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Wm will be on a high now. This is a tough game and one they are probably favourites for. We need men back as a load of injuries.

This was always going to be the crunch game and Westmeath certainly have some momentum behind them. It would be good if us and westmeath stayed up and Wexford were relegated, it would really annoy some hurling traditionalists (snobs)

Some win for Westmeath. But all the more amazing given how much a deficit they had to come back from.
Is Leo Cullen in charge of the Wexford hurlers?

Fair play to Westmeath, some comeback. All to play for next week, anyone out of Antrim, Westmeath or Wexford could be down. It will make for an exciting days hurling.

[He's a passionate Hurling man who stands up for his sport, most of the time with cogent well thought out arguments]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2023/05/22/nicky-english-exceptional-contest-leaves-tipp-still-standing-and-limerick-facing-fight-for-survival/

Limerick aren't the team of the league final but they weren't beaten either and are still there but key players aren't in good form and they're not hitting the 30 points that used to be standard for them. Other teams will smell blood.Limerick aren't the team of the league final but they weren't beaten either and are still there but key players aren't in good form and they're not hitting the 30 points that used to be standard for them. Other teams will smell blood.

Sean Finn a huge loss for them

Cian Lynch a shadow of his former self

Hegarty at war with himself and anyone near him

There's an uncharacteristic hesitancy to their play particularly in the forwards at the minute whether that is fatigue or lack of appetite is hard to tell but they are going to have to pull it of the fire against Cork to survive now.

Tipp are the image of their manager, tough uncompromising with the odd flash of flair

Jason Forde a huge loss but it was great to see the likes of Jake Morris and Mark Kehoe finally taking on leadership roles.

Its amazing what you can do when you have a proper management set up and people that know what they are doing as opposed to the unmitigated disaster of 2022,the County Board took a lot of flak for doing what they did, but it turns out to have been the correct decision.

the Joanne and Donal Og argument

She's promoted beyond her ability and obviously was told to ambush him by her producer with that line of Questioning, It also was neither the time nor place for it

He's a passionate Hurling man who stands up for his sport, most of the time with cogent well thought out arguments

Id have him over the likes of the nodding dog that is Cavanagh on the football side.

He does but every once in a while he picks fights that he doesn't need to.

The comments on the tailteann cup actually took away from the point he was making and was a cheap shot.

Donal Óg has no interest in promoting hurling in lower tier counties.  He couldn't care less so as being called a passionate hurling man...it is what it is...a load of waffle.

As I say, he and Cantwell light the limelight.  Always about them.

2 fantastic games yesterday.  Munster has it all.  Every game is as important as the next.

Would love to see Kerry in Munster round robin also.  If Westmeath and Antrim can be in Leinster, Kerry should be in Munster.

if Kerry win the Joe McDonagh at any point

they will be in the Munster Hurling Championship

Its up to the lower tier counties to get their own houses in order instead of pointing at Donal Og or anyone else.

Duignan and Offaly being a prime example of what you can do,if you get your House in order.

Duignan has done well but Offaly should never have been in the Christy ring to begin with. Somebody seriously took their eye off the ball there with regards to underage development in that county over a long period of time.

[including the DUP and TUV]

Mid Ulster could be interesting.
Real squeeze on SF by Independent Republicans
In Dungannon Barry Monteith (current councillor) and Marian Vincent are up against Dominc Molloy, (current councillor & Francie's son ) and Deirdre Varsani. Interesting to see how that goes. Molloy has a good profile and is liked.
In Clogher Gael Gildernew is trying to defend her father Phelim's seat who retired (She is also Michelle's (MP) Sister and Colm's (MLA) Brother) her along with Eugene McConnell and Sean McGuigan (current coucillor) are up against Kevin McElvogue Ind Rep. SF have 2 elected and running 3. I think they might lose a seat here.
In Torrent Michelle O'Neill's home turf, Dan Kerr Ind Rep (current councillor) has Teresa Quinn as his running mate. SF are running 4.

Some SF voters are a bit pissed with the lack of selection process and the coronation of certain candidates from certain families. While SF will probably have a very good day across the north, Mid Ulster will be interesting. Ind Republicans are running 5 cands and calling it the drive for 5. I think they will add 1 for sure with McElvogue.

One to watch.

Isee a lot of older candidates are not running again.  Across all the political parties.  The new generation and all that.

Turnout will be interesting. Will it get above 60% overall.  Weather to be decent, which might help.

Be interesting to see if Alliance make any more impact west of the Bann.  They're trying to build their base in different areas. They'll finish as the 3 rd party.

Big day for the SDLP and UUP.  They'll lose seats but will it keep Eastwood and Beattie in their jobs? 

As per usual, the final seat in a lot of areas will be interesting.  If certain parties are ahead before the final transfers, then that could see them over the line.  Alliance will be transfer friendly.

Vote as far down the ballot paper as you can, including the DUP and TUV.

A bridge too far old chap!

Galway away this weekend. Tough fixture to say the least, not expecting much but a decent performance would be nice to set us up for Westmeath the following week. Is anyone heading down? Galway is a great city for a weekend break.

I was at an underage camogie match last week with a very young referee, about 19. One of the mentors was at him from the first minute claiming for everything. The ref did OK but didn't have the nerve to tell the mentor to shut up. Felt a bit sorry for the young fella as he was getting a bit flustered from time to time, still did a reasonable job as a ref but shouldn't have to put up with that shite.

So Antrim hurling leagues -

Div 1 - one team relegated.

Div 2 - No promotion & bottom two relegated to Div 3

Div 3 - No promotion & bottom team relegated to Div 4

Div 4 - No promotion

So we end up with 10 teams in Div 1, 2 + 3 and 7/8/9 in Div 4 depending on what happens with Larne and Henry Joys?. its not a bad structure ( I always prefered 8 team divisions, 14 games, 7 home 7 away). however it should have been agreed and voted on before the start of the league and there should be play offs at least for the teams winning division 2,3 and 4

In the Glens area of Causeway Coast and Glens we currently have 1 Ind, two SF, 1 SDLP and 1 UUP. The independent isn't standing again and neither is the longstanding UUP lady. If I had to guess I would think it will be 3 SF, 1 SDLP and 1 DUP. The DUP candidate Bill Kennedy runs Armoy road races and is quite high profile. He got pipped on the line by the UUP candidate the last time on nationalist transfers. the new guy for the UUP would not have the same name recognition or history of helping people so I don't think he will make it. Alliance standing for the first time in a very long time here which will also hurt the UUP. Hard to know how they will go, they may pick up a few votes from the Ind who had well over a quota, as well as from the SDLP and UUP.

Anyone care to give a prediction for their own local area.

Slieve Gullion (South Armagh) 7 Seater
2019 Result - 5 SF, 1 SDLP, 1 UUP

The shinners are running 6 candidates this time to target the UUP seat.  It is very difficult to balance 6 candidates but they just might do it.  The Unionist population is elderly and dwindling and they really don't have the numbers anymore.  Older people are much more likely to vote than younger people, so that might save them this time.  The SDLP have an outside chance of getting two seats, they have an existing councillor in Pete Byrne and a good new candidate Killian Feehan.  Alliance are putting up a paper candidate and Aontu are represented by native New Yorker Reichenberg.  Neither will not put up much of a showing and there are no Independent Candidates

Prediction SF 6, SDLP 1

Is there a unionist village in this area?

Final seat will go down to the wire in a lot of areas with the PR model.

I read somewhere that SF have candidates standing in the Ards area and Ballyclare.   Changed times indeed. Breaking new ground all the time.

Noel sands, former high profile Down hurler from Portaferry standing for SF. He will hoover up votes round Portaferry but whether he egts over the line is another matter.

The Cats are in town on Sunday. Personally I am looking forward to seeing TJ in championship action up close in what could well be his last season of inter county. Antrim will be up against it alright but the national league match was competitive even if Antrim never looked like winning. Hopefully its another entertaining game of high quality hurling and who knows we might give them a scare or two.

Big game on Saturday V the Dubs in Corrigan. Looking forward to it although the Dubs have definitely had the upper hand on us in recent years. Hopefully we have a full strength team out because our strength in depth wouldn't be great.
Hoping to see McManus, Cunning, Molloy and James Mc Naughten on a lot of ball. Most of our strength is in attack so hopefully a good day and a dry ball will help us.
We need to win a high percentage of our own puckouts though which has been an issue throughout the league.

Is that a massive result for Tyrone, or not a big deal?

I always considered Derry a couple of tiers above Tyrone.

That's a big result for Tyrone alright, fair play. Lot of grassroots work being done their, Dungannon in particular, strong side.

Good to see the under 20s won well against Meath last night, fair play. Score seemed tight enough in first half and then Antrim ran away with it in the second half. Strong wind probably, I wasn't at it so cannot say. Still well done to all involved.

[Development squads at 9/10 yr old]

Not sure what the solution is. There's some really good players coming through, the lads coaching them are good and working hard but rather than closing the gap on the top teir we seem to be getting caught up by that next tier down.

I saw Anthony Daly talking about Limerick underage structures a couple of years back. What he basically said was each development squad had 25 players but that each squad at each age group was reviewed on a three monthly basis. Players who were not performing in training and matches were cut and and new players brought in to replace them. He said every juvenile match had a county assessor at it to report on all relevant players performance. ( Plenty of money in Limerick hurling ). This lead to a ruthless driving up of standards in training and matches across the board.
It is my perception of Antrim juvenile structures that players get on development squads at age 9/10 and stay there until 17 regardless of how they are developing provided they keep turning up. We may not have the pick of Limerick (and certainly not the funds) but there is no doubt that we are being caught by counties like Kildare, Westmeath etc and are not remotely close to challenging the Galways, Kilkennys etc.

Development squads at 9/10 yr old?

I think 13/14 is more accurate

North Antrim used to run development squads for under 10s, it may have fallen by the wayside now but it definitely used to be a thing.

Not sure what the solution is. There's some really good players coming through, the lads coaching them are good and working hard but rather than closing the gap on the top teir we seem to be getting caught up by that next tier down.

I saw Anthony Daly talking about Limerick underage structures a couple of years back. What he basically said was each development squad had 25 players but that each squad at each age group was reviewed on a three monthly basis. Players who were not performing in training and matches were cut and and new players brought in to replace them. He said every juvenile match had a county assessor at it to report on all relevant players performance. ( Plenty of money in Limerick hurling ). This lead to a ruthless driving up of standards in training and matches across the board.
It is my perception of Antrim juvenile structures that players get on development squads at age 9/10 and stay there until 17 regardless of how they are developing provided they keep turning up. We may not have the pick of Limerick (and certainly not the funds) but there is no doubt that we are being caught by counties like Kildare, Westmeath etc and are not remotely close to challenging the Galways, Kilkennys etc.