Antrim Hurling

[Yeah]

Neil McManus at the moment is still our best option for CHB, but having said that he definitely still requires some one to one coaching in this area. Watching some of the best CHB's at the moment no doubt Neil could emulate them, but he just needs to adopt his game to being slightly more defensive. Hippy should remain at FB when fit and available.

correct on all points, mr2 is right to maybe a force of habit form earlier years. we are picking holes in our best player but if hes is winning ball and not putting it in fast and direct maybe he hasn't any confidence in our forwards or maybe hes being a tad greedy. but your observations have some credence

McManus is far from the best player in the county. Forgot about McAuley, serious hurler, would probably have him in no.6, hippy behind him and id put mattie donnelly in on the wing at no.7 and big Carson at no.5. Thats as good as a half back line you'd find anywhere. Personally id give McManus a rest for a few weeks and try and let him get a bit of form back.

[imtommygunn]

He's one of the best we've ever had in my view never mind one of the best at the minute. He is at times a victim of his own versatility but as good as any around in almost any position.

Carson too slow for no. 5 and McAuley probably too small for 6.

[Two Hands FFS]

Neil McManus at the moment is still our best option for CHB, but having said that he definitely still requires some one to one coaching in this area. Watching some of the best CHB's at the moment no doubt Neil could emulate them, but he just needs to adopt his game to being slightly more defensive. Hippy should remain at FB when fit and available.

correct on all points, mr2 is right to maybe a force of habit form earlier years. we are picking holes in our best player but if hes is winning ball and not putting it in fast and direct maybe he hasn't any confidence in our forwards or maybe hes being a tad greedy. but your observations have some credence

McManus is far from the best player in the county. Forgot about McAuley, serious hurler, would probably have him in no.6, hippy behind him and id put mattie donnelly in on the wing at no.7 and big Carson at no.5. Thats as good as a half back line you'd find anywhere. Personally id give McManus a rest for a few weeks and try and let him get a bit of form back.

He has scored 3-4 & 0-9 in the past few weeks so he is badly out of form
You are clueless.

[Milltown Row2]

If we dont reply to certain trolls they'll go away. Giving them replies only fuels their shite..............

I'll get me coat 

[BlackandAmber]

If we dont reply to certain trolls they'll go away. Giving them replies only fuels their shite..............

I'll get me coat 

I was wondering if a boy from "North Antrim" could forget about Neal McAuley and if maybe the same boy wasfrom Loughgeil around about the AI club final or a Bog Ash Caman before that.

Dinnae feed the troll hi!

[Seamroga in exile]

To be fair to the fella I think he has been polluted by being played in midfield and forwards all the time. It's rare he even plays the position for cushendall.

We have a habit of doing this a la Gary O'Kane. I think he could be as good a CHB as is about if given a consistent period of time to play there as I believe this is his position.

Himself, Scully and James Campbell would be as good a half back line you'd get on the county team. Pity it won't happen though. 

SIE its getting a bit ridiculous now, MS is well past the level needed for inter county, club hurling is one thing county hurling is another level.

You telling me that either of those two are better than NMcA for one? Time for the red tinted specs to come off.

its all about opinions. Scully is our hurler of the year, deservedly so. He's been or most consistent player over the last couple of years. Jimmy has been brilliant the past year for us also, probably more consistent than his older brother. But hey, its all hypothetical, Scully couldn't commit this year and Jimmy wasnt selected.

[Seamroga in exile]

Have to disagree with you there SIE. Yes in a Loughgiel shirt over the last number of years Martin Scullion has been excellent and one of their most consistent performers, however, what is holding him back from turning out for the county, commitment? If this is the case, then as has been said on here before, he is no use to anyone. As for James Campbell, he's still got youth on his side, but is in no way near the same quality of player as Neil McAuley. Did you mean to say his older brother Johnny?

he said he couldn't commit, yes. Better that than saying he could and not turn up for training. Don't you think? No, I meant Jimmy. He was class for us all year. But I'm in the minority about him on here, sure we'll keep him up the road then.

[Seamroga in exile]

I've just been looking through the county antrim post, they'll publish photos of anyone in that paper.    

[btdtgtt]

Who's the photos of?
Sounds like this county Antrim post is doing great gaa coverage - is it available in the big smoke?

[optimus cheese]

I would have Martin Scullion in at centre back without doubt and let McManus move into midfield or wing forward. Neil likes to try and influence the game a bit more than what he can from centre back. Scullion was a rock there for Loughgiel, knows how to play the position well, just a shame he isn't part of the panel

[Fairhead]

Neil McManus at the moment is still our best option for CHB, but having said that he definitely still requires some one to one coaching in this area. Watching some of the best CHB's at the moment no doubt Neil could emulate them, but he just needs to adopt his game to being slightly more defensive. Hippy should remain at FB when fit and available.

Totally agree with the rest of the guys who have said Neil McManus is one of the best players Antrim have had over the last 5 years. No doubt about that and long may he continue to show that form.

However there was an excellent example in the 2nd half of the match on Saturday of what City Slicker has described. This was late in the game when Wm were on their charge and McManus got possession in acres of space in the centre half position. He went soloing up the middle and as he came to the first Westmeath player instead of clearing the ball he tried to go around him. He was belted and somehow the ref didnt give a free out, the ball was lost and Wm scored a point. Of course you can blame the ref for it or say he didnt have confidence in the forwards but imo if a Brian Hogan or Ronan Curran had been in that position in those circumstances they would have delivered that ball up the field where it was needed at that time of the game. Maybe its inexperience in that position because as others have said the lad has maybe suffered from being too good in that hes had to have been deployed in other positions in the Antirm jersey.

[Jesusjones]

Fairhead would it be fair to say that the situation you have just described is more to do with Wallis and his idea of trying to introduce the cork style running game into Antrim's play? If you'd have watched Neil the next day against Ballycastle he scored at least 4 of his 9 points from outside 70 yards. 9 points off Neil Mc Auley whom everyone else on this forum agrees is one of the top 5 or 6 we have in Antrim.

[NAG1]

Lads he is our top player and probably will be for a few years, but there is nothing wrong with the manager getting in his face and saying, 'win the ball and play it in'
Inter county hurling is no place for the show boating that he gets away with in club hurling. How many time have we all watched him line up an opposing club player run directly at him and fall down, ref gives a free job done. These types of frees are not given at IC level.

May be a bit of inexperience but this is where again I would look to a manager to coach this out of him.

[CitySlicker11]

I'm not disagreeing with the idea that Jerry Wallis is trying to bring in elements of the Cork game that we saw beginning in '03. However, you compared this 'running game' to some of Neil McManus' play. I don't agree with that, as Ronan Curran the CHB would not have went on aimless runs up the pitch. He was a stopper and began attacks by either using a simple hand pass to a free man or a simple clever clearance up field. If Neil, who I believe is our best player could develop this to his game then we would automatically be improving by 20%.

[the colonel]

Ronan Curran had Joe Deane, Brian Corcoran, the McCarthys, the O'Connors to lay the ball into to name just a few where as Antrim don't have anywhere near that quality. You can't expect to have a successful game plan if the players are not capable of carrying it out. Ronan Curran also had Sean Og and Gardiner beside him to play the game plan also.

Antrim didn't change from the plan when they should have realised, 'sh*t this isn't working'