Antrim Hurling

[Milltown Row2]

Whoever wins on Sunday will have to approach S'neil differently to previous years, they have not had a bitta bother in the games against the Antrim Champions..

S'neil have physicality, skill, speed and knowhow.. The Antrim winners need to match and better that, certainly skill isn't a problem matched and bettered all over the pitch, speed, Dunloy have that, Cushendall possibly lacking that, physicality Cushendall can match S'niel Dunloy are getting there..

The knowhow is how to get over the line when it gets tight and some players in Dunloy and Cushendall have that in Ulster but all the players at S'neil have it, can't underestimate the managers in all of this too McShane has proven to be very good when he has a team that wants to work hard.. great panel of men at Cushendall with Brian at the helm, and Dick has all the experience of playing and managing too..

Portaferry will put up a better show to what Ballycran did last year, but will fall short..

Who's best to play S'niel?

[johnnycool]

Whoever wins on Sunday will have to approach S'neil differently to previous years, they have not had a bitta bother in the games against the Antrim Champions..

S'neil have physicality, skill, speed and knowhow.. The Antrim winners need to match and better that, certainly skill isn't a problem matched and bettered all over the pitch, speed, Dunloy have that, Cushendall possibly lacking that, physicality Cushendall can match S'niel Dunloy are getting there..

The knowhow is how to get over the line when it gets tight and some players in Dunloy and Cushendall have that in Ulster but all the players at S'neil have it, can't underestimate the managers in all of this too McShane has proven to be very good when he has a team that wants to work hard.. great panel of men at Cushendall with Brian at the helm, and Dick has all the experience of playing and managing too..

Portaferry will put up a better show to what Ballycran did last year, but will fall short..

Who's best to play S'niel?

Probably a fair assessment there although I do think Portaferry are a coming team with plenty of pace but little or no physicality barring one or two players.

The two Sand's influence in their scoring has dropped as the year has went on, they don't suit soft pitches and close attention which they'll get in spades with SN.

The lad who got the straight red will probably be available as it's a different competition I believe but I don't he'd be a big loss anyway and I don't see who's going to win them possession in their forwards in the air when space is tight the way SN play.

Irrespective of who wins out in Antrim and obviously Dunloy have timed their training to peak about now (as I thought they were poor in the league)I think SN will be too much for them and due to their physique Cushendall are probably better suited to winter hurling and could cause SN more problems, but they'd need some of those names carrying injuries back in the fold.

It's wee Mickey and the Slaughtneil lads Ulster to lose IMO.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

I watched the Derry final. Everyone was out in second half. Rogers brought them to another level. Shane McGuigan was excellent

[Jonkunlon]

Dunloy will catch Slaughtneil this year. They've been around the block enough times at this stage and know what they need to do differently. They've better stick men than Slaughtneil. Cushendall is the perfect preparation for them.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Dunloy will catch Slaughtneil this year. They've been around the block enough times at this stage and know what they need to do differently. They've better stick men than Slaughtneil. Cushendall is the perfect preparation for them.

Dunno Slaughtneil have few aces up their sleeves

[Antrim Coaster]

Dunloy will catch Slaughtneil this year. They've been around the block enough times at this stage and know what they need to do differently. They've better stick men than Slaughtneil. Cushendall is the perfect preparation for them.

I wouldnt be too sure that Dunloy will beat Cushendall.

I suspect the final will be a similar type of match than the Antrim semi final a few years ago between Dunloy and Loughgiel in Ballycastle, where Loughgiel packed the midfield and cut off the Dunloy fast runners.

It wasnt pretty but Loughgiel got the job done that day.

Cushendall have their fair share of big men well able to mix it up in the physical stakes and I suspect they will use that to their advantage to frustrate the Dunloy attack. I think it could well be a battle of the freetakers and wouldnt be expecting a classic free flowing game of hurling.

One thing I did notice was the Dall management team werent afraid to make the calls with their substitutions. Ronan McAteer was brought on to man mark Donal McKinley who seen very little of the ball afterwards and was later substituted. Christy came on at the right time and turned the game in Cushendall's favour, scoring 1-2 in a 10 minute spell before coming off injured.

In last year's Ulster Final in Armagh, Slaughtneil done the exact same thing especially in the second half when Dunloy had the breeze. Dunloy were unable to work the ball past the Slaughtneil half back line and paid the price.

[Milltown Row2]

Dunloy will catch Slaughtneil this year. They've been around the block enough times at this stage and know what they need to do differently. They've better stick men than Slaughtneil. Cushendall is the perfect preparation for them.

I wouldnt be too sure that Dunloy will beat Cushendall.

I suspect the final will be a similar type of match than the Antrim semi final a few years ago between Dunloy and Loughgiel in Ballycastle, where Loughgiel packed the midfield and cut off the Dunloy fast runners.

It wasnt pretty but Loughgiel got the job done that day.

Cushendall have their fair share of big men well able to mix it up in the physical stakes and I suspect they will use that to their advantage to frustrate the Dunloy attack. I think it could well be a battle of the freetakers and wouldnt be expecting a classic free flowing game of hurling.

One thing I did notice was the Dall management team werent afraid to make the calls with their substitutions. Ronan McAteer was brought on to man mark Donal McKinley who seen very little of the ball afterwards and was later substituted. Christy came on at the right time and turned the game in Cushendall's favour, scoring 1-2 in a 10 minute spell before coming off injured.

In last year's Ulster Final in Armagh, Slaughtneil done the exact same thing especially in the second half when Dunloy had the breeze. Dunloy were unable to work the ball past the Slaughtneil half back line and paid the price.

Very good assessment Coaster, it depends though on Cushendall changing their own game by worrying how Dunloy will play, they probaly feel their own game is enough to beat Dunloy!

Free taking is part of the game and some people are wanting the game to flow but when their own player gets 'fouled' they want a free, crazy lol

[imtommygunn]

They took ages to take Delargy off who could barely walk though. I think they have more options in defense than attack mind you.

I think someone said here Cushendall may be better placed to beat Slaughtneil. I still think Dunloy win this by 5 or 6.

[saffron123]

Cushendall bound to be favourites after that assessment

[Antrim Coaster]

Dunloy will catch Slaughtneil this year. They've been around the block enough times at this stage and know what they need to do differently. They've better stick men than Slaughtneil. Cushendall is the perfect preparation for them.

I wouldnt be too sure that Dunloy will beat Cushendall.

I suspect the final will be a similar type of match than the Antrim semi final a few years ago between Dunloy and Loughgiel in Ballycastle, where Loughgiel packed the midfield and cut off the Dunloy fast runners.

It wasnt pretty but Loughgiel got the job done that day.

Cushendall have their fair share of big men well able to mix it up in the physical stakes and I suspect they will use that to their advantage to frustrate the Dunloy attack. I think it could well be a battle of the freetakers and wouldnt be expecting a classic free flowing game of hurling.

One thing I did notice was the Dall management team werent afraid to make the calls with their substitutions. Ronan McAteer was brought on to man mark Donal McKinley who seen very little of the ball afterwards and was later substituted. Christy came on at the right time and turned the game in Cushendall's favour, scoring 1-2 in a 10 minute spell before coming off injured.

In last year's Ulster Final in Armagh, Slaughtneil done the exact same thing especially in the second half when Dunloy had the breeze. Dunloy were unable to work the ball past the Slaughtneil half back line and paid the price.

Very good assessment Coaster, it depends though on Cushendall changing their own game by worrying how Dunloy will play, they probaly feel their own game is enough to beat Dunloy!

Free taking is part of the game and some people are wanting the game to flow but when their own player gets 'fouled' they want a free, crazy lol

To be honest I think Dunloy only know how to play the one way and that is to rely on the speed of their midfielders and forwards driving forward.

Eoghan Campbell touched on that in the Irish News recently. Id say Cushendall have copped onto that aspect of the Dunloy game and may have something up their sleeve to counter that.

On a heavy and wet surface the Dunloy running game might not suit and they have been caught out in the past by Slaughtneil so do Dunloy have a Plan B. I suppose we'll find out on Sunday.

The lack of a Plan B cost them in last year's Ulster Final.

[Lord Antrim]

Anyone know what the craic is with u20's championship ?
LGiel beat BCastle last week in a tight game and now it appears that could be the only game played .
Hearing u20 county managers have quit cos of the shambles.
Crazy situation if we are trying to develop young men for senior team and also trying to stop drop off.

[paddyjohn]

That's shambolic if true.

[imtommygunn]

From very early on in the year people have convinced themselves that it is Cushendall's year. One last push for a lot of their players etc.
Personally, I'm not seeing where they have backed any of that expectation up and I don't see anything in them to match Dunloy. Though, just for the sake of change, I'd like them to win.

Dunloy by 8+

Yeah I don't see it either though I hope I'm wrong. They lack pace in the forwards and with injuries I don't think they have the depth. If McManus doesn't get scores where do they get them? You look at Dunloy and Cunning, Molloy, Elliot x2 and the list goes on can get them.

McManus in his 14th final. That is some going.

[Lord Antrim]

That's shambolic if true.

https://www.irishnews.com/sport/hurlingandcamogie/2022/10/14/news/antrim_u20_management_team_step_down-2861748/

[imtommygunn]

That's awful. Basically reads we have ambitions and you do not so we're done.