Down U20 football championship 2013

[Faceinthecrowd]

Interesting start to the U20 championship today........big wins for Bryansford and Burren in group D. Surprised at Shamrocks doing so poorly against Bryansford, obviously Bryansford are very strong this year. Whilst Burren hit a big score against Attical, it's impressive that Attical can field a team at this level, for a club with small numbers, and fair play to them entering the competition.
Much tighter games in group C and group A. Bredagh did very well against Castlewellan. Castlewellan looked very impressive at times but failed to keep their nerve and discipline when under pressure from a tenacious looking Bredagh outfit. Carryduff took the points against Longstone/Glassdrumman, but believe there was poor discipline from the visitors in this game also.
Not much in the Kilcoo v Rostrevor game in group A, with the reds winning by the narrowest of margins. Similar difference in the St Patricks v St Brigids game, but not exactly sure which clubs are involved in these amalgamations?
Warrenpoint and Clonduff had comfortable wins in group B against Mayobridge and Drumcross respectively. Mayobridge only hitting 2 scores against CPN is a bit of a surprise.
Good to have this competition at this stage of the year and looking forward to next week

[Down Follower]

Burren always seem so strong in this competition which is a marvellous thing to have if you are looking towards your senior team.  Likewise Bryansford in the last few years have been quite strong.  The problem for these two teams is that they are in the same group! Only one to go through.

Amazed at the Mayobridge result against the Point. Not that they were beaten Warrenpoint have been strong at underage, but that they were hammered!!  A club that has just reached the Minor Champ Final and have a number of young players on the senior team, this should not happen.  Warrenpoint if i recall got to the Minor Final two years ago with this group of players so admittedly they should be strong and looks like they will give it a rattle.

Rostrevor beat Kilcoo by a point but I am sure there were a number of Kilcoo seniors not playing so this may be one of the weaker groups with two amalgamated teams also in. Louginisland/Ballykinlar are St Brigids while Downpatrick/Saul are St Patricks.  Bredagh are a coming force in Down football i believe so their result against Castlewellan is not surprising.

[Mourne Rover]

Kilcoo won the Down MFC for three years in a row, 2009, 2010 and 2011, so on paper would have been the favourites for this year's u20 competition.  They have 10 u20 players on their senior panel, with three in the starting line-up for the win in last week's senior county final, so perhaps a Kilcoo poster could indicate how many of these were unavailable yesterday. Rostrevor look certain to make the semi finals as a result.

Mayobridge have not been strong at this particular level so their defeat to Warrenpoint, who are also likely semi finalists, was predictable, while Burren and Bryansford should have quite a battle for qualification.

The final group looks a very tight one, with Bredagh and Carryduff meeting in the last round of fixtures and Castlewellan and Lower Mourne both capable of bouncing back after their defeats yesterday.

[spirit0f91and94]

Kilcoo won the Down MFC for three years in a row, 2009, 2010 and 2011, so on paper would have been the favourites for this year's u20 competition.  They have 10 u20 players on their senior panel, with three in the starting line-up for the win in last week's senior county final, so perhaps a Kilcoo poster could indicate how many of these were unavailable yesterday. Rostrevor look certain to make the semi finals as a result.

Mayobridge have not been strong at this particular level so their defeat to Warrenpoint, who are also likely semi finalists, was predictable, while Burren and Bryansford should have quite a battle for qualification.

The final group looks a very tight one, with Bredagh and Carryduff meeting in the last round of fixtures and Castlewellan and Lower Mourne both capable of bouncing back after their defeats yesterday.

Bridge won it in 2011 and then got beaten in the ulster final and were beaten Down finalists in 2012 by Bryansford who won ulster - some crap posted on this site!

[Mourne Rover]

Spirit, `at this particular level' meant this age group. In other words, Mayobridge were not a force at minor two years ago, or at u16 four years ago and so on. They have obviously had good u20 sides in the past, but the group of players involved in this year's competition were not regarded as being in the same category.

[befair]

Results at U-20 level largely depend on how many lads are still around. Many will be at uni or 3rd level and unable to turn out, which is why few clubs bother entering. Moving the age limit back from U21 makes it even harder for small clubs to fill teams, and was very short-sighted. It's a good way of giving lads football, but not much prestige attached

[Faceinthecrowd]

I'm not convinced clubs struggling for numbers is the major issue, the u20 competition permits players born in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996, a four year span. There's no real issue other than lack of commitment for a lad at 3rd level in ireland not making an effort to play for his club on a Sunday afternoon. If you look at the entrants most of the bigger clubs are involved in the competition and credibly some smaller clubs standing on their own. I'm sure they all would be very keen to make a mark at this level. Football at this level is good to watch, slightly less physical than senior and generally faster. I would be very proud to have an u20 title in our club and believe any of the clubs in the competition would have a similar view

[Line Ball]

Are Down the only county in Ulster who run an U.20 competition rather than an U.21 competition?  It is well known that the senior management have requested this so they can get a look at players for next years Ulster U.21 championship which is fair enough but there is little thought for the club player who misses out because the County Board have changed the age of this competition.  Does this also mean that the club winning this competition may then bring in players for the Creggan U.21 competition who were ineligible to play in the Down one?  You will then have lads losing out who have played in Down but won't get their place in the Ulster competition as older players come into the team.

There were probably clubs who had a decent U.21 team but not an U.20 team and probably didn't enter the competition then. Just wondering was there any consultation with clubs about changing the age for this competition or is this another example of the Down Way of doing things?

[befair]

Are Down the only county in Ulster who run an U.20 competition rather than an U.21 competition?  It is well known that the senior management have requested this so they can get a look at players for next years Ulster U.21 championship which is fair enough but there is little thought for the club player who misses out because the County Board have changed the age of this competition.  Does this also mean that the club winning this competition may then bring in players for the Creggan U.21 competition who were ineligible to play in the Down one?  You will then have lads losing out who have played in Down but won't get their place in the Ulster competition as older players come into the team.

There were probably clubs who had a decent U.21 team but not an U.20 team and probably didn't enter the competition then. Just wondering was there any consultation with clubs about changing the age for this competition or is this another example of the Down Way of doing things?

Same thing was passed a few yrs ago, suddenly changing it from U21 to U20, then reverted. I presume the rationale is to look at next years county U21 candidates, but they would be playing at U21 anyway so makes no sense. So many lads are at Uni or college in England/Scotland now, or have left to find work, hardly feasible for them to come home at weekends, no matter how dedicated they are

[Faceinthecrowd]

Final group games tomorrow. St Patricks v Rostrevor and Bredagh v Carryduff being the pick of the games.
Predictions for 'A' championship semi-finals:
Rostrevor
Warrenpoint
Bredagh
Burren

[Lecale2]

The Bredagh v Carryduff game has been moved to Saul following an official objection from Carryduff to the use of Cherryvale. 

[No1]

Don't blame them. Such an important game shouldn't be played on an oul shite council pitch.

[east down gael]

Being from kilclief I'm presuming that post was ironic!

[No1]

Nope. Never had to rely on anyone else for a pitch to play on. With the notable exception of the fine Gaels of Ballykinlar who gave us a dig out for a year when we were sorting our OWN pitch out.

[east down gael]

Point taken,I'm sure bredagh not having their own pitch discussion has been done to death.