Antrim Hurling

[Two Hands FFS]

Antrim V Dublin
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship 7th June 2009 At Croke Park 2.00pm

1 Ryan Mc Garry     Ballycastle
2 Kieran Mc Gourty St Galls
3 Neil Mc Garry  Capt  Loughgiel
4 Aaron Graffin  Cushendall
5 Johnny Campbell Loughgiel
6 Cormac Donnelly Ballycastle
7 Neill Mc Auley Ballycastle
8 Paddy Richmond Dunloy
9 Karl Mc Keegan Cushendall
10 Sean Delargy Cushendall
11 Neil Mc Manus Cushendall
12 Michael Herron Lamh  Dhearg
13 Conor John Mc Gourty St Galls
14 Karl Stewart St Galls
15 PJ O Connell Clooney Gaels

16 Chris O Connell Loughgiel
17 Eddie Mc Closkey Loughgiel
18 Joey Scullion Loughgiel
19 Shane Mc Naughton Cushendall
20 Paddy Mc Gill Cushendall
21 Conor Mc Kinley Dunloy
22 Colm Duffin Tir Na Nog
23 Dan Mc Killop Glenariffe
24 Ciaran Herron Kevin Lynch's
25 Brendan Herron Lamh  Dhearg
26 Kieran Kelly Ballycastle
27 Paul Shields Dunloy

Considering the injuries it's as good as can be expected. Not sure if both Micko & CJ will both start as unsure if Croke Park will fit both their ego's at same time?

[NAG1]

I can cofirm two hands that it definitely wouldnt be able to cope, I have say I am really disappointed that a guy who behaves in the manner he did towards our football manager is given the opportunity to pull on the saffron shirt in croke park.

[Minder]

We can look forward to several interviews with CJ this week in the Irish News.

[NAG1]

Am I on my own thinking that he doesnt deserve this chance?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Am I on my own thinking that he doesnt deserve this chance?

No.

[theskull1]

No

Principles where?

[NAG1]

Yeah I think it leaves a serious bad taste in the mouth.

Should be interesting with Paddy out round the middle of the field Skull.

[theskull1]

interesting alright 

Big paddy is hardly in the Derek Lyng/Jerry O Connor mold. Would have thought mobility was a prerequisite for 8 & 9. Hope he surprises everybody.

[maxpower]

Expect big Paddy to line almost as a 4th Half back with someone like Micko Herron or PJ O'Connell hurling in midfield.

Paddy won't do the running most 8 & 9's do but he does have excellent positional sense, good long range score taking ability and a good hand.

Would be a good way of suffocating the Dublin attack but winning a high percentage of poc out with Paddy, Neal & Cormac all excellent in the air.

Agreed that the it looks bad on the county with the corner forward

[milltown row]

its been a serious turn around for CJ to be starting on Sunday, he came into the squad late and has made an impression with his hurling skills. there is no other reason for him being in the team for Sunday.

we are without some good players due to injuries so he has been given a chance.  will we win? sure we've nothing to lose. everyone has us beat by 10/15 points Dublin have done well in div 1 and we came third in div 2. so with form like that we are beaten already.  i'm heading down with some optimism.

i hope that lads play to the best off their ability and come through the game win/lose/draw with their heads held high knowing they gave it their best shot.

[Minder]

Would there not be a chance Paddy will go into FF and Stewart or Mc Gourty will come out to midfield?

[slow corner back]

There is no way Paddy Richmond will last round midfield for 70 minutes in Croke park. I expect to see him in full forward by the tenth minute at the latest. PJ o connell or Karl Stewart will move out the field. Personally I would like to see Stewart at CHF with McManus in midfield or even better CHB. With all due respect to Cormac Donnelly and Neil McAuley they are good hurlers but not the quickest and Johnny Campbell has struggled in the past when players run at him, much better attacking high ball. I can only assume that this team is a front and will line out with a host of changes. Karl McKeegan sweeping betweem full back line and half back line, McManus in midfield with Sean Delargy dropping back to help. It has been said before but starting with two defenders in your front six is not a great way to run up a big score. On the McGourty point I feel a bit sorry for Joe Scullion who had worked his way onto the team during the national league and has now been dropped for the championship, so much for slogging your guts out during the winter 

[NAG1]

Tactically this is the way I think that we will start the game with the personel available to us:

                                               1 Ryan Mc Garry     

2 Kieran Mc Gourty       3 Neil Mc Garry        4 Aaron Graffin 

                      6 Cormac Donnelly

5 Johnny Campbell                             7 Neill Mc Auley

         8 Paddy Richmond

                     
                   9 Karl Mc Keegan                 10 Sean Delargy       

14 Karl Stewart       11 Neil Mc Manus       12 Michael Herron


                13 Conor  Mc Gourty          15 PJ O Connell

[theskull1]

You need legs and an appetite for hard slog to play in the midfield & half forward. Think paddy will be on the edge of the square after 10 minutes. It's not his game out there. You wouldn't ask eoin kelly (tipp) to do it for the same reasons

[Two Hands FFS]

NAG1,I cant see PJ & CJ in a 2 man FF line,think they would struggle to win enough ball as Dublin may have sweeper in there too. I can understand why Paddy may be in midfield as he would provide quality ball into forward but Croke Park for 70 mins in this weather would be too much for Paddy. I think we can guarantee some positional changes & that Antrim will not play an orthodox 15