Antrim Hurling

[Gael-in-exile]

I think it either needs to go to 8 or 12. This year it had 11 but that means 5 rounds of matches to get beyond the groups which equates to 2 months of groups when its every other week

I'm not talking about the size of groups.  Just talking about top 3 going through rather than just 2. Group winners go straight to semi and the other 4 play on 2 matches for the other semi final spots.  Same as senior and junior.

It's just adding one more round of games but makes many of the group games meaningful.

Aye but the reason only 2 go through at present is because it takes 7 rounds to complete while senior takes 6. Add in a preliminary qf or whatever and that takes it to 8 rounds which is basically a month longer than senior when you're taking dual clubs into consideration so you'd really have to change the whole format.

I'll say it again- it's one extra round of fixtures involving 4 teams. Not that hard to accommodate.

It's quite hard to accommodate when you go to the practicality and detail of it. The IHC started on 25th July. To add in an extra round you need to start it on 19/20th July. That was All Ireland final weekend.
Somebody out there will tell you starting championship on that weekend is ruining the spectators chances of attending the weekend. Others will tell you that you are not believing Antrim can get there. Each to their own I suppose.
The last league games in hurling were July 6th. Football approx 2nd July. But then football were to have relegation games also which I'm assuming were to be between Monday 7th July and Sunday 13th or close.

I get the impression that "it's just one extra round" but when you start to look at it across the whole calendar it's not that simple. Although I do agree IHC could be improved with introduction of QF.

However I do think the dead rubber games and teams failing to field are not good and while groups give multiple games for teams in championship they allow for possible problems. Especially with 5 & 6 teams where by game 3 some are possibly finished.

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Club the size and history of St Galls not fielding a championship game is unbelievable. Should lose all home games next year as punishment

[paddyjohn]

West Belfast hurling is on the rise. Goodness me what a statement.

The second game yesterday wasn't much better. Hard to remember 2 games of such poor quality in the last while.

Was shocking at times tbh

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

Quality of stream for St John's v Rossa was poor to say the least. 23 minutes of commentary apologising for it. Time Antrim GAA looked elsewhere.

Antrim's Twitter (X) feed spends the week of Championship promoting nothing but the purchasing of the streams at the expense of completely ignoring the other competitions on the same day.

Our County Board really are an amateur outfit.

I ended up turning the sound down to lie and watch it. I couldn't listen to them pair talking complete nonsense constantly on the stream.

I have posted this before about our counties social media team and their constant promotion of the stream on the game. Saturday was a prime example of not knowing what was going on during the game. Neither St Johns or Rossa are good at updating scores from the games so you were sitting waiting to find out what was going on.

[paddyjohn]

St Johns V Cushendall at the Sally Gardens.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

St Johns were usually very keen to get to play in Dunloy over the years but id say with the number of defeats in semi finals, esp to Cushendall, they were not wanting back again.

I can see their point of view with regards to a venue but being realistic, there isnt a venue in Belfast that can take that crowd for a semi final other than Corrigan.

Maybe Hannahstown could hold it but it really only leave dumpsilly

[Gael-in-exile]

I think there's definitely (and most may agree) a good argument for getting more big club hurling games in Belfast, especially involving Belfast teams.
St John's are likely using the amount of games they've played at semi final stage in Dunloy or other NA venues as a good starting point for the consideration.

But unfortunately outside of Corrigan there are no venues that I think are suitable in Belfast. St Enda's get games but wouldn't be good enough in my view and for some reason Lamh Dhearg hasn't been used so I am assuming it is not under consideration.

The closest they could hope for would be Dunsilly or possibly a football venue in southwest.

[paddyjohn]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

[NAG1]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

After the Cushendall St Johns match?

[paddyjohn]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

After the Cushendall St Johns match?

Sorry meant to say Ballycastle. My bad.

[Saffrongael]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

Where/when was it supposed to be ?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Not a fan of these stand alone Junior Intermediate finals at all. Used to be a double header. Ideally like this weekend Junior before a senior semi. Id say some people who attend senior games never witness a junior game and would be shocked at the standard of some of the players

[paddyjohn]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

Where/when was it supposed to be ?

Loughiel at 1pm on the Saturday. Changed last night.

[Gael-in-exile]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

Where/when was it supposed to be ?

Loughiel at 1pm on the Saturday. Changed last night.

Surely 6:30 Saturday evening in Ballycastle is an improvement on the Saturday lunchtime slot?

[paddyjohn]

Junior final moved to Dunloy at 6.30pm next Saturday. Disgrace for both teams involved.

Where/when was it supposed to be ?

Loughiel at 1pm on the Saturday. Changed last night.

Surely 6:30 Saturday evening in Ballycastle is an improvement on the Saturday lunchtime slot?

Or Dunloy before the semi final?

I'd love to know why it's changed.