Allianz Hurling League – Division 1b

Antrim v Dublin

Date: Sunday 12 February – Throw in: 3:30pm

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)

Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to Sunday’s game with Dublin at Parnell Park

The National Hurling League rollercoaster heads down the M1 on Sunday as Antrim travel to Dublin in search of their first league points of the year.  A ground where the Saffrons have notoriously struggled to come away with any positive result, the north Dublin venue will play host to Darren Gleeson’s men looking to get rid of frustrations borne from the Kilkenny defeat last Saturday.

I called it the one that got away in my report after the game and with some time to digest and after watching it again on the BBC iPlayer, it still feels that way.  Antrim came close to declawing the Cat’s, despite hurling below par for long periods of the game.  Too often ball went to ground in search of a pass or the precision just wasn’t there when trying to find a man in space.  A poor first half performance preceded a workman like second half but there was no hiding the disappointment at the full-time whistle.  There may have been an air of relief coming from those from Kilkenny while Antrim manager Gleeson tried to make sense of it all.  When it comes to welcoming the likes of Kilkenny to Corrigan Park, his side have been more than up for the occasion in the recent past.  “There’s an air of disappointment about the place” said the Antrim manager, “the conditions came with us in the second half.  They didn’t really influence things in the first half but it was difficult to play into it in the second half as Kilkenny found with their new style of hurling that they’re trying to play.  They found it hard to work the lines like they did in the first half.  We got an opportunity but we didn’t take it.”

Gleeson alluded to how the elements swung in Antrim’s favour.  Trailing by four points at half time, the wind made a 180 degree turn and were at the back of Saffron shirts in the second half.  Antrim failed to capitalise in what was hugely difficult conditions if not favourable for Antrim: “We hit five wides in a crucial period in the second half.  We struggled to retain possession that we would normally be slick enough with or I’d like to think we’d be slick enough with but it was basic errors in the first half that put us on the backfoot.”

Antrim will certainly be disappointed with the first 35 minutes.  Unforced errors against a side who don’t need any invitation to capitalise was never going to end well but as Gleeson continued, he told us it was a reminder of playing hurling at this level where time and space is at a premium: “They put pressure on you and stop you from giving that good ball to hand and that’s the difference.  That’s the difference when playing against a top team, last years All-Ireland finalists.  They will work and hound, that’s in their DNA and put pressure on those strikes but there were some bad turnovers.  Losing ball on our own puck outs, giving away some silly frees.  I counted 1-6 in the first half that was our own making.  If you take that away from the half time score or even half of it, it’s a different reflection.”

There’s lessons to be learned from last Saturday, Antrim need to be 100% on their game when it comes to the Allianz League.  Teams of this calibre will punish you at every opportunity and while Kilkenny didn’t exactly do that, they had an ace up their sleeve in Billy Drennan who stole the show with his man of the match performance.  That being said, Paddy Burke was hot on his heels with his 70 plus minutes.

With just a week to work out those areas that needed ironing, the inclusion of Nigel Elliott into the squad for Sunday’s game will be a welcome sight for Gleeson as he looks ahead to Dublin: “You could feel it (the disappointment) from the crowd and the group themselves.  It was an opportunity and we didn’t take it but look, it’s a league and we’ll be judged at the end of it.  Even if we got a win I’d say the same thing.  Our boys have to focus now going down to Parnell Park and it’s a long time since Antrim got anything out of Parnell.  It’s an opportunity again, every day you wake up it gives you an opportunity in life so we’ll have to go for it.

“It’s a hard place for any team, let alone Antrim.  Anyone who gets points at Parnell earns them that’s for sure.  We’ll get back into the gym on Monday night and back to the field on Tuesday and go from there.”

The 2023 Gaelfast Antrim Shield Final took place between De La Salle College and Aquinas Grammar School in Dunsilly last night.

In very tough conditions both teams battled hard throughout the game.

It was La Salle who started the game quickly. A long ball was played into Carl McCaffrey in full forward, Carl rounded the goalkeeper for the first goal. From the resulting puc-out Dylan Rodgers-Duffy added a point for La Salle. Aquinas battled hard to keep the La Salle forwards from scoring but Oisin McLaren added two further points before Dylan Rodgers Duffy added his Second of the game. Just before half time Oisin McLaren and Eoin Coleman added two further scores to leave it 1-6 to 0-0.

Aquinas started the second half quickly and had two points on the board. In driving rain and freezing conditions both teams continued to battle. Oisin McLaren added 3 further points and La Salle finished the game as winners

Congratulations to De La Salle College who now add the Antrim Hurling Shield to the Football Shield they won in October.

By Brendan McTaggart

For likes?  Popularity?  For the love of the game?  For fun?  Or maybe it’s all for a laugh?

It’s a question I asked a team I coached last year to get them thinking on what they wanted from themselves for the season ahead and it’s something that I’ve been thinking on again in recent times.

What’s my why?  What makes me tick when it comes to attending games, taking photographs, doing interviews or previews.

Out of the list above, it’s more the latter but I’ll add for more therapeutic reasons than anything.  I enjoy the laughs and friendships that are made in the journey of a chaotic season.  But as the season unravels in recent times, I’ve become deeply invested in whatever team I’ve been following.  While that may have been my own club in recent times, the same could be said of following Antrim.

This is where the therapy comes in.

How you deal with disappointment can make or break some people.  Some find their answer in the arms of their family, some at the bottom of a bottle while some get back in the race at the next opportunity.  My family are always hugely supportive of anything I do, but for me I get ‘peace of mind’ when I write or take and edit photographs.

It’s not for recognition or accolades.  My ‘why’ comes from a mix of a love for our games, an enjoyment at still being involved in the GAA in some small way and to help me deal with inner demons.

Last year I had to take some time off work to deal with some mental health issues.  I needn’t bother saying I’m out on the other side of that, I still have some dark days but thankfully those are the exception and not the rule.  Everyone’s way of dealing with those days are different.  I’ve found my way.  My children, my family, sitting foundered at the side of a pitch with a long lens and notebook.  This is my why.

Accolades are nice and any recognition gives you a boost.  Either would have me completely affronted, a bit like a Facebook post a year or so ago from Lavey club that initially I thought was a wind up but when I read on, my face got redder and redder.   A small but meaningful post that went a long way. 

We are coming towards the end of the ‘thank you’ season as I like to call it.  When clubs get everyone together for their annual dinner dance and recognise their recent past achievements.  I’ve attended a couple and when neither recognition nor name comes your way amongst a plethora of thank you’s and ovations, you begin to question yourself.  You wonder why.  You begin to question your why.  Why not me as well?

Why would I go through it all again?  Why would I put in the time and effort that comes with covering games, may it be previews, photos or reports?  It hurts the confidence a little, well, more than a little and leaves a scar.  It’s hard to shake.

I questioned whether I should continue.  If truth be told more than a few have asked the same question of me.  Why do I continue?  I always said, like the advertisement for gambling; when the fun stops, stop.  When I stop enjoying what I’m doing then I’ll call it a day.  That being said, there’s been plenty telling me to keep ‘er lit.  But that kinda just added to the question of why.

I enjoy the matches, the craic, the photographs, even writing the odd song and finding the ‘willing’ volunteers to get involved is good craic.  It might seem like I’ve lost the run of myself to others but we all have our own way of going mad. 

Why?  While the scar remains, I found my why again on Saturday.  Antrim and Kilkenny in Corrigan Park.  Meeting good people again, having laughs with friends and family.  The banter with the good people at Naomh Eoin, the catching up with people I hadn’t seen in a while and the rush of watching Antrim playing against a team like Kilkenny.

The banter with the Kilkenny supporters who made the long journey to Corrigan Park and the chats with some of the backroom team of Derek Lyng.  The gentleman who reached me a sliotar to give to one of my daughters who was at the game with me and my aul fella, a small gesture but we shared some words and looked forward to hopefully a better day weather wise when Kilkenny come up to Corrigan again for the Leinster Championship.  Brief chats with the players involved and not involved.  Seeing children trying to get a glimpse of their heroes as they walk off the pitch and those lucky enough to grab a photo.  The hope of another season and the year ahead, how will it unfold. 

People will try to say it’s just a game, for some it’s more than that.  I think I’ve now accepted that I fall into that category.  GAA has helped me more than I have realised in the past 12 months and it’s only over the last week or so that I’ve realised it.  Is it a healthy obsession?  The jury is still out on that one.  But for now, 2023 is underway.  Let the games commence.