Down Club Hurling & Football

[washed_up]

extremely difficult times for all Down supporters but heres hoping we can get a concrete decision tonight and quickly move on with the new management in position.For what its worth maybe a combination of Eamonn  Burns and Paddy O'Rourke with their playing experience could get us in shape for the league and championship next summer-no matter who it is they will have my support-UP DOWN!!

[SamFever]

  Benny Coulter for No.1 and some other similar slabber to be No2 possibly Danny Hughes after their rip-roaring success over the County boundary?
   What a lot of dribble Benny comes out with and Hughes in his Irish News column is as bad. Bring back Mickey Harte.

Benny Coulter has expressed his interest in becoming Down manager-in-waiting Eamonn Burns' number two.

It's believed that Mourne County chiefs are delaying Burns' appointment because they have not yet got an assistant in place, with reports suggesting that former Dublin and St. Vincent's manager Mickey Whelan was among those who turned down the job.

But writing in his Newry Democrat column this week, Coulter believes Down should get on with the job of appointing Burns and worry about his assistant later.

"Just come out and name him as number one, we don't need to wait to see who is number two. We have another few weeks before we need to sort a number two and the backroom team," the 2010 All Star said.

"I am available to take the number two role if the chance comes as I have great faith in the players in Down. I would go surely, but I would need to be approached. If it is not Eamon then fair play to the county board for being able to keep a secret.

"Get him named and let the work start."[/i]

Are you not from Saval?  Could you not speak to Danny face to face instead of slabbering on a discussion forum about him?

At least I say where I'm from unlike yourself!

[imagine]

The Cardinals have been summoned to St Peter's Square tonight .
White smoke later in the Sky.

Large crowds are gathering in the Burrendale car park as the the Conclave decide
on our new leader.Nuns and Priests are saying decades of the rosary in the hope the
right decision is made.Drivers are advised to avoid the road between the Town and the seaside resort
of Newcastle as supporters have abandoned their cars and tractors anxious to be part of history when the new leader is announced.

[5 Sams]

New Management Teams Ratified in Down
- Former star players take charge of Senior and Minor teams
- Steering Group to lead the Mourne County GAA Academy
- New county sponsors confirmed
The Down GAA County Committee ratified the appointment of Eamonn Burns as the new manager of the Senior Football Team at a meeting this evening.
The announcement of new management teams for all football teams will also see a return to the intercounty scene for James McCartan who will take charge of the Minor side.
Eamonn Burns was a central figure on the Down team that won the All-Ireland title in 1991, scoring two points from play at midfield on the day that the Mourne County bridged a 23 year gap to reclaim the Sam Maguire Cup. He won a second All-Ireland medal in 1994 and was a long-serving stalwart for the Bryansford team. A teacher in Newcastle, Burns served as a selector under James McCartan with the Down team in 2013 and 2014, and as well as managing his home club in recent seasons, he has had management spells with Ballymartin, Darragh Cross and Tullylish.
Eamonn Burns will confirm the makeup of his management and backroom teams next week.
County Chairman Sean Rooney welcomed the appointment, stating that "Eamonn Burns will undoubtedly bring the same degree of commitment and passion to the job as manager as he did when he was a player and we all wish him well". He added that "there is considerable goodwill for Eamonn, James and their teams and we will give them all the support and resources that they will require".
The Down senior team will play their league football in Division 1 in 2016, with home games against Dublin, Kerry and Donegal. They have been drawn to face Monaghan in next year's Ulster Championship.
Two years after his reign as senior football manager came to an end, James McCartan returns to take the reins at Minor level. McCartan is one of Down's most decorated players, with 2 All-Ireland senior winning medals, an All-Ireland Minor medal, 2 Sigerson Cups and 2 Allstars. He led Down to the All-Ireland final in his first year in charge as manager in 2010 and is the present Sigerson Cup manager with Queen's University.
McCartan's management team will include Karl Oakes (Downpatrick), Ambrose Rogers (Longstone), Ronan McMahon (Warrenpoint) and team trainer Sean O'Hare (Burren).
The County Committee also ratified an eight-member Steering Group for the Mourne County GAA Academy under the chairmanship of former All-Ireland winning captain Paddy O'Rourke. Other members of the Group include 1994 All-Ireland winning captain DJ Kane (Newry Shamrocks), Declan Mussen (Kilcoo), Dr Eddie Harney (Saul), Joe Tunney (Carryduff), James McCartan (Minor Manager), Conor O'Toole (County Development Manager), Tom Potter (Coaching Officer) and Professor Niall Moyna (DCU) who will act as a consultant/advisor to the group.
The U-21 team will be managed by Frank Dawson who will be assisted by Brendan Mason and Paddy Murray. Dawson has extensive management and coaching experience with Clonduff, Longstone, Burren, Bryansford and Antrim. The U-21 team have been drawn at home to Armagh in the first round of the 2016 Ulster Championship.
The County Committee meeting also confirmed a new sponsor for the Down football and hurling teams. EOS IT Management Solutions will replace Canal Court Hotel on the county jerseys from 2016. EOS, which is part of the Eagle Overseas Group, specialise in IT and Video Conferencing solutions. A global organisation with bases in the US, UK, Australia, Europe and Asia, they are headquartered in Banbridge.
The full unveiling of the new sponsorship will take place within the coming weeks.
Down GAA wish to record their gratitude to Canal Court Hotel and the McParland family who have been loyal and invaluable sponsors of our county teams since 1996. The owners and staff of the Hotel will continue to be good friends and supporters of the county and the Down GAA teams.
END
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[5 Sams]

New sponsor is a surprise! At least we'll make a few quid on all the new Jersies that will be sold.

[imagine]

Best of luck to all concerned!

[johnneycool]

New Management Teams Ratified in Down
- Former star players take charge of Senior and Minor teams
- Steering Group to lead the Mourne County GAA Academy
- New county sponsors confirmed
The Down GAA County Committee ratified the appointment of Eamonn Burns as the new manager of the Senior Football Team at a meeting this evening.
The announcement of new management teams for all football teams will also see a return to the intercounty scene for James McCartan who will take charge of the Minor side.
Eamonn Burns was a central figure on the Down team that won the All-Ireland title in 1991, scoring two points from play at midfield on the day that the Mourne County bridged a 23 year gap to reclaim the Sam Maguire Cup. He won a second All-Ireland medal in 1994 and was a long-serving stalwart for the Bryansford team. A teacher in Newcastle, Burns served as a selector under James McCartan with the Down team in 2013 and 2014, and as well as managing his home club in recent seasons, he has had management spells with Ballymartin, Darragh Cross and Tullylish.
Eamonn Burns will confirm the makeup of his management and backroom teams next week.
County Chairman Sean Rooney welcomed the appointment, stating that "Eamonn Burns will undoubtedly bring the same degree of commitment and passion to the job as manager as he did when he was a player and we all wish him well". He added that "there is considerable goodwill for Eamonn, James and their teams and we will give them all the support and resources that they will require".
The Down senior team will play their league football in Division 1 in 2016, with home games against Dublin, Kerry and Donegal. They have been drawn to face Monaghan in next year's Ulster Championship.
Two years after his reign as senior football manager came to an end, James McCartan returns to take the reins at Minor level. McCartan is one of Down's most decorated players, with 2 All-Ireland senior winning medals, an All-Ireland Minor medal, 2 Sigerson Cups and 2 Allstars. He led Down to the All-Ireland final in his first year in charge as manager in 2010 and is the present Sigerson Cup manager with Queen's University.
McCartan's management team will include Karl Oakes (Downpatrick), Ambrose Rogers (Longstone), Ronan McMahon (Warrenpoint) and team trainer Sean O'Hare (Burren).
The County Committee also ratified an eight-member Steering Group for the Mourne County GAA Academy under the chairmanship of former All-Ireland winning captain Paddy O'Rourke. Other members of the Group include 1994 All-Ireland winning captain DJ Kane (Newry Shamrocks), Declan Mussen (Kilcoo), Dr Eddie Harney (Saul), Joe Tunney (Carryduff), James McCartan (Minor Manager), Conor O'Toole (County Development Manager), Tom Potter (Coaching Officer) and Professor Niall Moyna (DCU) who will act as a consultant/advisor to the group.
The U-21 team will be managed by Frank Dawson who will be assisted by Brendan Mason and Paddy Murray. Dawson has extensive management and coaching experience with Clonduff, Longstone, Burren, Bryansford and Antrim. The U-21 team have been drawn at home to Armagh in the first round of the 2016 Ulster Championship.
The County Committee meeting also confirmed a new sponsor for the Down football and hurling teams. EOS IT Management Solutions will replace Canal Court Hotel on the county jerseys from 2016. EOS, which is part of the Eagle Overseas Group, specialise in IT and Video Conferencing solutions. A global organisation with bases in the US, UK, Australia, Europe and Asia, they are headquartered in Banbridge.
The full unveiling of the new sponsorship will take place within the coming weeks.
Down GAA wish to record their gratitude to Canal Court Hotel and the McParland family who have been loyal and invaluable sponsors of our county teams since 1996. The owners and staff of the Hotel will continue to be good friends and supporters of the county and the Down GAA teams.
END
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And hurling is in rude health, we don't need a steering committee or anything like that 😩

[SHEEDY]

bit underwhelming but now the appointments are made we can only wish everyone all the best.

[Mourne Rover]

Burns may not have been the initial favourite for the job but he is a respected and capable figure with a solid record at club level and previous experience in McCartan's management team. He also knows what it means to play for a successful Down side so he deserves our full support as he finally gets a chance to prepare his squad. It is being suggested that Moyna will be his assistant/adviser, which would be another good move, so we are entitled to at least some optimism as we approach the league.

[DownFanatic]

A lot of big announcements made tonight. All positive. That Mourne Academy is the type of thing that we have been crying out for ages. It needs to be a prominent working unit though. We are a long way off the top table but the wheels have been set in motion.

[Rainbowman]

Burns may not have been the initial favourite for the job but he is a respected and capable figure with a solid record at club level and previous experience in McCartan's management team. He also knows what it means to play for a successful Down side so he deserves our full support as he finally gets a chance to prepare his squad. It is being suggested that Moyna will be his assistant/adviser, which would be another good move, so we are entitled to at least some optimism as we approach the league.

Solid record at club level.Ur having a laugh

[Mourne Rover]

Rainbowman, the Down county board make it clear from the start that our new manager would be an internal appointment. Eamonn Burns obviously won a senior county title with Bryansford, and also has relevant experience in the lower divisions as well as a previous coaching role with the Down senior squad.  If you think his record is not up to scratch, would you like to list the Down-born managers who have been significantly more successful than him in our championship this century ?

[thewobbler]

Rainbowman, the Down county board make it clear from the start that our new manager would be an internal appointment. Eamonn Burns obviously won a senior county title with Bryansford, and also has relevant experience in the lower divisions as well as a previous coaching role with the Down senior squad.  If you think his record is not up to scratch, would you like to list the Down-born managers who have been significantly more successful than him in our championship this century ?

Mourne Rover, I truly wish Eamon Burns every success in the world.

But there's not a man alive who can claim he has been appointed on the back of his club management CV, while managing to keep a straight face.  Lack of alternatives or not, his club management (not as trainer) career doesn't amount to anything.

[Brick Tamlin]

Who's does ?
Any views on the 'Academy' setup and other teams?

[ApresMatch]

Eamon Burns did a good job in Darragh Cross. We unexpectedly reached an IFC final under him, after beating Downpatrick and a strong Kilclief team along the way in 2009. We were in the final in 2008, but lost alot of that team for 09. Yes we ended up getting relegated in 09 but we hadn't the panel to sustain a league campaign. We beat Glassdrumman in a relegation play-off but lost out to a strong Shamrocks team. In 2010 under Eamon we finished top of Division 3 but didnt go up because we lost to Drumgath a play-off. He introduced alot of young players that year who currently make up the spine of our senior team. A great speaker who doesnt waste his words.