Down Club Hurling & Football

[Truth hurts]

Also, Kilcoo reserves came to play in the Connolly cup a few years ago and never won it

[upandwin]

Those lads all played minor for Down and have not just started to represent Down. They are stand out players for the clubs
Don't get this about lower league players. If they are good enough to play for Down whoever the manager is will pick them
Who are these other players that should get the opportunity?
Saul and St John's both division 2
O hare and Gilmore were always great underage players for both Red High and St Colman's

All of a sudden you become smug at the lower leagues, it was not so long ago that Warrenpoint was playing lower league football. What I am saying is that the county could give the best players in the lower leagues a chance to develop physically as most clubs don't have the finances or infrastructure to compete with Burren, Kilcoo, Mayobridge, Carryduff etc

St Pauls is an up-and-coming club, players like Eastwood and Tucker are really strong footballers. I would love to see players like that put into a development junior setup to see if they could push on.

Burren beating Rostrevor last night was inevitable, but Rostrevor has four points on the board. So seeing Bryansford sitting at the bottom of the league is really sad for a club that I loved following for their swashbuckling style. They always epitomized all that is good about East Down football, especially in the 70s and 80s.

I'm referring to this...why are you pointing out about W'Point playing lower league football...don't get how his comment was smug towards lower leagues here...The seconds team for Burren, Kilcoo, Bridge and Clonduff (who are the big four clubs to most people) would absolutely be competing in Div4, not so much maybe Div3...If Kilcoo fielded a totally separate 15 on Friday nights while their seniors playd they'd still be winning games. That's not a smugness against any Div 4 teams...It's a credit to Kilcoo and Burren etc to have that depth in their clubs...Sure Mayobridge were playing seniors in friendlies and letting their seconds play their Corn an Duin games and I think they beat Liatroim, Drumgath and narrowly lost out to Carryduff and Castlewellan...those games happened on the same nights their seniors were playing...what's the big deal here?

[charlieTully]

If it looks like a smurph and sounds like a smurph.....

[Truth hurts]

Look I'll say it for the last time but if the top teams in division one took their top  25 players the junior team would compete at the top end of division 4, and the only teams with numbers to do this are Burren, Kilcoo, Mayobridge, Carryduff and Clonduff, they would struggle in the top end of division 3. And I would doubt the players would want to be playing division 4 if their seniors were playing at the same time.

Onto tomorrow night, there are some humdingers over the four divisions

1. Kilcoo travel to Carryduff and can Clonduff bounce back in big local derby? The Ford must be looking to grab their first 2 points v Ballyholland

2. RGU v Castlewellan- whoever wins this will go up

3. same with Saval and Liatriom

4.  Killief v Bright in top of the table clash, again whoever wins this will have one foot in division 3. Eugene O'Hare is an experienced ref and the right man for this fixture.

It would be great if Down gaa done a results show tomorrow like last year as tomorrow's games should be very exciting.

[terrifictommy]

Truth Hurts - I get what you are saying and I do agree. The team that plays right now every Saturday would certainly compete in Div3 but if they played on the normal Div3 night (Friday) then it Wouldn't be the same squad. At least 7/8 players would be with the senior team, at least.

In regards to lower league players playing county - It's possible. Look at Harrison. But it's few and far between, it's a different level of pace, speed (mentally and physically) and game awareness.

Should be some good games tomorrow alright but football has been better to enjoy this year. Long May it continue.

[Smurfy123]

I don't think a club manager would carry 25 on a Friday if he knew his reserves were playin a match. A squad of 19 enough and 17 for the other match.
I don't see how they couldn't compete with Liatrom Shamrocks etc.
St Paul's went to 3 under Blaney and didn't win a match. They got hammered every match
Eastwood and Tucker don't mean to be smug but never heard of them. If teams have a player that is genuine county standard you would know. Coskery was known. McCumiskey was known.
I just don't get the lower leagues comments. It's a bit like the east down and south down stuff

[Mike Tyson]

I don't think a club manager would carry 25 on a Friday if he knew his reserves were playin a match. A squad of 19 enough and 17 for the other match.
I don't see how they couldn't compete with Liatrom Shamrocks etc.
St Paul's went to 3 under Blaney and didn't win a match. They got hammered every match
Eastwood and Tucker don't mean to be smug but never heard of them. If teams have a player that is genuine county standard you would know. Coskery was known. McCumiskey was known.
I just don't get the lower leagues comments. It's a bit like the east down and south down stuff

You're always good for a laugh Smurf I'll give you that.

[Johnnysboys]

I don't think a club manager would carry 25 on a Friday if he knew his reserves were playin a match. A squad of 19 enough and 17 for the other match.
I don't see how they couldn't compete with Liatrom Shamrocks etc.

You're always good for a laugh Smurf I'll give you that.

U can only play 5 subs.. every manager worth their salt knows who he will bring on as a game changer or to plug a hole in defence.. why take 34 lads on ur senior panel when ya don't need them..

I feel the clubs in division 3/4 know they wud struggle to compete with the second string of the likes of CPN, Burren, Mayobridge, Clonduff, Kilcoo and Carryduff and that's why they don't want it happening.. obviously if a lad plays division 4 for a few games and is goin well and the division one team takes him in and uses him in a game - he can't then go back n play division 4 league for remainder of the year.. this thing would be easily managed as it is in most other counties.. It would be interesting to see how these players from lower leagues would fare against players from second string division one clubs..

On another note - this board would frustrate ya with the negative comments about small east down clubs players being overlooked.. do something about it.. Carryduff, CPN, Ballyholland etc were yo-yo clubs for years and got their houses in order with underage structures to feed the senior team - now they are established division one clubs..
Saul were the same between division 2/3 and got themselves together and sorted the problem.

It's not rocket science to get your club established, competing, producing county standard players.. roll the sleeves up and get stuck in. 

[Mike Tyson]

I don't think a club manager would carry 25 on a Friday if he knew his reserves were playin a match. A squad of 19 enough and 17 for the other match.
I don't see how they couldn't compete with Liatrom Shamrocks etc.

You're always good for a laugh Smurf I'll give you that.

U can only play 5 subs.. every manager worth their salt knows who he will bring on as a game changer or to plug a hole in defence.. why take 34 lads on ur senior panel when ya don't need them..

I feel the clubs in division 3/4 know they wud struggle to compete with the second string of the likes of CPN, Burren, Mayobridge, Clonduff, Kilcoo and Carryduff and that's why they don't want it happening.. obviously if a lad plays division 4 for a few games and is goin well and the division one team takes him in and uses him in a game - he can't then go back n play division 4 league for remainder of the year.. this thing would be easily managed as it is in most other counties.. It would be interesting to see how these players from lower leagues would fare against players from second string division one clubs..

On another note - this board would frustrate ya with the negative comments about small east down clubs players being overlooked.. do something about it.. Carryduff, CPN, Ballyholland etc were yo-yo clubs for years and got their houses in order with underage structures to feed the senior team - now they are established division one clubs..
Saul were the same between division 2/3 and got themselves together and sorted the problem.

It's not rocket science to get your club established, competing, producing county standard players.. roll the sleeves up and get stuck in.

Aye so only bring 4 then. Makes perfect sense

[Smurfy123]

What's wrong Mike?
Why would a senior manager carry more than 19 if the others had a game?
I don't see anyone that is in the lower leagues that should be on the squad.
Even the lower league players don't stand out.
Laverty Saul
Poland Longstone
Collins Downpatrick
Harney Saul
Middleton Liatrom

And all above players are head and shoulders the best players involved at club level
All brilliant club players


Let's just get behind the new manager without all this lower league crap

I still stand that the top 4 premier reserve teams would walk division 4 and complete at the top in division 3 even though both would play on a Friday
If teams like CPN Kilcoo Burren and Mayobridge played in 3 and 4 would it not help the lower league players? The lift a Dundrum coming and playing CPN on a Friday

[Smurfy123]

What's wrong with bringing 4 subs?

[Truth hurts]

Smurfy why do you always mention CPN with the established teams who have been dining at the top for years. Warrenpoint reserves would not be as strong as those others mentioned. Please can you list CPN's hour list at the premier reserve level since the millennium?

You have a smugness about not watching junior football, take that you another forum.

[bigarsedkeeper]

What's wrong Mike?
Why would a senior manager carry more than 19 if the others had a game?
I don't see anyone that is in the lower leagues that should be on the squad.
Even the lower league players don't stand out.
Laverty Saul
Poland Longstone
Collins Downpatrick
Harney Saul
Middleton Liatrom

And all above players are head and shoulders the best players involved at club level
All brilliant club players


Let's just get behind the new manager without all this lower league crap

I still stand that the top 4 premier reserve teams would walk division 4 and complete at the top in division 3 even though both would play on a Friday
If teams like CPN Kilcoo Burren and Mayobridge played in 3 and 4 would it not help the lower league players? The lift a Dundrum coming and playing CPN on a Friday

I'll agree with most of what's being said there regarding players in div 3 & 4 but if you think any manager paid to take a team in div 1 is going to be happy to take 19 players on a Friday night you've not been involved with a senior set up for a very long time.

[Truth hurts]

I don't think a club manager would carry 25 on a Friday if he knew his reserves were playin a match. A squad of 19 enough and 17 for the other match.
I don't see how they couldn't compete with Liatrom Shamrocks etc.

You're always good for a laugh Smurf I'll give you that.

U can only play 5 subs.. every manager worth their salt knows who he will bring on as a game changer or to plug a hole in defence.. why take 34 lads on ur senior panel when ya don't need them..

I feel the clubs in division 3/4 know they wud struggle to compete with the second string of the likes of CPN, Burren, Mayobridge, Clonduff, Kilcoo and Carryduff and that's why they don't want it happening.. obviously if a lad plays division 4 for a few games and is goin well and the division one team takes him in and uses him in a game - he can't then go back n play division 4 league for remainder of the year.. this thing would be easily managed as it is in most other counties.. It would be interesting to see how these players from lower leagues would fare against players from second string division one clubs..

On another note - this board would frustrate ya with the negative comments about small east down clubs players being overlooked.. do something about it.. Carryduff, CPN, Ballyholland etc were yo-yo clubs for years and got their houses in order with underage structures to feed the senior team - now they are established division one clubs..
Saul were the same between division 2/3 and got themselves together and sorted the problem.

It's not rocket science to get your club established, competing, producing county standard players.. roll the sleeves up and get stuck in.

Unfortunately, a lot of clubs could only dream about the pick in Carryduff, Warrenpoint and Ballyholland/Newry. Go down to any division 4 game tonight and see plenty of volunteers with their "sleeves rolled up and getting stuck in" !

[Smurfy123]

CPN are building something special. We have serious numbers now
Why would a paid senior manager have an issue with bringing 19 players on match day. He can only use 5. Makes his job easier. Everyone getting plenty of football
I think it would strengthen the lower league teams and players.
Something needs to happen. Division 4 has gone completely stale. Add in 2 teams next year.