Antrim Hurling

[Minder]

Big chance missed today. Other than Mc Manus there isnt a forward that can put the ball over the bar. Karl Stewart would be needed soon into that forward line. Nobody seemed willing to take a shot from more than 30 yards in the second half. I think we scored about 0-3 in the last 20 minutes after Clare had a man sent off (harshly i thought). Our fellas seem intent on carrying the ball everytime they get it yet were continually outmuscled by the Clare players, instead of playing the ball in early. Clare were very poor, i was expecting abit more from them. With Carlow beating Wexford today it seems to be a poor quality division.

[the colonel]

What was the team today?

[Two Hands FFS]

Before the match if I thought we'd get within a point of Clare I would have been shocked. But after watching that we just seem to be getting worse. Forward line the whole match was shocking. Neil was carrying that forward line on his own. Some terrible decision making by the players.... . Dinny didnt help either, left Shane McN in midfield even though we had a extra man & no-one in the FF Line who was going to get us a score.

Neil McAuley, Hippy(apart from 10 spell in 1st half) & Neil McManus had good games, Shorty finished the last 10 well...but very disappointing performance.

when/who is next match??

[Minder]

I think you nailed it there TwoHands, "decision making". They persisted to solo the ball into trouble and then lose it under a tackle. They don't hve the physical makeup to play this type of hurling. I know the forwards were poor but some of Antrims backs, under little pressure, kept pumping high balls in on top of the forwards with predictable results. I wonder do they even have a gameplan or work on a style of hurling during the week at training. I think it is Down next , at home, then Wexford away.

Any word on Graffin, seemed to pull up with what looked like a hamstring pull?

[Two Hands FFS]

I think you nailed it there TwoHands, "decision making". They persisted to solo the ball into trouble and then lose it under a tackle. They don't hve the physical makeup to play this type of hurling. I know the forwards were poor but some of Antrims backs, under little pressure, kept pumping high balls in on top of the forwards with predictable results. I wonder do they even have a gameplan or work on a style of hurling during the week at training. I think it is Down next , at home, then Wexford away.

Any word on Graffin, seemed to pull up with what looked like a hamstring pull?

Sure they only trained on Friday night. Thats the problem with Dinny coming up from Tipp. The 1st time they met after the Laois was Friday night...Thats not good enough. 1-9 to 0-13 from 70 minutes on a good day for hurling tells you alot about the standard of todays match

Aye Graffin i'd say has pulled hamstring..a few weeks out for him.

[NAG1]

Didnt make the game on sunday, was it as bad as is being reported?

[maxpower]

had hoped to get up on Sunday but didn't make it.

Surely a one point loss to clare is a serious improvement on a 10 point loss to laois.  heard hippy and mcmanus were our top performers.  going by reports i think antrim are going to need paddy richmond back, just have no other ball winning forwards

[Last Man]

Leaving aside the quality, I was impressed by the work rate from start to finish. Excluding McManus the forwards were indeed toothless and just couldn't link up, not comfortable with each other at all, Shane shudve been moved up to rip things up a bit along with McManus after the sending off.
Not sure I agreed with leaving McCann on the edge of the square when he came on, he is decent in the air but I have never seen this role work for him against a reasonable FB. With fresh legs and 10 to go he should have given his man more to think about.
But as usual it's easy sayin it now.

[the colonel]

1. Gareth Magee 2. Aaron Graffin 3. Cormac Donnelly 4. Barry McFall 5. Neil McAuley 6. Karl McKeegan 7. Ciaran Herrom 8. Paul Shiels 9. Shane McNaughton 10. Simon McCrory 11. Neil McManus 12. P.J. O'Connell 13. Colm McFall 14. Martin Scullion 15. Conor McAlister

sundays team from county site

[drici]

Unconvincing win for Clare on the Falls Road
http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=14124.msg662741#msg662741






Alan Markham gets away from Antrim's Barry McFall and Karl McKeegan. Photo by Seamus Loughran




National Hurling League  Div 2 Round 4

Antrim           1-09

Clare              0-13



A slender victory in Belfast may keep Clare in promotion contention but leaves the question: is Clare hurling in steep decline or does this effort merely represent the stormy night before a glorious summer dawn?

Clare took the long road to Casement Park on the Falls Road to take on opposition that would normally be regarded as cannon fodder. Irrespective of the opposing team, 2010 is now proving to be a major obstacle for Clare to overcome as they attempt to reassert a hurling challenge on the national stage.

Wexford's loss to a Carlow side that would never win a first division game and Clare's inability to overcome Wexford at home shows just how far these once strong sides have fallen.

Fergal Lynch, who was most unfortunate to receive a red card entering the final quarter, had Clare's opening brace of scores either side of 1-1 from Antrim's Neil McManus (goal) and Paul Shields (point). Colin Ryan and Diarmuid McMahon added further scores to level the game after 12 minutes.

Darach Honan had travelled to Belfast in the aftermath of Clonlara's U21 championship victory over Door Barefield but was forced to retire with hamstring problems. His replacement, Barry Nugent, hit a rich vein of form for ten minutes bagging a hat-trick of scores before Antrim's Neil McManus did likewise.

Colin Ryan and Shane McNaughton were also on the scoresheet as Clare held on to a slender 0-9 to 1-5 half time advantage. Pat Vaughan, who was Clare's best player, and Cian Dillon were the pick of the Clare rearguard.

Twice Philip Brennan came to Clare's rescue in the second half with tremendous reflex saves as Antrim hit hard in the final twenty minutes when Clare were operating without Lynch.

A long range pass from Philip Brennan found Diarmuid McMahon for the opening score of the second half before Paul Shields and Colin Ryan swopped scores.

Clare still managed to maintain a one point lead ahead of their hosts with scores from Aaron Smylie and Sean Collins with a well earned point leaving Clare 0-11 to 1-7. Brennan made a fine save in the 57th minute before Colin Ryan had the final Clare score in the 61st minute.

The visitors had to endure ten minutes of had fought rearguard action during which Antrim added two more scores from Paul Shields and Colm McFall as well as witnessing Pat Vaughan making a goal line clearance in the dying moments to secure a vital brace of league points.

Consequently Clare will emerge as division two league finalists and aiming for a quick return to the top flight.

The winners had strong displays from Philip Brennan, Pat Vaughan, Cian Dillon, Sean Collins,  Fergal Lynch, Barry Nugent and James McInerney.

CLARE: Philip Brennan, Pat Vaughan, Cian Dillon, Gerry O'Grady, Brendan Bugler, James McInerney, Pat Donnellan, Sean Collins (0-1), Aonghus O'Brien, Diarmuid McMahon (0-2), David Barrett, Fergal Lynch (0-2), Darach Honan, Alan Markham, Colin Ryan (0-5). Subs: Barry Nugent (0-3) for Honan (inj), Cormac O'Donovan for O'Brien, Mark Flaherty for Markham, Martin Oige Murphy for Barrett, Eamonn Glynn for Donnellan.

ANTRIM : G McGhee, A Graffin, C Donnelly, M Scullion, M McAuley, K McKeegan, C Herron, P Shiels, PJ O'Connell, S McCrory, N McManus, S McNaughton, B McFall, C McFall, C McAllister. Subs: A Smylie for McAllister, T McCann for Scullion, D Hamill for McCrory, S McKeague for B McFall, E McCloskey for O'Connell.

REFEREE: Barry Kelly (Westmeath). 

[clootfromthe21]

Congrats to CPC on retaining the O'Keefe Cup by beating Dungarvan CBS by 1 - 12 to 0 - 11.

[slow corner back]

Excellent stuff from CPC. Some fine work being done there by all concerned.

[Minder]

Westmeath 1-14 Antrim 1-13 FT

[Two Hands FFS]

Westmeath 1-14 Antrim 1-13 FT

No suprise given the team named.McManus/Graffin not playing..Shorty not starting.

Westmeath 1-14 1-13 Antrim 

Shane McNaughton scored 1-6 for Antrim before being dismissed 
Antrim slipped to a one-point defeat by Allianz NHL Division Two strugglers Westmeath at Cusack Park on Sunday.

The hosts, without a win before the game, led 1-7 to 0-9 at half-time with Shane McNaughton hitting five points for the Saffrons.

Antrim started the second half strongly and McNaughton netted as the Ulstermen surged clear.

McNaughton was red-carded for striking before Westmeath fought back to clinch a surprise victory.

[Minder]

I take it Graffin was injured from last week?

according to County website Collie McFall got the goal. It is still surprising Two Hands as Westmeath hadn't won a game yet and Kildare had beaten them.