Tyrone Club Fixtures

[blewuporstuffed]

I supose that is possibly an issue Norf, ( if tyrone get to semi final/final.)

The final being a  couple of weeks earlier would certainly help.

Another thing that should be looked at is a second venue in the county that can host games under lights.
This would allow a few more rounds of the championship to be played on a friday night

[Redhand Santa]

I previously suggested this:

Have 3 championships of 16 teams. In each competition have 2 groups of 8. Each team plays 7 games and start it march in the national league break. Top 4 through to quarter finals of championship with top team playing 4th etc. Bottom teams relegated in each section (or play offs). These games could be scheduled at start of year and  making sure no clashes with county games, perhaps someone centrally needs to get involved in this. County players would be available for every game. Currently we seem to get 7 of the starred games played quick enough but its the last few that hold things up. Under this scheme county players would play 7 games plus knockout championship and they'd determine what championship you are in. These games could be played before the summer with the quarter finals played after Tyrone go out.

Then play a separate league where county players play if available but fixtures go ahead either way. Do it on a regional basis (senior and reserves together) with east west divide. Have senior and intermediate in each region consisting of 12 teams each. Winners win the league and possibly play other regional winners for overall decider. This would not be linked to the main championship and teams with a load of county players could end up in a lower division but that would suit their level without them. Fixtures again set in stone and there would be relegation and promotion. Would start late March as well and games could be scheduled on same weekends as county games if necessary (just not same day).

This would mean county players being involved for all the important games that decided the championship you play in. There'd still be a separate league with regular games for club players throughout the summer with less travelling and as its not linked to the championship some clubs with a few county men who struggle without won't mind dropping a division.

[The Trap]

A bit too complicated Redhand.........as for Cathal McShane and Owen Roes I think at some stage we are going to have to live with the fact that if you have a county player you will have to play without him some of the time.

If all clubs can agree to this then there is no problem whatsoever in putting in a fixture schedule at the start of the year.

So the question is do clubs want regular games organised well in advance or do they want the ad hoc system at present that depends almost completely on how county teams are going?

I know I would love a fixtures schedule handed to me in Feb. Occasionally some clubs may find themselves relegated/missing out on promotion by a couple of points and looking back at games their county player(s) may have made a difference in but overall I would say this would do clubs/club players and by extension the county the power of good.

Does Mickey Harte really want his players slogging it out for their clubs in play offs in Nov/Dec? This way all bar the 3 clubs representing Tyrone in Ulster would be finished by mid Oct at the latest and could then break for a couple of months.

Clubs could begin pre-season in Jan/Feb knowing exactly what they are planning for. Have the club championship draw before a ball is kicked in the league.

Surely this wouldn't be hard to implement..........

[Fuzzman]

I agree with your general point , that the intercounty season is the crux of the problem, but in all reality that can only be fixed at national level.

Sorry but I'm not very up to speed on club football any more as have been away a long time.

Just wondering if HQ enforced a rule that county players can only be excused from their club football from the start of July (2 weeks before their provincial final if they are in it) until the end of the quarterfinals early Aug (which only leaves 4 counties left), would this make it easier for clubs to get their games played. So basically if they began round 1 at the start of April they have their county men until July no matter what the county manager says. Could they get 11/12 rounds of league played in those 12 weeks? Any postponements played the following Tuesday night instead of training perhaps.

Then maybe get two rounds of league matches played without county men in early July & a two week break then for holidays or time off before the AI quarterfinal.
If Tyrone are knocked out of the AI then you start your championship early August otherwise you can play 1st round the weekend after AI quarterfinal.

With only 4 county teams left after the first week in August HQ should ensure all other counties play their championship off in August and early Sept.

I'm sure it wouldn't be as simple as this as I'm unaware of all the reasons why so many matches get postponed.

[Degrassi Hi]

Some very good points have been made on this thread.
One suggestion I would make to the fixture makers would be to propose that each club in Senior and Intermediate play one mid week fixture during the season, with one fixture from Div 1 & 2 played each week over an 8 week period during May and June .  This would perhaps run on local derby's such as Trillick/Dromore, Clonoe/Coalisland, Carrickmore/Errigal, Omagh/Killyclogher, Pomeroy/Galbally, Strabane/Urney.

I attended the Rahillys V Carrickmore which was a mid week fixture and an excellent game of football played in front of a decent crowd with lots of neutrals in attendance.  If these fixture dates were set in stone at the beginning of the year it would give players the chance to organise work etc and allow avid followers of club football to get their football fix during the week.  Also a possibility of good gates for hosting clubs.

[LeoMc]

I agree with your general point , that the intercounty season is the crux of the problem, but in all reality that can only be fixed at national level.

Sorry but I'm not very up to speed on club football any more as have been away a long time.

Just wondering if HQ enforced a rule that county players can only be excused from their club football from the start of July (2 weeks before their provincial final if they are in it) until the end of the quarterfinals early Aug (which only leaves 4 counties left), would this make it easier for clubs to get their games played. So basically if they began round 1 at the start of April they have their county men until July no matter what the county manager says. Could they get 11/12 rounds of league played in those 12 weeks? Any postponements played the following Tuesday night instead of training perhaps.

Then maybe get two rounds of league matches played without county men in early July & a two week break then for holidays or time off before the AI quarterfinal.
If Tyrone are knocked out of the AI then you start your championship early August otherwise you can play 1st round the weekend after AI quarterfinal.

With only 4 county teams left after the first week in August HQ should ensure all other counties play their championship off in August and early Sept.

I'm sure it wouldn't be as simple as this as I'm unaware of all the reasons why so many matches get postponed.

Was the 13 day rule not in place to stop County players being over-used, i.e club one Sunday, County the next.

[Norf Tyrone]

Some very good points have been made on this thread.
One suggestion I would make to the fixture makers would be to propose that each club in Senior and Intermediate play one mid week fixture during the season, with one fixture from Div 1 & 2 played each week over an 8 week period during May and June .  This would perhaps run on local derby's such as Trillick/Dromore, Clonoe/Coalisland, Carrickmore/Errigal, Omagh/Killyclogher, Pomeroy/Galbally, Strabane/Urney.

I attended the Rahillys V Carrickmore which was a mid week fixture and an excellent game of football played in front of a decent crowd with lots of neutrals in attendance.  If these fixture dates were set in stone at the beginning of the year it would give players the chance to organise work etc and allow avid followers of club football to get their football fix during the week.  Also a possibility of good gates for hosting clubs.

A midweek derby to free up 1 x week would definitely work. We played CNG on a Weds evening and there was a big crowd at it, and no issues with players away etc. You could make it so that not all games are on the 1 night.

For example locally you could have CNG v Owen Roes on the Weds, Strabane v Urney (I know, different division) on the Thurs. The next week Dregish v Drumquin on the Weds, Newtown v Glenelly on the Thurs etc.

[blewuporstuffed]

Some very good points have been made on this thread.
One suggestion I would make to the fixture makers would be to propose that each club in Senior and Intermediate play one mid week fixture during the season, with one fixture from Div 1 & 2 played each week over an 8 week period during May and June .  This would perhaps run on local derby's such as Trillick/Dromore, Clonoe/Coalisland, Carrickmore/Errigal, Omagh/Killyclogher, Pomeroy/Galbally, Strabane/Urney.

I attended the Rahillys V Carrickmore which was a mid week fixture and an excellent game of football played in front of a decent crowd with lots of neutrals in attendance.  If these fixture dates were set in stone at the beginning of the year it would give players the chance to organise work etc and allow avid followers of club football to get their football fix during the week.  Also a possibility of good gates for hosting clubs.

I think this is a really good idea, as long as club are given good notice of when their midweek game is likely to be.
These games are likely to get good neutral attendances as well.
Even if it was only done over 4 weeks in the summer, with two fixtures on at different side of the county .
so for example this year in senior

Mid week round 1- Trillick V Dromore ,Killyclogher v Omagh
Midweek round 2- Carrickmore v Greencastle, Kildress v Strabane
Midweek round 3  Augher V Errigal, Ardboe V Edendork
Midweek round 4  Coalisland v Clonoe,  Eglish V Galbally

(i Know some of these aren't derbies, but you get the idea)

Intermediate & Junior could then do similar on different weeks to allow for referees

[Archie Mitchell]

The leagues can't be completely wrapped up before championship due to Junior and Intermediate Championship winners earning promotion regardless of league position.

[blewuporstuffed]

The leagues can't be completely wrapped up before championship due to Junior and Intermediate Championship winners earning promotion regardless of league position.

Why does that matter?

[Archie Mitchell]

The leagues can't be completely wrapped up before championship due to Junior and Intermediate Championship winners earning promotion regardless of league position.

Why does that matter?

Would need to wait to see who is going up via winning the championship and eliminate them from any promotion (or relegation) play offs if they are in position to be involved in them.

[LeoMc]

Some very good points have been made on this thread.
One suggestion I would make to the fixture makers would be to propose that each club in Senior and Intermediate play one mid week fixture during the season, with one fixture from Div 1 & 2 played each week over an 8 week period during May and June .  This would perhaps run on local derby's such as Trillick/Dromore, Clonoe/Coalisland, Carrickmore/Errigal, Omagh/Killyclogher, Pomeroy/Galbally, Strabane/Urney.

I attended the Rahillys V Carrickmore which was a mid week fixture and an excellent game of football played in front of a decent crowd with lots of neutrals in attendance.  If these fixture dates were set in stone at the beginning of the year it would give players the chance to organise work etc and allow avid followers of club football to get their football fix during the week.  Also a possibility of good gates for hosting clubs.

I think this is a really good idea, as long as club are given good notice of when their midweek game is likely to be.
These games are likely to get good neutral attendances as well.
Even if it was only done over 4 weeks in the summer, with two fixtures on at different side of the county .
so for example this year in senior

Mid week round 1- Trillick V Dromore ,Killyclogher v Omagh
Midweek round 2- Carrickmore v Greencastle, Kildress v Strabane
Midweek round 3  Augher V Errigal, Ardboe V Edendork
Midweek round 4  Coalisland v Clonoe,  Eglish V Galbally

(i Know some of these aren't derbies, but you get the idea)

Intermediate & Junior could then do similar on different weeks to allow for referees

The midweek fixtures don't need to be stand alone fixtures, they could be a more regular feature.
At the start of each season assign the 16 clubs into regional groups of 4 within reasonable distance of each other.
E.g for 2016. Dromore, Trillick, Omagh & Strabane
Killyclogher, Carrickmore, Greencastle, Kildress
Errigal, Augher, Galbally, Eglish
Edendork, Clonoe, Coalisland Ardboe

These groups could be used to define 3 sets of midweek features to be played on 3 Wednesdays (Senior) / Thursdays (reserves) in June and July.
That means we have only another 12 league games to be scheduled.

They would also need a bit of a shake up each year based on promotion relegation. E.g for 2017
Dromore, Trillick, Omagh & Killyclogher,
Carrickmore, Greencastle, Pomeroy Galbally,
Augher, Errigal, Donaghmore & Dungannon
Edendork, Clonoe, Coalisland Ardboe