Messages

If Ulster PRO says no one complained, then i suggest we all do.

I am just after logging onto Ulster GAA website and sending them a complaint via e mail.

I suggest everyone does the same.

The logical solution would be that 3 teams are relegated from Div 1 with only 1 being promoted.  This is likely to give a better balance between the two divisions than 4 teams down and 2 up.

Div 2 could then have possibly 5 going down (five teams relegated, christ thats wild), with only 1 going up from Div 3.

I reckon this is the way the co board will proceed this year.  It will be extremely difficult to get promoted this year to Div 1 or 2, but a helluva lot easier to get relegated.

Any word on the state of the Marshes for the game on Monday nite, i heard reports it was very heavy with the ball quite often getting stuck in the muck and the pitch cutting up easily?? If this is the case i dread to think wat it will be like on Friday for the league final after the 2nd division promotion play-off game on just before...
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It was in great nick on saturday!!! the college v Abbey Mc Rory game is meant to be there on saturday as well!!!!
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It was very good indeed on Monday night.  Cant see it being a problem for the final on Friday.

Good game of football last night between ourselves and Kilcoo.

It could have went either way but fair play to Kilcoo on coming back in those last 10 minutes to win it.  I thought we had it but the game is never over.

Scores were at a minimum but that was due to the intense tackling on both sides.  It was almost like championship football at times.

I think Kilcoo will have to change their approach however if they are to beat the Bridge.  They play with too many men in defence a lot of the time and it leaves their attack totally isolated.   They were much better last night when we got in front and they had to come out and go forward.

Anyway good luck to both teams in the final on Friday.  They both fully deserve to be there.

Kilcoo v Rostrevor game on Saturday has been postponed to Monday night due to the death of the president of the Kilcoo club.

It will now take place at 7.30pm in Newry on Monday.

Team            Played     Won       Draw      Lost       POINTS   Score Diff 
       
Mayobridge         17       15           0          2             30        +99 
Rostrevor           20        12          2           6             26        +30 
Kilcoo                17        12           1          4             25        +77 
Burren               19        10          1          7              21         +4 
Clonduff            18         10          1          7              21          -9 
Castlewellan       18         9           2           7             20        +40 
Loughinisland      17         7          4           6             18         -13 
Longstone         19         9           0           9             18         -18 
Saval                18          5           3         10             13         -42 
Liatrom             16         4           2          10             10         -42 
An Riocht          19         4           1          14             9          -70 
Ballyholland        20         2           3          15             7          -56

Includes last nights game where Burren beat Longstone by 3 points.

Not long to go til sunday. still think we have a good chance of an upset. we are under no pressure, the pressure is all on the bridge. cant wait now. it should be a good hard game of football. good buzz around the village, we should have quite a lot of support with us so there should be a good atmosphere.

I hope your right Island Boy.  But i dont think the Bridge will feel under any pressure at all actually.  They have been there so many times now it will be second nature to them. For Loughinisland however it is something they have never experienced before.  Believe me, it is like nothing else if you havent experienced it before.  As can be seen frm the majority of results in Mayobridges finals, the other team very often crumbles on the day.  Burren, Annaclone, Ourselves all have slumped to heavy defeats to them. 

On the other hand, you could be like the stone, and play out of your skins on the day.  They really should have taken the bridge last year, but that shows exactly what it takes to win it.  You have to play well AND be lucky.  Good luck!!

was reading the Mourne Observer earlier and was amazed to read that Byransford have never won a minor title!!! who was won the most minor titles.. Mayobridge have three 80, 97,99

Rostrevor have 5 -  93, 03, 04, 05 and 07

Think Burren generally dominated Minors.  Clondiff also have a few.

rory played midfield on same minor team as dan gordon great left foot strong player needs lots of hard training to get fit certainly worth looking at if he commits

Bad sign when a person from players own club is pointing out his lack of fitness! Was the fella injured or is he just not very fit?
Guys Ive been impressed with from watching  Div II (Im deliberately leaving out anyone from my own club Warrenpoint)

Paddy Feeney - Banbridge
Marcus McGrath - Darragh Cross
Eoin McGuinness - Shamrocks

Not another Shamrocks man 

How many players do they have on the panel now.  I hear its 6.

Seems crazy to get together already< but just out of intrest anybody know anyone called to it???
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Colgan and Daniel McCartan both apparantley gone!!

Magic isnt ur only good signing Islandboy,McCarthy is ur best signing,Ward has been a good one,along with Turley.
Dont think Mayobridge have any transsfers in have they?
Only noticed Burren have quite a few signings in and so do Saval from tthe senior semi-finalists.
Y did G McCarten leave Rostrevor and go to Burren?

Gerard McCartan left Rostrevor to go to Burren as his family mover there about 18 months ago.  We were disappointed that he left and tried to get him to stay but he had his mind made up.  No point in keeping a player who doesnt want to stay.

On another transfer, was at the Reserve semi final last night between Rostrevor and Mayobridge.  I noticed a fella Laverty playing full forward for the Bridge.  Turns out it was 'Coke' Laverty from Castlewellan.  I remember him as being a good player when he was younger.  Cant be that old now, what would he be 29!!!

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Point taken Super dupe, my comment may have been a bit over zealous. i suppose what i should have said is that Rostrevor have difficulty developing their under age talent into senior players. yes they had 7 players on the minor team in 2005, yet they only had 1 as far as i know on the u-21 panel this year which is a shocking turn around. on the same token Mayobridge had 5 players on the minor team of 05 and 5 again on the u-21 panel of 2008, all of whom played some part in the u-21's run to the all-ireland semi-final.
Colm Murney didn't even start that minor final in 04 as far as i can recall yet he has come on leaps and bounds since whereas other players have fallen by the wayside.

Yeh agree with you Dulaney in the Under 21 issue.  Was not good but then again we cant speak for the under 21 selectors!!  Suppose we had 2 on the 21's out of the 7 if Gerard McCartan is included.

Still dont agree with you in terms of developing under age talent into senior players.  I have already mentioned about 9 players from those teams who play on our senior team at the moment.  People do have this preconception about Rostrevor, 'they dont bring their players through'.  We do.  But the fact is that Mayobridge with their class minor team of Coulter, Walsh etc are still the best senior team in the county and we have not been good enough to break their stranglehold.  Perhaps when the next wave come through to add to what is already there, then maybe we can push them a bit more.  Its not as if we're a bad side at the moment, prob one of the top 6 in the county anyway, we just arent top of the pile, and theres only room for one there.  

As you can see from the above, we basically have brought through all the main players from those championship teams with the exception of 3 (1 of whom has transferred).

Would they be two out of; Patrick Mc Greevy, Collie Clerkin & Ryan Watt? The 3 mentioned would be some of the most naturally gifted that were coming through on those teams IMO.

Thought i had mentioned Collie Clerkin.  Currently our top scorer this year for the seniors.  He is doing well.

Watts broke his arm about 3 months ago and Patrick McGreevy only played about 2 years of football after getting a serious injury when he was 16.  He could have been a good one only for that.

Tyrone are gunning for it on Sunday, but when is the last time the Senior and Minor double was done in Down???
Mayobridge are attempting it this year and also had a go at it 2004 but came up against a very good Rostrevor minor team (would have to agree with T O Hare though, the bridge still have a number of that '04 minor team with at least 5 being important figures in the c/ship over the last 3 years whereas were have all those boys from that great minor team gone for Rostrevor??)
Did Mayobridge do the double in 1999???

Rostrevor had 7 players on the 2005 all ireland championship winning panel!!

Eamon McConville, Gary Magee, Collie Murney, Conor Mackin - All played championship for Rostrevor this year

Gerard McCartan - playing with Burren

Paddy Mooney, Adrian Magee - Playing 2nds football

Other players of note from the 2004 or 2005 team would be

Sean Parr - playing with Rostrevor and asked onto Down panel this year i believe.
Conor Magee - playing midfield for Rostrevor seniors this year and a potential county player
Anthony Donnan - has just broken onto senior team this past 2 months

Going back another year to 2003, basically the same team as 2004 and 2005 but also had Adrian Mackin, played championship football for Rostrevor this year and Aidan Cousins - sub in championhip but played most of the league for the seniors.

As you can see from the above, we basically have brought through all the main players from those championship teams with the exception of 3 (1 of whom has transferred).  I am not sure how many players the Bridge have brought through but Rostrevors rate of bringing them through is higher than any team ever in our club.  Just because we have not won a championship does not mean they have not come through!!!   Would any of you re-assess your opinion based on the above names.  Do you think this is a good 'bring through' rate?

Regarding last years minor team.  Only Nicholas Mills has played any real number of games for the seniors this year, but i would expect Sean Mackin, miceal Mackin, Dermot Morgan, Declan and Damian Magee, Sean Magee and a number of others to push for places on seniors next year.

The Bridge's record since 1998 in county finals

1998 Mayobridge v Rostrevor Lost Don't know score
1999 Mayobridge 0-14 Burren 0-8
2001 Mayobridge 0-15 Castewellan 1-9
2002 Mayobridge 2-14 Rostrevor 0-9
2003 Bryansford 1-08 Mayobridge 0-09
2004 Mayobidge 4-12 Annaclone 0-8
2005 Mayobridge 0-13 Bryansford 0-7
2006 Mayobridge 1-10 Burren 0-4
2007 Mayobridge 0-16 Longstone 1-13
2007 Mayobridge 1-8  Longstone 0-9

I must say this is some record for Mayobridge over the last 10 years.  9 out of 10 years in the final.  Looking at most of them they are pretty one sided finals also.  Apart from Longstone las year, nobody has come close since Bryansford won it in 2003.  Are we destined for a Crossmaglen type scenario in Down where the Bridge will just keep on winning now for 14/15 years? 
I know we like to think that the Bridge are pushed every year but looking at the scorelines above, is that really true?  In Armagh however, Cross have been winning minor titles regularly also whereas in Down, the last minor title the Bridge won was when Coulter et all did it.  Maybe that is the hope the rest of us cling onto.
They have definitely not been pushed this year and we can only hope that Loughinisland put up a good show.