Messages

Kilcoo - K Lacey
Burren - E McCartan
CPN - J Boyle
Clonduff - G Adams
Mayobridge - B Murray
Carryduff - F Moriarty
Loughinisland - C O'Toole
Bredagh - G McAnulty
Ballyholland - S Mulholland
Castlewellan - C McCabe

Longstone - C Brannigan
Bryansford - J Magorrian
RGU - K Duffin & C McCrickard
Rostrevor - DJ Morgan
Saval - P Morrison
Saul - D Lynch
Liatroim - P Murray
Shamrocks - DJ Kane
An Riocht  - C Kelly
St John's - S Curran

Glenn - S Clark?
Drumgath - P Hynes
Annaclone- J Clarke
Ballymartin- ?
Attical - M Rafferty
Tullylish - R McShane
Darragh - B Mason
Banbridge- P Feeney
Bosco - M McVeigh
Finn - M Copeland

Drumaness - P Morgan
St Paul's- P Hannigan
Bright -
Dromara - J Fegan
Teconnaght - C Laverty
Kilclief - S Curran
Ardglass - K Smyth
Dundrum - R McCartan
East Belfast - C O'Neill
Aghaderg - K Blaney
St Michael's - L McAlinden
Glasdrumman - ?

What is happening with D Cross? Rumour they are being demoted to div 4 for fielding unregistered player in numerous games last year?

Kevin was always a Bosco referee. Didnt do too bad yesterday after some absolute terrible reviews on him in two separate Armagh championship
Games. 

And in addition to that, hopefully peoples notion of Ryan McEvoy being a top player especially at full back changes.  Never understood this, no good at commanding a square against anyone of similar size. Found out by Murnin, Oneill, Costello and now McCarron & Hughes. Scotstown knew it was a weakness and launched in 4/5 in 2nd half. Nothing about ball gave away at end thats not nice for any player to deal with. Cargin where close to Glen today, scotstown impressed, Trillick defensive strength could take them further. Wide open championship. I apologise to Scotstown I, probably like Kilcoo, was already looking past them

Not sure of all and maybe some have moved on but as far as I believe

Kilcoo - K Lacey
Burren - not in place
CPN - not in place
Clonduff - not in place
Mayobridge - Bernie Murray
Carryduff - F Moriarty
Loughinisland - C O'Toole
Bredagh - G & T McAnulty
Ballyholland - S Mulholland
Castlewellan - unsure

Division 2

Longstone - C Branigan
Bryansford - Not in Place
RGU - K Duffin & C McCrickard
Rostrevor - Not In place
Saval - Not in Place
Saul - Not in Place
Liatroim - P Murray & S Johnson
Shamrocks - DJ Kane
An Riocht  - C Kelly
St John's - S Curran

Division 3

Glenn - S Clark
Drumgath - P Hynes
Annaclone- J Clarke
Ballymartin- Not in Place
Attical - Rafferty
Tullylish - R McShane
Darragh - B Mason
Banbridge- P Feeney
Bosco - M McVeigh
Finn - M Copeland

Division 4

Drumaness - P Morgan
St Paul's- P Hannigan
Bright - Not in Place
Dromara - J Fegan
Teconnaght - C Laverty
Kilclief -
Ardglass -
Dundrum - R McCartan
East Belfast - Not in Place
Aghaderg - Not in Place
St Michael's - L McAlinden
Glasdrumman - Not in Place

The Majority of games are exciting? The two semis had 10 and 11 point differences and the final had a 9 point difference. All Q Finals were 6/7 points bar kilcoo v Carryduff. Majority of games exciting? Jesus

100% agree. This 'everyone deserves two games after they have prepared for months' narrative is nonsense. The championship started within 2-3 weeks of leagues finishing, there is not the 4-5 week gap there used to be between competition.

When straight knock out is there, everyone wants to see every game. The games have much higher attendances, better atmospheres and more potential for upsets. League allows games, championship should be knockout football.... Everyone enjoys ulster club championship because its do or
Die... much better games, if it had a back door some games would lose their profile. I think players should be asked on this... 

[to bend the rules in their favour or to mislead with regards to winning frees.]

Fair to have an observation, mine would be that clubs do not present these management teams with players who have been invested in correctly or at least in the way that kilcoo have done. Through their juvenile playing careers they need to be moulded into athletes not just footballers and be tactically aware and of course coachable. Kilcoo isnt full of great footballers. They are the same as anyone else, some elite, some good and some average but whats different is their athletic ability, and their mentality and of course their ability to pay attention to detail even when it is to bend the rules in their favour or to mislead with regards to winning frees.

Now now...serious rule bending to win by 9 points on Sunday to be fair to us

Think you miss the point, rule bending didnt win kilcoo a final by 9 points, they were the better much team on the day. Burren got it totally wrong on the day but credit to kilcoo (for the football side of things from the weekend).
The rule bending or more so just play acting is something that is embarrassingly engrossed in their game. Can argue the point that it works, most referees fall for it somehow (bar the one who funny enough was appealed against and a small minority more) and that there no direct rule against it, but obviously instructed go down and hold your head regardless of where you are tackled that is used by every single player in every single tackle is only what I said earlier, embarrassing. Fair play to them on the win,
Medals in pocket and will forever be in history for it, i just wish they had done so with some class instead (which i believe they would have) rather than the circus that goes around with them instead. When Mayobridge were winning a run of championships everyone wanted to beat them, but they were respected, not the same now.

Fair to have an observation, mine would be that clubs do not present these management teams with players who have been invested in correctly or at least in the way that kilcoo have done. Through their juvenile playing careers they need to be moulded into athletes not just footballers and be tactically aware and of course coachable. Kilcoo isnt full of great footballers. They are the same as anyone else, some elite, some good and some average but whats different is their athletic ability, and their mentality and of course their ability to pay attention to detail even when it is to bend the rules in their favour or to mislead with regards to winning frees.

You will join Shane in the Harps this year then Wobbler? Sounds like you have the answers to overcome what nobody else can see? Sounds handy enough to be fair

Carryduff ??
Loughinisland - new management - Conor OToole??
Kilcoo - new management required
Burren - new management required
Clonduff - new management required
Mayobridge- new management - Bernie Murray??
CPN - new management required
Bredagh - new management required
Bryansford - new management required
Longstone - new management required

Must be a record for the top ten clubs in the county to have so much management activity in one off season..

Castlewellan
Ballyholland - new management - Shane Mulholland
Saul - new management - John Fegan
Downpatrick - new management required
Liatroim - will probably stick with current setup??
Saval - new management required
Shamrocks - will probably stick with DJ
Rostrevor -
Glen - ?
Drumgath - ??

Anyone any updates on above?

At what stage are a lot of these clubs going to catch on that throwing money at the problem isn't going to get them past Kilcoo? What's the return on investment realistically. It's a big drain on club cash which could be better used to invest in facilities etc for the future.

I agree there is crazy money going around, however none more so than Kilcoo themselves of course in order to get to where they are. 2/3 outside men every year and in many cases travelling from Derry and now Donegal, Donaghey in doing S&C for years, stats woman from Donegal this past number of years all whilst investing in the club facilities. Money hasnt appeared to have been an object since they started to become successful right through to now. Its the same everywhere all over the Island. People talk about club coaches doing the job, in real terms with the pressure put on management and and fallouts within clubs and parents (yes parents at senior level) and teams etc, would they want to?

If you are going to release a time line of events dont leave out the most important time and vaguely mention that events that were becoming difficult to control. A good opportunity to put the record straight wasted.
 They did highlight their disagreement with Kilcoo getting to appeal an official but by leaving out what happened the rest of Saturday then questions remain...

Did Faloon ask for guarantees he could not get?
Did County Football Management makes threats?
Did Kilcoo club treat to pull out of game?
What events lead to Paul no longer refereeing the game?

The elephant in the room and key question.
On what grounds did Kilcoo appeal? What happened in the past that they felt they had justification for an appeal?

Ah now they could tell you anything in reply to that, the rest of the county know its because he doesnt fall for the head holding when theyre brought down and other forms of play acting and because 2 of their players were found to have been calling him in middle of night a few years back and insulting him that he may go against them. Even though he has done games they have won since (fact) but they dont like to have him in the championship. The real elephant in the room is the question of how,how when the county board dismissed the request, Ulster dismissed & DRA Croke Park dismissed..... was the referee replaced considering he did not step aside

Spot on Wobbler. Will Ballyholland be asking the Co Board for a breakdown of events that lead to the decision? I believe all clubs should as it will very much lead to issues in future championships. The game itself was never the issue, a clubs ability to change a match official and in the process damage his credibility without and ounce of backing from his county board is the main issue here. Every club has referees they feel give them 'nothing' etc. Im ashamed of my county board this weekend and i disagree with referees decision to officiate the game at the time.

Never doubted who the winners would be today, thought Burren would have produced a bit more but it didn't come for them.
Does not and can not take away from what was the disgrace in the lead up to the game. As paying members of the GAA in Down our clubs should request and receive a full report and timeline of the events that lead to the removal of a top intercounty referee in our county even after an apparent request was thrown out at all levels of the association. The clubs have a right to know what went on and reasons behind such decisions. A real can of worms opened today for future competitions and I would have preferred that all officials refused the game and a full report published before the game would be played with a different referee. Well Done to Kilcoo (on the field) hard lines Burren, disgrace from elected county executive to give no backing to a great person and referee. 

Colossal full back? Pull the other one. A decent full back at club level, yes has had a good first half but dont make him out to be something he isnt because he was a severe weak point for the county team when at full back this year and was exposed time and time again. Good player but dont overdo it