Antrim Hurling

[Antrim Coaster]

As a down man I cant see us getting over the line with this match.

We have a decent team with everyone fit but have yet to put out the full squad this year. Quite a few players coming back from injuries but just not there yet.

Antrim have everything to play for to avoid regulation and essentially its too late for us, I doubt management will risk it and think they will put all focus on the joe McDonagh.

I hope I'm wrong but think this could be a bit of a dead rubber game.

As a Down man whose played in the Antrim leagues since I was 16, fortunate enough to have been on Down teams who beat Antrim in underage championships and indeed been on panels at senior who beat them in championship this game should never be a dead rubber but times have moved on and Antrim have a big psychological advantage over this crop and for me they need to leave down a marker that they aren't a push over come later in the year.
I'm not convinced this Down team have that particular hardness about them.

Interestingly enough I can't remember Down beating Antrim in a league game, even in the Sean McGuinness era, although I can only remember the one game up in Casement on a shitty wet day where Mushy was the difference from right half back.

 

Was that the first league match after Down had ambushed Antrim in the Ulster Final in 1992

It was the commentary match on RTE Sport and a crowd between 12,000 - 15,000 attended.

Played on a pishy oul day in Casement the final score was something like 2-12 each.

That Down team was full of tough men well able to hurl. I think The Crans won Ulster that year as well.

Relegated Kilkenny in the last match of the season when The Hunter pinged over a free off his left to seal a one point victory for Down who stayed up and Kilkenny dropped to Div 2.

[Antrim Coaster]

As a down man I cant see us getting over the line with this match.

We have a decent team with everyone fit but have yet to put out the full squad this year. Quite a few players coming back from injuries but just not there yet.

Antrim have everything to play for to avoid regulation and essentially its too late for us, I doubt management will risk it and think they will put all focus on the joe McDonagh.

I hope I'm wrong but think this could be a bit of a dead rubber game.

As a Down man whose played in the Antrim leagues since I was 16, fortunate enough to have been on Down teams who beat Antrim in underage championships and indeed been on panels at senior who beat them in championship this game should never be a dead rubber but times have moved on and Antrim have a big psychological advantage over this crop and for me they need to leave down a marker that they aren't a push over come later in the year.
I'm not convinced this Down team have that particular hardness about them.

Interestingly enough I can't remember Down beating Antrim in a league game, even in the Sean McGuinness era, although I can only remember the one game up in Casement on a shitty wet day where Mushy was the difference from right half back.

 

Some big cubs on that Down U20 team.

The Coleman lad from the Ports the around midfield and half forward is a tall skillful player, the lad from your own club, Pucci, is 6 ft plus and the Taggart lad playing at full back, although not 6ft is well capable of mixing it up.

A tough tidy hurler.

I think those 3 lads have played for the county seniors.

[Antrim Coaster]

As a down man I cant see us getting over the line with this match.

We have a decent team with everyone fit but have yet to put out the full squad this year. Quite a few players coming back from injuries but just not there yet.

Antrim have everything to play for to avoid regulation and essentially its too late for us, I doubt management will risk it and think they will put all focus on the joe McDonagh.

I hope I'm wrong but think this could be a bit of a dead rubber game.

As a Down man whose played in the Antrim leagues since I was 16, fortunate enough to have been on Down teams who beat Antrim in underage championships and indeed been on panels at senior who beat them in championship this game should never be a dead rubber but times have moved on and Antrim have a big psychological advantage over this crop and for me they need to leave down a marker that they aren't a push over come later in the year.
I'm not convinced this Down team have that particular hardness about them.

Interestingly enough I can't remember Down beating Antrim in a league game, even in the Sean McGuinness era, although I can only remember the one game up in Casement on a shitty wet day where Mushy was the difference from right half back.

 

Some big cubs on that Down U20 team.

The Coleman lad from the Ports the around midfield and half forward is a tall skillful player, the lad from your own club, Pucci, is 6 ft plus and the Taggart lad playing at full back, although not 6ft is well capable of mixing it up.

A tough tidy hurler.

I think those 3 lads have played for the county seniors.

They may well mix it up at their own level, but intercounty senior hurling is a different ball game.

For me hardness is as much mental as physical in terms of the resolve to dig in, do the hard yards, chase lads down, sail into tackles etc that would have me worried from a Down perspective.

The days of hammering and smashing with hurls flying everywhere are gone (sadly    ).

100%.

At the same time you cant keep lads wrapped in cotton wool.

A few of the U20 team would need a run in the seniors to toughen them up. All part of the development process for  player and the county seniors.

The Ben Taggart lad does appear to have a bit of steel about him from what Ive seen of him recently. I think he'll do well for the Ports and the county senior team.

[imtommygunn]

Be worse than Mo Johnston going to Rangers.

[Antrim Coaster]

As a down man I cant see us getting over the line with this match.

We have a decent team with everyone fit but have yet to put out the full squad this year. Quite a few players coming back from injuries but just not there yet.

Antrim have everything to play for to avoid regulation and essentially its too late for us, I doubt management will risk it and think they will put all focus on the joe McDonagh.

I hope I'm wrong but think this could be a bit of a dead rubber game.

As a Down man whose played in the Antrim leagues since I was 16, fortunate enough to have been on Down teams who beat Antrim in underage championships and indeed been on panels at senior who beat them in championship this game should never be a dead rubber but times have moved on and Antrim have a big psychological advantage over this crop and for me they need to leave down a marker that they aren't a push over come later in the year.
I'm not convinced this Down team have that particular hardness about them.

Interestingly enough I can't remember Down beating Antrim in a league game, even in the Sean McGuinness era, although I can only remember the one game up in Casement on a shitty wet day where Mushy was the difference from right half back.

 

Some big cubs on that Down U20 team.

The Coleman lad from the Ports the around midfield and half forward is a tall skillful player, the lad from your own club, Pucci, is 6 ft plus and the Taggart lad playing at full back, although not 6ft is well capable of mixing it up.

A tough tidy hurler.

I think those 3 lads have played for the county seniors.

They may well mix it up at their own level, but intercounty senior hurling is a different ball game.

For me hardness is as much mental as physical in terms of the resolve to dig in, do the hard yards, chase lads down, sail into tackles etc that would have me worried from a Down perspective.

The days of hammering and smashing with hurls flying everywhere are gone (sadly    ).

100%.

At the same time you cant keep lads wrapped in cotton wool.

A few of the U20 team would need a run in the seniors to toughen them up. All part of the development process for  player and the county seniors.

The Ben Taggart lad does appear to have a bit of steel about him from what Ive seen of him recently. I think he'll do well for the Ports and the county senior team.

I sincerely hope not, he's a Ballygalget man.

DOH           

Thought he might have took a wrong turn on the Tullymally       

Then again the odd Port resident has donned the green jersey in the past     

[Antrim Coaster]

Be worse than Mo Johnston going to Rangers.

Much worse.     

[Milltown Row2]

Antrim 6 behind! Johnny will be a happy camper on here for a while!

[marty34]

Is this game on BBC iPlayer?

[imtommygunn]

Not loving how this is going 

[SaffronSports]

It was meant to be on iPlayer but not sure what happened.

[Milltown Row2]

No doubt some scenes in Newry as Down score goal to win it!

[JonnyD_]

Oh oh! We can't get past Down.

Fair play to Down, great win and congrats.

But wtf and wtf happens now...

[imtommygunn]

Balls to that.

I think we still stay up but that's an awful league campaign.

[groundlie]

Terrible result even if the game was a dead rubber for both. Fair play to Down. We survive in D1, just about. Hopefully see an improvement in Championship. However, that is an alarming defeat.

[marty34]

Bring back the Ulster Championship!!