Antrim Hurling

[johnnycool]

What way does the home/away arrangement work in the Antrim SHC?

Looks like the first round one team has home advantage, the second round at neutral venues and then the final round a team has home advantage.

Is that right?

Will Ballycastle not fancy at cut at either or both the 2 Belfast clubs or are they a still a bit below that level wise?
losing to Loughgiel by 7 points isn't the worst of a defeat in hurling.

Ballycastle will not see themselves as below either St Johns or Rossa

Based on league form they looked impressive enough, certainly more than Rossa who we should have beaten at home.

BUT

You need to kick on come championship.

Manys a team bust themselves in preseason to get early points on the door during the league campaign where other teams are aiming to peak later in the year and someone already seems to think this is where Ballycastle may come unstuck.

I'm hearing a senior Portaferry hurler is living in the Waterfoot area and training with Glenariffe currently with the fear he'll transfer to them next year.
Anyone from that part of the world know anything about that?

[NAG1]

What way does the home/away arrangement work in the Antrim SHC?

Looks like the first round one team has home advantage, the second round at neutral venues and then the final round a team has home advantage.

Is that right?

Will Ballycastle not fancy at cut at either or both the 2 Belfast clubs or are they a still a bit below that level wise?
losing to Loughgiel by 7 points isn't the worst of a defeat in hurling.

Ballycastle will not see themselves as below either St Johns or Rossa

Based on league form they looked impressive enough, certainly more than Rossa who we should have beaten at home.

BUT

You need to kick on come championship.

Manys a team bust themselves in preseason to get early points on the door during the league campaign where other teams are aiming to peak later in the year and someone already seems to think this is where Ballycastle may come unstuck.

I'm hearing a senior Portaferry hurler is living in the Waterfoot area and training with Glenariffe currently with the fear he'll transfer to them next year.
Anyone from that part of the world know anything about that?

I think they will need a couple of additions like this to bridge the gap to senior, underage success not always a precursor to senior level success.

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Id imagine they have lost more than they have gained over the years though travel and lack of work in the area

[TheGeneral]

If your referring to Ballycastle loosing more players than other clubs through travel and 'lack of work' in the town, would all of the clubs in North Antrim & City Teams not be in a similar boat?

Given they have about 5000 residents living in the area they would have a larger catchment area, similar distance to Derry and Belfast. So should in theory have a better chance of retaining people than the other clubs in the area.

You cant be blaming it on the immigration problem as everyone is dealing with the same issues with the younger players.

The best known or bigger teams in the city are loosing younger players from other parishes as more clubs have popped up or developed their underage systems and retained their talent rather than players moving to play for the larger clubs in Belfast which is what traditionally happened. Circa 10 Teams that I can think of that are based in west Belfast off the Falls and Andytown so they are all fighting for the same talent coming out of schools and nearby areas.

You would have to assume that the clubs competing year in and year out are doing something a bit different, or making the most of what they have?