WOT? No Antrim v Offaly thread?

[Hurler on the Bitch]

FECK! FECK! FECK!!!!!! FECK! FECK! FECK!!!!!! FECKIN ... FECK! FECKIN FECKIN FECK!!!!
FECK! FECK! FECK!!!!!! FECK! FECK! FECK!!!!!! FECKIN ... FECK! FECKIN FECKIN FECK!!!!
OFFALY CNUTS!!!

Still hurts!

[slow corner back]

I for one have to hold my hands up and admit I was wrong about Cahill. I slagged Cahill off when he was appointed because I do not agree with his disregard for the league but if he can produce good performances in the championship then fair enough.I expected Antrim to be better than they were in the league but not to come close to winning. Clearly I was well off the mark. Having said that we in Antrim have more than enough hard luck stories to tell every one about and it would nice if just once we got the dodgy free in the last minute or the two minutes of unecessary time to see us over the finish line.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Laois' maybe 

hopefully they take a scalp or two in the qualifiers now.

[longrunsthefox]

Was refreshing Cahill didn't girn about the ref unlike some of the contributers to this thread or the Baker last week.

[Last Man]

Theres no love lost between Dinny and Joe Dooley anyway after their antics just after the equalising free.

[INDIANA]

But are antrim going to build on it? They couldn't field a team for a challenge against dublin recently yet they produce that performance.

[theskull1]

This has always been the problem Indy. Antrim produce those performances every now and then because there are hurlers up here who can actually hurl. But in the past we haven't really had the ability to sustain that level of performance to the next game never mind the next season

[Milltown Row2]

we didn't win extra time which showed we were unfit. the Offaly lads let out a big cheer at the end of normal time knowing that they had us in extra time. we had lads cramping all over the pitch, (fair enough, the effort was great) but they didn't have that problem.

we were unlucky with the added added time the referee added on!!! also had that ball been pushed over the line at the end we could have won, or even the short puck out we took and lost at the end (they got a score from) we could have won. too many could haves.

it reminded me of the Cushendall game last year on the same pitch. so many chances but in the end a glorious defeat.

[theskull1]

we didn't win extra time which showed we were unfit. the Offaly lads let out a big cheer at the end of normal time knowing that they had us in extra time. we had lads cramping all over the pitch, (fair enough, the effort was great) but they didn't have that problem.

Antrim players if they're honest in their own minds thought they'd missed their chance of a "shock". Thats when the energy gets sapped and players start to look unfit. It's the mental strength that we lack (and I mean collectively...not just the players...they pick it up through osmosis) not an inability to hurl. Thats why Antrims hurling fortunes over the years both at club and county level is riddled with nearlys. Proper investment in a decent well communicated development structure where we train to go toe to toe with the top counties from an early age is the only way I see getting enough players over time who don't fear going down south at intercounty level come senior. But theres no chance of that happening with the current administration

[Milltown Row2]

we didn't win extra time which showed we were unfit. the Offaly lads let out a big cheer at the end of normal time knowing that they had us in extra time. we had lads cramping all over the pitch, (fair enough, the effort was great) but they didn't have that problem.

Antrim players if they're honest in their own minds thought they'd missed their chance of a "shock". Thats when the energy gets sapped and players start to look unfit. It's the mental strength that we lack (and I mean collectively...not just the players...they pick it up through osmosis) not an inability to hurl. Thats why Antrims hurling fortunes over the years both at club and county level is riddled with nearlys. Proper investment in a decent well communicated development structure where we train to go toe to toe with the top counties from an early age is the only way I see getting enough players over time who don't fear going down south at intercounty level come senior. But theres no chance of that happening with the current administration

current administration, do you mean Antrim or Croke

[johnneycool]

I'd have thought its a bit of everybody.

Clubs know if they get their act together, win a county championship, sad to say for a Down man but they've an easy run to an AI-semi-final, another day in the sun, glorious defeat, and alls well with the world. It's the easiest and most likely route to an AI and hence players know this and are pressurised a bit too by club managers to save themselves from running themselves into the ground in May/June time as the clubs will be wanting the lads fresh in August/September.

Co Boards also really care ultimately about balancing the books which is obviously important, so to suggest putting teams into Leinster championships, especially juvenile ones, where you'll more than likely get little reward for a lot of investment for a good few years. It's a huge undertaking that a county board like Antrim who's hardly awash with cash anyway so no wonder its not on the table.

IMO the Dublin team with all their investment over recent years will plateau for a few years, picking up the odd good win but not sustaining any great run over the summer until a lot of their current crop mature and are assisted by more and more better youngsters especially in the forwards. Co Boards want to see rewards for their investments and hurling isn't one of those sports where it happens overnight.

[Bord na Mona man]

Thoughts on the match...
There was nothing that should surprise anyone from Offaly in Parnell Park on Sunday.
A tight pitch, Antrim fired up, Offaly probably thinking they'd get the win.
Add in a Leix ref happy to let a bit of man-to-man combat take place and a few Offaly players who wouldn't be renowned for their aggression.

Offaly could have had no complaints had they lost. They allowed Antrim to cruise into a 1-2 to no score lead in the first few minutes. Got their act together and hit 1-8 without reply. Normal service resumed? The Tipps and Galways of the hurling world would look to ram in a couple of goals and demoralise a reeling Antrim at that stage, but Offaly didn't have the instinct or ability to do so.

The two Antrim goals that went in before half time introduced the element of chaos and self doubt into the Offaly back line that then seemed to ripple throughout the team. Remarkably Offaly had an extra defender when all this happened as Antrim had withdrawn a corner forward to midfield. Once Antrim had been given a platform and a bit of self belief, Offaly were in for serious afternoon's hurling.

A new goalkeeper and full back by half time gives some indication of the mire Offaly were in. In one way Offaly were lucky the collapse happened in the first half rather than with about 20 minutes to go.

For most of the game Antrim played cleverer hurling, while Offaly were seriously rattled. Antrim used the width of pitch better at times. Offaly were the players constantly turning into crowded areas and trouble. Some of the Antrim high catching from puck outs was excellent also.

In the end a bit of ill luck and panic cost Antrim. The trip on Hanniffy for the equalizing free was needless as he had still a lot of work to do to get space to shoot. Such is the way of the world. Offaly teams have often done the same when in the same sort of scenario.

If Offaly are in any way capable of putting it up to Galway, this game was the best thing that could have happened.
Chances are though, it simply demonstrates why Offaly haven't made the Quarter Finals in 7 years.

[Milltown Row2]

good assessment Bord na Mona man. cant complain with much of that.

very annoying though that inexperience cost Antrim the game. would have looked forward to the Galway game, would have been Parnell again.

was watching the Galway game and their manager was talking about playing Offaly before the game was even played!! I'm sure Dinny used this beforehand. not sure if he was being condescending or just a p***k, but it certainly annoyed me

[seafoid]

If Offaly are in any way capable of putting it up to Galway, this game was the best thing that could have happened.
Chances are though, it simply demonstrates why Offaly haven't made the Quarter Finals in 7 years.

When is the last time Galway beat Offaly in the championship ?   Ochon is ochon o. Sure Galway have no chance. Don't be talking
us up bordnaMona man. It's very dizzying.