NHL 2020

[seafoid]

They need to hurl their way back to status. Same as everyone else

[johnnycool]

They need to hurl their way back to status. Same as everyone else

Too much sense in that post Seafoid. It'll not catch on.


WRT Cork, Dublin and whoever not playing again for 70 days, I'm sure those lads can go back and play for their clubs and get plenty of hurling.

[LooseCannon]

Duignan moaning about the injury time and refereeing

Must be very frustrating when a referee starts blowing for illegal handpasses in one game, considering the amount of them thrown in every game. The rule needs to be redefined

The main issue was that all bar perhaps one were perfectly legitimate handpasses. A fuckup on our own behalf because we couldn’t deal with 2 high balls. Deservedly not in the final.

[manfromdelmonte]

They need to hurl their way back to status. Same as everyone else

I agree completely

[redsetanta]

Justice was served really as it would have been hard on Kerry to go out particularly when a re-scheduled game was played after all other league games were finished. Kerry had the mumps issue which had a big affect on their team.
Offaly knew what they had to do and obviously took their foot off the pedal. Fair play to Antrim though who were already in the final.
Unfortunately with the way the game has gone I can't see a situation where Offaly will be back winning Leinster's let alone AI's any time soon.

[imtommygunn]

The football and hurling are getting the same now. Most teams are miles away and the top handful will beat the rest out the gate.

[johnnycool]

The football and hurling are getting the same now. Most teams are miles away and the top handful will beat the rest out the gate.

Was it ever any different though when you look at the stack of AI's accumulated by Kilkenny, Cork and Tipp compared to the rest?

[imtommygunn]

Not so much in the hurling I guess more football. The backdoor / league etc will mean less upsets until really semi final (really KK Limerick wouldn't have happened 7 or 8 times out of 10 last year I'd say so that was at least one thing although it's usually KK the strong ones so hard to see that as too big a surprise).

The back door etc probably the killer for all of it. Weaker teams might do a one off and could you imagine an ulster team getting to an AI final these days 

[Milltown Row2]

The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level

[imtommygunn]

Yeah in reality we are probably a bit below that level. I think the Kerry game will be very telling as to where we are and will be tough for us but hopefully we will win. We have some handy hurlers but a wee bit worried how reliant we are on McManus especially given he probably doesn’t have that many years left in him.

[Milltown Row2]

Yeah in reality we are probably a bit below that level. I think the Kerry game will be very telling as to where we are and will be tough for us but hopefully we will win. We have some handy hurlers but a wee bit worried how reliant we are on McManus especially given he probably doesn’t have that many years left in him.

Was thinking that but lads will have to step up to the plate, I haven’t seen a direct replacement for Neil in fairness

[marty34]

Yeah in reality we are probably a bit below that level. I think the Kerry game will be very telling as to where we are and will be tough for us but hopefully we will win. We have some handy hurlers but a wee bit worried how reliant we are on McManus especially given he probably doesn’t have that many years left in him.

Was thinking that but lads will have to step up to the plate, I haven’t seen a direct replacement for Neil in fairness

Impossible to replace - if Mc Manus was from any of the big 3 - Kilkenny, Tipp or Cork, he'd be raved about and rightly so.

Competition for places is crucial and the Joe Mc Donagh will be interesting this year.

[manfromdelmonte]

The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level

westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

[Milltown Row2]

The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level

westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness

[seafoid]

The reality is Antrim would want to be like Laois and Westmeath at the minute, chip away and maintain 1b status. That should be our level

westmeath and carlow have been doing it with a much smaller pool of players and clubs
and virtually no big development money spend

But their location means that the clubs can get a better standard of hurling, their schools and college's are playing in a far higher grade. We are 100. or 165 miles from our Ballycastle club to a standard (Dublin) level were want to be at, Carlow Westmeath are surrounded by great hurling counties.

That makes a huge difference in fairness

I dunno. It never made much of a difference before.
Antrim have a stronger historical tradition.
Antrim should be at the level of Laois.