Down Club Hurling & Football

[Square Ball]

When do the Senior/Intermediate championship start? (Football) Will fire up the prediction competition
again this year.. Will add JFC once it gets to knockouts

IFC and SFC start 24/08

[Johnnysboys]

When do the Senior/Intermediate championship start? (Football) Will fire up the prediction competition
again this year.. Will add JFC once it gets to knockouts

24th - 28th August is round one

[supersub]

I said that 4 years ago when I stopped playing reserves - a game every other week would work for most clubs and players. I can't understand the boards need to play a load of games especially at that level. I think sometimes there's a bit of 'stop them playing something else' in it.

Lads in the local soccer club were saying they were struggling to get the 2nd and 3rds level lads to commit to a full season there too. They start in mid August and there could be games every Saturday more or less to May. A bit less would probably help them too. Rathfriland's 1st team played over 50 matches last season!

It was ok years ago to head away every Saturday or Sunday for whatever sport you play; GAA, soccer or even golf; but lads with families have less time to give nowadays. When I played reserve matches you were away for just after 12 and not back to after 5 if it was away to Downpatrick or Carryduff. There was no one welcoming you back home after that. At least with golf you can pick your own time.

Why do clubs sign up for seconds/thirds football if they cannot field? Everyone wants what suits them nowadays - fancy a bit of seconds in march/April - I'll do that - bored in May so won't bother going. Soccer starts in August - try a bit of that. Bored in October- won't go back. Repeat.
[/quote]

You mustn't know the reality of adult football. Clubs hardly sign up knowing they are not going to field.

[supersub]

An 18 game season probably is too long for reserve football.

By week 9-10, most clubs can no longer win their league. And as the format and entries change year on year, relegation isn't a concern.

It takes a good 'un to drive across Down for a reserve game with nothing at stake.

I said that 4 years ago when I stopped playing reserves - a game every other week would work for most clubs and players. I can't understand the boards need to play a load of games especially at that level. I think sometimes there's a bit of 'stop them playing something else' in it.

Lads in the local soccer club were saying they were struggling to get the 2nd and 3rds level lads to commit to a full season there too. They start in mid August and there could be games every Saturday more or less to May. A bit less would probably help them too. Rathfriland's 1st team played over 50 matches last season!

It was ok years ago to head away every Saturday or Sunday for whatever sport you play; GAA, soccer or even golf; but lads with families have less time to give nowadays. When I played reserve matches you were away for just after 12 and not back to after 5 if it was away to Downpatrick or Carryduff. There was no one welcoming you back home after that. At least with golf you can pick your own time.

The County Boards recommendation and indeed their first draft calendar was for one round of fixtures. It was the clubs who pushed for two as in the last couple of years some reserve players who were not playing Senior football were finished about now as it was a one round league and knocked out first round of championship. Can't win either way it seems.

[clonian]

An 18 game season probably is too long for reserve football.

By week 9-10, most clubs can no longer win their league. And as the format and entries change year on year, relegation isn't a concern.

It takes a good 'un to drive across Down for a reserve game with nothing at stake.

I said that 4 years ago when I stopped playing reserves - a game every other week would work for most clubs and players. I can't understand the boards need to play a load of games especially at that level. I think sometimes there's a bit of 'stop them playing something else' in it.

Lads in the local soccer club were saying they were struggling to get the 2nd and 3rds level lads to commit to a full season there too. They start in mid August and there could be games every Saturday more or less to May. A bit less would probably help them too. Rathfriland's 1st team played over 50 matches last season!

It was ok years ago to head away every Saturday or Sunday for whatever sport you play; GAA, soccer or even golf; but lads with families have less time to give nowadays. When I played reserve matches you were away for just after 12 and not back to after 5 if it was away to Downpatrick or Carryduff. There was no one welcoming you back home after that. At least with golf you can pick your own time.

The County Boards recommendation and indeed their first draft calendar was for one round of fixtures. It was the clubs who pushed for two as in the last couple of years some reserve players who were not playing Senior football were finished about now as it was a one round league and knocked out first round of championship. Can't win either way it seems.

That's about the crux of it. There's been a lot of ideas threw around over the years and nothing has changed greatly over that time.

[Truth hurts]

There needs to be tougher sanctions

Like what? Club's sign up because players say then will play, so if players give up, get injured, leave to get work, family commitments ect what can the club do? They may not have enough availabile players to fulfil fixtures. What's your answer, beside tougher sanctions?

bigger fines

[ck]

Danny Hughes has applied for the Cavan job?!

[skat man]

with the new split season leaving teams with no access to their full panel of players for 3/4 of a league is it time to reintroduce playoffs at both end of the divisions ?

[marty34]

Danny Hughes has applied for the Cavan job?!

Has he managed many club teams in Down?

Does he still write for the Irish News or Gaelic Life?

[Truth hurts]

with the new split season leaving teams with no access to their full panel of players for 3/4 of a league is it time to reintroduce playoffs at both end of the divisions ?

No. Two-up and Two-down is fair. Clubs would not want play-offs before a championship game.

[Mourne Red]

with the new split season leaving teams with no access to their full panel of players for 3/4 of a league is it time to reintroduce playoffs at both end of the divisions ?

No. Two-up and Two-down is fair. Clubs would not want play-offs before a championship game.

Bar Kilcoo and Burren did many players miss game time for their club? Thought Laverty let most players play for their clubs if they weren't first 18 players for county?

Obvs Pierce Laverty for Saul is a big miss for them but Carryduff seemed to have done alright without Guiness

[skat man]

carryduff have the biggest pick in down
laverty a huge miss for saul , they just missed out on promotion again
havern a huge miss for saval
downpatrick down players that would see them in promotion mix
glenn down players that would see them safe
longstone down players that would have seen them safe
clonduff down players
mayobridge down players
burren huge squad and depth
kilcoo huge squad and depth

yes players were released but take any top players out of training and the level drops across the board. take them out consistently for 7 months and the level of clubs will drop. the old rule was 5 starred games , teams didnt have their players back in training this year until gameweek 14 . county board need to push the start of the league back and have end of July and august for league games with the 9 second half of league games being played in 7 weeks . that allows 6 weeks to run the championship off to have a fortnight before the ulster campaign

[sdg]

carryduff have the biggest pick in down
laverty a huge miss for saul , they just missed out on promotion again
havern a huge miss for saval
downpatrick down players that would see them in promotion mix
glenn down players that would see them safe
longstone down players that would have seen them safe
clonduff down players
mayobridge down players
burren huge squad and depth
kilcoo huge squad and depth

yes players were released but take any top players out of training and the level drops across the board. take them out consistently for 7 months and the level of clubs will drop. the old rule was 5 starred games , teams didnt have their players back in training this year until gameweek 14 . county board need to push the start of the league back and have end of July and august for league games with the 9 second half of league games being played in 7 weeks . that allows 6 weeks to run the championship off to have a fortnight before the ulster campaign

The league is for playing
The championship is for winning.

[Hard2Listen2]

I think Carryduff can win the league with a win over Loughinisland tonight.
Should have too much quality & depth for the blues.
Made a lot of progress under their current management team.
Playing good football & hard to beat at same time.

[Hard2Listen2]

I think Carryduff can win the league with a win over Loughinisland tonight.
Should have too much quality & depth for the blues.
Made a lot of progress under their current management team.
Playing good football & hard to beat at same time.

Mystic Meg is back!!