Antrim Hurling

[Minder]

I would be astounded if they went down without at least attempting a bit of horse trading.

[the colonel]

Can't see them getting away with changing league structures when it has been one of the most succesful leagues in years for getting the games played. A year in Div 2 might do Ballycastle no harm, but its getting back out of Div 2 which is the tough thing

[aontroim]

Don't think there'll be any tolerance for horse-trading this year considering how well the leagues have run (apart from the 9 team Div 2).  Have heard a rumour already of a possible proposal for 10 team Div 1 - ie Town stay up and are joined by Johnnies & Rossa!  Can't see it coming to pass.

[Fairhead]

Cant comment on the performances, or lack of, as i wasn't at any of the 2 matches but shocked by the Glenariffe Dunloy result. When was the last time Glenariffe beat Dunloy in a senior league or championship match? Anyhow Ballycastle will just have to do what St Johns look like they are going to do and bouce straight back up next year.

[the colonel]

You suggesting something suspect fairhead? I would put it as a case of Dunloy not wanting to fulfil the fixture and glenariffe doing everything possible to win. Was there not 2 teams going up from division 3 or no one relegated from 2, which would make it a 10 team league

[Milltown Row2]

I'll not be surprised should something change

We are snookered at the minute in Div 2. need to win our remaining three games but should we lose then we will take our medicine, and drop to Div 3

maybe enter the Junior Championship

[Minder]

Cant comment on the performances, or lack of, as i wasn't at any of the 2 matches but shocked by the Glenariffe Dunloy result. When was the last time Glenariffe beat Dunloy in a senior league or championship match? Anyhow Ballycastle will just have to do what St Johns look like they are going to do and bouce straight back up next year.

Dunloy had nothing to play for, we had everything to play for and have been doing a bit of training. Allied to the fact it was a brutal day for hurling I dont think it was that big a shock. I would say Dunloy packed it in after the Loughgile match.

[Milltown Row2]

Minder, the best team always wins on the day.

[maxpower]

Ballycastle have no one to blame but themselves for getting relegated, Dunloy where brutal bad yesterday but played the game to win it.

On wednesday night we beat possibly the only other team in Ulster feeling more sorry for themselves than us, and even doing so were brutal bad.  yesterday was played in a bog of a field (unplayable in my opinion), in driving rain at times, against a high motivated, agressive (often too much) team, not much of a shock they won.

[Milltown Row2]

Ballycastle have no one to blame but themselves for getting relegated, Dunloy where brutal bad yesterday but played the game to win it.

On wednesday night we beat possibly the only other team in Ulster feeling more sorry for themselves than us, and even doing so were brutal bad.  yesterday was played in a bog of a field (unplayable in my opinion), in driving rain at times, against a high motivated, agressive (often too much) team, not much of a shock they won.

Glenariffe dirty??? Minder will be on Max!

[NAG1]

It is a bit unfair on teams at this stage because some teams are just fulfilling fixtures and they have no other reason to play or be competitive.

IMO it is a bit of a disgrace that Ballycastle find themselves in the position that they are in, way too strong to be heading down but I guess that the way it goes, when are they going to get properly organised and get back on their feet and start competing properly again.

On another note standard has been poor across the board this year, would need to be a good final to make up for this season.

[the colonel]

But are they too strong for Div 2? If they are not good enough for Div 1 then there is only one place for them to go. Results don't lie, and if they were good enough for Div 1 then they wouldn't have themselves to blame for the poistion they are in. I think this league structure needs to stay and hopefully the format will make division 2 stronger with some good teams in there. Who has won division 2 by the way?

[funtime frankie]

Still a few games outstanding in DIV 2 but after Rossa being beaten last week it looks as if the Johnnies have it - but there are still games to play.

I agree with the comments being made that the league structures should not be changed. Despite the reluctance of some clubs the amount of games played this year has been much better than before, so, I's day that if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Maybe some of the Rossa boys could help me out, but in an attempt to save themselves from going into DIV 2 - I think it was football - the chairman of Rossa at the time brought the matter before county committee and managed to get themkept up in Div 1. So there is a recent precedent but hopefully Ballycastle will see it as an opportunity to regroup because they are too strong for Div 2.

[johnneycool]

It is a bit unfair on teams at this stage because some teams are just fulfilling fixtures and they have no other reason to play or be competitive.

IMO it is a bit of a disgrace that Ballycastle find themselves in the position that they are in, way too strong to be heading down but I guess that the way it goes, when are they going to get properly organised and get back on their feet and start competing properly again.

On another note standard has been poor across the board this year, would need to be a good final to make up for this season.

Would you be saying the same if either ourselves or Glenariffe had got relegated?

I would have thought a wet shitty day would have suited Ballycastle's bigger team than our lads, but they don't have any forwards at all. Out of their 1-4, I'd say one point was from play and the goal was scored by Pinkie when they pushed him up the field, Cosie huffed and puffed but hasn't the stickwork to be a real threat. Ciaran Clarke didn't feature at all in the game. Young Donnelly, Matthew I think it is tried to rile magic before the ball was thrown in, digging in the back and tripping etc, etc, but Magic put an abrupt end to that by hitting him a dig in the guts with the hurl. That was the end of that. Strangely enough we put our smallest man on Cormac Donnelly who was full back and we'd enough wit to play low balls down into him and he gave him a torrid enough afternoon. The big lad isn't the greatest at turning but is a good man for eating up the ball straight in front of him.
Unless they can unearth some scoring forwards then I can't see them progressing.

[funtime frankie]

JC that was a hell of a fight your boys put in to stay up. All big games that needed a result. Question is why couldnt you do it the rest of the season