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Just back from the game. Very encouraging start with Antrim bossing Limerick in every department until the sending off though it was 7-7 at that time hwen we should have been leading by more (had been 7-5 for Antrim at one point). Let in a clatter of scores before half time as the heads dropped. came out the the better team in the first ten mins but failure to capitalise on a number of goal chances lead to the lads dropping the heads and Limerick romped home.
Neal McAuley was easily the best hurler out there on either side. Cleared ball after ball throughout.

Team has promise but need to take the chances made. McManus, Shiels, Graffin and Conor McCann hurled well also, as did McCrory at half-back but the six Limerick backs to five Antrim forwards dominated the last 15 when the scores piled up but only then and the last 10 min of first half.
Hope we can keep the team together and that includes Stewart who had an uncharacteristic moment of madness that took the wind out of the Saffron sails.

Anyone know the Antrim team for tomorrow?

Was in the Irish News on Monday that Sean Hawes had broken his ankle. Who are the senior keepers in the panel now?

Would say that he's not getting through to the players and is voicing what a lot of Galway people would agree with, especially in relation to the unhealthy club rivalry. Maybe he's going dangerously over the top considering its early in the year and the Portumna players are yet to return.

Would like to thank my  backroom team, physio, and team psychologist for their support during the year ...... 
Wonder what i would have made if I had the guts to go with my convictions and try to have a wee wager with Paddy P.
By the way, Still waiting for the cup! 

Joking apart thanks Mayo for keeping the thing going, any bookies looking a tipster my fee is pretty reasonable.

Kilkenny bonus

You're right Mayo, but at least I didn't go for a bonus so you might adjust my score accordingly. Thanks

Tipperary. Just remembered to post!

Th real problem is that Carlow and Sligo have been asked to play promotion playoffs six days after winning their respective All Ireland Finals. If these games are meant to decide if the Ring and rackard winning teams are good enough to gain promotion they should be played two weeks after the finals to give winning teams time to regroup, recover and focus on a strategically important game. Its a first senior all ireland for both counties and I'm sure celebrations, receptions and reduced training took place in the past week a major advantage to the relegation counties and not a level playing pitch to measure the worth or ability of the final winning teams.
These basic factors need to be taken into account when the fixtures are made, otherwise promote the winning teams from each tier.

Kilkenny bonus

Rackard Final is being streamed live on the web at rte.ie and you can also turn down the sound and listen to the commentary from Ocean FM if you're in the north-west.
Not exactly what was promised by the GAA and had been delivered in the previous three finals but better than nothing. Sligeach Abú!

Rackard Final will be streamed live on RTE.ie at 12 noon on Sunday. TM Cup on Suat also. Better than nothing I suppose. No word on Ring Cup.

This can be done by having the minor game as the first of a triple-header with the Ring or rackard Final second. Take it you were joking when suggesting kilkenny minors need exposure to promote hurling.

Apart from the pathetic response from the GAA PR department that the Ring Cup could not be staged on Sat/Sun 2/3 (as fixed last November in the original draw!) they rub it in by withdrawing RTE's commitment to televise both games. We're back to the same lowly status as the old All ireland B and Junior championships.
Its pretty obvious that the GAA took the decision to fix all four football qualifiers in Croker to the detriment of the Ring and lesser extent Rackard Cups. They weren't forced to play the football qualifiers there this weekend and do so to please counties that have had many opportunities to play there recently.
The Ring and Rackard Cup FINALS (not qualifiers) should take precedence over backdoor qualifiers and should have been fixed for the 10th and 17th August before the hurling semis rather than be treated in such a shabby fashion.
The sudden withdrawal of television coverage is a means of further demeaning the value of these championships and sullying the good name of Christy Ring and Nickey Rackard just to prove a point. This point seems to be that the R and R teams should agree to move the Final at a week's notice to a support slot to the Dubs game. Why didn't they do this with the Tommy Murphy Cup as the winners of this competition have no promotion play-off the following week.
Nicky Brennan and co. have stated the current GAA policy very clearly. They now agree with the promotion of 2nd class citizen status that often applies to hurling in the "weaker counties" and this attitude is basically discriminatory and contrary to GAA and EU equality policy. The apologies (quite rightly) to the abhorrent racial attack on a young footballer contrasts to the sniggering, demeaning attitude of GAA top brass to the 2nd and 3rd tier hurling competitions.
All Ring and Rackard counties should boycott next year's competitions unless the bungling, incompetent GAA administrators and laughable HDC come up with assurances that the original purpose of the Ring and Rackard Competitions is maintained, i.e., proper media coverage , with the final staged before a hurling semifinal. Not too much to ask?!

Why do you say that? Surely not to accomodate Christy Ring. Two wrongs dont make a right. Sligo and Louth I'm sure have already started making their preparations for next Sunday. Any word if the Rackard Cup Final is to be televised as in all of the previous finals? GAA should move one of the qualifiers rather renege on a promise to televise and stage the R and R Finals before a championship game.