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Down's league campaign starts this week at home to Kildare. Due to the restructuring of the league, two teams will be promoted to Division 1 next year- with Down, Kerry, and Kildare all favourites to go up.

Division 1 would be a big boost to the county hurlers, and it should be a very realistic target this year.

Kildare in Ballycran is the best we could have hoped for. Kildare have been something of a bogey team for Down this decade, but Down are well fit to handle them. Winning this game would really set things off in the right direction, particularly since I'd say our Ulster rivals in Derry, Donegal, and even Tyrone would be looking to make a big statement against us.

Kildare are really flying through the motions, and are doing a lot of things right. They will have similar ambitions to us.

Interested to see who is involved.

Some experienced heads in the likes of Kieth, Sheehan, and Conlan are still involved, which will be what we need against the likes of Kerry and Kildare. The Irish News says Ronan Beatty of Carryduff has committed to the hurling, and Niall McFarland of Bredagh is available after being injured last year.

Beatty is a great addition- he is like glue and the ball just seems to stick to him. McFarland is a top defender and very glad to see him back.

McGrattan from Portaferry was very good this year I thought and could be our most dangerous forward.

It has been a while since Down went into a league campaign as favourites, so will be interesting to see how they deal with that. I have no doubt they won't buy into it, anyway. There is no secret there will be a target on our back. This league very much is a mini Ulster Championship of sorts.

Regardless of who the opposition is, there is no one in this league Down hasn't beaten in the past few years in the league, championship, or preseason competitions. It's a big opportunity this year, but let's not get too far ahead. Kildare are a very good side and are constantly improving. Hopefully Down are able to turn Ballycran into a fortress once again and come out the right side of this one.

I'd give Derry a fighting chance as well there Splash.

We've them up in Owenbeg and they'll see that as one they could win and they can indeed.

The Kildare lads have had the better of Down in the most recent meetings in 2024 and will be hard work in what will be a very soft pitch in Ballycran.

Meath have dropped off a bit and Kerry will be without their star in Mackessy, now with the cats, so Down have a good chance alright, but a good start is imperative.

You'd hope we've enough to get over Donegal and Tyrone with something to spare.

Mackessy gone from Kerry but Shane Nolan is back out of retirement which is big plus for them.

Big weekend for Bredagh, have a real shot at getting to the Final although traditionally Down clubs don't enjoy it against Derry clubs but think if Bredagh can get their match ups right can take a strong Swatragh outfit. The Ports will be keeping close eye on events at Armagh, Cushendall should have enough to deal with Slaughtneil but again will be down to the wire.

Disappointing end for Ballela in Junior Comp, apparently played really well in stopping Ballinascreen from playing but lack of discipline cost them big time with Haughey and McCusker getting red-carded. Cant expect to win them big games if down in numbers.
Made a wee jaunt over to the cathedral city on Saturday night and what a treat it was to watch an absolute cracker. McManus kept the Dall in it and was unplayable but Slaughtneil were like men possessed under Keady and Armagh man Paul McCormack. They will probably start as favourites but having watched Portaferry in the Down final I think another top game is in store and hard to call. Looking forward to that one.

Bredagh and Ballela are into the next round in Ulster after their great showings last week. Coaches and managers at club and inter county level love to pick players in their own likeness. The 3 men in Ballela have certainly got that with a mix of strength drive and skill. Johnny has been great from frees and crucially can do it from play too but Mal Magee has really stepped it up and led the way. The level of opposition goes up a notch or three this weekend but no doubt Ballela will give their all.
Bredagh have got a monkey of the back in Ulster with a great win and will be confident of further progress in the competition. Hughes Kennedy etc will feel they have it in them to take anyone at this level. Galway also did his job well and his saves were vital.

Ballygalget will learn from final and as always maximise their resources and maybe a year in Antrim div 2 will help them bring on a few more. I expect to see them back again. Portaferry have the luxury of a 6 week break and will relish an Ulster Final with some unfinished business. Can't see any team toppling them in Down any time soon. The likes of the Sands brothers and young McGrattan would cause any team problems and the Ulster final will be cracker.
Bredagh v Carryduff was a good game and Bredagh will give Ulster a rattle though some very good teams in there at that level. Middleton, Carey. Swatragh, Carrickmore Donegal champions etc all capable on a given day. A man in work suggested Down should be putting the two SHC teams dropping down together on one side of draw to be fair to the other 4 competing teams. At least you have the luxury of so many teams competing... Bredagh have some serious talent coming and if they go about things correctly could be a top team in next few years.
As for the JHC went over to it and Ballela had the experience. Seen it many times before. The young lad was good from frees but it was 3 or 4 other stronger hurlers in the Castlewellan ranks who kept them in it hurling wise until Ballela ground them down. Magee McCusker and the GK dictated the play and as the game wore on the old heads prevailed. Not sure how good Buncrana are but they were all in the stand watching!
Great that so many games are in Newry as we are starved of getting to decent hurling games down here between Down and Armagh...

On today's evidence JC can't see Galgets getting near Pferry but they are there and as you say will give it a lash. Good to see Point competitive with Bredagh in intermediate.

JHC final now Ballela v Castlewellan with E Belfast paying the price for their first round hammering in Castlewellan as score difference knocked them out despite a good 5 point win v Ballela. Ballela after their win v Castlewellan now favourite for the championship but will be wary of a younger up and coming team.
Shamrocks v Carryduff was tight and shows the gap between the lower SHC and IHC teams isn't much. Maybe time for a rethink of the championship format in Down. Fair play to Shamrocks who too it to the wire.

I was going to buy all the games on Down TV this weekend but by Friday I decided against it. Paid to watch the Burren/Carryduff game and regretted it. Expected Kilcoo and Drumgath to win and wasn't going to be back in time for the other IFC semi.

The club football served up in the county seems to be of a poor standard at the minute. Are we worse than other counties though - maybe it's not actually that bad but it's terrible to watch.

At least you have the option. Down 'GAA' TV haven't shown one Hurling game this year AFAIK. Admittedly last round games were one sided but some good games before that. Thank God for Clubber and Antrim SHC streamed too.

Intermediate went much the way it was as expected to, albeit, a closer affair in both games than was expected.

Last years seniors relegation team went head to head with last years junior promotion team, and it went much the way anyone would expect. Wasn't as handy for the Newry men as some had predicted, but they were well worth their win. There are other games Kilclief will be targeting, and this game simply was not one of them, but there is positives to take from it all the same. Very little else to say really. Shamrocks will be happy to get the win, and onto the next one.

Clonduff almost had the shock of the weekend and got a goal to go ahead of the Point with a few minutes left, before the Point tapped in a late minute goal to come away with the win.

Both teams were far from full strength, and both missed plenty of chances, and will have a lot of work to do.

Clonduff will be backing themselves to give Shamrocks a scare based off current form, and Kilclief will be up for it against the Point. Ultimately though, it is hard to see past Shamrocks and Warrenpoint again, given both teams are at home.

There's not a lot more to be said for the intermediate teams. They just don't have the resources to be challenging in the senior championship at the minute. Hopefully some day the senior championship expands further and we have these teams getting exposure to playing the top teams more often.

Unfortunately, it is very hard to be interested in the interlace championship, given 2 of Bredagh/Carryduff/Liatroim/Ballycran will come down and  in all likelihood clean up, it is hard to get as invested as the junior or senior championships. Hopefully someone sorts that soon. The intermediate championship should be for intermediate clubs, not senior clubs who didn't win the senior championship.

One thing I think we need to point out is what bad form it was from the county board to arrange for Clonduff to play both hurling and football on the same day. That's not fair on anybody, and was always going to leave the hurlers in a bad position.  Players shouldn't be forced to choose between one or the other, and nor should spectators. Football is king in Clonduff, and that's okay, but it seems very unfair to fix a hurling game at home on a Sunday afternoon, and at the same time, most of the parish is down the road in Mayobridge watching the footballers against Glenn.

Hopefully we have more cooperation between hurling and football for our clubs and players in the future. Both a great games, no one should be having to pick between them.

Ye I am hearing that in the u16 Hurling championship the final is down for Sunday. It was postponed 2 weeks ago because Carryduff complained as one player from their u14s is involved and they had u14 football championship that weekend. Final now fixed for Sunday morning and county in their wisdom have made Castlewellan play u16 championship on Saturday with many involved in both. You couldn't make it up. There is a dual club 48 rule at adult level. Why not at juvenile. You couldn't make it up!

Typical Ballygalget always making the most out of a smaller pool of players always chipping away to get lads through to senior against the odds against other clubs with bigger resources. Serious pride in the jersey. Said it last week that ye would probably get more of this minor team than Bredagh. College work travel etc the biggest issues we all face in our clubs. Fair play to both minor teams and coaches last night.

Sad news about Tom Daly, the Cork native who was residing in Warrenpoint who was Down Hurling Officer for a few years.

RIP Tom.


Terrible news. Gentleman. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.