thurles blues the hurlers in the northern counties are a unique breed not only did they have to put up with all things the british throw at them but also what fellow gaels did, because they see it slowing up their football ambitions what antrim achieve in hurling is huge , the people who promote hurling there must be the most passionate in ireland

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 04/08/2010 21:18:03    736336

I know hipster Id love to see ye win one everyone would shure havent ye a Tipp manager and we down here had the same problem with the british down through the years as ye did!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 04/08/2010 21:20:23    736337

Was malachy born in Lancashire as well?

CheFinny (UK) - Posts: 1358 - 04/08/2010 21:21:56    736339

What I love about Antrim hurling afficienados is that its generally everybody elses fault that they are simply not up to scratch, you know the rest of Ulster are holding us back, not enough competition and so forth. Now I'm confused but arent Galway a top hurling county, coming out of that hotbed that is Connacht? They faced little or no real competition for their own provincial championship yet remained competitive enough on the national stage. Dare I say it, maybe, just maybe its not Fermanaghs, nor Cavans, nor even Tyrones fault, it may be that Antrim hurlers simply are'nt good enough to compete at the top level, its hard I know but sometimes the truth does hurt.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 04/08/2010 21:34:21    736356

Would Galway not have a much bigger player base than Antrim ? Anyone know how many Senior Hurling teams in either county ?

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 04/08/2010 21:53:43    736386

"Would Galway not have a much bigger player base than Antrim?"

Hurling may be the main game in the Glens but as someone else mentioned it needs to get a larger foothold in Belfast. Also half the population in the county would not consider playing a Gaelic sport.

I'd say Down (with only 3 senior hurling clubs) & Derry have been punching above their weight up until recently. Armagh may be now poised to do the same.

I think it's important to note that, while hurling was always a skillful game, the skill levels have evolved to unprecedented levels today (see All-Ireland Gold on TG4), enabling the elite counties to become stronger.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 05/08/2010 14:21:34    736861

brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 2627

736356
What I love about Antrim hurling afficienados is that its generally everybody elses fault that they are simply not up to scratch, you know the rest of Ulster are holding us back, not enough competition and so forth. Now I'm confused but arent Galway a top hurling county, coming out of that hotbed that is Connacht? They faced little or no real competition for their own provincial championship yet remained competitive enough on the national stage. Dare I say it, maybe, just maybe its not Fermanaghs, nor Cavans, nor even Tyrones fault, it may be that Antrim hurlers simply are'nt good enough to compete at the top level



Ah dear God Brend you let your upset about Tyrone and inborn jealousy of the Ulster kingpins Antrim blind you here. And usually your posts are good.


Guess what. Galway borders on TIPPERARY, CLARE and OFFALLY, with about 32 senior all Ireland hurling titles between them.

Antrim borders on Derry and Down with a total of.............nil.

If ye followed hurling you would know that bar Wexford and say the Dubs, who haven't actually won a title since they selected Dubs, EVERY serious hurling county borders on TIPPERARY, about 400 miles from Ballycastle, Cushendall, Cushendun, Dunloy and the rest.

The fact that Tyrone are frankly a disgrace despite the best efforts of a committed few does not help I admit. Club Tyrone who are lauded throughout the land IGNORE hurling.

So I suppose at the end of the day, we could learn from history. At the conception of baseball nearly all of the early stars were Irish born. They used to think it was a genetic thing.

Nowadays Ireland lag well behind the rest of the world. Is it because Irish people are not co-ordinated, or could it be a removal from the baseball strongholds that contributes to it?

Look on the bright side however, the Ulster hurling championship is now more competitive than the football, so things might improve.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 05/08/2010 19:22:08    737397

patrique, are there any senior clubs in belfast??
How many senior teams in total??

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 05/08/2010 19:52:23    737445

Oh dear Pat, I seem to have touched a raw nerve there. So according to you hurling ability is directly correlated to geographical proximity to Tipperary, hmmm, intriguing theory indeed.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/08/2010 20:07:35    737467

brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 2631

737467
Oh dear Pat, I seem to have touched a raw nerve there. So according to you hurling ability is directly correlated to geographical proximity to Tipperary, hmmm, intriguing theory indeed.



Anyone, and everyone, who has a remote interest in hurling, learns that theory aged 4.

For your education:

1: Hurling is an Irish game

2: It is played with sticks called..............

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 05/08/2010 21:03:29    737521

05/08/2010 19:52:23
hurlinspuds
County: Cork
Posts: 333

737445
patrique, are there any senior clubs in belfast??
How many senior teams in total??



The club with the second highest number of county titles are from Belfast, O'Donovan Rossa, named after a fine Cork man from...Rosscarberry I believe. They reached the club final in 1989, and are still senior although not a great side this year. Last year however they woon county minor and U21 so they are very much alive.

St Galls were in the all Ireland intermediate final last year so were in the county senior this year, losing last week to Loughiel. If they did not concentrate on football they would be fairly useful as all of the McGourtys can hurl.

The other big club in Belfast are St John's who haven't won a county senior for nigh on 40 years. This year they downgraded to intermediate, obviously with an eye on Ulster and maybe all Ireland glory. They have a great record at feile but then the diversions of the city swallow them up.

In my "first" hurling career, Belfast clubs won the county title 5 times in 6 years. Rossa and ballycastle used to be the big two.

Amazingly Dunloy won their first title in 1990, Cushendall in 1981, and they are the only clubs to have won the title since Dunloy's breakthrough, bar Rossa in 2004.


Stroll around Andersonstown in the City and you will see loads of kids with hurls, but they also play soccer and Gaelic football. In the Glens most of the clubs are hurling only.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 05/08/2010 21:11:55    737528

Laois seem to be the exception to that rule Pat (adjoining Tipp) with only one All Ireland win and one other appearance in a final !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 05/08/2010 21:19:27    737546

patrique
County: Antrim
Posts: 9107

737521 brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 2631

737467
Oh dear Pat, I seem to have touched a raw nerve there. So according to you hurling ability is directly correlated to geographical proximity to Tipperary, hmmm, intriguing theory indeed.



Anyone, and everyone, who has a remote interest in hurling, learns that theory aged 4.

For your education:

1: Hurling is an Irish game

2: It is played with sticks called..............
------------------------------
That, dear boy, is whats colloquially known as 'waffle'!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/08/2010 21:21:21    737549

Cavan_Slasher
County: Cavan
Posts: 5400

737546
Laois seem to be the exception to that rule Pat (adjoining Tipp) with only one All Ireland win and one other appearance in a final !!



No Laois prove the rule.



All of Ulster, all of Connacht bar Galway, Meath, Louth, Wicklow, Westmeath, Carlow and such, do not border Tipp.

Total titles.....NIL.


The counties that do border Tipp. waterford, cork, limrick, kilkenny, clare, galway, offaly and laois


Total titles....82. Throw in Tipp and you are over 107.

24 counties do not border Tipp. Note the only Munster county that doesn't is.........Kerry. What are they good at? Yes they won one all Ireland in 1891. Dublin won 6 but ALL the players were from counties that bordered Tipp. London won one, with players from counties that border Tipp.

Wexford with 6 titles are the ONLY notable exception.

So total "real" titles to counties not bordering Tipp is....SEVEN.

A bit of advice Slasher, all hurling fans already know this. Let Brend look foolish on his own.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 05/08/2010 21:40:48    737587

Have to say that i find Antrim Hurling particularly interesting bearing in mind how the county is surrounded by Football dominated counties. Fair play to them that they can compete at the level they do. I think the club in Cushendall is what the GAA is all about: a rural club the hub of the community. Would love to see a game up there, think it'd be a great experience.

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 05/08/2010 21:46:09    737591

thats it patrique keep educating the masses they might just might start thinking your way and then their be nothing holding back ulster in all gaa sports

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 05/08/2010 21:52:40    737599

Not involved in your argument Pat but Laois have only won 1. Maybe its because they take football more seriously !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 05/08/2010 21:53:04    737600

A bit like Kerry being surrounded by hurling counties, but if my memory serves me right that hasn't held them back in their chosen speciality.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/08/2010 22:05:13    737618

thats it. All of the counties which were put under martial law in the War of Independence have won a huge percentage of the All-Ireland.....maybe thats it!

abhainn (Galway) - Posts: 1000 - 06/08/2010 09:12:33    737639

Never ever never thought I'd say this but I'm with Patrique on this one. I sone a bit of research as part of a dissertation a few year ago into what I called the geography of Hurling (and football too though it was harder).

Basically my results support what Pat is saying; that where you live has a bigger impact on how successful you are than how skilful you actually are.

So Antrim actually punch way above their weight in respects to Hurling. So anyone who thinks there is something wrong with the state of Hurling in the county is barking up the wrong tree in my opinion

Maybe it was a load of tripe but it got me good marks and excellent reviews from a few in GAA circles!

EnolaGay (Tyrone) - Posts: 653 - 06/08/2010 10:04:47    737699