Antrim Hurling

[NAG1]

Frankie, i honestly think it says more about their committment to their training and application to their games. There is more than enough talent in their squad to compete but it seems that drinking and carrying on are more important come the summer months.

[funtime frankie]

I would agree that they sure have some quality but you're right NAG stag weekends and the like come championship don't really go hand in hand.

Hurling needs strong city teams and the Johnnies have the raw material to make a big splash if they apply themselves and hold on to the young talent they have developed. There certainly seems to have been a big change in attitude in Corrigan Park and to be fair I think that they have learned their lessons from their neighbours in Milltown. Their footballers appear to making progress but as they are punching below their weight in the hurling its hard to measure if they have made any progress. Assumimg they can come out of Antrim, attitudes, application and committment will be certainly tested in the trek through Ulster and beyond if they are fortunate enough to get that far.

[theskull1]

I would agree that they sure have some quality but you're right NAG stag weekends and the like come championship don't really go hand in hand.

Hurling needs strong city teams and the Johnnies have the raw material to make a big splash if they apply themselves and hold on to the young talent they have developed. There certainly seems to have been a big change in attitude in Corrigan Park and to be fair I think that they have learned their lessons from their neighbours in Milltown.

Hurling will become strong again in the city again when city hurling men accross all clubs realise that they need to rely on each other to get the game back on it's feet again accross the whole of west Belfast. Too many kids have never been in through a GAA ground and too many clubs serving their own self interests by not inviting local clubs to play in their own orginised underage blitzes for instance. St Johns and Rossa being the clubs with hurling pedigree need to show the way and offer the hand out to the other clubs who need them to show them the way. Start worrying about beating teams at U14/16. Until then try to encourage all the clubs to get involved in a healthy fun enviroment where the primary focus is getting the skill levels up to the right standard in as many clubs a possible.

Before I get flamed...could I just add that that St Johns team a couple of years ago in U14 was the best side at that age group that I have ever seen in Antrim so don't think I don't know that the talent is there (and in Rossa as well...)...it's the rest of the clubs who need the big two to show them the way to develop a healthy thriving hurling scene?

Is this all alright in theory but totally unworkable in practice perspective?

[Milltown Row2]

I've no doubt that st johns will win the antrim championship and the only team i-d fear should they win their own championship would be keady. the problem after that would be the english champs then its munster or leinster winners! just cause we did ok last year doesn-t mean the johnnies will. totally different route

[CountyGK]

I've no doubt that st johns will win the antrim championship and the only team i-d fear should they win their own championship would be keady. the problem after that would be the english champs then its munster or leinster winners! just cause we did ok last year doesn-t mean the johnnies will. totally different route

Middletown would be favourites for the Armagh Senior Cship this yr, a mainly young team compared to Keady, but Keady were strong fav's last yr and Middletown beat them well in the final, so you never know!

[drici]

I've no doubt that st johns will win the antrim championship and the only team i-d fear should they win their own championship would be keady. the problem after that would be the english champs then its munster or leinster winners! just cause we did ok last year doesn-t mean the johnnies will. totally different route

Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship:
(If a team that is not Keady win the Armagh SHC then they will compete in the Intermediate Championship:)

Quarter Finals:
Sunday October 3rd
Monaghan v Fermanagh
Tyrone v Down

Semi Finals:
Sunday October 10th
Antrim v Monaghan or Fermanagh
Armagh v Tyrone or Down

Final:
Sunday October 24th

[Red Hurley]

Are Keady and Middletown the only two teams that compete in the Armagh Championship, are everyone else Junior then ?

[nrico2006]

Armagh Cuchulains and Sean Treacys also compete in the Senior. 

[funtime frankie]

I see from the South Antrim fixtures that St Galls are not being put out as they are down to play the Gorts or the Johnnies

Anybody any idea what the story is there?

[Milltown Row2]

first i've heard that Frankie. thats this Monday night.

fixtures say :

1.St Galls/St Pauls v 2. Gnmona/St Johns.

[NAG1]

Congrats to the u21's last night didnt make it too the match, watched the Munster match on TG4 and that was some game, some of the best scores I have seen taken at any level.

[funtime frankie]

Just heard that the SAHC semi-finals have been postponed until further notice.

What's the odds that it will be a typical SA farce and the competition will not be played?

Credit where its due, the SA League has been well run and the games have been regular but I just feel that the McGuigan Cup will be shelved.

Taking MR's point, it would be better to replay the games with eligible players rather than let a committee decide the outcome of a game

[Milltown Row2]

Yes Frankie the South Antrim leagues have been run really well these last few years. we pulled out of it ten years ago and entered a team in the leagues as the games were wild.

this year the only referee we have had has been Colly McKnight. and hes been very good.

the only answer to this problem is to let all the ungraded players play in the cup. then everyone is playing there strongest team. our team hasn't really changed. in fact our team is stronger than our Div 4 team as the seniors have struggled with numbers and have used a lot of our reserve team players.

[Milltown Row2]

just heard that St Pauls have their letter in and it wants us out, fair enough. they want to play in the next round, fair enough. And they want the five players (two of which are minors) suspended (apparently thats the rules)

First off, these lads were notified by their manager to play, so to suspend lads that didn't know they'd done wrong is bad craic. secondly the rule is daft, in that the South Antrim board have tried to enter teams in Belfast to promote hurling but because players came on for 10-20 minutes in championship All County, Ulster and the All Ireland series, then they will miss out on their own real Championship.

for them this is their chance to play a final in Casement at their level. if this goes ahead i hope we just pull out of the South Antrim leagues (we wont be missed) and concentrate on the All county leagues.

[NAG1]

I think if any suspensions are being handed out the club officers will be in trouble too.

Ridiculous rule yet again but if it was in place then not much to be done now