Quote from: snoopdog on February 14, 2024, 12:36:47 PMI see Juveniles need tickets for corrigan pk.Surely you should know that by now .Do the Juveniles get into your beloved Old Tarfford for free?
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Show posts MenuQuote from: snoopdog on February 14, 2024, 12:36:47 PMI see Juveniles need tickets for corrigan pk.Surely you should know that by now .Do the Juveniles get into your beloved Old Tarfford for free?
Quote from: Splash on August 18, 2023, 03:24:59 PM
Intermediate and Junior Hurling Championships start tomorrow.
Carryduff take on Clonduff and Ballela host Warrenpoint in the Intermediate.
Hard to see past Carryduff winning the whole thing. The club is seriously growing as a hurling outfit and Senior Championship is definitely where they want to be.
Clonduff probably the closest to Carryduff if they're firing on their day and have a full squad, but hard to see them coming away with the win. Seems a lot of lads have focused solely on the football, but if they do put out a full force team, there's potential to give Carryduff a bit of a bloody nose. Also see Clonduff have a transfer from Carryduff in their ranks, so I'm sure that'll be interesting.
Could be a bad, bad year for Ballela. Only two years ago they won back to back junior championships, and now this year they have come seriously close to folding. Absolutely disastrous league campaign; couldn't field half the time and conceded a lot of goals every match before finishing bottom of the table. That was against Div 2 and Junior Championship standard teams- Intermediate may be a different storm altogether. In saying that, if there was a team they would fancy the chances against it would probably be the Point at home. If Ballela have all available lads fit, they could stand up for themselves. a very physical team with a couple great hurlers.
Hope the club pulls through this hard time, they've been an important team in South Down for a long time now, and see they have some good stuff at underage joined up with Ballyvarley. You have to wonder what the future would hold for the two clubs- an amalgamated Ballyvarley/Ballela team could be a dangerous outfit, but there would surely be a lot of objection from lads in each club.
Warrenpoint will be relishing the opportunity of Intermediate Hurling, and will fancy their chances of reaching a final. They'll have no fear of Ballela, beat Clonduff well in the league, and would love a chance to show up Newry Shamrocks in a semi final. Some serious good forwards at their disposal, and you would fancy them to stay up in the intermediate. Beat Castlewellen a few weeks ago, so clearly haven't regressed since the junior final last year. Would be great to see hurling growing in Warrenpoint, a decent sized down with a catchment area that would have some great athletes- really would expect them to be flying over the coming years.
The Junior Championship is unbelievably open- perhaps one of the most open championships in Ireland.
First game of the championship is perhaps the most interesting- Ballyvarley head out to take on Castlewellen. Castlewellen will be favourites to win the whole thing. An incredible league campaign where they marched through everybody in front of them, including Ballyvarley. Some lads with great skill, and a team that seem to be very well oiled. Dangerous forward, too, in the form of Croskery.
Probably have the best support outside the Ards, seem to bring a crowd anywhere they go and with it being at home, imagine the support will be huge. The strongest team in the county at underage, so it doesn't seem like the good times will end any time soon, either. Great to see and hopefully they can bring a lot to the County Scene in years to come.
Despite all this, Ballyvarley seriously fancying their chances. Last time these teams played, Castelwellen scored a last minute goal to come away with a 1 point win. That will have a left a very bad taste in the mouth. Ballyvarley have been absolutely flying, a great league (which they could have won), and have been on a terrific run of form lately beating some strong teams such as Carrcikmacross and NCC. Potentially the most physical team in the Junior Championship, which won't suit Castelwellen. Danny Magee strong contender for best player in the junior championship, and if they rattle home a few goals in the first few minutes as they seem to have made a habit of doing recently, Castlewellen may begin to sweat. Key difference for me is Castlewellen seem to have gone hammer and tongs at the first leg of the league and potentially peaked, seeing as the second leg of the league and pre championship games haven't been on par, whereas Ballyvarley seem to have been quietly going from strength to strength. Ballyvarley seem to have good stuff going through like Ballela at underage with the O'Rahilly's and Saint Pat's. Again, you'd wonder how they'd get on amalgamated with Ballela at senior level.
Castlewellen favourites for tomorrow, but Ballyvarley will want to rattle them. Don't be surprised to see both teams face each other in October in the County Final.
Kilclief v East Belfast will be interesting. Kilclief will seriously fancy their chances at winning the whole thing after managing to stay up in Div 1, and East Belfast at home in the first round is a great draw for them. Probably the club that will suffer the most from strains placed on dual players. Will love to get off to a flying start, tomorrow, and won't fear anyone in the JHC.
East Belfast could be the surprise of the championship. Had a great league, although, like Castlewellen, the second half didn't live up to the first. New management team seems to be doing a very good job with them. The folding of Henry Joys also seems to have added a couple decent players. Were never that far off Castlewellen this year, goals separating teams, etc.
Potentially the best goal keeper in the championship, so could be interesting when they host Castlewellen.
Beat Ballyvarley in the first game of the year, although Ballyvarley were far too strong for them the second time they met. Despite this, East Belfast will see it as winnable game, especially since it's the last round robin match and may be fore a place in the final.
Great players all over the pitch, although the team definitely doesn't have age on their side and don't have that natural bond that comes with fellas playing together for years.
The sheer depth of their squad will no doubt be a great aid to them.
If Ryan McMullan is available he's probably their most dangerous hurler, and you'd back him to score a goal or two.
Definitely seems the forwards are stronger than their backs, so will be interesting to see if East Belfast manage to keep the scoreboard ticking over, or will they be chasing Kilclief.
Great to see they seem to be getting established now, especially with their new pitch a few weeks ago. Hopefully a great asset for Down Hurling to tap into that massive population in Belfast in the future.
Quote from: Saffrongael on February 17, 2022, 10:40:02 PM
Didn't realise McGurk stole as much money as that
Quote from: Dinny Breen on July 22, 2020, 02:25:19 PMWhy?
Watching East Belfast coming into existence begs the question why aren't the GAA setting up more clubs in Dublin?
Quote from: redhandefender on June 18, 2020, 01:48:37 PMCan you move this chat to non-GAA please and give this new entity a chance to get up and running without all this?
It should not be a case of "if we do this, will they do this anyway"
If we want to take steps towards a new united Ireland in the future we have to bring the unionist community along and start to break down the mistrust and barriers. We should lead by example and take the first steps. Whatever your views the tricolour and anthem will be intimidating and unwelcoming to most of the unionist community who don't full understand it. I think it would be a great step for clubs in the north.
Obviously the floodgates won't open and bring a stampede of unionists to play gaelic but it will slowly start to build and bring them on board. I understand however people want to keep it as is and that is just my own view!
Quote from: hardstation on June 04, 2020, 10:55:32 PMThe wannabe types from our side don't go asking Ulster Rugby to change their traditions to suit us.They just go along and pretend they are like them.Linda Ervine either joins up under our traditions or else just keep getting the coin for what is her admirable work in the promotion of the Irish language.We are what we are!
I think those who heard her on the radio did listen to her. They decided they didn't want what she was asking for. Which is fair enough, I think.