Down Club Hurling & Football

[down0202]

Arthur no. He hasn't produced the goods for Clonduff in the heat of the battle in championship football. That could be said for most Clonduff players
Smyth certainly goalkeeper nothing else
Close doesn't even stand out for Clonduff
A lot getting carried away about the 20s players

Two players that dominated yourselves in the championship.

[Smurfy123]

Those 2 players didn't dominate us
Not haven a go but AMC hasnt done it on the biggest stage
Against Burren he was taken off when the game was in the melting pot
Anyway not getting into it I just don't think he is up to it
Any potential new names on the squad?
Big rumour Caolan Mooney has retired

[Truth hurts]

Those 2 players didn't dominate us
Not haven a go but AMC hasnt done it on the biggest stage
Against Burren he was taken off when the game was in the melting pot
Anyway not getting into it I just don't think he is up to it
Any potential new names on the squad?
Big rumour Caolan Mooney has retired

First I have heard that but he is only young so I can't imagine this to be true.
It will be interesting to see what O'Rourke can bring to Ballyholland, I have not heard of him much in managing. That's all the positions filled bar Bryansford and the Fin. The Fin could do with a big name to try and take them to the next level.

Will Down school win anything of note in schools GAA this year? Would the Red high be one of the favorites for the McLarnon? St Malachys took a pasting in the first game as did Knock. St Malachys and St Marks were always stepped in Gaelic football and given the clubs that feed into them should they not be playing at a higher level. Would these schools be playing Rannnafast football does anyone know. I cannot see anything on the website which is hard to navigate. Smurfy do you know anything about St Marks? I mind playing them years ago when Barney was in charge and they were well drilled.

[johnnycool]

Those 2 players didn't dominate us
Not haven a go but AMC hasnt done it on the biggest stage
Against Burren he was taken off when the game was in the melting pot
Anyway not getting into it I just don't think he is up to it
Any potential new names on the squad?
Big rumour Caolan Mooney has retired

First I have heard that but he is only young so I can't imagine this to be true.
It will be interesting to see what O'Rourke can bring to Ballyholland, I have not heard of him much in managing. That's all the positions filled bar Bryansford and the Fin. The Fin could do with a big name to try and take them to the next level.

Will Down school win anything of note in schools GAA this year? Would the Red high be one of the favorites for the McLarnon? St Malachys took a pasting in the first game as did Knock. St Malachys and St Marks were always stepped in Gaelic football and given the clubs that feed into them should they not be playing at a higher level. Would these schools be playing Rannnafast football does anyone know. I cannot see anything on the website which is hard to navigate. Smurfy do you know anything about St Marks? I mind playing them years ago when Barney was in charge and they were well drilled.

Red High have a good chance of doing well in the Mageean Cup.

They strengthened their hand with a few lads from St Columbas going there to do A levels, have already beaten one of the favourites in the group stages and are in the semi-finals on friday night.

All good.

[ardtole]

 There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

[Truth hurts]

That's fantastic to see the Red High playing A level hurling, fair play. Due to its size and the great clubs that supply players to the school, they should be playing A level football and hurling most seasons.
Is there a reason the likes of St Colmans and St Pats Maghera seem to perform well at A level?

[johnnycool]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

[Truth hurts]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

Would clubs in the Ards never play football or even amalgamate to try and get one team from that area? I am sure with a bit of organization and Ards amalgamation would give the junior championship a rattle if the players committed. Maybe that is something the county board could look into. We often cry about hurling not being promoted in areas especially the bigger traditional football clubs but the Hurling snobs in the county can't throw Stones either.

[bigarsedkeeper]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

Would clubs in the Ards never play football or even amalgamate to try and get one team from that area? I am sure with a bit of organization and Ards amalgamation would give the junior championship a rattle if the players committed. Maybe that is something the county board could look into. We often cry about hurling not being promoted in areas especially the bigger traditional football clubs but the Hurling snobs in the county can't throw Stones either.

Only 4 clubs in Down don't play football and 2 of those used to have football teams. 10 other clubs offer hurling and Saul have just starting at underage. Since the 90s Drumaness, Rostrevor, RGU & Darragh Cross have all stopped hurling. In the 80s Kilcoo, St Johns, An Riocht and Mayobridge all had teams too.

[elk]

Those 2 players didn't dominate us
Not haven a go but AMC hasnt done it on the biggest stage
Against Burren he was taken off when the game was in the melting pot
Anyway not getting into it I just don't think he is up to it
Any potential new names on the squad?
Big rumour Caolan Mooney has retired

Smurfy Any truth to the rumours that the Boyle bros have retired from football with CPN?

[ardtole]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

The previous poster suggested the Red High should be competing at Mageean cup level regularly.

Kilclief are probably the only hurling club in the red highs main catchment area, so id imagine the hurling success would be sporadic and dependant on ards students studying a levels there, and of course the majority of them would need to be hurlers too.

[johnnycool]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

The previous poster suggested the Red High should be competing at Mageean cup level regularly.

Kilclief are probably the only hurling club in the red highs main catchment area, so id imagine the hurling success would be sporadic and dependant on ards students studying a levels there, and of course the majority of them would need to be hurlers too.

Portaferry is in the Red Highs catchment area I'd have thought and not just kids who have been to St Columba's. We've a good few kids from our club there as well, Ballycran less so but I think there's a few on their Mageean team and panel.

Knock would get the majority of kids from our local primary school most years, I'd say kircubbin PS is the same, less so from Poraferry as it's probably down to geographical handiness.

[johnnycool]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

Would clubs in the Ards never play football or even amalgamate to try and get one team from that area? I am sure with a bit of organization and Ards amalgamation would give the junior championship a rattle if the players committed. Maybe that is something the county board could look into. We often cry about hurling not being promoted in areas especially the bigger traditional football clubs but the Hurling snobs in the county can't throw Stones either.

Any lad from the Ards who wants to play football can go to Darragh Cross, Saul, Kilclief and even Loughinisland. As for an amalgamation at football, that's as likely as Burren and Kilcoo amalgamating to put in a hurling team for the year.

no stones being thrown here, just point out facts and i think the CB has enough on it's plate getting a competitive football team out of 30 plus football clubs without promoting football in what is a pretty small catchment area player wise when the likes of Newry, Newcastle, Castlewellan and even Downpatrick aren't exactly setting the world alight football wise with much larger catchments. The three Ards parishes have a combined population of in and around 5K and like I said before not everyone plays hurling here let alone has an interest in the GAA.

In fairness Castlewellan are making strides at underage hurling and long may it continue.

[Truth hurts]

There were a good few lads from Portaferry and one from Ballygalget, in my year, when I was at the red high, only a couple of them hurled though.

Not everyone from Ballygalget nor Portaferry hurls I'm afraid to say..

Would clubs in the Ards never play football or even amalgamate to try and get one team from that area? I am sure with a bit of organization and Ards amalgamation would give the junior championship a rattle if the players committed. Maybe that is something the county board could look into. We often cry about hurling not being promoted in areas especially the bigger traditional football clubs but the Hurling snobs in the county can't throw Stones either.

Any lad from the Ards who wants to play football can go to Darragh Cross, Saul, Kilclief and even Loughinisland. As for an amalgamation at football, that's as likely as Burren and Kilcoo amalgamating to put in a hurling team for the year.

no stones being thrown here, just point out facts and i think the CB has enough on it's plate getting a competitive football team out of 30 plus football clubs without promoting football in what is a pretty small catchment area player wise when the likes of Newry, Newcastle, Castlewellan and even Downpatrick aren't exactly setting the world alight football wise with much larger catchments. The three Ards parishes have a combined population of in and around 5K and like I said before not everyone plays hurling here let alone has an interest in the GAA.

In fairness Castlewellan are making strides at underage hurling and long may it continue.

That's a very diplomatic answer but one that I am sure you would get something simpler if you mentioned starting up hurling in Kilcoo. "Sure if they want to play they can head to Laitriom or Castlewellan". Clubs are afraid of losing players and afraid of embracing change. Ballyholland, Bryansford, Castlewellan and RGU will all be playing in divison 1 next year but I get your point about Newry. You boys across the Lough are scared of the big ball. It's great to see saul begin the hurling and is a boost of the Downpatrick area. The RGU were started as a hurling club! The Mournes should have a hurling team.

[Johnnysboys]

[/quote]

First I have heard that but he is only young so I can't imagine this to be true.
It will be interesting to see what O'Rourke can bring to Ballyholland, I have not heard of him much in managing. That's all the positions filled bar Bryansford and the Fin. The Fin could do with a big name to try and take them to the next level.

Will Down school win anything of note in schools GAA this year? Would the Red high be one of the favorites for the McLarnon? St Malachys took a pasting in the first game as did Knock. St Malachys and St Marks were always stepped in Gaelic football and given the clubs that feed into them should they not be playing at a higher level. Would these schools be playing Rannnafast football does anyone know. I cannot see anything on the website which is hard to navigate. Smurfy do you know anything about St Marks? I mind playing them years ago when Barney was in charge and they were well drilled.
[/quote]

I went to St Mark's myself and loved the football there under Barney. My lad goes there now and it's a joke what's happening to a school of their stature football wise. I understand them having no football for u18/u19 as they have limited places in A levels and one year only had 10 boys in the whole A level programme. But U16s and U14s used to be dominated by them. My lad comes home and tells me of playing nerf wars at PE instead of GAA and my blood boils. If the interest ain't there from teachers - the pupils can do very little.