proper, regular coaching within our primary and secondary schools, everytime you watch Laochra Gael you see some legend harping back about the great coaching he got from Brother hurling in the head before he went onto a hurling acadamy like St kierans or St flannans.  With cross & passion arguably the exception hurling is neglected in many schools in North Antrim.  you could go into a essay on things that would improve schools

2. Referee retraining, get referees together and explain to them the need to increase the intensity of our game, ask for a common sense approach where the game can flow so long as all dangerous strokes are blown for.  And communicate this with the players and clubs.

3. Continued club activity - facilities at present do allow for much in these winter months but you can be sure in Cork, Kilkenny Tipp etc hurling alleys are full each night of the week, gyms are full, kids are participating in indoor blitzes training etc

could go on, there could be a localised economic boom in the glens and top hurlers like shefflin, canning, the o'connors and mcgraths could move up and participate in the club leagues

[milltown row]

3 things? 

Well there's no immediate fix, obviously the main thing is for clubs to be coaching kids better and with passion, the soft approach doesn't work. One coach for every 6 lads rotating the drills followed by condition games i.e. one touch hurling, a stat came out years ago that the weaker counties held on to the ball for more seconds than the likes of Kilkenny Cork and Tipps of this world. Encourage at training the finer arts of the game, one handed dipping and striking of the stick while moving. Those are the things that get good players space and time to either pick out passes or simple tap over's.

Competitive leagues, that what we will have this year with 8 team leagues and home and way fixtures. My problem with the leagues is that there has never been any emphasis on wining the div one league. Sole purpose has always been to avoid relegation. Leagues have to be two up two down. This year Ballycastle knew all they had to do was beat Glenariffe twice job done. Had the threat of two going down themselves and Cushendall would have tried harder. For the winners of the leagues some incentive by the county or sponsors like, tickets for the all Ireland, over night accommodation in Dublin. Also leagues to be finished before Championship as no effort is put into training or games after teams are out of the championship. Playing hurling this time of year is daft. Leagues can be started earlier to help this.

Last point, a lot of posters on the site seem to be at the referees, feelings of they don't know anything and calling for silly fouls and wont let the rough stuff go and blah blah blah blah. Some solutions, why don't some of us experts try the refereeing? Give it lash for two years work it from within. The games I did this year were enjoyable but the whining from the line and the players is unreal. Teams and mentors and fans are only after their own interests. If I'd a pound for every call or gurn about this is a free and that's not a free I'd be doing alright. If the referee only had to deal with the technical fouls and the dangerous play the game would flow easier. Instead he's got to stop lads slabbering and the mentors giving off. Referees will get better if the ex players take up the reigns. Also clubs have referees, hold annual meetings with them and communicate your views. Would not be a bad thing if clubs held Q&A's with referees from other clubs.

now back to the united match and this Corona

[JamesH]

Last man: as far as i am aware the North Antrim board are to carry on with the Munster plan regardless of what the County says, as it is the plan which is tailored to suit their need. Why wouldn't they continue? My sources say it will commence in November.