Down Club Hurling & Football

[Godsown]

I would agree that the league and championship format in Down is good. However I would say that if the championship went back to a straight knockout format it could potentially open it up a bit more and give other clubs a better chance of winning it. Anyone is beatable in a one off game especially in the earlier stages. I realise that the revenue the multiple games bring in and giving lads extra games will make this unlikely to happen anytime soon. Would anyone agree?

I agree with the multiple games for players but I think the gates have went down over the years apart from Kilcoo ones. Maybe it's because there were games spread out over other grounds back then and they looked fuller but there seemed to be more people there.

Do you know that the gates are down or is that just opinion? No doubt the gates were down 2020 and possibly 2021 but that would have been down to Covid restrictions in the first instance and covid apprehension in year 2.
 But not all counties use straight knock out. I think Donegal and Derry use groups initially though open to correction on that

[Truth hurts]

Look we can all be critical of the county executive at times but our leagues and championship is the envy of Ulster. The league is run like clockwork by the CCC

[Truth hurts]

Sad news in Bryansford today with the sudden passing of Raymie Harbinson, one of the greats of the club. RIP

[Mourne Red]

Attendances been down in recent years due to COVID, Pairc TV or similar streaming a lot of games and also price of tickets into matches

[bigarsedkeeper]

I would agree that the league and championship format in Down is good. However I would say that if the championship went back to a straight knockout format it could potentially open it up a bit more and give other clubs a better chance of winning it. Anyone is beatable in a one off game especially in the earlier stages. I realise that the revenue the multiple games bring in and giving lads extra games will make this unlikely to happen anytime soon. Would anyone agree?

I agree with the multiple games for players but I think the gates have went down over the years apart from Kilcoo ones. Maybe it's because there were games spread out over other grounds back then and they looked fuller but there seemed to be more people there.

Do you know that the gates are down or is that just opinion? No doubt the gates were down 2020 and possibly 2021 but that would have been down to Covid restrictions in the first instance and covid apprehension in year 2.
 But not all counties use straight knock out. I think Donegal and Derry use groups initially though open to correction on that

I said it looks like there less people there, simply an observation - has anyone attendance numbers? Smaller grounds maybe give the feel of more people there.

[Johnnysboys]

Second chance given to all teams.. that’s not a real championship. Do what they do in other counties - straight knockout.. that’s a championship

Spoken like a man who has never worked for 6 months only to lose in the first round & realise your season is over & you’ll have to start over again in January.
Lads put too much in now for only one chance in championship.

I have lost in the first round of championship many many times. But we came back stronger and worked harder than the previous year to set it right. Lads put too much in now my arse - we put in just as much on the pitch and gym 20 years ago. The profile wasn’t as big then but due to social media that has changed. If Clonduff raised themselves this year beyond normal and beat Kilcoo in round one - Kilcoo will probably get them in 1/4 final or semi final and knock them out like they did to us a few years back. In kilcoos 6 in a row they were beaten twice by Burren in early stages and ended up winning it outright - tarnished championships they are.

[stiff breeze]

Second chance given to all teams.. that’s not a real championship. Do what they do in other counties - straight knockout.. that’s a championship

Spoken like a man who has never worked for 6 months only to lose in the first round & realise your season is over & you’ll have to start over again in January.
Lads put too much in now for only one chance in championship.

I have lost in the first round of championship many many times. But we came back stronger and worked harder than the previous year to set it right. Lads put too much in now my arse - we put in just as much on the pitch and gym 20 years ago. The profile wasn’t as big then but due to social media that has changed. If Clonduff raised themselves this year beyond normal and beat Kilcoo in round one - Kilcoo will probably get them in 1/4 final or semi final and knock them out like they did to us a few years back. In kilcoos 6 in a row they were beaten twice by Burren in early stages and ended up winning it outright - tarnished championships they are.

So you came back stronger but have been beat in first round many many times 🤔🤔

Also that’s complete and utter nonsense about guys doing as much in the gym 20 years ago . On the pitch maybe but it was mostly daft training , it’s now much more quality coaching and less laps . Whatever you may say about the younger generation now you definitely cannot lay lacking condition at most of them . 20 years ago people gained 1/2 stone in the off season . There is no off season now

[Johnnysboys]

[/quote]

So you came back stronger but have been beat in first round many many times 🤔🤔

Also that’s complete and utter nonsense about guys doing as much in the gym 20 years ago . On the pitch maybe but it was mostly daft training , it’s now much more quality coaching and less laps . Whatever you may say about the younger generation now you definitely cannot lay lacking condition at most of them . 20 years ago people gained 1/2 stone in the off season . There is no off season now
[/quote]

I Didn say we were beat many many times in consecutive years.
Mayb guys in your club weren’t doing much in the gym 20 years ago but in CPN they certainly were. Remember 20 years ago Armagh won an all Ireland with a team of monsters who set the bar high in terms of conditioning. The usual stuff happened with the club scene thinking they shud be doing what county teams are doing. The gym sessions might not have been as structured and professionally laid out as they are nowadays but they were effective. And as for laps - more All Irelands were won with them than without them despite all the bullshit overpriced sports science gurus and what they say.

[upandwin]

How does everyone see the end of the leagues next Friday?! Looks like Loughinisland will sneak fourth, it’s between them and RGU. Winner of tomorrow night will most likely get top 4-some achievement for either club. Is Barry O’Hagan gone to the states? If so, Clonduff will be in the mix for relegation fight. I thought they’d beat Mayobridge last game but without a lot of lads now they’ll struggle a bit. If they don’t beat Mayobridge and some other results go against them, they won’t be far off danger. I still think Town, Rostrevor, Bryansford and either Harps or CPN will go down. This bottom split is going to be brilliant for the neutrals. Are Bredagh a cert to come up? Who is best of the rest of so…money is on the stone finishing top and bredagh hanging on for second, barely…

[stiff breeze]

So you came back stronger but have been beat in first round many many times 🤔🤔

Also that’s complete and utter nonsense about guys doing as much in the gym 20 years ago . On the pitch maybe but it was mostly daft training , it’s now much more quality coaching and less laps . Whatever you may say about the younger generation now you definitely cannot lay lacking condition at most of them . 20 years ago people gained 1/2 stone in the off season . There is no off season now
[/quote]

I Didn say we were beat many many times in consecutive years.
Mayb guys in your club weren’t doing much in the gym 20 years ago but in CPN they certainly were. Remember 20 years ago Armagh won an all Ireland with a team of monsters who set the bar high in terms of conditioning. The usual stuff happened with the club scene thinking they shud be doing what county teams are doing. The gym sessions might not have been as structured and professionally laid out as they are nowadays but they were effective. And as for laps - more All Irelands were won with them than without them despite all the bullshit overpriced sports science gurus and what they say.
[/quote]

I can’t debate with an old bitter man/woman/other set in his/her/their ways and loves a bit of back in my day type talk  . Things move on , sport  evolves , kids nowadays train smarter and mostly harder and more often than in the past   . In 20 more years they will be doing something different. 

[GAA Madness]

How does everyone see the end of the leagues next Friday?! Looks like Loughinisland will sneak fourth, it’s between them and RGU. Winner of tomorrow night will most likely get top 4-some achievement for either club. Is Barry O’Hagan gone to the states? If so, Clonduff will be in the mix for relegation fight. I thought they’d beat Mayobridge last game but without a lot of lads now they’ll struggle a bit. If they don’t beat Mayobridge and some other results go against them, they won’t be far off danger. I still think Town, Rostrevor, Bryansford and either Harps or CPN will go down. This bottom split is going to be brilliant for the neutrals. Are Bredagh a cert to come up? Who is best of the rest of so…money is on the stone finishing top and bredagh hanging on for second, barely…

There are 4 worse teams than Clonduff, so they should be fine

[manwithnoplan]

So you came back stronger but have been beat in first round many many times 🤔🤔

Also that’s complete and utter nonsense about guys doing as much in the gym 20 years ago . On the pitch maybe but it was mostly daft training , it’s now much more quality coaching and less laps . Whatever you may say about the younger generation now you definitely cannot lay lacking condition at most of them . 20 years ago people gained 1/2 stone in the off season . There is no off season now
[/quote]

I Didn say we were beat many many times in consecutive years.
Mayb guys in your club weren’t doing much in the gym 20 years ago but in CPN they certainly were. Remember 20 years ago Armagh won an all Ireland with a team of monsters who set the bar high in terms of conditioning. The usual stuff happened with the club scene thinking they shud be doing what county teams are doing. The gym sessions might not have been as structured and professionally laid out as they are nowadays but they were effective. And as for laps - more All Irelands were won with them than without them despite all the bullshit overpriced sports science gurus and what they say.
[/quote]

More All Irelands were won with laps than without, simply because of the lack of knowledge and expertise available up until recent times. I would love to see an old school lap running team play against a modern team with "overpriced sports science gurus", with players of similar basic skill levels, as there would be only one winner there. Kudos to you for being 20 years ahead with gym programmes at your club, clearly they were effective over the last 2 decades. Structure and planning of this aspect nowadays is the reason they actually work.

[Truth hurts]

How does everyone see the end of the leagues next Friday?! Looks like Loughinisland will sneak fourth, it’s between them and RGU. Winner of tomorrow night will most likely get top 4-some achievement for either club. Is Barry O’Hagan gone to the states? If so, Clonduff will be in the mix for relegation fight. I thought they’d beat Mayobridge last game but without a lot of lads now they’ll struggle a bit. If they don’t beat Mayobridge and some other results go against them, they won’t be far off danger. I still think Town, Rostrevor, Bryansford and either Harps or CPN will go down. This bottom split is going to be brilliant for the neutrals. Are Bredagh a cert to come up? Who is best of the rest of so…money is on the stone finishing top and bredagh hanging on for second, barely…

It all depends on the game tonight, if RGU win that's them in the top 4.

But if Island wins then there are a number of teams in the hunt. Clonduff have lost a few players and they will be looking to get something in Mayobridge next week to ease them away from that battle but they won't get getting any favours from their neighbors. The Ford has been unlucky the past few games and to be fair has really improved. Carryduff and CPN are starting to get their players back and will get points to safety. Ballyholland look in major trouble and seem to have someone sent off every game, they really need to sort their discipline out and I feel they could be sorting that out in division 2 next year. For the drop I reckon Rostrevor, Castlewellan, Ballyholland, and either Bryansford or Clonduff.

[Hard2Listen2]

Massive result for Loughinisland last night.
With Rostrevor at home next week they should hold on to 4th place.

[Mourne Red]

Wouldn’t say we’ve snuck 4th.. We lost to the 3 teams higher than us and were unlucky against Clonduff at home. Still Rostrevor to play so hopefully all going well win that and assured Div 1 status.