Down Club Hurling & Football

[manwithnoplan]

Well only one team can win a football match, and if you're competitive in a game of football against a team that goes on to reach the All Ireland final then it's not exactly a negative, no matter how much some people want to make it out to be.

So the minors getting beaten by the eventual champions on three occasions in James' 5 years is ok then. We were also seriously competitive v Armagh in 2011 when we Pete was in charge - 9 points up at half time I believe. So it's actually all good - we r not that bad at underage after all.

Nobody said it's "all good" but the likes of yourself seem to just love getting the boot in whatever the situation may be. Does this whole attitude stem from an inherent belief that Down have a devine right to be winning regularly? When in truth only a few counties can win something each year, and all have had peaks and troughs, some like ourselves longer than others, but sport is generally cyclical anyway.

I'd tend to agree with this statement when it comes to sport. When people describe eg Man City "only" winning the league as a disappointing season, it makes my blood boil. The expectations can never marry the reality.

But 23 years without an Ulster minor title, for a county as populous and football focused as Down, suggests it's more than a cycle.

Over the course of this period, at minor level we said goodbye to the "always competitive" tier inhabited by Tyrone, Derry and Donegal, then almost unflinchingly bypassed the "occasionally competitive" tier where you'd find Monaghan, Armagh and Cavan, and landed head on in with the also-rans of Fermanagh and Antrim (and tbf, Fermanagh do punch quite well when their players align).

The current Down senior football team now fully reflects that descent. The two go hand in hand, except a decade apart.

It's an enormous issue for our county.  Down going (at least) 24 years between minor titles is beyond a statistical anomaly at this stage.
[/quote]

I do not disagree that there has been underachievement. But it's just the constant sniping about it is not productive at all. I hope those that snipe the most are backing it up with their own tremendous work at club level. It is an incredibly competitive environment at intercounty under age now, more than ever. One person in the right role within the county set up can make a hell of a difference. But one person in the right role within each club would make the biggest possible difference. So is that where we should be focusing on first and foremost? Supporting the clubs and their volunteers? Instead of naming and shaming others who get the county roles? I prefer solutions being suggested and discussed rather than the negative things we see on here daily, but sure that's just me. 

[wobbller]

 And by the time the annual Convention comes around before Christmas,the usual officers will be elected and probably not even opposed.The cycle of incompetence will continue.

[snoopdog]

And by the time the annual Convention comes around before Christmas,the usual officers will be elected and probably not even opposed.The cycle of incompetence will continue.

And Eugene Brannigan got slated off telling the truth. There is no winning mentality in  the various Down football levels bar last years 20s. There isn't even a competitive mentality.  And it's the lack of competitiveness that gets most people. Whether your good enough the team should still be as fit and as prepared as any other team in Ulster.

[Hard2Listen2]

And by the time the annual Convention comes around before Christmas,the usual officers will be elected and probably not even opposed.The cycle of incompetence will continue.

There is a way to change that.

Start with going to your club's AGM. Put your hand up and say "I want to be county board rep" and start to make changes from there.

Easier to make changes from within.

[SamFever]

Well only one team can win a football match, and if you're competitive in a game of football against a team that goes on to reach the All Ireland final then it's not exactly a negative, no matter how much some people want to make it out to be.

So the minors getting beaten by the eventual champions on three occasions in James' 5 years is ok then. We were also seriously competitive v Armagh in 2011 when we Pete was in charge - 9 points up at half time I believe. So it's actually all good - we r not that bad at underage after all.

Nobody said it's "all good" but the likes of yourself seem to just love getting the boot in whatever the situation may be. Does this whole attitude stem from an inherent belief that Down have a devine right to be winning regularly? When in truth only a few counties can win something each year, and all have had peaks and troughs, some like ourselves longer than others, but sport is generally cyclical anyway.

I'd tend to agree with this statement when it comes to sport. When people describe eg Man City "only" winning the league as a disappointing season, it makes my blood boil. The expectations can never marry the reality.

But 23 years without an Ulster minor title, for a county as populous and football focused as Down, suggests it's more than a cycle.

Over the course of this period, at minor level we said goodbye to the "always competitive" tier inhabited by Tyrone, Derry and Donegal, then almost unflinchingly bypassed the "occasionally competitive" tier where you'd find Monaghan, Armagh and Cavan, and landed head on in with the also-rans of Fermanagh and Antrim (and tbf, Fermanagh do punch quite well when their players align).

The current Down senior football team now fully reflects that descent. The two go hand in hand, except a decade apart.

It's an enormous issue for our county. Down going (at least) 24 years between minor titles is beyond a statistical anomaly at this stage.
[/quote]

    24 years from 2005???

[FermGael]

Has the move in Down Club football to Friday nights had an effect on your county team ?

I always thought Friday night football was a great idea but has it negatively impacted on your county football as players like the idea of having a life ?

[downtothecore]

Down minors never won ulster title in 2005. They won the AI through the back door system same year. The last ulster minor title was end of last millennium...1999

[thewobbler]

Has the move in Down Club football to Friday nights had an effect on your county team ?

I always thought Friday night football was a great idea but has it negatively impacted on your county football as players like the idea of having a life ?

This train of thought has been dropped on here before. While it seems like madness to me, I suppose it couldn't be ruled out completely..... except there's no reason for this to affect minor footballers, and we haven't produced a title winning batch of those in 17 years. So I'd say Friday nights isn't a factor.

[SamFever]

Down minors never won ulster title in 2005. They won the AI through the back door system same year. The last ulster minor title was end of last millennium...1999

I should have read the whole post before putting my oar in.

[manwithnoplan]

Has the move in Down Club football to Friday nights had an effect on your county team ?

I always thought Friday night football was a great idea but has it negatively impacted on your county football as players like the idea of having a life ?

Playing on Friday nights frees up the whole weekend, so I don't think it would have a huge impact in terms of the having a life side. From my own experience anyway, I always seen it as a great way to start the weekend (unless you lose, then it's a different story). But I suppose it's not something we'd really be able to figure out unless it was changed for a few years to see if it has an impact, which is probably a bad idea to attempt without really knowing how that would impact clubs and player numbers etc

[Mourne Red]

Who were the 4 that walked off the panel? Don't blame them with the Tier 2 cup as they can play with clubs and have a life

[bigarsedkeeper]

Who were the 4 that walked off the panel? Don't blame them with the Tier 2 cup as they can play with clubs and have a life

The Gaelic Life named Ryan McEvoy, Gerald Collins, Corey Quinn and Charlie Smyth

[Smurfy123]

Have a life?
Why wouldn't they have a life If they were playing for Down?
They train a few nights a week like most clubs and played most matches this year on a Saturday
What Down players don't have a life

[Truth hurts]

Who were the 4 that walked off the panel? Don't blame them with the Tier 2 cup as they can play with clubs and have a life

The Gaelic Life named Ryan McEvoy, Gerald Collins, Corey Quinn and Charlie Smyth

Against Monaghan McEvoy started and was replaced, Collins came on so it's strange they left. Don't understand why Quinn never got a run as he is the best 6 forwards in the county on any given day. Smyth is the number 4 keeper so that's understandable. A smaller panel and a better team fight could see on compete well in the Taitleann. Eamon Brown is putting in big performances for Clonduff and should be getting watched over the next few weeks.

[Mourne Red]

Have a life?
Why wouldn't they have a life If they were playing for Down?
They train a few nights a week like most clubs and played most matches this year on a Saturday
What Down players don't have a life

2/3 nights at club training/matches, 2/3 nights at VideoSession/County Training for a competition that's been ignored by the GAA and won't be promoted properly. Too much effort for little reward. New York get a bye into the 1/4s and it's regional fixtures until that point