Antrim Hurling

[Catch and Kick]

MLR are a team of battlers who have refined their stick and team work no end in the past few years. A lot of their players have grown in stature in the past 24 months - they now believe they are able to take on anyone. How good are they? The All Ireland Final will reveal all. Can't see them being overawed in anyway or suffering f=stage fright. it's not in them.
Small tight unit, an amalgamation of 3 clubs who have had a section trying to turn the clock back to the old days of 3 separate units. I think that has drawn them closer. As hard to beat at football where they haven't near as many natural big ball players.
They are very level headed; they haven't lost the run of themselves with the big wins in Leinster and are well grounded. Very thorough and sensible in preparations.
As for Loughiel; I got the impression in recent weeks that deep down supporters at least thought this was a gimme. Did that rub off on players?
You won't beat Rangers unless you put your body on the line for every ball and I just thought Loughiel were expecting their superior craft to just do it for them.
On the ref; Rangers def got easy frees in the first half. But in the second half the ref made some shocking decisions, mostly in favour of Loughiel.
Things like the face mask being clearly pulled off a Rangers player, no free and the move ended up int he first goal. Didin't think we're man deserved yellow for the pull - I thought he pulled fairly on the ball.
Looked to me like nearly all the yellow cards were awarded by the linesmen in communication with the ref.

[Seamroga in exile]

MLR are a team of battlers who have refined their stick and team work no end in the past few years. A lot of their players have grown in stature in the past 24 months - they now believe they are able to take on anyone. How good are they? The All Ireland Final will reveal all. Can't see them being overawed in anyway or suffering f=stage fright. it's not in them.
Small tight unit, an amalgamation of 3 clubs who have had a section trying to turn the clock back to the old days of 3 separate units. I think that has drawn them closer. As hard to beat at football where they haven't near as many natural big ball players.
They are very level headed; they haven't lost the run of themselves with the big wins in Leinster and are well grounded. Very thorough and sensible in preparations.
As for Loughiel; I got the impression in recent weeks that deep down supporters at least thought this was a gimme. Did that rub off on players?
You won't beat Rangers unless you put your body on the line for every ball and I just thought Loughiel were expecting their superior craft to just do it for them.
On the ref; Rangers def got easy frees in the first half. But in the second half the ref made some shocking decisions, mostly in favour of Loughiel.
Things like the face mask being clearly pulled off a Rangers player, no free and the move ended up int he first goal. Didin't think we're man deserved yellow for the pull - I thought he pulled fairly on the ball.
Looked to me like nearly all the yellow cards were awarded by the linesmen in communication with the ref.

where did you get that impression from? The loughgiel supporters on here or elsewhere took nothing for granted. The players certainly didn't. You'd know That if you'd seen the training these lads put in over the last few months. It was a poor first half for Loughgiel. That's where the match was lost. Fair play to Mlr, better team on the day.

[Catch and Kick]

Maybe I read the comments on here wrong (maybe they weren't Loughiel supporters) but there were quite a number of posts about winning by large margins. I was guessing this may have been the kind of loose talk that creeps into the minds of players. Loughiel are a great outfit and I hope they bounce back and challenge again for All Ireland honours. Antrim hurling folk deserve great credit - always play a lovely brand of hurling.

[Seamroga in exile]

Maybe I read the comments on here wrong (maybe they weren't Loughiel supporters) but there were quite a number of posts about winning by large margins. I was guessing this may have been the kind of loose talk that creeps into the minds of players. Loughiel are a great outfit and I hope they bounce back and challenge again for All Ireland honours. Antrim hurling folk deserve great credit - always play a lovely brand of hurling.

ah, ok. Those were non Loughgiel supporters alright. They should've known better.   

[johnneycool]

Clooney Gaels 0-7 Rower Inistoge 1-14

Mount Leinster 0-16 Rower Inistoge 2-16

Must be rare that Intermediate champs  beat Senior champs. 

How much would Loughgeil expect to beat Clooney Gaels by?

Shams by a bagful & good luck in the final.

Stop now, you are not allowed to predict scores Loughgiel by 10 pulling up, maybe MLR put out their reserves lol

Catch and Kick, ignore these lads, they haven't seen the marked improvement in Carlow hurling close up like some of us Down lads.

[Milltown Row2]

Clooney Gaels 0-7 Rower Inistoge 1-14

Mount Leinster 0-16 Rower Inistoge 2-16

Must be rare that Intermediate champs  beat Senior champs. 

How much would Loughgeil expect to beat Clooney Gaels by?

Shams by a bagful & good luck in the final.

Stop now, you are not allowed to predict scores Loughgiel by 10 pulling up, maybe MLR put out their reserves lol

Catch and Kick, ignore these lads, they haven't seen the marked improvement in Carlow hurling close up like some of us Down lads.

We can only go on form in fairness. MLR have proved a lot of people wrong, though if you do check a lot of post we did say if they allow MLR to stick with them then it could get interesting, I like others were thinking Loughgiel would get a commanding leading but it never happened.

Very good Catch and Kick, keep the hurling going in Antrim line, love it. used it myself when we beat the Galway champions in the semi final, keep her lit lads, I know it's tough in Galway  lol

[imtommygunn]

Not sure about that JC. The Carlow team that came to casement park and played us when Dinny was in charge and we were flying really put it up to us and to be honest it's the most character I've seen from any antrim team to win that game. Kevin Ryan did a lot of good down there(I'm sure many grass roots people and up did too but he improved them a lot too).

In the 2nd game on saturday I was disappointed in NaPiarsagh. I really thought they looked up for it this year but they looked very flat on saturday. It'll be an interesting final.

Every game MLR win against "bigger" opposition you read on here about their opposition not playing well on the day and they will regret it etc etc. It's not really a coincidence that no team has played to their full potential against them with their more physical nature and how much pressing they do - teams can't breathe. I think the final will be a step too far for them as Joe Canning is maybe too much of a scoring machine but what they have achieved thus far is amazing and they have nothing to lose.

Incidentally the "intensity" they show is something I have only really seen from one club team before - Loughgiel 2 years ago.

[NAG1]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

[Milltown Row2]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

Teams down south have been doing if for years, they are an amalgamation but a proper club, due to numbers clubs have combined but they are real clubs, the Galway champions we played, TAD were an amalgamation, seems to be the norm. be like Creggan and Tir Na Og amalgamating and creating a hurling club. Belfast teams are starting to do it now Eire Og and McDermotts have joined now

[NAG1]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

Teams down south have been doing if for years, they are an amalgamation but a proper club, due to numbers clubs have combined but they are real clubs, the Galway champions we played, TAD were an amalgamation, seems to be the norm. be like Creggan and Tir Na Og amalgamating and creating a hurling club. Belfast teams are starting to do it now Eire Og and McDermotts have joined now

I know they have MR2 just questioning the ethics of it really or maybe fairness of it I guess more.

[Seamroga in exile]

O'loughlin Gaels are also an amalgamation. Interesting question nag1

[Milltown Row2]

O'loughlin Gaels are also an amalgamation. Interesting question nag1

But they are clubs in their own right now. Once they are affiliated to the GAA then that's that I suppose, unless they play as their own parish clubs at juvenile level, as was the case for Commedagh and Ballymurphy when I was a kid growing up they were two separate clubs at underage level then at championship underage they were joined, they were a formidable team too

[johnneycool]

Is there any coincidence that most of their games have been played out in less than ideal conditions which suits teams who want to play their type of intense style of tackling. If the ball was rolling faster it would have suited LG better no doubt and they could have opened MLR up to a greater extent.

Lets be fair MLR are not a great side, they are keen fit and committed with a couple of decent hurlers that to me does not make a great side.

Also the competitive ethics of an amalgamation of 3 clubs playing a rural single club (even LG) has to be questioned.

Amalgamations aren't allowed to represent a county in any interprovincial competitions as is common in places like Cork and Kerry where amalgamations have won the county championship but can go no further so I'd presume MLR or O'Loughlin gaels aren't deemed amalgamations in the eyes of Croke park.

I'd presume they're outright senior clubs rather than two or three junior clubs getting together for senior championship.

IIRC Thurles Sarsfields have two separate juvenile clubs, themselves and Durlas Og's. Not entirely sure of the connection or its maybe just an unwritten rule that the better juveniles play for the sarsfields, either way they'd not be considered an amalgamation.

do Loughgiel not get the pick of the junior clubs around them anyway, Armoy, Cloughmills etc, etc, especially if they haven't enough younsters to form a team of their own??

[Seamroga in exile]

 Cloughmills are a senior team now Johnny. 

[north aontroim gael]

Gutted about Saturdays result.  First time in 3 or 4 years that we haven't performed to a decent level.  Too many players were below par on the day.

Hopefully the lads enjoy their rest, they deserve every bit of it.  That's two semi-finals we've left behind us now, I'm sure these lads will want another crack at it.