Antrim Hurling

[funtime frankie]

not sure that I like the new lay out with the counties being listed. The old way allowed ya to scan everything else that was going on.

BTW yer man isn't from Cork. He said that his mate was a ref and that he had an AI under his belt. The only guy from Cork to ref an AI was Diarmuid Kirwan and he in fact has 2 AIs under his belt - don't ya just love Google!! Now if this guy was his 'mate' he'd have known that!!!

[maxpower]

Don't buy that Loughgiel have better forwards than Cushendall, with Graffin back there is every chance Cushendall will have a forward unit containing Neil McManus, Shane McNaughton, Karl McKeegan, Natty & Paddy McGill.  Only Winker could be classed as a better forward than any of them.

In fact i honestly believe Cushendall have much superior hurlers all over the park, what Loughgiel have is a very shrewd gameplan, they apply pressure high up the field and have the energy and the discipline to close down the spaces in front of the goals.  This makes them very hard to beat

there will be some very interesting calls on the line,

Will Cushendall play Graffin on Winker, personally i would play Karl McKeegan CHB and put Graffin on Watson, put McCambridge on McCarry, McKeegan should be well able to hold position on James Campbell (a natural defender)

I'd play Shanebo at Full Forward and really stretch the forwards, see if he can repeat his performance of last year in Ballycastle, Magill has been hurling well and if he can get onto the enormous amount of break ball there will be on the Loughgiel half back line then i'd fancy cushendall

from a loughgiel perspective they cannot allow McManus or McNaughton space to run at them, will they draw a man back, i'd expect do on Cushendall poc outs, would they hurl winker FF to try and move Scullion from the edge of the square

Still gutted there will be no Dunloy interest in this game but looking forward to it,

[pdiddy]

I'd put Eddie McCloskey and Joey Scullion as good if not better than Paddy McGill and Natty.  Agree with you that Karl is a much better CHB than corner forward so may even put those 2 lads ahead of Karl also.

Agree with others that this is a tough one to call.  Depends on which Loughgiel team turns up really.  You know what you'll get with Cushendall but if Loughgiel play to potential then it will be close.

[NAG1]

Pdiddy

Give us some evidence on the JS one (EMcC has been going well this year but yet to prove it when really matters), really not being personal but havent got this one for a very long time?

[theskull1]

I'd put Eddie McCloskey and Joey Scullion as good if not better than Paddy McGill and Natty.  Agree with you that Karl is a much better CHB than corner forward so may even put those 2 lads ahead of Karl also.

Agree with others that this is a tough one to call.  Depends on which Loughgiel team turns up really.  You know what you'll get with Cushendall but if Loughgiel play to potential then it will be close.

Cushendall were pretty poor against Ballycastle. Loughgiel were pretty poor against us, so no one could be descibed as the form team going into this match. People will of course use history as a judge to predict what will happen on Sunday, but Tipp or Cork (to a lesser extent) didn't let that hinder them this year. Cushendall (and I'd say alot of people) will be expecting history to repeat itself. We'll not know untill Sunday

[NAG1]

Skull are you going or could you not bare the tension? 

[the colonel]

We have no right to win the match and our players would all be thinking the same. They will however be confident in winning as there is the talent there to win it regrdless of the fact we have a good recent history in finals against the shamrocks. There might be changes to the team, won't know to Sunday. Its upto the management to decide do we put our team out as best they see or change it to stop any threats they see from Loughgiel

[pdiddy]

Pdiddy

Give us some evidence on the JS one (EMcC has been going well this year but yet to prove it when really matters), really not being personal but havent got this one for a very long time?

JS was playing really well last year before he got injured (Broke his ankle against Rossa I think). Caused Dunloy a few problems in the Feis final before Paddy Richmond stole the show in the final few minutes.   I think he has the potential to be a match winner but on reflection would agree that he hasn't lived up to that potential. 

As for EMcC, I think the lad is a natural hurler but like alot of the Loughgeil fellas probably lacks confidence in his own ability.

[NAG1]

pdiddy cheers for the response.

Always looked at the lad as having the potential but was never going to fulfill it.
EMcC could be as effective as LW if loughgiel get their game plan correct.

[theskull1]

pdiddy cheers for the response.

You mean cheers for agreeing with me don't you NAG1 

[NAG1]

Well since Im never wrong he hadnt much option 

Skull you never said you would be there on Sunday or at home with the rosary beads out 

[Milltown Row2]

Karl has played in the forwards and i expect him to do so on Sunday, NMcM i think will play in his best position CHB and that should snuff out a lot of ball in the forwards.

Loughgiel have two big men in the fullforward line and a nippy corner forward. the FF is slow, McGourty marked him (after he done some damage on another player)  and never give him a puck. Scullion played well as did EMcC and Johnny swept in under every puck out from the keeper. smart puck outs required from the Dall

Should Loughgiel keep the tempo at full pelt and stop ball going into Shane then they do have a good chance. as in the final before, being 7/8 points up with twenty minutes to go means nothing

that will be twenty quid i'll be giving Casement this weekend then the bar might get a few quid

[theskull1]

After two brutal forward displays in the semi's, I'll be happy enough if it's a good game

I can remember a few years ago having a rye smile leaving casement after "that second half"......I don't know if I'm getting soft in my old age or what but now I don't think I would enjoy seeing such a capitualtion again......there's some thoroughly decent lads on that team who've busted a gut for years for their club. I wouldn't begrudge them a county medal.

Caveat: I reserve the right to change my opinion as we move toward the weekend 

[monkey]

there's some thoroughly decent lads on that team who've busted a gut for years for their club. I wouldn't begrudge them a county medal.

Caveat: I reserve the right to change my opinion as we move toward the weekend 

IMHO the only people that deserve a county medal are those that stand up on the day and want it more.  To lose 6 finals in a row says it all.  It will be 7 from 8 on Sunday.

[Milltown Row2]

Right here's a cracker for youse to debate. We were due to play Ballycastle on Saturday last. Firstly the game was fixed for 5 but due to their involvement with a senior game in Ballygalget i was asked to change the time to accommodate them. I did, changed it to 6.

At 4 PM our grounds man phoned me to say the pitch was knee deep in water due to the rain falling since the night before. I then phoned the referee who was down to do the game (Ray Matthews) to ask him to do a pitch inspection. After he carried out a pitch inspection he phoned the CCC and give them his reasons to call off the match. Ray phoned me back to say game was off and i notified the players. Some of our players were already there though

I checked the county Website to see when the refix is and hey presto Ballycastle are down to play Cushendall this Saturday in the quarter final and we aren't even in it any more!!

I'm confused if a referee says a pitch is unplayable do you then lose the game??