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A Ballinderry and Derry player got a 48 week ban last night for comments made about a referee on twitter. Be interesting to see if it sticks after the inevitable appeal.

http://www.derrynow.com/article/6496

Some interesting comments on here folks - the two referee thing might work but the problem is numbers of referees per county to facilitate this.  The most interesting thing is the fact that people are starting to get fed up with the referees doing their games and making mistakes and being answerable to no one. 

This case above is interesting - in the comfort of his own home the night after a game a player puts his opinion up on social media and now faces suspension..
What about the referees at club games who point the finger at players, talk down to them, make derogatory comments to them during the course of a game, speak to managers like they are shit on their shoe - and nothing.  Equality...

I was at an u14 game this year and was walking past the referee after half time going towards the dugout when he said to the 4 players in midfield - I wish he would hurry up - I have a feed of pints waiting on me when this f*****g game is over.
My lads were disgusted at this.  Where is the equality.  If I as a coach start talking to players about going for a feed of pints after a game or a training session - I would have parents galore onto me with complaints.  But the untouchables - they can say and do as they please..

They are sat down afterwards and game analysed for them by their assessor/marker/mentor, some teams would need to do it also considering the amount of mistakes they make, and the vast majority of the fouls being deliberate to boot, I don't think a referee, at that level sets out to purposely make a mistake, do you think that? Next time count up the amount of mistakes a player does in a game then compared it to a referee.......
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Yes a player makes mistakes for sure but my point is - in game A a player bends to pick the ball of the ground that is moving towards him at pace and there is nothing - in game B the same scenario - its a free for deliberate pickup. 
How many times have you heard club or indeed county players say when they hear the referee announced for their upcoming game - ah sure we will get away with this and that with him.  Or ah jaysus he is a bollix and nit picks at everything.  It is happening too often.  If intercounty referees sit down and watch their games back and they have made blatant mistakes during the game - they should be dropped for the next round of fixtures or not paid for the game in question.  There are too many big games being decided by these people for it to continue as it is at present.  And don't throw out the old line - there would be no games without them - I am aware of that - but they need to be held accountable for their actions.
A player makes a mistake - he is answerable to his team mates and the management to justify it
management make mistakes they are answerable to the club committee or county board to justify them
A referee makes mistake(s) and nothing - and now we are not even allowed to say anything about them in the press for fear of being suspended from the sideline for a game.  Its a joke.

There is a motion set for congress now that managers who speak about referees in the lead up to a fixture or indeed after the fixture in a derogatory way will face a side line ban.  The most untouchable people in the GAA and they are getting even more protection now.  Only in the GAA..... Why are referees not sat down after games in all county level fixtures and asked to give feedback on their performance in terms of decisions given etc.  Why is there not more assessors at club games to witness the frustration they cause with decisions that are out of no rule book to be found??
Instead of making them answerable - the GAA offer more protection.. Madness..

Think it was parting by mutual consent.

Gearoid Adams installed with Clonduff during the week.

I would like to see Danny Savage, Timmy Hanna, Connaire Harrison, Conor Doyle, Ciaran MC Cartan, Conaill Mc govern, Eamon Toner, Pat Havern, Liam Bagnall, Gerard Mc Govern, Ryan Johnston, Stephen Kane, Darragh O'Hanlon all getting a shot.
Conor Maginn should be a regular starter for the county team and the poster who has him as a bit part player above should go watch some bryansford games to see how effective he is. 
I would cut my losses with Dan Gordon, Ambrose, Liam Doyle, Brendan Mc Ardle, Dan Mc Cartan - all good players and have had a great run at it - but its time to go to pastures new. 
I would also have serious question marks over - Kevin Mc Kernan, Conor Garvey, Declan Rooney, Mark Poland - again all good players but the spark was missing with them this season at club level and this is the platform where they need to perform in order to be meriting a call up to county seniors IMO.

I wonder what game some of you people were at when you say the referee was good.  Even Paddy Heaney in todays irish news says he missed blatant black card calls throughout the game.  I hope this man never gets another final.  A good weekend again though for east down with the ford winning the league and Kilcoo the championship.  Burren were outclassed for the majority of the game and can have no gripes with the final result.  Two goalkeeping errors were very costly but the third quarter play from Kilcoo was outstanding.  Ryan Johnston showed yesterday that he oozes class on the big stage and hopefully Jim can get the best out of him for the county.

Who will be favourites for the cship now?? Burren with a huge win last night against a team that struggled to get out of first gear v's kilcoo who struggled in a highly intense battle???

Any thoughts on this surly this shud NOT be allowed

The 3 brannigans are  first cousins of Cairan Brannagand
Also the the kilcoo secretary O Hanlon works for Brannagan and also does umpire for him at county matches

Clutching at straws here lads.  There are many instances where the relations of the referee comes into question but take the beating on the chin and move on.  Next season will be interesting for the bridge.  they will be needing a new manager if walsh takes up with down though.  big woods is obvious choice..

Decent game tonight - bridge started with a blast and then faded badly.  Kilcoo were settled after 10 minutes and from then dictated the pace of the remainder of the game.  In Niall Mc Evoy Kilcoo have the best defender in this county - Caolan Gallagher has been scoring freely for mayobridge in the last few games and tonight - nothing.  COnleth O'Hare found wanting again and again - carrying this through from his underage days.  Benny falling very easily when the slightest of contact was put on him was a joke.  Benny is 6 foot plus and don't need to be going down the Lavery route to get attention.  He caught a few kickouts which were more his style but huffed and puffed around the place - chalk put manners on him in first half with a chop.  Benny was a pale shadow of himself after that... Last ten mins and the game in the melting pot - put your best man marker on Laverty and stop him dictating the play and creating the links to the others around him.  But this shows Walshs inept managerial experience when he didn't spot this.  Mc Crorry was cool calm and collected all night on the line and Walsh got agitated a few times over silly things.  Kilcoo move onto the county final and they will beat the pick of both Burren and the Stone together.  Work ethic, Togetherness, system of play and good footballers - they will win down at a canter.  Unless the other semi finalists can do a Donegal!!

Referees performances in the championship over the weekend leave a lot to be desired.. Surely all those games were recorded and should be watched by county board official who is in charge of referees to make them accountable for some of their decisions.. They are the untouchables of the gaa and this needs to be addressed..
Why do county players get more leniency with decisions from referees than the ordinary club player??

Disgusted at the towns performance tonight.. Harps are a poor team but had a bit of edge to their game.. Entertainment on the sideline was worth watchin....

Another poor result for our U21 footballers last night. Correct me if im wrong but I think we have only managed one win in Ulster at this level since 2010.

It's no coincidence that our underwhelming run since the start of the decade at Minor and U21 level has coincided with a rise in professionalism in relation to the operation of development squads across the island.

We are miles behind the Cavan's of this world in terms of how our development squads function. It is now near the end of March and as far as I am aware none of our teams at U15, U16 and U17 are up and running.

We are still adhering to the old system: clubs nominate as many players as they like, some of them turn up to a few trials and then a squad of 30+ is picked. Do a couple of training sessions a month and attend a few blitzes/challenge games and then wrap up come the Autumn. Process is then repeated the next year with absolutely no continuity or attention to dedicated weights programmes etc.

Our whole operation needs a huge overhaul. We need to look at what these other counties are doing, replicate it and improve on it. Otherwise we are going to continue to underperform at Minor and U21 as we have done since 2010.

The development squads are a farce and ran by farcical mentors.. Yes thanks for giving up ur time etc etc but what is wrong with the county players who are "qualified coaches"?? Why can't they take our underage teams and mentor them?? Young lads wound love to play for the likes of Poland, benney and ambros.. These are the people that shod be in charge of them not people with their own agendas on how teams should be trained or ran.. Cavan have made serious strides lately by all parties - schools, clubs and parents buying into the programme.. They start s&c at the right time and are developed in a football capacity by doing quality sessions and playing quality games - not Micky mouse tournaments and blitz days.. Whole thing needs addressed...

Your terming of mentors as "farcical" is over the top and unwarranted. Most of these mentors are at least Level 2 accredited and have a decent level of experience and expertise to operate in this particular environ.
It's not necessarily the personnel that is the problem. It is the system.

The "system" as you call it - works in other counties.  Why cant it work in Down.  And as for your level 2 accrediation - not worth the paper its written on - its another farce by the GAA to get money out of people so they can work with children.  The child protection issue i have no problem with but as for these courses - a load of b****x. 
Everyone is talkig about Cavan this and Cavan that - its not the blueprint for automatic success - but its a great start.  There is a system out there for Down to use - but until they get the correct coaches in place that have the "experience" of coaching at the TOP LEVEL - we are wasting our time.  Speaking of coaches I notice you didnt mention about the county stars taking the teams as i suggested - i would love to know what these players are getting paid for exactly.  Schools mentoring is part of their job description - how many of them show up, regularly, on time, with planned sessions that are interesting and enjoyable for the children in their care - from what i hear not very many.  My son is in a local school and one player is supposed to be there every week - but hasnt showed this year from september - its now nearly April - not good enough.

Another poor result for our U21 footballers last night. Correct me if im wrong but I think we have only managed one win in Ulster at this level since 2010.

It's no coincidence that our underwhelming run since the start of the decade at Minor and U21 level has coincided with a rise in professionalism in relation to the operation of development squads across the island.

We are miles behind the Cavan's of this world in terms of how our development squads function. It is now near the end of March and as far as I am aware none of our teams at U15, U16 and U17 are up and running.

We are still adhering to the old system: clubs nominate as many players as they like, some of them turn up to a few trials and then a squad of 30+ is picked. Do a couple of training sessions a month and attend a few blitzes/challenge games and then wrap up come the Autumn. Process is then repeated the next year with absolutely no continuity or attention to dedicated weights programmes etc.

Our whole operation needs a huge overhaul. We need to look at what these other counties are doing, replicate it and improve on it. Otherwise we are going to continue to underperform at Minor and U21 as we have done since 2010.

The development squads are a farce and ran by farcical mentors.. Yes thanks for giving up ur time etc etc but what is wrong with the county players who are "qualified coaches"?? Why can't they take our underage teams and mentor them?? Young lads wound love to play for the likes of Poland, benney and ambros.. These are the people that shod be in charge of them not people with their own agendas on how teams should be trained or ran.. Cavan have made serious strides lately by all parties - schools, clubs and parents buying into the programme.. They start s&c at the right time and are developed in a football capacity by doing quality sessions and playing quality games - not Micky mouse tournaments and blitz days.. Whole thing needs addressed...

Why have Down continuously not produced at this level for a number of years now??? Is it the management or does it go deeper??