Antrim Hurling

[paddyjohn]

Paddyjohn

'Donegal? Why in caps?'

Why not?

Why emphasise where the ref is from?

[MoChara]

I hear the semi and final are to be played before the end of the year. Any truth in this JJ?

According to the GAA.ie report its to be Feb, but I did read of the fixture committee thinking March was too busy

"Cushendall, in front of 3,742 in the Athletic Grounds, took full advantage. Despite only scoring one point in the second half until stoppage time, they finished strong with two Neil McManus frees and another from Eoghan Campbell to set up an All-Ireland semi-final against the Galway champions next February."

http://gaa.ie/hurling/news/cushendall-finish-strongly/

[Sweeper 123]

I just dont get why some folk on here are giving the referee a hard time. I thought he done a good job, didnt think it was a particularly physical or dirty match.  I didnt see any off the ball incidents that were not dealt with (thought the linesmen /umpires highlighted everything to the ref). I did see McManus trying to conn the ref a few times, over play acting - yep he did get a strike which was correctly punished - very similar to the picture that Curly captured of a Cdall Player striking a Crans player on the helmet.

Ballycran missed a lot of frees, McManus missed none. The Crans were too late in coming to the party and you cant miss scores like they did.  Natty once again when they were coming under pressure got a few scores (hes been immense all year) and he can last a full 60mins. Graffin was brilliant in chb as was Sean D. Mc Afee really threw himself about in FF and caused a lot of trouble also getting a good goal. McManus has been a class act all year for club & county.

Fingers crossed they can get to the final now and do us Antrim folk proud.

[imtommygunn]

I thought the ref was ok too. Delargy being hit he couldn't see and one or two of the off the ball things he couldn't see either. General play he was ok.

Cushendall are brilliant at the back and McManus is playing maybe as well as he has ever played. They will really need to try and do something with their full forward line though as there is so much ball just goes in there and right back out. Carson should help though.

I always wonder why Eunan McKillop doesn't get more game time as he always makes a decent difference when he comes in.

McManus was massive yesterday. Paddy Burke was also superb as well. Great point that he scored.

Hope Graffin is ok. Really feel for him getting injured like that. As I saw complaints about very poor provisions for him yesterday and didn't look much in place for serious injuries.

[Sheugh Water]

Paddyjohn

'Donegal? Why in caps?'

Why not?

Why emphasise where the ref is from?

Would be more inclined to emphasise that he is in actual fact a football ref primarily.

Wasn't at the game but I have to say there is a terrible tendency with hurling referees throughout Ulster to blow for every little contact.

We had a visiting club up from Cork during the Summer and they commented on that a number of times during the games played

[paddyjohn]

Paddyjohn

'Donegal? Why in caps?'

Why not?

Why emphasise where the ref is from?

Would be more inclined to emphasise that he is in actual fact a football ref primarily.

Wasn't at the game but I have to say there is a terrible tendency with hurling referees throughout Ulster to blow for every little contact.

We had a visiting club up from Cork during the Summer and they commented on that a number of times during the games played

But sure some refs is our own county are football refs and end up being very good hurling ref and vice versa.

Imagine the uproar if the Dall would of lost.

[Jesusjones]

Paddyjohn

'Donegal? Why in caps?'

Why not?

Why emphasise where the ref is from?

Would be more inclined to emphasise that he is in actual fact a football ref primarily.

Wasn't at the game but I have to say there is a terrible tendency with hurling referees throughout Ulster to blow for every little contact.

We had a visiting club up from Cork during the Summer and they commented on that a number of times during the games played

But sure some refs is our own county are football refs and end up being very good hurling ref and vice versa.

Imagine the uproar if the Dall would of lost.

I don't care if the referee is from Donegal or if he referees football as well, it would be nice if he could answer how off the ball a player hits another in the balls, the linesman sees it, calls in the referee and tells him what happened and the referee gives a yellow card. Surely it's a red all day long?

[Milltown Row2]

It seems to be the thing for a certain club at the minute to give off about refs!

I know refs that never played and referee pretty well

There are refs that never hurled but are great hurling refs and vice versa and because a ref has played both and refs both doesn't make him a better ref, it's how he applies the rules that counts..

At National level they are a step up from your run of the mill county refs (me) so it doesn't matter if they are from Donegal or Kilkenny they'll apply the rules

As for what the linesman seen in yesterday's game you don't know what he said to the ref!

Well done Cushendall, it takes you to lose a final or two to make it happen, so hopefully they'll get back to Croke again and give us another day out

[As I see it]

Congratulations to Cushendall and all the best in the semi , when dall have needed him the most McManus has stepped up and delivered.Now that club action is over for a while is there any news on the county manager

[Tony Baloney]

I thought the ref was ok too. Delargy being hit he couldn't see and one or two of the off the ball things he couldn't see either. General play he was ok.

Cushendall are brilliant at the back and McManus is playing maybe as well as he has ever played. They will really need to try and do something with their full forward line though as there is so much ball just goes in there and right back out. Carson should help though.

I always wonder why Eunan McKillop doesn't get more game time as he always makes a decent difference when he comes in.

McManus was massive yesterday. Paddy Burke was also superb as well. Great point that he scored.

Hope Graffin is ok. Really feel for him getting injured like that. As I saw complaints about very poor provisions for him yesterday and didn't look much in place for serious injuries.

St. John's/Order of Malta would have been there. What else would you expect to see?

[imtommygunn]

I don't think they were though. Sure the fella was lying on a stretcher on the pitch while cushendall got the trophy. (N.b i could be wrong on this but i have read elsewhere on twitter about this too. A doctor came in from the crowd to provide assistance)

[Hurlingballs]

Provisions very poor for such a big stadium. Cushendall chair man carrier the stretcher over to Arron! They had no blankets or anything for him and while the 3 ulster officials stood looking on supporters where throwing down scarfs and jumpers to put over him to keep warm.

[Milltown Row2]

I don't think they were though. Sure the fella was lying on a stretcher on the pitch while cushendall got the trophy. (N.b i could be wrong on this but i have read elsewhere on twitter about this too. A doctor came in from the crowd to provide assistance)

Cushendall not have a physiotherapist or doctor on the line?

[imtommygunn]

The former though not sure on the latter.

[Milltown Row2]

In a video I seen he seemed happy enough to stay around for the final whistle and celebrate.