Down Club Hurling & Football

Started by Lecale2, November 10, 2006, 12:06:55 AM

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Mourne Rover

Few results could have made our u21 performance against Armagh any more humiliating but the hammering they got from Monaghan tonight probably managed it. We got destroyed by a side who have turned out to be pretty ordinary, and their conquerers Monaghan are not even the favourites for the competition.  The report to the county board on the entire debacle will be worth waiting for. 

cut the crap

It's time to take county executive to task, I am currently a member of club down and have been since the original development of newry and now I am contemplating stopping my monthly contribution as I've had enough of the total incompetence displayed on all fronts by the down executive. Personally I'm disappointed with our chairman who I was looking to for some leadership, instead we have the secretary who is at the head of everything in down that is failing.No one doubts his appetite for work and that might be his weakness, as it seems nothing happens without his say so.It has been stated on this forum there is a need for new blood at the top table as it seems there is an interchanging of positions each time here is an election, I agree with that thought, but it's how we do it.
If you have any influence at your club bring a motion of no confidence to your club meeting and then bring that via your county board rep to the county board meeting.
Some one asked for a report into what's happened , we waited nearly two years for the last report , I attended meetings where a guy with credentials in irish hockey give us his thoughts on what's wrong and how to fix it, it took 2 yrs for his report to be delivered, if there is to be an inquiry, it should be totally independent and it should be agreed beforehand that any and all recommendations have to be implemented even if it seems going to Croke park to remove our current secretary , other counties have taken this course of action,I have read on this forum the thoughts on schools, underage coaching ,the u21s,and the senior team and it makes for some depressing reading.
I don't like negative critisim , so I'm calling for an independent body without any current executive members to be given a mandate to investigate what's wrong with Down football and deliver it's findings back to the county board at an open meeting and all recommendations to be implemented regardless if they are unpalatable to some.

imagine

Quote from: Smurfy123 on March 30, 2016, 11:02:52 AM
The secondary schools in Down need to take a hard long look at themselves regarding GAA being done in schools
The abbey train as little as they can possibly get away with.Havent looked like competing in mccory level for about 7 years
St Marks don't even train anymore(imagine that team that got beat in the final actually trained)
St Colmans again the tradition they have should be doing better.They used to be the big hitters of school football not anymore
St Joseph's are working with a limited bunch but we should be producing 1-2 players out if this school every few years but we are not.
St Louis has produced nothing really since the team that clarke played in
St Malachys are now run by a rugby man and haven't really been competing like they once did when PJ Magee was head of PE
St Columbans are not producing to the standard that they were years ago when they won an all Ireland but what I will give poacher credit for he certainly puts the work in on the training ground and he puts it all into the GAA
We have lost some great PE teachers over the last 10 years
PJ MAGEE
BARNEY MCALEENAN
TOM CUNNINGHAM
VAL KANE
PETE MCGRATH
RAY MORGAN
SEAN MULHOLLAND
GERARD HUGHES
All massive GAA fanatics and I'm afraid to say bar poacher the rest are not putting in the work
Red High,Aquinas,Knock,St Columbanus Bangor and St Josephs Belfast are not included here.Depressing stuff all around the 2nd Level schools throughout Down.Would the the Schools coaches not be better going into this level?

johnneycool

Quote from: imagine on March 31, 2016, 08:27:52 AM
Quote from: Smurfy123 on March 30, 2016, 11:02:52 AM
The secondary schools in Down need to take a hard long look at themselves regarding GAA being done in schools
The abbey train as little as they can possibly get away with.Havent looked like competing in mccory level for about 7 years
St Marks don't even train anymore(imagine that team that got beat in the final actually trained)
St Colmans again the tradition they have should be doing better.They used to be the big hitters of school football not anymore
St Joseph's are working with a limited bunch but we should be producing 1-2 players out if this school every few years but we are not.
St Louis has produced nothing really since the team that clarke played in
St Malachys are now run by a rugby man and haven't really been competing like they once did when PJ Magee was head of PE
St Columbans are not producing to the standard that they were years ago when they won an all Ireland but what I will give poacher credit for he certainly puts the work in on the training ground and he puts it all into the GAA
We have lost some great PE teachers over the last 10 years
PJ MAGEE
BARNEY MCALEENAN
TOM CUNNINGHAM
VAL KANE
PETE MCGRATH
RAY MORGAN
SEAN MULHOLLAND
GERARD HUGHES
All massive GAA fanatics and I'm afraid to say bar poacher the rest are not putting in the work
Red High,Aquinas,Knock,St Columbanus Bangor and St Josephs Belfast are not included here.Depressing stuff all around the 2nd Level schools throughout Down.Would the the Schools coaches not be better going into this level?

At least we're getting a bit of hurling out of the Red High and OL&SP Knock which is good, but alas nothing from De LaSalle Downpatrick and even St Columba's Portaferry are a shadow of their former selves.

You're right on the coaches though, what level are they working at? Key Stage 2 in the primary schools and then what?

thewobbler

Some mad as badshit stuff above here. But some good points too.

On the last point though, my gut feeling is that the schools are symptomatic of our problems, rather than being the problem.

Take a look at some of the clubs playing 9-a-side and 13-a-side at the various juvenile football ranks this year. More than a few of them would have be among Down's traditional layers of golden eggs.

I mentioned it before on here and some (a lot) of people don't like hearing it. But the genuine truth is that, in the current climate, for whatever reason, there's too many clubs in Down. Our players are thinned out too far.

By the way, a return to 12-team senior leagues will create an improvement in the next few years. If we can get back down to 10 team leagues it will only help again.

Nothing in this world helps create competitive footballers more than a competitive environment.

bend your back

#26165
What sort of mad man are you Smurfy, maybe you are that mad man himself? We have all seen the antics of Poucher along the line for years now and you think that this is an acceptable way for a manager who is also a school teacher should behave? And you think that he should be in charge of St Colmans or Abbey or any other school for that matter, do you think that they would accept his behaviour along the line? His latest rant in the Gaelic Life is a total contradiction to his whole approach to football whether that be at club or school level. The first three things he mentions are
1. Be Supportive of the Children. Don't pressurise them into playing and support the decisions they make both on the field and off the field.
2. Give positive praise. Know when to show praise and when to keep quiet, and don't forget to praise other players on the team and also the opposition, show appreciation of good play.

and this one is the biggest joke
3. Be Calm and Composed. If your child gets tackled aggressively or is involved in something contentious, let the referee deal with it and keep control of your emotions. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Maybe we should put him in with the U.21's after the way they performed this year, ah shit that is right he has already been there with Neil Collins when I don't think they won a game in 3 years (Antrim doesn't count).  Maybe he should be put in the development squads, ah shit he is in charge of the U.17's and he is what NP76 thinks of him and his approach

I was at the u 17 Dev squad game on sat it was an awful windy day and was really a tale of 2 halves. Down were leading 3-03 to 0-02 at Ht I think to end up getting beat by 2. If we are serious about developing lads I really fail to see how as per usual with Poucher he played 14 men behind the ball and invited a team on to him which they truly obliged. It was terrible to watch and I really felt for the lad left up on his own. If we think that this is development of young lads I despair how will these lads know any creative flair to win games in later life.

You mentioned many coaches in your first post on this topic and Poucher wouldn't lace their boots as a coach. You also fail to mention or are prepared to ignore the fact that the schools can only do so much and why do you think that the likes of Maghera are so strong, it is because of the work being done in the South Derry clubs like Glen, Slaughneil, Lavey etc.  Apart from Burren, there is little evidence of any worthwhile coaching being done among clubs for the schools to pick from. You also seem to gloss over the fact that the recent winners of the (so easily won) MacRory Cup have no other schools in direct competition, Maghera, Cavan and Enniskillen. In the Newry area you have St Colmans, Abbey, St Marks, St Joseph's and now St Paul's who are all drawing from basically the same pool of players.  Many of the other schools in Ulster Colleges have a 20/30 mile radius of clubs to draw from and could you imagine the team put together if all these schools were able to put 1 team together? You probably know this as you know everything else but now in Cavan and Monaghan schools it is the county coaches who train the teams, supported by the school coaches so is it any wonder many of these schools are doing so well compared to schools in the Newry area. There are many men giving up their time and doing a good job training teams before, during and after school and to say  The secondary schools in Down need to take a hard long look at themselves regarding GAA being done in schools is bullshit.

Just wondering as well what is your fascination with Caolan Mooney and the fact that you only joined this board when he came back from Australia? Half of your posts contain his name, thats an unhealthy obsession  :-X

bridgegael

#26166
Quote from: bend your back on March 31, 2016, 07:56:00 PM
What sort of mad man are you Smurfy, maybe you are that mad man himself? We have all seen the antics of Poucher along the line for years now and you think that this is an acceptable way for a manager who is also a school teacher should behave? And you think that he should be in charge of St Colmans or Abbey or any other school for that matter, do you think that they would accept his behaviour along the line? His latest rant in the Gaelic Life is a total contradiction to his whole approach to football whether that be at club or school level. The first three things he mentions are
1. Be Supportive of the Children. Don't pressurise them into playing and support the decisions they make both on the field and off the field.
2. Give positive praise. Know when to show praise and when to keep quiet, and don't forget to praise other players on the team and also the opposition, show appreciation of good play.

and this one is the biggest joke
3. Be Calm and Composed. If your child gets tackled aggressively or is involved in something contentious, let the referee deal with it and keep control of your emotions. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Maybe we should put him in with the U.21's after the way they performed this year, ah shit that is right he has already been there with Neil Collins when I don't think they won a game in 3 years (Antrim doesn't count).  Maybe he should be put in the development squads, ah shit he is in charge of the U.17's and he is what NP76 thinks of him and his approach

I was at the u 17 Dev squad game on sat it was an awful windy day and was really a tale of 2 halves. Down were leading 3-03 to 0-02 at Ht I think to end up getting beat by 2. If we are serious about developing lads I really fail to see how as per usual with Poucher he played 14 men behind the ball and invited a team on to him which they truly obliged. It was terrible to watch and I really felt for the lad left up on his own. If we think that this is development of young lads I despair how will these lads know any creative flair to win games in later life.

You mentioned many coaches in your first post on this topic and Poucher wouldn't lace their boots as a coach. You also fail to mention or are prepared to ignore the fact that the schools can only do so much and why do you think that the likes of Maghera are so strong, it is because of the work being done in the South Derry clubs like Glen, Slaughneil, Lavey etc. Apart from Burren, there is little evidence of any worthwhile coaching being done among clubs for the schools to ]. You also seem to gloss over the fact that the recent winners of the (so easily won) MacRory Cup have no other schools in direct competition, Maghera, Cavan and Enniskillen. In the Newry area you have St Columns, Abbey, St Marks, St Joseph's and now St Paul's who are all drawing from basically the same pool of players.  Many of the other schools in Ulster Colleges have a 20/30 mile radius of clubs to draw from and could you imagine the team put together if all these schools were able to put 1 team together? You probably know this as you know everything else but now in Cavan and Monaghan schools it is the county coaches who train the teams, supported by the school coaches so is it any wonder many of these schools are doing so well compared to schools in the Newry area. There are many men giving up their time and doing a good job training teams before, during and after school and to say  The secondary schools in Down need to take a hard long look at themselves regarding GAA being done in schools is bullshit.

Just wondering as well what is your fascination with Caolan Mooney and the fact that you only joined this board when he came back from Australia? Half of your posts contain his name, thats an unhealthy obsession  :-X

Where are you getting this from?
"2009 Gaaboard Cheltenham fantasy league winner"

thewobbler

Good lord what a bizarre rant. And delivered with such an air of authority. But when Maghera is 8 miles from Magherafelt, and 2 schools from Magherafelt met in a Rannafast semi final last season, it's impossible to think anything other than "you're talking out of your hole".


wobbller


5 Sams

Quote from: bridgegael on March 31, 2016, 09:09:02 PM
Quote from: bend your back on March 31, 2016, 07:56:00 PM
What sort of mad man are you Smurfy, maybe you are that mad man himself? We have all seen the antics of Poucher along the line for years now and you think that this is an acceptable way for a manager who is also a school teacher should behave? And you think that he should be in charge of St Colmans or Abbey or any other school for that matter, do you think that they would accept his behaviour along the line? His latest rant in the Gaelic Life is a total contradiction to his whole approach to football whether that be at club or school level. The first three things he mentions are
1. Be Supportive of the Children. Don't pressurise them into playing and support the decisions they make both on the field and off the field.
2. Give positive praise. Know when to show praise and when to keep quiet, and don't forget to praise other players on the team and also the opposition, show appreciation of good play.

and this one is the biggest joke
3. Be Calm and Composed. If your child gets tackled aggressively or is involved in something contentious, let the referee deal with it and keep control of your emotions. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Maybe we should put him in with the U.21's after the way they performed this year, ah shit that is right he has already been there with Neil Collins when I don't think they won a game in 3 years (Antrim doesn't count).  Maybe he should be put in the development squads, ah shit he is in charge of the U.17's and he is what NP76 thinks of him and his approach

I was at the u 17 Dev squad game on sat it was an awful windy day and was really a tale of 2 halves. Down were leading 3-03 to 0-02 at Ht I think to end up getting beat by 2. If we are serious about developing lads I really fail to see how as per usual with Poucher he played 14 men behind the ball and invited a team on to him which they truly obliged. It was terrible to watch and I really felt for the lad left up on his own. If we think that this is development of young lads I despair how will these lads know any creative flair to win games in later life.

You mentioned many coaches in your first post on this topic and Poucher wouldn't lace their boots as a coach. You also fail to mention or are prepared to ignore the fact that the schools can only do so much and why do you think that the likes of Maghera are so strong, it is because of the work being done in the South Derry clubs like Glen, Slaughneil, Lavey etc. Apart from Burren, there is little evidence of any worthwhile coaching being done among clubs for the schools to ]. You also seem to gloss over the fact that the recent winners of the (so easily won) MacRory Cup have no other schools in direct competition, Maghera, Cavan and Enniskillen. In the Newry area you have St Columns, Abbey, St Marks, St Joseph's and now St Paul's who are all drawing from basically the same pool of players.  Many of the other schools in Ulster Colleges have a 20/30 mile radius of clubs to draw from and could you imagine the team put together if all these schools were able to put 1 team together? You probably know this as you know everything else but now in Cavan and Monaghan schools it is the county coaches who train the teams, supported by the school coaches so is it any wonder many of these schools are doing so well compared to schools in the Newry area. There are many men giving up their time and doing a good job training teams before, during and after school and to say  The secondary schools in Down need to take a hard long look at themselves regarding GAA being done in schools is bullshit.

Just wondering as well what is your fascination with Caolan Mooney and the fact that you only joined this board when he came back from Australia? Half of your posts contain his name, thats an unhealthy obsession  :-X

Where are you getting this from?

+ Harps have just won back to back Down FĂ©ile "A" championships...the coaching must be shite alright...in everywhere bar Burren. Catch a grip ye lunatic.
60,61,68,91,94
The Aristocrat Years

Smurfy123

So Burren are the only team in Down working on underage but Ballyholland have won the last 2 Feile titles?Now can you explain that one?
Bend your back concentrate on training the Down minors instead of talking on discussion boards.

cut the crap

You are all on here critising each other and not addressing the problem, we have no leadership from the county executive , every primary school should have a designated county coach who should be helping to develop the young players of tomorrow, hopefully this be in conjunction with clubs who should be sending in senior players to take after school sessions, if the county coaches do their job right these players will seek to play football in their next school, and the trick is our county should be offering to help coach school teams , hopefully the teachers in charge if these teams will embrace the opportunity to work with qualified coaches and learn the basics of coaching and developing our young players .No one can tell me that our players at the age of 12 to 14 are inferior to those in other counties, it's their development from that age that is sorely lacking.Another point I would like to highlight is the absence of dedicated men of the calibre of the late Pat OHare or Ray Morgan, it was no coincidence success followed these men , I apologise if their are similar people who should be mentioned but these two come readily to mind as I played for one and faced the other, therefore we need a strategy carefully planned and rigorously implemented . It will take the county executive to meet with headmasters to allow our coaches to get involved with school teams, teachers nowadays have a heavy work load and I'm sure would welcome the help.AM I WRONG TO THINK THIS WAY?One last thing the facilities both on and of the field at most schools are first class.

PAULD123

Bend you back's first post has been firmly criticized. And the points of criticism are probably fair. But I would like to say that in the interests of Devil's advocate that I thought at least some points in the post were valid.

Smurfy123

Paul D you talk a lot of sense but I don't agree with all that you say.
So Burren are the only team at underage doing the work ?
What all did they win last year bend your back?
Anyword on team news for Sunday???
Clarke back yet?

OgraAnDun

Quote from: Smurfy123 on April 01, 2016, 04:49:51 PM
Paul D you talk a lot of sense but I don't agree with all that you say.
So Burren are the only team at underage doing the work ?
What all did they win last year bend your back?
Anyword on team news for Sunday???
Clarke back yet?

He said he agreed with some of the points, not them all.