Down Club Hurling & Football

[Truth hurts]

Bosco/Mitchells

Glasdrumman/Longstone possibly Ballymartin

Ballykinlar/Dundrum

Aghaderg and St Michaels
Kiclief and Ardglass
Saul and Bright
St Johns and the the Finn
Darragh Cross and Drumaness
Saval and Glenn
East Belfast and St Pauls
Tullylish and Clann Na Banna
Annaclone and Drumgath

Having a GAA club is about more than just if you can play senior football. My wife's grandfather played for Clann Na Banna in the 50s. They couldn't get a pitch in Banbridge and had to play in Ballyvarley. They have to fight their way through organised unionist blockades on the Scarva Rd just to play. Why would they give up what they've built, as limited as it may seem to some of the bigger clubs, if they have the numbers to keep going. Not every club can be a division 1 club.

You could say that some of those clubs should have an arrangement at underage so lads are playing at a better level but most of the clubs mentioned there are happy enough with where they are.

I would not want to see amalgamations for the sake of it but only when it's needed. There is more chance of Crusaders and Cliftonville amalgamating as North Belfast soccer team than Glenn and Saval .

There's some clubs you mentioned are in trouble in the long run and they'll have to do something new in the near future. The only full amalgamation in recent history, even that's 40 years ago, I can think of is An Riocht - I have no idea how the agreement was made though.

Are Annaclone and Clonduff not amalgamations? Though men from Mageral and Cabra will always tell you where they are from?

Does anyone know what way the county board is voting at congress? What did the clubs agree upon? Option B I hope!

[bigarsedkeeper]

Bosco/Mitchells

Glasdrumman/Longstone possibly Ballymartin

Ballykinlar/Dundrum

Aghaderg and St Michaels
Kiclief and Ardglass
Saul and Bright
St Johns and the the Finn
Darragh Cross and Drumaness
Saval and Glenn
East Belfast and St Pauls
Tullylish and Clann Na Banna
Annaclone and Drumgath

Having a GAA club is about more than just if you can play senior football. My wife's grandfather played for Clann Na Banna in the 50s. They couldn't get a pitch in Banbridge and had to play in Ballyvarley. They have to fight their way through organised unionist blockades on the Scarva Rd just to play. Why would they give up what they've built, as limited as it may seem to some of the bigger clubs, if they have the numbers to keep going. Not every club can be a division 1 club.

You could say that some of those clubs should have an arrangement at underage so lads are playing at a better level but most of the clubs mentioned there are happy enough with where they are.

I would not want to see amalgamations for the sake of it but only when it's needed. There is more chance of Crusaders and Cliftonville amalgamating as North Belfast soccer team than Glenn and Saval .

There's some clubs you mentioned are in trouble in the long run and they'll have to do something new in the near future. The only full amalgamation in recent history, even that's 40 years ago, I can think of is An Riocht - I have no idea how the agreement was made though.

Are Annaclone and Clonduff not amalgamations? Though men from Mageral and Cabra will always tell you where they are from?

Does anyone know what way the county board is voting at congress? What did the clubs agree upon? Option B I hope!

I was going to mention Annaclone & Magheral but I didn't think many would know much about Magheral. Annaclone have been a club since 1896, Magheral started at the end of the 40s and closed up at the end of the 50s and most of those players left came back to Annaclone.

I can't see an amalgamation with us and Drumgath getting much support or any need for it, hopefully, but we have had some good arrangements at underage over the last 30 years.

Off The Ball have been reporting Down as supporting Option B - heard it got full support from clubs at the last meeting.

[passedit]

Tullylish (Gilford & Laurencetown) 60s
St Pauls (Holywood & Bangor) 70s
St Johns (Drumnaquoile & Drumaroad) 70s
St Michaels (Kilwarlin & Magheralin) 60s

are all amalgamations AFAIK. Also BAK I'm not sure the disbandment of Magheral was entirely voluntary

[stillsenior]

I'm a Down man living in Tyrone. Hearing tonight from a very reliable source that Peter Canavan is the new Down senior manager

[Silver hill]

Thought it was someone who was still managing a Club team...that's why it couldn't be announced?

[snoopdog]

I'm a Down man living in Tyrone. Hearing tonight from a very reliable source that Peter Canavan is the new Down senior manager

A big name but what has he accomplished as a manager. Has he managed club or anyone else bar his time in Fermanagh. ?

[ardtole]

Canavan is probably the best footballer I have seen, exceptional. Almost won an all-ireland single handedly in 1995.

His managerial record to date is underwhelming, id imagine his expenses are on the high side, overall id be slightly despondant about his appointment.

Some lads like Davy Fitz can come in and give a struggling county a lift, to me Canavan is Tyrone through and through, im not sure he would have the same passion and relentless drive, that he would have if involved with Tyrone or Errigal Ciaran.

[Johnnysboys]

Surely this Canavan story is fake news??? Let's be 100% honest - what would attract a man like god to our county - we will struggle in division 2 and won't win ulster nor the all Ireland in the next decade.. anyone getting a pot of money could come in and take it - but anyone genuine who thinks they will better their cv - they won't be taking our county....

[Nanderson]

Conleth Gilligan going to be new Down boss apparently

[Hedgehunter]

Conleth Gilligan going to be new Down boss apparently

Would be a great appointment imo.... Said this from the outset. Only potential issue is if he goes with Kilcoo's blessing or not.

[the goal was on]

Gilligan not even manager of a club team but is good enough for down management post?? Big difference

[ardtole]

What would happen if Kilcoo qualified for the ulster club?

[The_big_bad_wolf]

For clubs to train from early new year with the aim to win a county championship, to then be presented with Brian Higgins as referee along with his six officials in a semi final at Newry this afternoon is a disgrace.  This was a diabolical decision by the county board or who ever is responsible for appointing him! 

No disrespect to Brian but he was completely out of his depth this afternoon!

[Sandstorm]

Sad day for Down GAA when one team goes out to play football and the other team just want to perform thuggery and are accommodated by the referee and his officials. Did race, and I'm not even from Down.

[snoopdog]

The Stream is really poor from pairc esler.