[quote=“Bandage, post: 904344, member: 9”]Yeah, to paraphrase @dodgy-keeper…I’m just back from Ballycastle.
Hurled well from about the 20th minute to the 65th to go from 0-5 to 0-2 down to 0-15 to 0-8 in front.
A strange finish though. They didn’t really come with a massive surge or anything. A bit of sloppiness and a free or two conceded and it was 0-15 to 0-11 and then they got the goal too and had another chance to level it.
I’ll post more later if anyone cares but it was an important win.[/quote]
Please do. Interested to hear why Richie was sent off and if Kevin Foley got any game time.
[quote=“Bandage, post: 904344, member: 9”]Yeah, to paraphrase @dodgy-keeper…I’m just back from Ballycastle.
Hurled well from about the 20th minute to the 65th to go from 0-5 to 0-2 down to 0-15 to 0-8 in front.
A strange finish though. They didn’t really come with a massive surge or anything. A bit of sloppiness and a free or two conceded and it was 0-15 to 0-11 and then they got the goal too and had another chance to level it.
I’ll post more later if anyone cares but it was an important win.[/quote]
I would be interested in seeing your musings bandahe? how long is the trek to bcastle…
I’ll post a series of short messages as I’m having phone & broadband issues and don’t want to lose a lengthy report.
Lovely setting in Ballycastle and nice grounds but the pitch was very heavy and the ball was sticking in the ground so it made the game a bit of a slog. O’Hanlon won the toss and chose to play against the strong breeze.
Plenty of exchanges at close quarters and bunching etc due to the conditions but Antrim were able to pick off a few scores from distance after Morris put us in front early on.
Maybe we were 5-3 down rather than 5-2 as I said earlier now that I think about it. McGovern scored from play and Morris scored a second before McGovern caught a ball above his opponent, soloed through and missed a goal chance (part hook, part block, part mishit).
We started to get a grip on the game at this stage, even against the wind, with our defence hurling well and Shore and the impressive O’Keeffe getting on top in midfield. Guiney pointed a free (but missed 2 or 3 others in the first half - seemed to be more difficult from that end) and O’Keeffe scored a good one to level it at 5-5 after half an hour so.
…so there was another ruck around 45 yards out from our goal in the right central area but the ball was kicked/flicked back towards the 21 & my eyes followed the ball. Next thing Neil McManus was on the ground back where the original tussle had taken place. McGrath blew the whistle and signalled a free in so he must have seen what happened. But he still consulted with his umpires before showing Richie Kehoe a straight red card. There were no complaints from Kehoe or the other Wexford players so I presume it was for striking with the hurl. They pointed the free for 6-5.
We finished the half with O’Keeffe dropping back to half back, Byrne to midfield and Morris and McGovern moving out to join Tomkins with Guiney joining Clarke inside.
Clarke didn’t really make an impression and was replaced by Harry Kehoe for the second half. Kehoe went to midfield and won the throw in before popping it off to Byrne (who had returned to left half forward) and he pointed from distance to make it 6-6.
McManus had gone off for them at half time. O’Hanlon won that battle comprehensively and played very well. I know McManus has played everywhere for Antrim but I’m not sure if he was carrying an injury and was thrown in full forward. Maybe he was just broken up by Richie Kehoe either.
They went 7-6 up but then we assumed total control. Rossiter was also excellent alongside O’Hanlon and the new half back line of O’Keeffe, Kenny (switched to centre at half time) and Chin were utterly dominant.
We started to use the ball quite well with a mixture of good angled passes and support runners receiving the ball at pace. Morris and O’Keeffe got a couple of cracking points and Guiney started to knock over all the frees.
Though there was one 21-yard free at 6-6 where some cunt saved the goal effort with his head/helmet. Guiney might not be able to flick the ball ahead of himself and run after it like he did today after Congress next week. Fanning also made a sharp save from a rare Antrim attack at 6-6 too - a ground stroke after a ball broke around our 14 yard line.
So it was around 10-8 and we got another burst of points. Shore got one from distance, Guiney scored a 21 and 65 and then Jacob came on and scored one and set up McGovern for another good score. 15-8 game over.
But it finished 0-15 to 1-11. I was impressed with our workrate off the ball and in possession too. We used the ball quite well too on a difficult surface. We need to cut out silly frees but most players tackled well and showed good discipline - the other 2 or 3 have to stop conceding scoreable frees and improve their discipline.
Overall, a good win in the circumstances after being reduced to 14-men with a young side and on a tough surface.
Keeper was solid. Defence was very good on the whole (bar Kehoe) with O’Hanlon, Rossiter, C Kenny and O’Keeffe the pick. Shore worked hard and H Kehoe had a good impact when he came on. Tomkins won a fair bit of ball but didn’t have a lot to show for it today (but has promise) and Byrne had some good moments too. Morris and McGovern will be important for us this season and Guiney worked hard which was good to see.
I made it: Guiney 0-5 (0-4 F, 0-1 '65), Morris 0-3, McGovern 0-2, O’Keeffe 0-2, Byrne 0-1, Shore 0-1, Jacob 0-1.
I wouldnt mind Dempsey, pal. He still harbours ill will towards Wexford, and Aidan O Brien and Kevin Kehoe in particular after they embarrassed his St Josephs Rochfordbridge team in a Leisnter schools final. Luke Dempsey was the big shot with his leinster minor winning career and was destroyed by the current senior and 21 managers by 3-25 to 0-3, or something ridiculous like that. So its not surprise to see him ignore both our managers county teams these days.*
*or else as @count of monte cristo says, our lads made themselves unavailable.
cheers for the hurling report too. Good to get the win at least, first time winning up there for a while.
[quote=“Mac, post: 904463, member: 109”]Great stuff @Bandage. Few questions
what was Guineys impact in open play?
would you persevere with Shore at midfield or bring him back to the half back line?
any other subs used?[/quote]
He worked hard actually. Won a few frees and chased around a fair bit.
I don’t really know what Shore’s best position is. He was quite good today but could have a role to play at half back or centre back either (if we move Chin to wing back) and Kehoe will be suspended now too.
Subs were: H Kehoe for Clarke at half time, G Moore for Tomkins early in second half, Jacob for Byrne with 15 minutes or so left and Martin for Shore very late on.
Typically hilarious player ratings in The Irish Independent. Matthew O’Hanlon (probably the best player on the pitch) 6 and Bobby Kenny (who was okay but fifth best of our starting defenders) 8.
[quote=“Gman, post: 904461, member: 112”]I wouldnt mind Dempsey, pal. He still harbours ill will towards Wexford, and Aidan O Brien and Kevin Kehoe in particular after they embarrassed his St Josephs Rochfordbridge team in a Leisnter schools final. Luke Dempsey was the big shot with his leinster minor winning career and was destroyed by the current senior and 21 managers by 3-25 to 0-3, or something ridiculous like that. So its not surprise to see him ignore both our managers county teams these days.*
*or else as @count of monte cristo says, our lads made themselves unavailable.
cheers for the hurling report too. Good to get the win at least, first time winning up there for a while.[/quote]
OR else? @Gman we both know i do not indulge in hearsay re Wexford GAA. I am astounded that you are questioning the veracity of my statement ( my astonishment is being inferred)
Team for Sunday named. Tonks and Harry Kehoe for Rossiter and Richie Kehoe. The Wexford GAA site reports that Rossiter is injured but Dunne said on South East Radio the other day he would be abroad this weekend. Harry Kehoe did well when introduced in Antrim but I’d prefer us to try other options.
