Down Club Hurling & Football

[rory]

Is it a bad thing though?

I remember when I was a minor (way, way back) going to London for 6-7 weeks mid summer and missing 1 game. There's probably some compromise here between these two extremes, but Gaelic football is its best when it's a summer sport. Fill the summer months I say.

Fill the summer months is right. But the way the calendar is this year, over half of the u17, 15 and 13 kids in the county will play their last game of the year at the start of August with 3 or 4 weeks of the summer left. In previous years most kids would be playing championship group games til near the end of August.

[Johnnysboys]

Play them off now.. when September hits all children should have club championships done and dusted so the schools can have their time with them. St Colmans, Abbey, St Louis and St Joesephs - schools who put in real effort with their pupils don't need the distraction of club games whilst they are preparing for school games.
Then parents will be tapping their children have no down time going straight from club to school to club/county etc etc
Hard to win.. But this way at least they are only serving one master and not made choose to play either school or club.

[Truth hurts]

Wobbler I agree with playing during the summer months but have a longer league and late Aug/Early Sept start the championship and have it wrapped up by early October.
BTW I am not digging at the CCC who do a great jobs at our fixtures.

[DownFanatic]

Is it a bad thing though?

I remember when I was a minor (way, way back) going to London for 6-7 weeks mid summer and missing 1 game. There's probably some compromise here between these two extremes, but Gaelic football is its best when it's a summer sport. Fill the summer months I say.

I remember Minor League football starting the first Sunday in February and being wrapped up in early April. Then you had to wait for a Minor Championship game in June and if you were beat that was it for the season.

[Truth hurts]

Lgfa in Down has a spring league then a summer league and then the championship in September or October. Although I  imagine the late championship helps with pitch availability

[meatsy86]

Lads as an underage manager I think its great that all is wrapped up by September. I mind playing a final last year in 1st weekend of October and at that stage the season had been going since end of April. Training twice a week with a match in September with lads at school and also training with the school wasn't ideal. Have to think about the lads and burnout as well. Particularly those that play - with one or two teams in club, Down development squad, Schools football, Soccer, Rugby, Athletics to name but a few. As managers we have a duty of care to our players. I for one am not complaining of the finish by end of August.

[Truth hurts]

That's a fair point about other sports and schools Meaty

Some big games in 1b tomorrow with RGU DOWNPATRIC v BRYANSFORD is a massive four-pointer. Its hard to believe that RGU were challenging for promotion going into the last two games and now could be relaegated. A crazy league this year but an enjoyable one so far.

Div 2 and 3 relegation is all to play for as well and there will be a lot of sleepless nights over the next few weeks.

[johnnycool]

Lads as an underage manager I think its great that all is wrapped up by September. I mind playing a final last year in 1st weekend of October and at that stage the season had been going since end of April. Training twice a week with a match in September with lads at school and also training with the school wasn't ideal. Have to think about the lads and burnout as well. Particularly those that play - with one or two teams in club, Down development squad, Schools football, Soccer, Rugby, Athletics to name but a few. As managers we have a duty of care to our players. I for one am not complaining of the finish by end of August.

As someone else involved in underage (hurling) I'm wondering how you cope with kids being off on holidays during this period..

We find it hard at some levels to get 15 at times during July and August, let alone worrying about having our best team out.

Championships become a lottery if they're completed at this time of year.

[meatsy86]

Lads as an underage manager I think its great that all is wrapped up by September. I mind playing a final last year in 1st weekend of October and at that stage the season had been going since end of April. Training twice a week with a match in September with lads at school and also training with the school wasn't ideal. Have to think about the lads and burnout as well. Particularly those that play - with one or two teams in club, Down development squad, Schools football, Soccer, Rugby, Athletics to name but a few. As managers we have a duty of care to our players. I for one am not complaining of the finish by end of August.

As someone else involved in underage (hurling) I'm wondering how you cope with kids being off on holidays during this period..

We find it hard at some levels to get 15 at times during July and August, let alone worrying about having our best team out.

Championships become a lottery if they're completed at this time of year.

I understand your issues I myself have had them and just have to manage them in the best way possible. At the end of the day GAA is by design a summer sport, hence why our seasons only start in April. I just think letting competitions run until October November doesn't do kids any good plus you run into issues of pitch availability due to lack of daylight. If the GAA facilitate all clubs by giving Grants for Floodlights then you could look at extending competitions beyond the summer but again you run into the burnout issue. There's no right answer but there's no good alternatives either.

[Truth hurts]

I make it out that around 35% of clubs have floodlit facilities, if this increased then we could lengthen the season. Are there grants for floodlights?

[DuffGael]

The one problem of finishing too early is handing our player to other sports. I am not against other sports, in fact all kids should play multiple sports, but unless the kids go to a GAA school they come back in April not having picked a ball or a stick up in 5\6 months which is too long. It's a tricky one and there is no perfect solution.

[Truth hurts]

The one problem of finishing too early is handing our player to other sports. I am not against other sports, in fact all kids should play multiple sports, but unless the kids go to a GAA school they come back in April not having picked a ball or a stick up in 5\6 months which is too long. It's a tricky one and there is no perfect solution.

I'm sure Carryduff does not resume training in April but I know what you are saying.

Disappointing to hear the whimpers over the county of the disconnect between Kilcoo and Burren over the other night's game and how players won't represent Down due to it, another blow for us.

[razor]

Lgfa in Down has a spring league then a summer league and then the championship in September or October. Although I  imagine the late championship helps with pitch availability

Yeah for underage only but apparently their fixtures secretary is a balloon. Any truth?

[Truth hurts]

Lgfa in Down has a spring league then a summer league and then the championship in September or October. Although I  imagine the late championship helps with pitch availability

Yeah for underage only but apparently their fixtures secretary is a balloon. Any truth?

I think it's unfair to call any administrator who is volunteering their time that

[Johnnysboys]

Some performance tonight by CPN. Missing over half a team at a wedding and produce the performance of the season. Jack Howlett, Ryan Boyle and Aaron McBurney outstanding ably assisted by Joe and Shea magee. Ballyholland are going down - very talented group of players but miles behind the rest.