Liam Watson
We can only do our best and you never know!!
bushwhacker , 02/09/2010 at 17:20

Liam Watson
Cushendall took St Joseph's Doora-Barefield to a replay, the same team contained the great Seanie McMahon, Ollie Baker & Jamsie O'Conner, also narrowly beaten by Wolfe Tones as well (Brian Lohan anyone)

Cushendall have been unfortunate and a poor performance against Loughrea aside (with a very young team on a bad day) they have performed admirably when representing Ulster
kautostar , 02/09/2010 at 16:39

Liam Watson
duke i take your point on loughrea, they were the worst team i had seen in a semi final in a long time. cushendall were utter rusbbish that day.

my point was that its damned hard to win an all ireland club semi as there isnt (loughrea excused) a bad team in it. Ulster tends usually to be the weakest in terms of the 4 clubs competing. if you have luck on your side you will win, that along with plenty of ability.

also i think it unfair to slag de la salle off as they lost to Portumna, who i rank as good as Birr were in their day.
Dunloyrealist , 02/09/2010 at 16:18

Liam Watson
BW i tend to agree, i dont think it will ever come north again. the standards are that high now that it will take an exceptional team to do such a feat and win it. we missed the boat and thats something which is hard to take as i know we were good enough a few years ago to win an all ireland. we just came up against other exceptional sides at the time.
Dunloyrealist , 02/09/2010 at 16:15

Liam Watson
Can I mention the fact that really bugs you guys,we only do it to hear and see the reaction, all-Ireland club champions,it will never come North again.......stir,stir,stir etc.
bushwhacker , 02/09/2010 at 16:00

Liam Watson
Did I ever mention Loughgiel being in a semi-final, I was simply stating that Cushendall we're beaten by 2 of the worst teams ever to make it out of their respective provinces. Realist, the year Loughrea we're Connaght champions I think it was pretty much evident for everyone to see that it was a disgrace that they we're ever crowned Galway champions, they battered Joe Canning off the field on and off the ball and the referee failed to aknowledge this. As for De La Salle, 1 Waterford Championshiop in their history speaks volumes and the hammerings that both these sides took in the finals after beating Cushendall speak for themselves. Dunloy are certainly a different story, I personally witnessed them beating great teams like Mount Sion and Portumna but having also witnessed the Dall's semi finals, the word great dosn't come to mind in describing either Loughrea or De La Salle. And what kind of a hurling guru are you to tell me what I know or don't know about hurling.
DukeNukem , 02/09/2010 at 14:28

Minor hurling and football championships.
Looking at all the posts i think im the only one to predict St Johns in both finals,i have to congratulate there managers and mentors as win or lose its a fabulous achiement but on a larger picture i can see St johns winning minor titles for the next three are four years in both codes ...dont want to leave out there camogs especially at under 16 and 14 they seem to be pulling of some incrediible results ....dont know what there doing but maybe they should let us all in on there secret ....must have been a lot of hard work...all tne best in the finals from all hard working mentors.
mambo , 02/09/2010 at 12:24

Liam Watson
winning an all ireland semi final isnt an easy task. cushendall have been desperatly unlucky not to be in a final before now. ive seen them in a fair few of them and luck was def not on their side, esp against de la salle.

we beat some cracking sides like Portumna, athenrye, glenmore, mount sion etc and for you Duke to say some of these sides are bad well you know eff all about hurling mate! these sides that the dall played won munster or connaght (galway) titles. how many bad galway sides can you name? could loughgiel have come within 10 points of those sides back then? absolutly not!

2 titles in 30 years means you have little to put anyone down about in terms of club hurling!
Dunloyrealist , 02/09/2010 at 10:53

Division 1
the talk of league restructuring is pure rumour mongering - just because pg1 and pauls are relegated?

How can you say it will be competitive with 5 or 6 teams from div 2? rasharkin were only beaten once or twice this year - no team got near them... aghagallon went up with them as it appeared that no other team was really good enough to break away with them...rasharkin and glenavy were relegated last year and replaced by two stronger teams who have survived in div 1 this year and fair play to them thats why div 1 has been the most competeive in ages... add in teams from div 2 that have been beaten in half a dozen league games in div 2 ...def won't make division 1 any stronger will definitely make it weaker...
captainsensible , 02/09/2010 at 10:29

Improving Antrim SHC standards for 2011
You shold have went and watched Davitts Vs Cushendun. Excellent standard of hurling for lower clubs. Was good to watch as a championship game
belter , 02/09/2010 at 10:13

Liam Watson
Duke how did Loughgiel get on in all ireland semi's the past 20 years? Oh thats rite they havn't been in any
jesusjones , 02/09/2010 at 08:39

Division 1
St Pauls & Portglenone down.

If the 16 team div 1 comes into play it will be the 10 teams currently in Div 1 together with Rasharkin, Aghagallon, All Saints, Glenavy, Gorts & Rossa.

Will still be a competitive league.
johnanthony , 01/09/2010 at 21:26

Liam Watson
"Ruairi Og have been the only team from Antrim to even compete in All Ireland semi finals recently..." Beaten by the mighty powers of Loughrea and De la Salle, probably 2 of the worst teams ever to play in All-Ireland semi finals.
DukeNukem , 01/09/2010 at 20:34

Division 1
pg1 are as googd as relegated because even if they beat st galls ahoghill will throw st brigids the game becasue of all the bad blood between pg1 and ahoghill
Saffrons , 01/09/2010 at 17:58

Liam Watson
it doesnt say how serious it is at the min tho, due to the swelling etc around it but it did have an op on it years ago whilst a minor. it would, as you say, be a pity if he did miss out on the final.

althought he has played in 6 finals and hasnt made a difference. this loughgiel team isnt as strong as a few years ago when we beat them in the final, i actuallyt thought that was a better team over all.
Dunloyrealist , 01/09/2010 at 13:25

The All Ireland Hurlin Final!
Hello agus conas ata tu to all my fellow Gaels in the county. Haven't been able to get on this for a while as my computer picked up a nasty bug (il nat say how). Just on my tea break here and I decided til do a wee post on da All Ireland final which is on Sunday 12th of September in Croke Park (Dublin). I was lucky enough there last Saturday til win the raffle at the annual Ard Eoin GAC darts competition and it was kind enough til reward me wif 2 tickets til the senior final between Galway and Wexford. It was til my surprise that upon looking at the ticket closely that the Antrim Minors are in the final at day as well when they take on the mighty Waterford at 12 noon. I apologies for my ignorance on nat knowing at the minors gat till the All Ireland Minor Hurling final but its just at I usually only follow Aontroim Seniors in Hurling & Football. I can remember clearly the last time I was in Dublin watchin the Saffrons puttin Offaly til the pin of er collar and I hope the Minors can do the same as well. Decided til take the Vectra up til Donegal this weekend for the childers u14 football blitz up there, should be a gud'n and then off till the Hurling Final the following weekend, the wee man is chopin at the bit.

Aontroim agus Ard Eoin ABU.
ArdoyneGael54 , 01/09/2010 at 12:41

The All Ireland Hurlin Final!
Hello agus conas ata tu to all my fellow Gaels in the county. Haven't been able to get on this for a while as my computer picked up a nasty bug (il nat say how). Just on my tea break here and I decided til do a wee post on da All Ireland final which is on Sunday 12th of September in Croke Park (Dublin). I was lucky enough there last Saturday til win the raffle at the annual Ard Eoin GAC darts competition and it was kind enough til reward me wif 2 tickets til the senior final between Galway and Wexford. It was til my surprise that upon looking at the ticket closely that the Antrim Minors are in the final at day as well when they take on the mighty Waterford at 12 noon. I apologise for my ignorance on nat knowing at the minors gat till the All Ireland Minor Hurling final but its just at I usually only follow Aontroim Seniors in Hurling & Football. I can remember clearly the last time I was in Dublin watchin the Saffrons puttin Offaly til the pin of er collar and I hope the Minors can do the same as well. Decided til take the Vectra up til Donegal this weekend for the childers u14 football blitz up there, should be a gud'n and then off till the Hurling Final the following weekend, the wee man is chopin at the bit.

Aontroim agus Ard Eoin ABU.
ArdoyneGael54 , 01/09/2010 at 12:41

Division 1
Capt sensible - anyone who has played SFC for Galls will be unable to play in those other 2 games so they will be playing the Div 1 game tonight - i'll be v surprised if they are beaten.
Iardheisceart , 01/09/2010 at 11:17

Liam Watson
Realist that is bad news for Loughgiel, to be honest he is the only forward I would fear as well, on his day he is almost unmarkable, it would be sad if he didn't make it, even as a Cushendall man I'd like to see him play because you want the final to be as high quality a match as possible. Also if we beat them I don't want them to have any excuses.
jesusjones , 01/09/2010 at 10:40

Liam Watson
i see in the irish news the day that liam may be out of the final now with a cruiciate injury now. would be bad news for the shammrocks as hes the only forward they have i ever worried about if im honest.

any thoughts folks?
Dunloyrealist , 01/09/2010 at 09:45