Down Club Hurling & Football

[Splash]

We, the loyal members of the Down GAA, have tolerated mediocrity in football and hurling since the year 2000. In Ulster, we used to be respected, but now we have to be jealous of places like Derry, Tyrone, Donegal, etc. What is wrong with our wonderful county?

In crude terms, I don't think we ever really built on our success in the 90s to the extent we should have, and rely too much on waiting on golden generations to come along. It's a lot more complex than that, but I think that essentially sums in up.

In regards to the mediocrity in the hurling, it's simply a lack of clubs. You can't expect to be challenging for All Irelands when you've only a handful of players to choose from. 

There's 6 clubs in the senior championship. There's 16 in the football equivalent. There's not even 16 hurling clubs in the county. If the hurlers had the resources that the footballers had, I think they'd do alright.

The good news for us is that in both codes, there is a path to improvement. We are not hampered by a small population, and have a good GAA culture.

Hopefully better days are coming.

[skat man]

any players playing in the sigerson who would be adding to the down squad ?

[statto]

We, the loyal members of the Down GAA, have tolerated mediocrity in football and hurling since the year 2000. In Ulster, we used to be respected, but now we have to be jealous of places like Derry, Tyrone, Donegal, etc. What is wrong with our wonderful county?

In crude terms, I don't think we ever really built on our success in the 90s to the extent we should have, and rely too much on waiting on golden generations to come along. It's a lot more complex than that, but I think that essentially sums in up.

In regards to the mediocrity in the hurling, it's simply a lack of clubs. You can't expect to be challenging for All Irelands when you've only a handful of players to choose from. 

There's 6 clubs in the senior championship. There's 16 in the football equivalent. There's not even 16 hurling clubs in the county. If the hurlers had the resources that the footballers had, I think they'd do alright.

The good news for us is that in both codes, there is a path to improvement. We are not hampered by a small population, and have a good GAA culture.

Hopefully better days are coming.

Down got to all ireland final 2010, then st colmans won back to back Hogans in 2011 and 2012 they seemed in a really good spot at that stage.  Along with the competitiveness of Kilcoo over the last 10 years seems strange that Down have been so unsuccessful. 

[johnnycool]

We, the loyal members of the Down GAA, have tolerated mediocrity in football and hurling since the year 2000. In Ulster, we used to be respected, but now we have to be jealous of places like Derry, Tyrone, Donegal, etc. What is wrong with our wonderful county?

In crude terms, I don't think we ever really built on our success in the 90s to the extent we should have, and rely too much on waiting on golden generations to come along. It's a lot more complex than that, but I think that essentially sums in up.

In regards to the mediocrity in the hurling, it's simply a lack of clubs. You can't expect to be challenging for All Irelands when you've only a handful of players to choose from. 

There's 6 clubs in the senior championship. There's 16 in the football equivalent. There's not even 16 hurling clubs in the county. If the hurlers had the resources that the footballers had, I think they'd do alright.

The good news for us is that in both codes, there is a path to improvement. We are not hampered by a small population, and have a good GAA culture.

Hopefully better days are coming.

Down got to all ireland final 2010, then st colmans won back to back Hogans in 2011 and 2012 they seemed in a really good spot at that stage.  Along with the competitiveness of Kilcoo over the last 10 years seems strange that Down have been so unsuccessful. 

Take Kilcoo and maybe Burren out of it, but does the standard of club football at senior level drop off a bit of cliff?

If Kilcoo were pushed to the pin of their collar in the Down championship by a few other teams then you'd have more optimism in the standard of club football being able to sustain a highly competitive county senior team.

[statto]

We, the loyal members of the Down GAA, have tolerated mediocrity in football and hurling since the year 2000. In Ulster, we used to be respected, but now we have to be jealous of places like Derry, Tyrone, Donegal, etc. What is wrong with our wonderful county?

In crude terms, I don't think we ever really built on our success in the 90s to the extent we should have, and rely too much on waiting on golden generations to come along. It's a lot more complex than that, but I think that essentially sums in up.

In regards to the mediocrity in the hurling, it's simply a lack of clubs. You can't expect to be challenging for All Irelands when you've only a handful of players to choose from. 

There's 6 clubs in the senior championship. There's 16 in the football equivalent. There's not even 16 hurling clubs in the county. If the hurlers had the resources that the footballers had, I think they'd do alright.

The good news for us is that in both codes, there is a path to improvement. We are not hampered by a small population, and have a good GAA culture.

Hopefully better days are coming.

Down got to all ireland final 2010, then st colmans won back to back Hogans in 2011 and 2012 they seemed in a really good spot at that stage.  Along with the competitiveness of Kilcoo over the last 10 years seems strange that Down have been so unsuccessful. 

Take Kilcoo and maybe Burren out of it, but does the standard of club football at senior level drop off a bit of cliff?

If Kilcoo were pushed to the pin of their collar in the Down championship by a few other teams then you'd have more optimism in the standard of club football being able to sustain a highly competitive county senior team.

Carryduff, Clonduff and Warrenpoint would have pushed them in recent years think have given Clonduff a few hidings as well. 

[Truth hurts]

Has the public disclosure of Tom Ryan's independent review's findings occurred yet?

This has been brushed under the carpet.

[Ed Hardy]

One week to go until start of football league, still a few players missing from last year's team Ryan and Sheelan Johnson, Branagan, McAleenan, Fitzpatrick (I'm sure I've missed a few) are they injured for next weekend or just rested for the McKenna? Is Ruairi McCrickard involved? Definitely thought he would have been given a chance.

[Johnnysboys]

One week to go until start of football league, still a few players missing from last year's team Ryan and Sheelan Johnson, Branagan, McAleenan, Fitzpatrick (I'm sure I've missed a few) are they injured for next weekend or just rested for the McKenna? Is Ruairi McCrickard involved? Definitely thought he would have been given a chance.

Mcaleenan is off panel and travelling at present.
Fitzpatrick off panel and I hear a whisper is going travelling too
Johnston's are training away - prob ready this week now that the league starts..
Eugene is off panel with work commitments.
Mccrickard not on panel. Conor just..

Hard not to be envious of Glen Maghera today. Some group of players and an excellent manager.

[Splash]

Disappointing defeat to Kildare for the hurlers yesterday in the Kehoe Cup. No pre-season silverware this year.

Close enough game in the end. Ultimately you have to be happy enough with the pre-season. Beat Meath, and have the potential to beat Kildare. At the end of the day, when we play these teams later in the year, they will be, in all likelihood, must-win games to avoid relegation in the league and championship, let alone gain promotion. Hopefully we finish this preseason off well with a good performance over Wicklow in the next round.

Have to say, Kildare's Hurling Action Plan has been quite remarkable over the past few years, and would be great to see us implement something similar in Down.

[Splash]

One week to go until start of football league, still a few players missing from last year's team Ryan and Sheelan Johnson, Branagan, McAleenan, Fitzpatrick (I'm sure I've missed a few) are they injured for next weekend or just rested for the McKenna? Is Ruairi McCrickard involved? Definitely thought he would have been given a chance.

Mcaleenan is off panel and travelling at present.
Fitzpatrick off panel and I hear a whisper is going travelling too
Johnston's are training away - prob ready this week now that the league starts..
Eugene is off panel with work commitments.
Mccrickard not on panel. Conor just..

Hard not to be envious of Glen Maghera today. Some group of players and an excellent manager.

Would assume Ruairi McCrickard is probably still involved with the hurlers this year. Thought he would have been involved with the footballers, too.

Wonder will we see any dual county players this year? Conor McCrickard was involved with the hurlers last year as well as the footballers I think. Very hard to commit to both, but fair play to any man that can manage it.

[downtothecore]

I expect the footballers to progress on this year. They have a decent management setup and some good talented players. Oran Murdock is the key man. Hopefully we can find a few more good big physical players to support him.

[Truth hurts]

Disappointing defeat to Kildare for the hurlers yesterday in the Kehoe Cup. No pre-season silverware this year.

Close enough game in the end. Ultimately you have to be happy enough with the pre-season. Beat Meath, and have the potential to beat Kildare. At the end of the day, when we play these teams later in the year, they will be, in all likelihood, must-win games to avoid relegation in the league and championship, let alone gain promotion. Hopefully we finish this preseason off well with a good performance over Wicklow in the next round.

Have to say, Kildare's Hurling Action Plan has been quite remarkable over the past few years, and would be great to see us implement something similar in Down.

How would you improve hurling in the county?

[DuffGael]

The only way to improve hurling in Down is to get more clubs playing, we punch way above where we should and produce hurlers of real quality but just dont have the critical mass to be a top tier team. Some of the bigger football only clubs should start hurling.

[Truth hurts]

The only way to improve hurling in Down is to get more clubs playing, we punch way above where we should and produce hurlers of real quality but just dont have the critical mass to be a top tier team. Some of the bigger football only clubs should start hurling.

Could it be that larger football teams would not be affiliated with a hurling club? Would the young men from Kilcoo not play for Liatroim? Kilcoo had a few talented players in the 80s.

[johnnycool]

The only way to improve hurling in Down is to get more clubs playing, we punch way above where we should and produce hurlers of real quality but just dont have the critical mass to be a top tier team. Some of the bigger football only clubs should start hurling.

Could it be that larger football teams would not be affiliated with a hurling club? Would the young men from Kilcoo not play for Liatroim? Kilcoo had a few talented players in the 80s.

Some have done at underage, but nothing to sustain a standalone adult team, but rather than lump in with Liatroim who are already serious senior contenders maybe work with the likes of Ballela, Ballyvarley instead to bring their player bases up.

I'm expecting Castlewellan to start pushing up the ranks at adult, but it'll take a few more years for their work at underage to come good.

If only we could get Ballybeen, Kilcooley and the Westwinds to take up the hurling we'd make inroads..