Down Club Hurling & Football

[thewobbler]

Under 21s is a strange grade.

From under 6s to minor it's often a labour of love; just making sure that no matter how poor the collective is, that those players who have potential have the opportunity to progress. It's a great thing and ultimately it's what differentiates us from soccer in terms of player development (and if truth be told, a sense of place).


Under 21s doesn't have that and never will. You're dealing with players, some of who have made senior ball, some who are already drifting and won't come back, and some who have already given up and everyone knows it.

It can be a worthwhile exercise, but being as objective as I can, it's mostly just an exercise for the big clubs - those who've a little overflow of players who haven't quite made it mixed with a few superstars - to win some silverware.

[Pascal Brennan]

I know the whole Kerry championship zoning has been discussed to death on how it would or wouldn't work for Down but perhaps it could be slightly abbreviated for the u21 league/championship. I know some teams already amalgamate. Each club in down should be ranked say 1-10 (Kilcoo being a 10, killyleagh say a 1 etc). A zone/team would have to consist of a minimum of 25 points, so you may have a Kilcoo, Leitrim and Castlewellan team or a Mayobridge, Clonduff, Drumgath and Annaclone. You could even have like a draft night were all clubs are represented and have to 'join/agree' a grouping. Really no club is going to bring through more than 5 players into a senior set up from any age group. The best players from each club gets to play with the best players in another for a small period of time. Each team/zone could realistically have t least one senior team involved meaning the best players from the junior and inter clubs would get experience of playing positions that wasn't chb/mf/chf. For me there should be no stand alone teams in u21 comp.

[OgraAnDun]

I know the whole Kerry championship zoning has been discussed to death on how it would or wouldn't work for Down but perhaps it could be slightly abbreviated for the u21 league/championship. I know some teams already amalgamate. Each club in down should be ranked say 1-10 (Kilcoo being a 10, killyleagh say a 1 etc). A zone/team would have to consist of a minimum of 25 points, so you may have a Kilcoo, Leitrim and Castlewellan team or a Mayobridge, Clonduff, Drumgath and Annaclone. You could even have like a draft night were all clubs are represented and have to 'join/agree' a grouping. Really no club is going to bring through more than 5 players into a senior set up from any age group. The best players from each club gets to play with the best players in another for a small period of time. Each team/zone could realistically have t least one senior team involved meaning the best players from the junior and inter clubs would get experience of playing positions that wasn't chb/mf/chf. For me there should be no stand alone teams in u21 comp.

And what will you do with the bigger teams who have 20 players or maybe even more on their U21 panel? Leave half of them standing around the overcrowded bench?

[Line Ball]

I know the whole Kerry championship zoning has been discussed to death on how it would or wouldn't work for Down but perhaps it could be slightly abbreviated for the u21 league/championship. I know some teams already amalgamate. Each club in down should be ranked say 1-10 (Kilcoo being a 10, killyleagh say a 1 etc). A zone/team would have to consist of a minimum of 25 points, so you may have a Kilcoo, Leitrim and Castlewellan team or a Mayobridge, Clonduff, Drumgath and Annaclone. You could even have like a draft night were all clubs are represented and have to 'join/agree' a grouping. Really no club is going to bring through more than 5 players into a senior set up from any age group. The best players from each club gets to play with the best players in another for a small period of time. Each team/zone could realistically have t least one senior team involved meaning the best players from the junior and inter clubs would get experience of playing positions that wasn't chb/mf/chf. For me there should be no stand alone teams in u21 comp.

In a word, NO.  Absolute madness.

Will the U.21 league alternate on Sundays with Premier Reserve league this year?  I seem to remember it being passed at last years Convention but deferred for a year.

[5 Sams]

Congratulations to my clubmate Robbie White who won an Allstar AND Player of the Year at the Down awards last night.

[SamFever]

Congratulations to my clubmate Robbie White who won an Allstar AND Player of the Year at the Down awards last night.

Did Robbie come up the through the underage for the Harps?

[5 Sams]

Congratulations to my clubmate Robbie White who won an Allstar AND Player of the Year at the Down awards last night.

Did Robbie come up the through the underage for the Harps?

Sure did. Outstanding underage player at every grade.

[Ed Hardy]

Remember him playing CHF for Down minor team few years back, looked a good talent then!

[cut the crap]

Congrats to all who won awards last night watched all these players each are very good Robbie White is a potential Down player Dan as we know is busy at the moment but in all honestly it is unfair to pose the question to him about returning to Down , it's time for the next crop of young players like Robbie and the lad Harrison to step forward , it's a new chapter in Down football , I wish nothing but the best to all involved , can't wait to see the likes of Kerry and Dublin against the red and black so onward and upward , it will not be easy but it will be interesting

[Rainbowman]

I know the whole Kerry championship zoning has been discussed to death on how it would or wouldn't work for Down but perhaps it could be slightly abbreviated for the u21 league/championship. I know some teams already amalgamate. Each club in down should be ranked say 1-10 (Kilcoo being a 10, killyleagh say a 1 etc). A zone/team would have to consist of a minimum of 25 points, so you may have a Kilcoo, Leitrim and Castlewellan team or a Mayobridge, Clonduff, Drumgath and Annaclone. You could even have like a draft night were all clubs are represented and have to 'join/agree' a grouping. Really no club is going to bring through more than 5 players into a senior set up from any age group. The best players from each club gets to play with the best players in another for a small period of time. Each team/zone could realistically have t least one senior team involved meaning the best players from the junior and inter clubs would get experience of playing positions that wasn't chb/mf/chf. For me there should be no stand alone teams in u21 comp.

In a word, NO.  Absolute madness.

Will the U.21 league alternate on Sundays with Premier Reserve league this year?  I seem to remember it being passed at last years Convention but deferred for a year.

Congratulations to my clubmate Robbie White who won an Allstar AND Player of the Year at the Down awards last night.

Congratulations to my clubmate Robbie White who won an Allstar AND Player of the Year at the Down awards last night.

Congratulations to my clubmate Robbie White who won an Allstar AND Player of the Year at the Down awards last night.

Did Robbie come up the through the underage for the Harps?He didn't even make top 3 n south down player of year awards.Wat was the problem there??

[Mourne Rover]

It is hard to believe that anyone who watched Down getting routinely destroyed at midfield last season could suggest we should move on without a fit again Dan Gordon who at 32 is playing the best football of his career. Even if he only returns when the league is under way, he is our best option in the position by a distance and would be instrumental in bringing younger prospects through. We need tall, mobile and physically strong players in the spine of our side if we are to have any chance of staying in D1 or making some kind of an impact in the championship. Gordon is a key man and we should do everything possible to get him on board.

[ardtole]

Id have to agree with you 100% mournerover. As I said before, Kerry gave Declan OSullivan the winter off two years ago, to be ready for the championship, Dublin likewise with Alan Brogan this year. Gordon isnt a primadonna with a big headed attitude, he would be a positive influence in the dressing room, at his stage of life its unrealistic to ask him to commit to 5 nights a week training etc. A good man manager should accomodate him and arrange a suitable schedule to benefit the player and the team.

[cut the crap]

Bringing Dan back might be answer but have a notion he won't come back , I believe there's more to his decision not to play last year , he is obviously enjoying his football now with his club than he has recently with Down , if he did come back it might only paper over the cracks , we need a starting point and we have it now with out Dan and Benny, let's see how it pans out who knows there might be a couple of teenagers ready to break onto the scene as did Benny against Antrim and Dan against Tyrone , well I'm praying

[Mourne Rover]

CTC, we obviously need to look at younger players but introducing teenagers at midfield in our division one campaign would be a recipe for disaster. Benny and Dan both started their county careers in the forward line, which makes perfect sense, and Dan later moved to midfield after he became physically stronger. It is possible that he will only make a decision on a return to the Down squad when Loughinisland's run in the IFC ends, but we need to give him every encouragement in the meantime.

[Smurfy123]

Dan is a super player but everyone needs to calm down here
Dan is playing inter football and doing well.But he had 10-12 years to produce that in division 1 and never dominated any of the top midfielders in Down
Int football is shocking and I should know
Don't get carried away here that LIsland won the int title
It's so poor it's unreal.What did Dan and his teammates do against the Stone??,?
Nothing