Antrim Hurling

[gallsman]

You wonder how many years has McManus left in him.

Based on Saturday night, a few yet if he wants to keep going I think. Can't see him going back to the county set-up, no matter what Davy tries.

That said, if they need performances like that out of him to even keep touch with SN (which it looks like they would) maybe he'll say enough is enough. Dunno how interested he'd be in putting himself through it all again for another Antrim medal.

[imtommygunn]

Really for him last year was the best chance he'll get for an AI medal unfortunately.

The work you'd have to do for Davy I imagine would be too much for the likes of him at the age with other commitments. I would say it likely had an impact on McCann retiring.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Just had quick look online to check Neils age, his Wiki makes for interesting reading 🤣🤣, some boy having bit of fun. I hope 😜

[imtommygunn]

   Not sure there'd be much truth in that but you never know 

[johnnycool]

Yeah Cushendall didn't throw it away, beaten by a more mobile, fitter and athletic team. Cushendall can usually overpower teams, it was fairly obvious from early on that wasn't going to be the case

SN lads were much leaner in their make up and were able to keep the pace going for the full 80 minutes. Apart from McManus' physicality over his original marker which resulted in his first goal and indeed his ability to make space on the turn for his second goal this game wasn't so much about raw power and big hits, but staying with your man, harrying, chasing and blocking which SN are more than capable of doing so irrespective of the physical size difference that Cushendall had in most areas of the field.
I was impressed with SN's intelligent play, they varied it and played the game in front of them rather than an ingrained tactic. They ran at Cushendall when they'd space, if there wasn't they worked the shot from distance and when the need arose hit the spaces out on the wings for their forwards to attack.

Sweeper or +1's as they're now called can be negated to a large extent if you've the skill and wherewithal to play like this. Eoghan Campbell didn't get to exert the influence he normally does as they just basically avoided his area as much as possible and when he did get on the ball they tracked his run, putting him under huge pressure all the way.

I did struggle a bit with what the Cushendall management were trying to achieve with their subs at the end of normal time. They were big, immobile units who need the ball right on top of them, to try and make it work they ended up bringing McManus further out the field, a man who as wee Davy rightly pointed out you'd want to be isolating in there on his own and create more one on one opportunities for him. They did the actual opposite and crowded that space with McManus not even in there.

They got lucky with the deflected goal in truthfulness and only delayed the inevitable.

Young McLaughlin has all the hallmarks of a potentially fine hurler and he'll need time to adapt to adult hurling as the armchair rides in juvenile hurling are over. I've told some of our young lads that as well.

[Kidder81]

Final confirmed for Armagh at 5pm on 1 December

[johnnycool]

Just had quick look online to check Neils age, his Wiki makes for interesting reading 🤣🤣, some boy having bit of fun. I hope 😜

"Notoriously associated with Gnasher McLongtooth embroiled in a scandal where McLongtooth fielded McManus in an under 14 camogie game."

[gallsman]

Final confirmed for Armagh at 5pm on 1 December

5pm on a Sunday in December is a bit rough.

[Mario]

Yeah Cushendall didn't throw it away, beaten by a more mobile, fitter and athletic team. Cushendall can usually overpower teams, it was fairly obvious from early on that wasn't going to be the case

You're missing the main thing they were beat by, a team with better hurlers, who won nearly every man on man battle. If McManus had an ordinary game and they didn't get a massive stroke of fortune at the end Slaughtneil would have won that game by 10 points.

[Around the glens]

Sneil n Portaferry has the makings of another great game.

[imtommygunn]

I could be wide off the mark here but I think Portaferry will struggle with them. The last time they played they got a hammering. They do have 3 very good forwards though so should give them a sterner test at the back.

[Milltown Row2]

Yeah Cushendall didn't throw it away, beaten by a more mobile, fitter and athletic team. Cushendall can usually overpower teams, it was fairly obvious from early on that wasn't going to be the case

You're missing the main thing they were beat by, a team with better hurlers, who won nearly every man on man battle. If McManus had an ordinary game and they didn't get a massive stroke of fortune at the end Slaughtneil would have won that game by 10 points.

Stick work wise I didn't see much difference, this team played as good as I seen them against a Ballyhale team in their pump in Newry. Their accuracy from simple shots to shots from distance and wide angles was huge in building up leads.

They could probably work on creating goals, as it knocks the stuffing out of teams, but that's a minor issue considering the amount of points they score.

Not sure how Portaferry will approach this game, be interesting to see if they set up for their own game of try and plan to disrupt S'neil

[Cnoc Bán]

Was very noticeable (and notable) who the respective management teams turned to on the bench come crunch time. SN were looking to the likes of Cathal McKaigue who will be around for years to come. The Dall were looking to the likes of Delargy and McNaughton who, with all due respect, aren't really in the ideal condition to be playing senior hurling.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know wtf was going on with Alex Delargy's sleeves?! Under armour shortage about the place?

That definitely was a strange look.

It wasn't an under armour, looked more like a jersey from another club.

Must be some meaning behind it.

[left peg]

Super game at the weekend, Cdall still will be wondering how they managed to throw it away after getting back into it.

Credit to SN they kept going and actually played some really good hurling, Cdall couldn't loved with the pace and power and directness.

Forwards have been hard to come by for Cdall for a good few years now, plenty of really quality backs but very few quality score getters.

Game of the weekend hurling wise for sure.

Credit To SN they kept going and actually played some great hurling.

When will some of these Antrim men finally give Slaughtneil the credit they deserve and stop with the snide remarks.

How they managed to throw it away? I'm sure they can't believe how they managed to take it to extra time.

Slaughtneil were easily 10 points the better team on the day.

McCormack making the bold call of telling the McKaigue brothers to stay at home if they weren't going to commit has helped Slaughtneil hugely!

[Milltown Row2]

Super game at the weekend, Cdall still will be wondering how they managed to throw it away after getting back into it.

Credit to SN they kept going and actually played some really good hurling, Cdall couldn't loved with the pace and power and directness.

Forwards have been hard to come by for Cdall for a good few years now, plenty of really quality backs but very few quality score getters.

Game of the weekend hurling wise for sure.

Credit To SN they kept going and actually played some great hurling.

When will some of these Antrim men finally give Slaughtneil the credit they deserve and stop with the snide remarks.

How they managed to throw it away? I'm sure they can't believe how they managed to take it to extra time.

Slaughtneil were easily 10 points the better team on the day.

McCormack making the bold call of telling the McKaigue brothers to stay at home if they weren't going to commit has helped Slaughtneil hugely!

You seem to be stuck on a broken record, I don't know anyone who thought this wasn't a 50/50 game, which it turned out to be. S'neil struggled with Cushendall for years and now have beaten them in a great game.

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