Antrim Hurling

[clootfromthe21]

Anyone at it and was it as dire as a 10 pt defeat sounds?

Not at it Minder but what was always going to be a difficult match can't have been helped with Watson getting sent off half way through the first half (per the Club Antrim twitter). Apparently Antrim had it back to 3 shortly into the second half but then Laois pulled away

Laois seem to have been making considerable progress under Niall Rigney over the last couple of years and think they have safely moved ahead from us in terms of rankings. A couple of their dual player seem to have committed to the hurling rather than football which tells its own story.

[Minder]

Aye I was reading that they had been going well and were a great price at 6/4. Clare and Wexford drew I think.

[Two Hands FFS]

Heard Tosh wasnt in the 24 to travel to Kildare & walked out.

Complete Tosh.

So has Tosh definitely left the panel then or what?  If so, I cant believe he wasn't given a chance compared to some of whats left on there. 

Definetly left.

FFS 

So I was right then HS?? I dont understand how he wasnt named to start with in any of those games or even brought on in the Carlow match but then Dinny didnt really rate him in his 1st spell....sure he was brought on as a sub & then took off again about 10 minutes later in a match against Laois(disgrace)

[NAG1]

In all fairness I dont understand on a personal level why he would have gone back into the squad. He is a good player who Dinny didnt rate, but by the look of the current squad I think there can be serious questions asked about Dinnys selection.

Really bad result yesterday with LW again showing his true colours, when are we going to wise up to this?

[bredaghgael86]

Hate to say i told you so about Watson, but then most of you didn't need telling. Suppose it's hard to gague how close the teams are when one of the teams plays a man short for 2/3 of the game.

[maxpower]

Laois seem to be going the right way with league performances strong and with a good showing v limerick in last years championship

poor early season result and means a league final appearance is out of the question.  the big thing is dinny needs to find a few new players in the league, up front especially, i'd expect both of yesterdays midfielders to move back up front.

[slow corner back]

Laois seem to be going the right way with league performances strong and with a good showing v limerick in last years championship

poor early season result and means a league final appearance is out of the question.  the big thing is dinny needs to find a few new players in the league, up front especially, i'd expect both of yesterdays midfielders to move back up front.

+1 on the point about the midfielders.
One of the main reasons I did not want to see Dinny in charge was because he did not pay enough attention to the national league first time round. Unfortunatley that trend seems to be continuing this time. Antrim teams need a good national league to build sufficient self confidence to compete in the summer. Dinny tends to believe that the league is not important, personally I disagree.

[the colonel]

Agree with points about Watson living up to his name, dinny's emphasis on league, at least Shane moving up front, baffling use of Tosh, but who else is out there (and willing) to come into the squad? Unfortunately the players that are there are not doing a job, but they are trying. Its not their fault they may not be good enough for the level we are at or aspire to, but we can't pull players out of the ground. Where are these better players everyone would like to see?

[imtommygunn]

I dunno about Dinny not taking the league seriously. Bad results don't necessarily mean we aren't taking it seriously.

I am puzzled by two things with Dinny - 1 why are those two boys in midfield when they're light forwards and 2. what the hell was he doing with tosh - surely the man deserved a bit of respect and to be given a chance. I thought they had it out earlier in the year and he agreed to give him his chance??

Realistically we've a poor squad / 15 at the minute. Still, can only get better...

[maxpower]

don't neccessarily agree we've a bad first 15,

magee
graffin
donnelly
mcfall
johnny campbell
neal mcauley
c herron/james mckeague
k mckeegan
k stewart
l watson
n mcmanus
p shields
s mc naughton
p richmond
joey scullion/pj/cj/

thats a really decent team, the problem maybe strength in depth, about 10 of that team are certain starters, the pressure for positions isn't what it should be and so league performances can be poor

[imtommygunn]

Is Paddy Richmond definitely playing?

It's about time to wash our hands of watson too...

You may be right but it's a bit disillusioning where we currently are. You look at the likes of left corner forward there. Tosh would have been perfect for it. Just frustrating to see that.

[NAG1]

As far as I had heard Paddy wasnt turning out this year but this could change once the heavy slogging training is out of the way.

As for the players yes I agree there is quite a talented bunch there, but talent isnt everything. The mid field combination was along the right lines in that we need a mobile talented mid field as this is the way the game has gone recently. We are seriosuly struggling for players up front which is the problem. Robbing Peter to pay Paul slightly.

The attitude to the league is puzzling esp this year, I think since we are competing in the Leinster Championship this should have been a game where we were looking to put down a marker for later in the summer.

Tosh IMO should not have gone back into the squad, can understand it on a personal level of wanting to play at the top level again but it was clear what Dinny thought of him which isnt aloit.

I have been hearing worrying comments about the attitudes of certain players to attending training and lifestyle choices. Now I know it is early in the year but if this is what is occurring at the moment and is being let slip then I dont see this being turned around for the summer.

[Minder]

Big chance missed today. Other than Mc Manus there isnt a forward that can put the ball over the bar. Karl Stewart would be needed soon into that forward line. Nobody seemed willing to take a shot from more than 30 yards in the second half. I think we scored about 0-3 in the last 20 minutes after Clare had a man sent off (harshly i thought). Our fellas seem intent on carrying the ball everytime they get it yet were continually outmuscled by the Clare players, instead of playing the ball in early. Clare were very poor, i was expecting abit more from them. With Carlow beating Wexford today it seems to be a poor quality division.

[the colonel]

What was the team today?

[Two Hands FFS]

Before the match if I thought we'd get within a point of Clare I would have been shocked. But after watching that we just seem to be getting worse. Forward line the whole match was shocking. Neil was carrying that forward line on his own. Some terrible decision making by the players.... . Dinny didnt help either, left Shane McN in midfield even though we had a extra man & no-one in the FF Line who was going to get us a score.

Neil McAuley, Hippy(apart from 10 spell in 1st half) & Neil McManus had good games, Shorty finished the last 10 well...but very disappointing performance.

when/who is next match??