Antrim Hurling

milltown row · April 27, 2009, 03:33:30 PM

Quote from: Minder on April 27, 2009, 03:25:15 PM
Quote from: hatchetfield on April 27, 2009, 03:16:21 PM
Wasn't I a silly little boy didn't even know this existed here - good tip off Skull!! Anyway, my post was...

Division 1 already taking its familiar shape by the looks of things with Ballycran more than holding their own after going up last year. Who will be the strugglers? St John's haven't made the greatest of starts, neither have Ballygalget and Ballycastle; teams like that will know that its vital to get wins at this time of the year to make sure you stay up. My money would be on either Ballycastle or St John's to take the plunge. Am i wrong?

Division 2 has started too (my league) and surprisingly after a great Ulster hurling campaign, Rossa have been beaten twice which could cost them dearly at the end of the year. I thought they would have flown at this league this year but it doesn't seem to be the case. Glenarrif looking really strong and probably favourites for the league. It'll be a good league this year all the same with Glenarm and St Pauls looking to be the boys who will be on the receiving end of some serious tankings (maybe not St Pauls as much as Glenarm). St Galls i reckon will be the other team to watch and will have their sights set on a big hurlign year for their club with hopefully an IHC and All Ireland run to go for. We (Gorts) have been hurling well enough in the UHL and have only played one match v Glenarm but our south Antrim team would have beaten them badly!! FOr Division 2 though, i'd say its between St Galls and Glenarrif

I have heard some of the St Galls players are not happy behind the scenes, they feel training has been poor and are unsure if their manager has the experience to mount a decent challenge to win Division 2.

aye we are way off the mark Minder, we've been beat by Armagh Cuchulain's and a second stream Balinascreen. going to mount a challenge next year with a settled team and a new manager

the colonel · April 27, 2009, 04:23:02 PM

i think, to be fair antrim need these games to prepare against dublin. if they are to play clare, limerick and a weekend away, one complaint we cant have is that the county management are not preparing well for the game. would be worst cries if we went 7 or so weeks without any decent opposition. i can see where most of you are coming from but at least games aren't being called off for the rest of the hurlers

milltown row · April 27, 2009, 04:37:50 PM

granted Colonel, and as long as it does not "burn out" players then great. 6 weeks till Dublin, if the boys are playing club games and weekends away i hope they are not spent beforehand.

Signum Fidei · April 28, 2009, 09:17:10 AM

Minder

I have heard some of the St Galls players are not happy behind the scenes, they feel training has been poor and are unsure if their manager has the experience to mount a decent challenge to win Division 2.

Last timed i looked the management was the same management that took us into div 1 and kept us there for 3 years and also took us to a SHC semi final, so i wouldn't be to sure about your sources minder.

I believe the st galls senior hurlers will be giving it a seriously challenge on all fronts IHC+Div2.

I believe that rossa have it all to do, and we will probably be fighting it out with glenarrif (always super games always a point or two in it)

NAG · April 28, 2009, 10:05:05 AM

Signum

Think Minder was on the wind up.

I know the boys need the preparation for the Dublin game and I know there has to be a happy medium. But players turning up tired and pissed off on a sunday for an important league game isnt the answer for the club either.

the colonel · April 28, 2009, 04:49:19 PM

where's nipper this year? any time i ever saw hm for the gorts he was dissappointing anyway. over hyped in my opinion

johnneycool · April 29, 2009, 08:42:12 AM

Quick question:

In antrim if you win the Intermediate champonship can you play in it the year after or do you have to go up a grade to senior?

girt_giggler · April 29, 2009, 08:44:16 AM

Quote from: hatchetfield on April 27, 2009, 03:16:21 PM
Wasn't I a silly little boy didn't even know this existed here - good tip off Skull!! Anyway, my post was...

Division 1 already taking its familiar shape by the looks of things with Ballycran more than holding their own after going up last year. Who will be the strugglers? St John's haven't made the greatest of starts, neither have Ballygalget and Ballycastle; teams like that will know that its vital to get wins at this time of the year to make sure you stay up. My money would be on either Ballycastle or St John's to take the plunge. Am i wrong?

Division 2 has started too (my league) and surprisingly after a great Ulster hurling campaign, Rossa have been beaten twice which could cost them dearly at the end of the year. I thought they would have flown at this league this year but it doesn't seem to be the case. Glenarrif looking really strong and probably favourites for the league. It'll be a good league this year all the same with Glenarm and St Pauls looking to be the boys who will be on the receiving end of some serious tankings (maybe not St Pauls as much as Glenarm). St Galls i reckon will be the other team to watch and will have their sights set on a big hurlign year for their club with hopefully an IHC and All Ireland run to go for. We (Gorts) have been hurling well enough in the UHL and have only played one match v Glenarm but our south Antrim team would have beaten them badly!! FOr Division 2 though, i'd say its between St Galls and Glenarrif

True, we were always going to find it tough this year, but we have picked up so many injuries in the past 3 weeks to makes things that much harder for a small panel like ours. That and a few other internal issues have put our season in chaos already

Minder · April 29, 2009, 08:47:57 AM

Quote from: johnneycool on April 29, 2009, 08:42:12 AM
Quick question:

In antrim if you win the Intermediate champonship can you play in it the year after or do you have to go up a grade to senior?

You can play in it the year after as Gort Na Mona have won it for the last 11 years.

Signum Fidei · April 29, 2009, 09:08:39 AM

look i totally agree i think this league will be very very close, teams will be taking points off each other, all i said is that we have two goals which i am sure every other team has. certainly not taking any teams for granted we have played against a lot of the teams in Div 2 over the years and previous experience tells us not to underestimate them.

Rossa?

?? terrible start but i am sure all the belfast teams games (against each other) will be like derby's St pauls Gort Rossa no friendship on the pitch. Not saying the others games won't

Are the South,North and South West teams going ahead for senior championship, i heard the south antrim team is going ahead

Teachtaire · April 29, 2009, 10:44:23 AM

If the South Antrim team does go ahead are those invloved unable to play with their clubs? IE An Aggies man playing in the SA team in senior championship, is he still able to play Championship for the Aggies?

Who will be managing the SA team?

What value is there in fielding such a team? Let's face it, they'll not get too far so what's the point?

Is not a waste of time, effort and money?

NAG · April 29, 2009, 10:58:09 AM

If they are done properly they wont be.

No as far as I understand it they will still be eligible for their clubs in their respective championships.

JamesH · April 29, 2009, 12:16:46 PM

North Antrim and SW both entering a team, although i don't know their managers. This is a good idea as a player can still play with his club an get the chance to play in the senior championship. This in turn will in turn stop the Belfast clubs IE Johnnies, Rossa poaching players with promises of gold , silver and senior hurling. A wee bird told me this morning that a county player left the panel last night, daddy to hard to listen to.

theskull1 · April 29, 2009, 12:18:22 PM

Quote from: Minder on April 29, 2009, 08:47:57 AM
Quote from: johnneycool on April 29, 2009, 08:42:12 AM
Quick question:

In antrim if you win the Intermediate champonship can you play in it the year after or do you have to go up a grade to senior?

You can play in it the year after as Gort Na Mona have won it for the last 11 years.

On that point.

Are there any intermediate clubs out there who have well defined aspiration/plans to become a senior club and progress from there? Or has the need for any sort of silverware damped the enthusiasim to raise standards to the higher level? Not convinced there are any out there that have any such plan at the minute. Am I wrong?

NAG · April 29, 2009, 01:01:53 PM

Skull

Good point, in all seriousness I dont think that there are any clubs out the making a genuine push to break the monoply of the big three teams at senior level. To me no one is going that extra mile to close the gap there seems to be a serious apathy among the clubs. Where is the hurling equivalent of St Brigids coming from?