Down Club Hurling & Football

[gaaman2016]

You must give An Riocht serious credit for the way they have played the system here, obviously calling a number of games off to suit themselves and refixtures at times when most clubs have nothing to play for, its very smart work, Loughinisland should have seen what was coming and demanded the game be played earlier which would have put pressure on An Riocht. The situation should not have occurred in the first place, far too many games this year across the board have been called off or switched for silly reasons. Heavier fines and points deductions wouldn't be too long sorting the mess out.

Nobody in loughinisland is blaming An Riocht. They have done nothing wrong. The blame lies completely with the county board.

Any ejit with even an ounce of objective rational thinking could see we have been royally shafted here. We had four games postponed during the year and not once was that at our behest.  During the lull in the summer we contacted both the other teams and county board to try and get them played, but try as we might they could not be arranged, through no fault of ours. 

An Riocht asked for the original fixture to be postponed, which we have no issue with. I notice another poster suggested we should have made them play it. I  must remember not to knock on your door it we are looking a fixture re-fixed if there is a death in Loughinisland. When all is said and done , we were being told to play away from home (which we actually considered, until the fixtures were later rearranged and would have given An Riocht an advantage, as referred to a couple of posts back) against a team we were directly challenging for promotion. Bear in mind they had the privilege of playing us at their pitch and we were being denied the same right when we requested it. 

The County Board were simply more interested in trying to meet their dead lines and to hell with any sense of natural justice. It was a case of run along boys and take your oil. Our committee had to make the decision whether to play the match, or not take the field and lodge a protest. You can bet every pound you have in the bank that had we played it, the county board would have then simply said, 'move along nothing to be seen here.' and they would not have given a fiddlers. Now we at least can shine a light on their duplicity.

Their big issue was that all fixtures must be played by the cut off date. If this goes to the Ulster Council how do they explain that they were /are willing to fix one game in Division two after the cut off and two further games in division three. How exactly will they explain that does not set a precedent boggles the mind.

IMO this high lights all that is wrong with out leagues. Get them over and done with and who gives a hoot about any sense of fair play.

With regards to the mathematics. Kingdom have to play Darragh Cross. If they lost and our match the Kingdom was rearranged we had every thing to play for (subject to is beating Annaclone). In the event they beat Darragh Cross we could still have got promoted by playing An Riocht, but would have had to have beaten them by 16 points, which is very unlikely, but not  impossible.

Two of which where called of by the Co Board at short notice to facilitate County training and one of them they then tried to schedule during the July Holidays Problem for Loughinisland in rescheduling these fixtures was that all the teams that they had outstanding fixtures with made it to the later stages of the SFC/IFC

[Gala head]

Oilean Blues, Blue Island & Cut The Crap.

Loughinisland have really dropped the ball on this one. Did they really want promotion ? or are they content to bask in Intermediate glory/level. Conceding matches has been an ugly trend within this rudderless club for some time, with numerous senior reserve games conceded this year.

Tuesday night was the perfect chance for the blues to beat the Kingdom - with loughinsland poor record at home this year the wide spaces at Owen Roe park would have suited their new style of play. Conceding 17 points at home to Darragh Cross, Losing to Carryduff at home and the humilation by the RGU at home are just three recent examples of the implosion taken place at the historic club.

With Martin Clarke  and 5 other regulars ruled out for last Tuesdays fixture The Island should took the game and  especially with their opponents just having failed in capturing the IFC title. I believe the score difference they needed to achieve was 16 points - this was a realistic goal.

With a porous defence and a lack of steel in attitude the blues have no one to blame but themselves. The RGU game was a must win - They haven't beaten the RGU in 10 years!!!

If they couldn't go to Kilcoo and beat the kingdom on a sunny October evening whats their chances of turning up in Burren on a Friday night next year for a league fixture.

[Smurfy123]

I'm all for Loughinisland on this one but reading the above post you would have to wonder did they really want promoted?It had been a disastrous season for them and would probably go straight back down again next year if they went up.Any of the posters shade some light into why it been such a poor season?

[Mike Tyson]

I can assure we aren't content to bask in intermediate glory and stay in division 2.

Of the starting 15 from last years all Ireland semi final, 2 had season ending injuries, 2 went to America for the summer, 1 is in England for work and Dan was missing for 6weeks due to surgery and probably came back too early and evidently isn't fully fit since.weve also had a few regular starters who have had injuries ruling them out for 4+ weeks (broken jaw being one).

I'd say that's the main reason we've had a disasterous season. We simply don't have the strength in depth to cope with such injuries.

[Gala head]

I'm sure like other clubs you would have utilised around 40 players during the season. Yet you continue to concede matches at senior reserve and senior level. How you manage your resources is an internal issue you must address.

No one fears travelling to Loughinisland anymore. Not even Carryduff!
When was the last time you had a defender shoulder an opponent to the floor or dive and block a ball! Joseph Doran probably the last player to do so ! And that's going back a bit!

The writing was on the wall when you were conceding reserve games during the year - denying senior squad members games - shame on you.

Therefore some of these 19, 20 21 year olds play 5 or 6 games per season !! Foundations built of sand !!

[Smurfy123]

Gala are you from Loughinisland ?
Tell us more?

[outinfront]

Wee bit harsh there. Loughinisland did win an Ulster and represent the county in all Ireland series last year. Ok it's not senior but still a great achievement.

[cut the crap]

I have to say that i am disappointed by the smug attitude of some posters on this forum, it shows a fundamental lack of fair play within this county and shows a bias towards south down clubs, Galahead you are right in one respect we have a problem regarding numbers and that has caused us problems,your pick is from the greater warrenpoint/newry area and has been for some time,however occasionally we get a team who can compete and has competed with your club and fecking beat yous ,now when our rudderless club next beats you i hope you are there, in the meantime concentrate on your own demise.

[Mike Tyson]

I'm sure like other clubs you would have utilised around 40 players during the season. Yet you continue to concede matches at senior reserve and senior level. How you manage your resources is an internal issue you must address.

No one fears travelling to Loughinisland anymore. Not even Carryduff!
When was the last time you had a defender shoulder an opponent to the floor or dive and block a ball! Joseph Doran probably the last player to do so ! And that's going back a bit!

The writing was on the wall when you were conceding reserve games during the year - denying senior squad members games - shame on you.

Therefore some of these 19, 20 21 year olds play 5 or 6 games per season !! Foundations built of sand !!

Come on down our way then and give us a hand. Steer us in the right direction.

[Gala head]

#cutthecrap. Numbers are not your problem. The willingness of your a vast number of your players to play games twice a week is questionable. Did you not have a thirds team some time ago?

You concede goals nearly every game for the last 5/6 years. Despite the fact that you have very talented midfield and forwards. Where has the grittiness and steel gone from a club once renowned for making it difficult for the opposition - where defending in packs was as natural as kicking a ball - long before Tyrones puke football was even a thought!
As for our club we are just coming up against a Kilcoo era of dominance

[washed_up]

went to the football replay last night between Drumgath and Tyconnaught,  much like the senior final the match was all but over at half time.Drumgath  replaced last weeks lethargy with a lot more intensity and concentration.Tyconnaught simply could not get a foothold in the game and three first half goals sealed their fate.A word here for the Tyconnaught player stretchered off in the first half- the injury meant that  10 minutes injury- time was added in the first half, so a speedy recovery to that player - congratulations to Drumgath and well done to manager Ronan Sexton.Last nights Junior Final replay was preceded by the u16 county final between Ballyholland and Warrenpoint.Words can barely describe this fantastic spectacle of all that is so good about Gaelic football.Congratulations to both teams, managers and both sets of supporters on what easily could be described as "The Game of The Year". Skill, passion, hunger,desire,pace, accuracy,cuteness,this match had everything.Congratulations to Warrenpoint,but dont dare take anything from Ballyholland after this epic encounter.I heard someone  in recent years in Down coin the phrase -"The Down Way"-- i think we might replace that with "The Ballyholland/Warrenpoint u16 Way"-brilliant exhibition-thank you.

[SHEEDY]

going by some of the results in todays final round of league fixtures i think its safe to say a lot of clubs have stopped caring weeks ago.

castlewellan 6-18 longstone 0-7
burren 3-16 kilcoo 0-2
mayobridge 5-15 clonduff 1-13
loughinisland 7-10 annaclone 1-5

[Gala head]

Another goal conceded at home by the island! 

[Mourne Red]

Another goal conceded at home by the island! 

Rather that than another Championship game conceded to Kilcoo by Burren

[OgraAnDun]

Another goal conceded at home by the island! 

Rather that than another Championship game conceded to Kilcoo by Burren

Nobody else has beaten Kilcoo over the past half decade in the county either, so the same statement can be leveled at your own club.