It all points to an agenda from county board . Within the 3 years of his appointment there will be no city teams in Div 1 - mission accomplished !!

HongKongPhooey (Antrim) - Posts: 93 - 28/09/2009 17:29:29    438919

pure rubbish, they arnt good enough to be in div 1, its as simple as that.

Dunloyrealist (Antrim) - Posts: 498 - 28/09/2009 18:47:22    439017

No befast teams in div 1 sure its all the country teams ever wanted ,now if we can get rid of the camogs sure it'll be great ,county board and referees keep up the good work!

magic (Antrim) - Posts: 37 - 01/10/2009 08:13:39    441654

lol magic. thats it keep feeling sorry for yourselves and blame everyone else for the poor decline of teams in the city. FFS st galls are probably the best team in Ulster if not Ireland at the min, they are doing something right. maybe the rest should take a look at them. St Endas are doing great at underage level in North Antrim and getting loads of games which can only boost their club.

stop blaming everyone else for your own clubs failings!

Dunloyrealist (Antrim) - Posts: 498 - 01/10/2009 12:44:10    441874

have to agree went to st johns ballycastle match on sunday 1 11 to 3 18 ballycastle are the worst n/antrim div 1 team and theybeat st johns well to be honest you take ger cunningham and simon mc cory out of the team andthey have nothing i think cut scored 0.7 and simon 1.4 not another st johns player scored 2 you missed out on sambo they are not good enough for div 1 mybe with the good underage bteams in 4 or 5 years they will be back i think or will we go down the north antrim way and try to change the league no relegation oh sorry it only happen if your name is loughgeil ballycastle or you speak with a scottish accent

shambo (Antrim) - Posts: 67 - 02/10/2009 10:29:13    442770

North Antrim hurlers are undoubtedly the best in the county but CANNOT hack it on a national level. Once they pull on a Saffron jersey or play in the All Ireland club competitions they are pussycats so I don't see where their arrogance comes from. If Glens hurling is as strong and competitive as it likes to believe it would be able to put out TWO Antrim county sides that could compete on a National level. However it's not and their hatred of Belfast has undoubtedly contributed to the decline of the game in the city. Belfast people have always felt that those outside the city are pulling in a different direction and have a tremendous chip on their shoulder.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 03/10/2009 23:32:59    444188

i dont understand this parinoia about the city here. we dont hate anyone in the city here in Dunloy, and im sure other clubs will be the same. as ive said before you have got to stop feeling sorry for yourselves and blaming everyone else for the faults that exist.

Its easy to sit there and do nothing and blame someone else for your faults and your clubs failings, whilst doing nothing.

Dunloyrealist (Antrim) - Posts: 498 - 05/10/2009 09:29:01    445063

The revolution is coming. South Antrim to split and form own teams to compete in National league.

HongKongPhooey (Antrim) - Posts: 93 - 05/10/2009 13:48:52    445367

Ulsterman....could you go into detail and enlighten us all as too how North Antrim are destroying hurling in South Antrim, and tell us why it's got nothing to do with South Antrim men themselves? I can guarantee it will not hold up to scrutiny.

No one I know holds any anamosity towards our City cousins down here. Just because you think it doesn't make it true.

theskull1 (Antrim) - Posts: 36 - 05/10/2009 16:17:41    445545

I think all the Antrim clubs need to wake up to the problems. The standard in Belfast has dipped shockingly since the 1970s. Having said that, the competition amongst North Antrim clubs isn't much better, even if it is a slightly higher standard - Ballycastle haven't won a county championship since BEFORE Antrim made a return to Division I hurling in the late 1980s. Loughiel have one a title since (1989), but, only one less than Rossas in 1988 and 2004. So let's not kid ourselves about the overall standard. Might not be popular to say so, but maybe we need to kick out the non-Antrim clubs and formulate a plan for the Antrim clubs. The standard amongst the upper clubs might improve if they play more games against each other instead of Down teams (no offence, but if we want to be serious about Antrim hurling we might need to get selfish about it too). Or is that harsh?

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 06/10/2009 13:29:02    446255

Pearse

How can we kick out the Down clubs and still expect Leinster to take us? The Down clubs are not to blame, if anything they provide better opposition and a test for Antrim clubs. Let's be honest we are a divided county and very much club orientated. There are too many egos, powertrips, fiefdoms and arrogant people in Antrim who can't see further than their own nose and club. I would look at dividing the county into 2.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 06/10/2009 22:17:21    446936

Pearse

If you've got all the way to senior without looking after the standards through juvenile, then it's too late to improve. All those bad habits are hard wired. More even/supportive development from U8/10/12 with correct coaching of the basics & that focuses solely on skill development is the only way to progress. Lots of interested coaches needed to deliver. We do struggle in NA to find enough of them but would say that the task of finding enough knowledgeable coaches in all the clubs in the city is the real problem why hurling is struggling in alot of clubs is it not?

Ulsterman...are you going to answer my question? Or do you just spew rubbish without backing it up and hope fools will listen to you?

This whole NA ruining SA hurling is nothing but a myth being used around belfast to protect themselves and their clubs from any blame. Unless of couse Ulsterman you can back it up?

theskull1 (Antrim) - Posts: 36 - 07/10/2009 00:21:03    447091

I wasn't criticising the standard of the Down clubs - I was suggesting that removing them from the Antrim leagues would give Antrim clubs more games against the better Antrim clubs. To raise the standard in Antrim we need to go to town on coaching from the kids upwards, definitely, and in the schools and colleges as well as clubs.

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 07/10/2009 19:33:55    447949

skull

NEVER did I say that Belfast clubs haven't contributed to their own downfall, they have. However a trip into the Glens and North Antrim will show just how deep the antipathy for ALL things Belfast runs. There is an arrogance up there that Glens hurling is the ONLY hurling in Antrim and stuff everyone else but as I have said that's just talk because they can't hack it on a national level. There is a definate feeling in Belfast that the county already operates as TWO distinct jurisdictions. Well why don't the clubs have a vote and be done with it.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 07/10/2009 23:11:32    448206

i honesty think that this s antrim v n antrim is a load of BS all the players from either dont feel any anamosity against each other no doubt that n antrim teams have been stronger in recent years but thats not to say there is'nt good hurlers in s antrim just that there isnt enouh of them in 1 club! Could thefact that John mc sparron being chairman and n antrim have some s antrim people being a bit up tight becasuse its normally a s antrim man in charge? just a thought!

mc81 (Antrim) - Posts: 21 - 08/10/2009 00:11:27    448266

Ulsterman

"will show just how deep the antipathy for ALL things Belfast runs."

I can tell you that is complete and utter rubbish. North Antrim Gaels have full respect for all those who eat and breath the game and honor the traditions of sportsmanship and fair play. There are countless individuals in Belfast clubs who fit this criterea, but on the whole there appears to be a general apathy towards the proper development of the game up in the city. NA can't be blamed for that truth and as much as they can sympathise with the plight, they have their own clubs to consider. In West Belfast, from what I can see is that clubs stay in isolation from each other and from our view point appear to hold a deep dislike/distrust for all other clubs around them as they see them in direct competition to them (for alot of the same playing population I can only assume?). A good example of this is (correct me if I'm wrong) at U10 level, west belfast teams only invite teams from outside the area to their own arranged tournaments (In NA clubs invite other NA clubs (70%) as well as teams from outside their area). For proper long term development that is not healthy and exposes an ugly mindset in the people running the game that they need to evolve out of if "the game of hurling" is to survive up there. If NA are seen in the way you describe then why have StEnda's and now Rossa decided to enter the NA leagues? And if it were true how come the NA executive have allowed SA hurling teams to enter NA leagues? The reality is Ulsterman, your analysis is as wrong as your potential solution.

I suggest a little bit of collective introspection from people who think like yourself before they go out of your way to blame those outside of South Antrim for the current state of affairs. Only then will change for the better be possible

theskull1 (Antrim) - Posts: 36 - 08/10/2009 11:52:48    448482

Skull - I do think a lot of clubs in west Belfast invite other west Belfast clubs to kids tournaments etc. I don't think they make a point of excluding them. There is an issue over competition for players between clubs that wouldn't apply outside the city as many are village/parish based but in the city the lines aren't so hard and fast. There are definitely organisational problems hence some clubs wanting to enter the kids in NA leagues (maybe a start would be organising inter-divisional elite leagues from U12 up to improve standards). St Endas are a bad example - they want to play football in SW and hurl in North Antrim - if this is the case then should we really be talking about dispensing with the divisional structure entirely as a first step towards smartening ourselves up?

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 09/10/2009 16:47:58    449848

St. Enda's play juvenile football in the SW along with the other NA dual clubs and juvenile hurling in N.Antrim as do the SW dual clubs.
We are raking over old ground again but it was the right move for us at the time and has proved to be a breath of fresh air in terms of inter club cooperation.
Our progress will hopefully continue due to enthusiastic coaches and regular competition.

Last Man (Antrim) - Posts: 56 - 13/10/2009 10:46:59    452749

the poor state of hurling in Belfast wont be getting any better with so many juveniles in Belfast not able to play hurling because they belong to clubs that hurling has almost folded or has folded .These clubs are more aligned to football whether its cost or apathy they have very little input into the hurling leagues with little or no coaching ,i've been told a few kids have joined rossa but are not registered to there club but are continueing to play them whether its just friendly's or not,what are they to do!.The county will have to let kids play for there own club at football and let them play hurling for another dual club if they want to play..we dont have enough talent inthis county to let it walk away from the sport ..and before you answer this statement please in form everybody what these kids are suppose to do!

magic (Antrim) - Posts: 37 - 13/10/2009 17:30:39    453268