Antrim Hurling

[playwiththewind1st]

Maybe it's cause there's so many games on the same days but having no linesmen for senior championship games is a recipe for disaster.

A ref turning up with no umpires isn't acceptable either.
Linesmen can be excused to a certain extent.

Harking back to the good old days, when I reffed a bit & match reports were sent out in the post, you often had just a couple of days' notice of being sent to do a championship match, sometimes at some godforsaken hour at a pitch stuck away in the back end of nowhere. It was difficult enough even then to get four guys to go with you & you were well out of pocket, after you took them for a few pints each afterwards, just to say thanks.
As for doing linesman, I have to say it's the dreariest job in the GAA. I remember being a linesman at a match in Casement & having to stay on for a second match, as whoever was nominated to run the line didn't weigh in.
I daresay it's getting even tougher nowadays, if not impossible, to assemble a full team of a referee, 2 linesmen, 4 umpires and a referee assessor.

[podge]

Maybe it's cause there's so many games on the same days but having no linesmen for senior championship games is a recipe for disaster.

A ref turning up with no umpires isn't acceptable either.
Linesmen can be excused to a certain extent.

Harking back to the good old days, when I reffed a bit & match reports were sent out in the post, you often had just a couple of days' notice of being sent to do a championship match, sometimes at some godforsaken hour at a pitch stuck away in the back end of nowhere. It was difficult enough even then to get four guys to go with you & you were well out of pocket, after you took them for a few pints each afterwards, just to say thanks.
As for doing linesman, I have to say it's the dreariest job in the GAA. I remember being a linesman at a match in Casement & having to stay on for a second match, as whoever was nominated to run the line didn't weigh in.
I daresay it's getting even tougher nowadays, if not impossible, to assemble a full team of a referee, 2 linesmen, 4 umpires and a referee assessor.

I was at an intermediate match which was played at a neutral venue in the past week where the ref had his own umpires but both teams ran a line each.  Now this was at a neutral venue and I saw that there were many dozens of fit and able neutral men watching the game how who could have done it.

I also went to a juvenile game in recent weeks where the visiting team didn't have anyone to run the line.  Now they had 3/4 mentors who stayed on one side and numerous spectators who were happy to lean over the fence and shout abuse at the referee who was doing his best in the absence of any help.  When I suggested to some of those spectators that rather than roar abuse, they could simply take the flag and do the line themselves I was met with similar abuse .  Mindless stuff really.

My point is that there is a cultural issue within Antrim GAA around, firstly, people believing they can shout and say what they want at officials and secondly, a real unwillingness of people to simply help out on these occasions.

[Saffrongael]

I agree with most of what you are saying but no neutral is going to take on the aggro of running the line

[NAG1]

Maybe it's cause there's so many games on the same days but having no linesmen for senior championship games is a recipe for disaster.

A ref turning up with no umpires isn't acceptable either.
Linesmen can be excused to a certain extent.

Harking back to the good old days, when I reffed a bit & match reports were sent out in the post, you often had just a couple of days' notice of being sent to do a championship match, sometimes at some godforsaken hour at a pitch stuck away in the back end of nowhere. It was difficult enough even then to get four guys to go with you & you were well out of pocket, after you took them for a few pints each afterwards, just to say thanks.
As for doing linesman, I have to say it's the dreariest job in the GAA. I remember being a linesman at a match in Casement & having to stay on for a second match, as whoever was nominated to run the line didn't weigh in.
I daresay it's getting even tougher nowadays, if not impossible, to assemble a full team of a referee, 2 linesmen, 4 umpires and a referee assessor.

I was at an intermediate match which was played at a neutral venue in the past week where the ref had his own umpires but both teams ran a line each.  Now this was at a neutral venue and I saw that there were many dozens of fit and able neutral men watching the game how who could have done it.

I also went to a juvenile game in recent weeks where the visiting team didn't have anyone to run the line.  Now they had 3/4 mentors who stayed on one side and numerous spectators who were happy to lean over the fence and shout abuse at the referee who was doing his best in the absence of any help.  When I suggested to some of those spectators that rather than roar abuse, they could simply take the flag and do the line themselves I was met with similar abuse .  Mindless stuff really.

My point is that there is a cultural issue within Antrim GAA around, firstly, people believing they can shout and say what they want at officials and secondly, a real unwillingness of people to simply help out on these occasions.

Or for clubs to call out their own members for this kind of abuse that wouldn't be accepted in any other aspect of people lives. Aimed at volunteers who are helping our games to go ahead.

[paddyjohn]

I don't understand the abuse of refs and umpires.

Why do people think it's acceptable?

[johnnycool]

I don't understand the abuse of refs and umpires.

Why do people think it's acceptable?

I've paid my £5 or whatever in I'll say whatever f**k I like is a very common attitude.

[saffman]

Whats everyones thoughts on senior championship this weekend?

Ballycastle V St Endas - Endas by 3
St. Johns V Dunloy - Dunloy by 8

Cushendall V Loughguile - Loughguile by 3
Carey V Rossa - Rossa by 15

[Saffron71]

This behaviour from underage mentors seems to generally come from coaches who are in it to feed their own ego so in other words win at all costs.  If you're coaching at underage with a mindset like that you are more detrimental to the game on many levels. Underage should be about player development and trying to retain players whether that be in a playing capacity or other.  If you achieve success along the way then great but it should never be the absolute end goal.  The end goal should be how many are still involved in the club in x amount of years etc.  When coaches behave in a manner like mentioned above it is unacceptable.

[angermanagement]

Is it just me or are juvenile mentors getting worse?

Was at St Galls and Dunloy U16 hurling championship last Tuesday evening and some of the behaviour was absolutely despicable.

Clubs and county really ought to get to grips with some out of control mentors before something unsavoury happens.

g

Was at the match myself and didn't hear anything out of order from either management. Maybe I was standing on the wrong side.

Still can't believe Dunloy got beat. Would've fancied them to easily win the championship.

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Hurling championship games at half 6 on a Friday is a shambles! All teams are fairly close to each other but meeting at a pitch at half 5!

[Saffrongael]

Is it just me or are juvenile mentors getting worse?

Was at St Galls and Dunloy U16 hurling championship last Tuesday evening and some of the behaviour was absolutely despicable.

Clubs and county really ought to get to grips with some out of control mentors before something unsavoury happens.

g

Was at the match myself and didn't hear anything out of order from either management. Maybe I was standing on the wrong side.

Still can't believe Dunloy got beat. Would've fancied them to easily win the championship.

You don't normally see a team scoring 2-23 and losing

[Pjoe]

Is it just me or are juvenile mentors getting worse?

Was at St Galls and Dunloy U16 hurling championship last Tuesday evening and some of the behaviour was absolutely despicable.

Clubs and county really ought to get to grips with some out of control mentors before something unsavoury happens.

g

Was at the match myself and didn't hear anything out of order from either management. Maybe I was standing on the wrong side.

Still can't believe Dunloy got beat. Would've fancied them to easily win the championship.

You don't normally see a team scoring 2-23 and losing

That St Galls team (Ard na Ri) is a combined St Brigds / St Galls outfit.  St Brigids seem to be making some positive progress on the hurling front and perhaps not a football only club. They won Div 4 and have had a few surprise results in the JHC this year. Time will tell if they can continue to build on the hurling front as they have in football. 

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Is it just me or are juvenile mentors getting worse?

Was at St Galls and Dunloy U16 hurling championship last Tuesday evening and some of the behaviour was absolutely despicable.

Clubs and county really ought to get to grips with some out of control mentors before something unsavoury happens.

g

Was at the match myself and didn't hear anything out of order from either management. Maybe I was standing on the wrong side.

Still can't believe Dunloy got beat. Would've fancied them to easily win the championship.

You don't normally see a team scoring 2-23 and losing

That St Galls team (Ard na Ri) is a combined St Brigds / St Galls outfit.  St Brigids seem to be making some positive progress on the hurling front and perhaps not a football only club. They won Div 4 and have had a few surprise results in the JHC this year. Time will tell if they can continue to build on the hurling front as they have in football. 

No surprise results in JHC. A young team with handy hurlers and obviously a few coming behind them. You'd imagine a while before they return to div 4

[imtommygunn]

St Brigid's have that many members there's plenty of room for hurling too

[imtommygunn]

Tight one between Creggan and ahoghill.

Has the junior b and junior been decoupled? I see the b is on now whereas it used to be finished early.