Antrim to boycott All-Ireland U21 final?

August 28, 2013

Antrim manager Kevin Ryan and senior Antrim captain Neil McManus celebrate at the final whistle
©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Kevin Ryan says Antrim should refuse to play the All-Ireland U21 HC final in Semple Stadium.

The Ulster champions became the first team from the northern province to qualify for an All-Ireland decider at this grade when they stunned Wexford in Saturday's semi-final in Thurles.

Their reward is a September 14th date with holders Clare in the final, but the Glensmen are being asked to travel to the Tipperary county grounds again and Ryan has indicated in the strongest possible way that his team should not travel:

"I haven't spoken to the [Antrim County] Board yet but my honest feeling is that we're not playing. It's a total disgrace," Ryan states in The Irish News.

"It probably won't happen but I'd leave it there. I'm sick over it. We had a meeting yesterday [Monday] and we were going to contact Croke Park about the idea of holding the game at an Ulster venue.

"You look at the junior and intermediate club finals, camogie, ladies football - those finals are at Croke Park.

"And yet we have the first Ulster team in an All-Ireland U21 hurling final and they bring it to Thurles. I know they're trying to promote Thurles but the Clare lads will be over there and our lads won't even be in Belfast.

"We had a one-in-50 chance of winning but that's gone now. It won't be the Board's position but I wouldn't go down there. I'd suffer the consequence. We have no chance going down there to play Clare."

Most Read Stories