Down Club Hurling & Football

[Nanderson]

As an An Riocht man I'm proud of my club for how far we went this year. Disappointed we didn't get over the line today as I felt we were by far the better team and not being clinical enough and our discipline let us down at key stages(start and end of the game). Thought the ref was very picky for us and very lenient on them. Maybe home advantage gave them the 50 50 calls but I'm near sure the ref wanted to stick some of the frees over the bar himself

[manwithnoplan]

As an An Riocht man I'm proud of my club for how far we went this year. Disappointed we didn't get over the line today as I felt we were by far the better team and not being clinical enough and our discipline let us down at key stages(start and end of the game). Thought the ref was very picky for us and very lenient on them. Maybe home advantage gave them the 50 50 calls but I'm near sure the ref wanted to stick some of the frees over the bar himself

Keeper also done you no favours charging out to the 21 and costing a goal, can't fault the ref for a lack of communication in the defence.

[Nanderson]

As an An Riocht man I'm proud of my club for how far we went this year. Disappointed we didn't get over the line today as I felt we were by far the better team and not being clinical enough and our discipline let us down at key stages(start and end of the game). Thought the ref was very picky for us and very lenient on them. Maybe home advantage gave them the 50 50 calls but I'm near sure the ref wanted to stick some of the frees over the bar himself

Keeper also done you no favours charging out to the 21 and costing a goal, can't fault the ref for a lack of communication in the defence.

Indeed not

[manwithnoplan]

As an An Riocht man I'm proud of my club for how far we went this year. Disappointed we didn't get over the line today as I felt we were by far the better team and not being clinical enough and our discipline let us down at key stages(start and end of the game). Thought the ref was very picky for us and very lenient on them. Maybe home advantage gave them the 50 50 calls but I'm near sure the ref wanted to stick some of the frees over the bar himself

Keeper also done you no favours charging out to the 21 and costing a goal, can't fault the ref for a lack of communication in the defence.

Indeed not

That wasn't meant to sound so harsh on the keeper by the way, reading it back it could be seen that way. Just pointing out that it was a very costly avoidable mistake.

[Johnnysboys]

Kilcoo v Glen Watty Graham's

Who wins???

[Nanderson]

Kilcoo v Glen Watty Graham's

Who wins???

kilcoo by 7

[upandwin]

Hard to call that Kilcoo-WG game but my gut tells me that Glen are overrated a bit. A very good side obviously but Kilcoo are formidable...

The dark horses for the Ulster champ are Derrygonnelly...not sure why no one is talking about them, they absolutely outplayed Kilcoo the last time they met and only for missing free after free after free they would have won that day. I think D'Gonnelly/Kilcoo final and Fermanagh team to win it in ET.

(Can't wait for this comment to be rubbished when WG inevitably beat Kilcoo and D'Gonnelly lose their semi final as well now lol)

[Truth hurts]

It is hard to know if Kilcoo were good or that Ramor team was crap. It looked like at least 5 or 6 Down teams would have beat that team easily. Hopefully, Jerome commits to the county this year as he has not fulfilled his potential at county level. Maghera looked good ut it is hard to gauge.
Burren looks unstoppable at u20, that is some hammering to give Carryduff.
It looks like a Castlewellan v St Johns final in the B competition but they are both amalagmations.

[johnnycool]

We played St Marks in the Down U16.5 vocational final back in the day. got an absolute walloping in Liatroim IIRC and I scored our only score, a goal I might add. Liam Howlett was the star for them back then.. They went on the win the AI that year.

We'd beaten LaSalle Downpatrick and St Louie's Kilkeel on our way to the final and only one of our team played club football for Kilclief, the rest the only time they played football was at school PE. I don't even think we trained after school back then.
We'd an Allstar at midfield for us though. 

Legs was some soccer player too!  I remember Kilclief playing the Crans in football way back when, I imagine when Greg Blaney transferred to Carryduff that was the beginning of the end of their football team.

We always benefitted from some great footballers coming across the shuck to play minor football for us, many of whom went onto play senior county hurling (when the hurlers were a decent side)! It was only ever a sideline for them though and mostly because a few of our boys were classmates of theirs in St Columbas.

I think there was a county bye law at one stage were the Ports had to field a football team in the minor championship every year, not sure what that was about.

My oul fella taught in Ballyphillip and Noddy, Hunter and those boys were in his P7 class. Best football team he ever had he maintains to this day!!   
[/quote]

Noddy was meant to be a decent footballer, played U21 championship for Down on the recommendation of his PE teacher in the Red High even though he'd left the school three or four years previous, the hunter I just couldn't image having that bit of subtlety needed with a big ball, a coarse Christian irrespective of the code and maybe three or four years older than Noddy, so your oul fella might be a bit mistaken.

Was talking to one of the red high players last night and he didn't even know that his manager played U21 hurling for Down back in the day and won an Ulster U21 before getting hammered in Fingal by Tipp U21's  featuring Conal Bonnar and John Leahy..

[Ed Hardy]

Many new faces called into county squad or even  for trials? I know there isn't much time, but I take it they held a few?  Surely few others added to the management ticket aswell?

[Mourne Red]

Many new faces called into county squad or even  for trials? I know there isn't much time, but I take it they held a few?  Surely few others added to the management ticket aswell?

Gilmore from St Johns has been called up to the panel - probably get a run out in McKenna cup before seeing if he is good enough to be kept for the league.

[bigarsedkeeper]

It is hard to know if Kilcoo were good or that Ramor team was crap. It looked like at least 5 or 6 Down teams would have beat that team easily. Hopefully, Jerome commits to the county this year as he has not fulfilled his potential at county level. Maghera looked good ut it is hard to gauge.
Burren looks unstoppable at u20, that is some hammering to give Carryduff.
It looks like a Castlewellan v St Johns final in the B competition but they are both amalagmations.

Is it right that Castlewellan are amalgamated with RGU and Loughinisland? No problem with them going together but why go in the B competition? Surely that defeats the purpose. Who's in with St Johns?

[6th sam]

We played St Marks in the Down U16.5 vocational final back in the day. got an absolute walloping in Liatroim IIRC and I scored our only score, a goal I might add. Liam Howlett was the star for them back then.. They went on the win the AI that year.

We'd beaten LaSalle Downpatrick and St Louie's Kilkeel on our way to the final and only one of our team played club football for Kilclief, the rest the only time they played football was at school PE. I don't even think we trained after school back then.
We'd an Allstar at midfield for us though. 

Legs was some soccer player too!  I remember Kilclief playing the Crans in football way back when, I imagine when Greg Blaney transferred to Carryduff that was the beginning of the end of their football team.

We always benefitted from some great footballers coming across the shuck to play minor football for us, many of whom went onto play senior county hurling (when the hurlers were a decent side)! It was only ever a sideline for them though and mostly because a few of our boys were classmates of theirs in St Columbas.

I think there was a county bye law at one stage were the Ports had to field a football team in the minor championship every year, not sure what that was about.

My oul fella taught in Ballyphillip and Noddy, Hunter and those boys were in his P7 class. Best football team he ever had he maintains to this day!!   

Noddy was meant to be a decent footballer, played U21 championship for Down on the recommendation of his PE teacher in the Red High even though he'd left the school three or four years previous, the hunter I just couldn't image having that bit of subtlety needed with a big ball, a coarse Christian irrespective of the code and maybe three or four years older than Noddy, so your oul fella might be a bit mistaken.

Was talking to one of the red high players last night and he didn't even know that his manager played U21 hurling for Down back in the day and won an Ulster U21 before getting hammered in Fingal by Tipp U21's  featuring Conal Bonnar and John Leahy..
[/quote]
Danny Hughes was also an outstanding footballer with Ballycran. Would have been county standard if circumstances allowed

[Truth hurts]

It is hard to know if Kilcoo were good or that Ramor team was crap. It looked like at least 5 or 6 Down teams would have beat that team easily. Hopefully, Jerome commits to the county this year as he has not fulfilled his potential at county level. Maghera looked good ut it is hard to gauge.
Burren looks unstoppable at u20, that is some hammering to give Carryduff.
It looks like a Castlewellan v St Johns final in the B competition but they are both amalagmations.

Is it right that Castlewellan are amalgamated with RGU and Loughinisland? No problem with them going together but why go in the B competition? Surely that defeats the purpose. Who's in with St Johns?

Yes I do not know why a club the size of Castlewellen would need to join up, and then play 13 a side

[Truth hurts]

Does anyone know why the county board is trying to dilute the authority of the divisional boards. The East Down board is very strong and I wish Ardglass Ryan Kelly all the best in his new role who replaces Ger Connery who has been an excellent chairperson. I do not know why the county board has taken away the underage leagues from the boards. young players loved to play in South and East Down finals with the winner playing off for the county championship.