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I watched this mornings game with an open mind and have to say both teams would have benefited from a warm up game. They took a while getting used to that rules. Pat was sore on the Irish lads in order not to show bias. While the Aussie ref was a homer.
Also felt that when the Irish heard the whistle for a mark they automatically stopped instead of using the option to continue. Had Coulter not stopped to take a mark in the first 5 mins he was in for a goal. All in all i did enjoy and am looking forward to next weeks test.

I watched this mornings game with an open mind and have to say both teams would have benefited from a warm up game. They took a while getting used to that rules. Pat was sore on the Irish lads in order not to show bias. While the Aussie ref was a homer.
Also felt that when the Irish heard the whistle for a mark they automatically stopped instead of using the option to continue. Had Coulter not stopped to take a mark in the first 5 mins he was in for a goal. All in all i did enjoy and am looking forward to next weeks test.

Just heard that St John's have refused to field against the Finn in todays match fixed for 1pm.
Is there another wedding in the parish??

What was the reason for refusing to field?

From what i can gather they are trying to claim the points, saying they turned up for the game earlier in the season. They did but Finn pitch had been declared unplayable by the council. Total disregard for the Finn who have every right to be treated with same respect as any other club in the county. Also amazed that St Johns are not taking the opportunity to get competitive football ahead of forthcoming Ulster championship. Surely this would have been a chance to look at some fringe players!!!

Just heard that St John's have refused to field against the Finn in todays match fixed for 1pm.
Is there another wedding in the parish??

Wed 10th Sept
Div 4  Dromara 3-07  Finn 2-05


SFC

Mayobridge v Saval - Mayobridge
Burren v Loughinisland - Burren

IFC

Annaclone v Glasdrumman - Annaclone
Darragh Cross v Kilclief -Darragh Cross

JFC

Aghaderg v Bright - Aghaderg
St Pauls v St Johns - St Johns ( having beaten Drumaness by 9 i believe St Johns will beat St Pauls by more)

ACFL Div 4
Dromara 0-13  Aghaderg 0-9

Div 4
Dromara   3-15   B/kinlar 1-5
Aghadreg 3-11   A/finn  1-13

Have to agree with previous posts regarding the Bright pitch. Excellent condition givin the rain we have had. Pity the match tonight didn't live up to the surrounding.

Bright 1-10 Finn 1-05

According to the rule book A Grant was right. Where players go after the ball is thrown in is none of his concern but they are suppose to line out in the traditional manner at the start.

Thank you for clearing that. So the Dromara guy began the game offside. I never realise there was an offside rule in gaelic football.

Just a quick question on rules.
Does a team have to begin the game with 6 defenders, 2 midfielders and 6 forwards in position?
I asked because i noticed Dromara lined out with a sweeper wearing number 12 but lined out in front of the full back line. The ref    ( A Grant) refused to start the game until he moved back into the half-forward position. Can anyone clear this up??

Dromara 0-5  St Johns 1-11
St Johns managed to field a full strength team tonight. With up to 15 subs.
i still find it strange how they were unable to field a team at all last week against Aghaderg.

I thought this thread was for Down CLUB hurling and football!!!!!

I heard about a controversial event regarding Div 4, I wonder can anyone confirm?

The situation is this...  St. Johns are unbeaten and assured of the top promotion spot.   There will be no playoff, with the top 2 teams getting automatic promotion.  The real promotion fight is for second place between Achaderg and Dromara, who are neck and neck.  However, St. Johns were to play Achaderg on Sunday and requested to have the game moved, but Achaderg refused.  St. Johns then did not field, and handed the points to Achaderg and thus damaging Dromara's chance of promotion.

I may be mistaken,but I think a similar event over non-fielding occurred last year in Div 3,involving Teconnaught and St Paul's. It contributed to the fiasco of Div 3 relegation last year.
Whereas Dromara are understandably angry,St.Johns could have bluffed it and played a shadow team and lost heavily anyway.The current league structures leaves us all open to these type of events.Another scenario that has occurred is teams close to the bottom 4,wanting to lose against the top team to automatically relegate teams below them.
Apparently it was the old chestnut of "one of our boys was getting married and they wouldn't switch it".In each team there is likely to be at least 2 summer weddings each year.If fixtures were glibly allowed to be changed for this there would end up being no games played.I do beleive that the fixtures secretary needs to consider a bye-law,that if there is a wedding directly involving players,that match can be switched back to the Thursday night,as long as 6 weeks notice is given.
If St.John's needed the points I am sure they would have found some way of fielding their strongest team despite the wedding-and to be fair to them,the fact that they didn't need to is a reflection of their dominance this year.However,failure to field is very much against the spirit of the game,and if it directly disadvantages a neighbouring club it is obviously going to stir up strong feelings.Given this event The county board will need to reflect on how it occurred and consider is the sanction for failure to field strong enough?

I am informed it wasn't even one of the St Johns players who got married, but a relation of a few of the players. As stated above, i'm sure if they had needed the points as strong a team as possible would have been fielded. In the past any team ( Aghaderg in the case) refusing to change a game, made us all the more determined to beat them. But maybe St johns don't fancy another 2 derby games next season!!!