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Who writes this guff.
A county full of turd-polishers.

Will it be on sky sports?

when you ask smart questions like that you will understand why others avoid WUM like yourself

Forgive my ignorance but what the f**k is the centenary cup and shield.

Down GAA Host Centenary Cup and Shield Finals on Sunday



On Sunday next in Pairc Esler Down GAA as part of its ongoing 1916-2016 Centenary celebrations and commemorations will host the Finals of the Centenary Shield and Cup Competitions. Down GAA is very proud of its historic link with the 1916 Rising as Patrick Rankin the only Newry and County Down man to have fought in the GPO in Easter Week later became the Treasurer of Down GAA in 1925 serving up until 1928 when he moved to County Kildare. Indeed further events are planned later this year to specifically acknowledge the contribution of Patrick Rankin to our Country and our County.

So on Sunday at Pairc Esler Bright and St Michaels will contest the Centenary Shield Final at 5.00pm whilst at 6.30pm East Down neighbors Ardglass and Dundrum go head to head in the Centenary Cup Final. Admission to both games is 5.00 and Under 16s are free.

Sunday gives these four clubs the chance to create their own particular piece of history and special medals have been struck for the occasion, this competition will only be played for in 2016. On Sunday evening we will give witness to history as these four Clubs from Division 4 in Down come to the County ground to do battle, to be recorded in the annals of Down GAA as winners in 2016 of a competition that is truly unique; The Centenary Shield and Centenary Cup 1916-2016.

james mccartan may have once said when in charge of seniors after so many short kicks went over sideline they kinda give up on it. I heard or read it somewhere.....

if 4 quit panel then surely 4 need brought in . its a no brainer.

[I think many on this forum could highlight better footballers that are not currently involved in the County set up.]

Part of the problem lies in the fact the same faces get called onto the County time & time again, even if their performances at Club level have been sub-standard for some years. A perfect example of this would be Kevin McKernan & Benny. Benny hasn't been Mayobridge's stand out performer for about 5 years yet people are hailing him as some sort of saviour of Down.
Kevin McKernan is almost anonymous anytime I have seen Burren play in the past 3/4 seasons yet is one of the supposed leaders of our County Team? There is something seriously wrong there.

Things need changed from the very top down. There are too many people involved who enjoy being involved for the glamour it brings come the Summer.

There needs to be a better structure to our League system & the best players on show in the league should represent the Down Senior Football Team - Simple. But more often than not Club politics gets dragged into the mix and we end up year on year with the same 20 odd faces that haven't performed the year before.

I think many on this forum could highlight better footballers that are not currently involved in the County set up.

cheers I needed a laugh today. from what I have read over the years half of the posters on here are wind up merchants and most of the other half wouldn't know the front of an oneills ball from the back let alone selecting players for an underage club team never mind a county team.

Davidson being overlooked is yet another indication that those involved in indentification of players have their heads up their proverbial backsides

Davidson is mentioned in a thread just below and was featured in a recent Down yearbook yet was not looked at or tried in a Down jersey during McKenna cup ? why ? what the actual feck ?

Well folks, new member, here's my take on things. By my reckoning you could count up to 23 players who are not available at the minute after the latest withdrawals;

Benny coulter, Conor laverty, Paul mccomiskey, Peter fitzpatrick, Dan gordon, Conor garvey, Niall madine, Arthur mcconville, Niall mcparland, Declan rooney, Jerome johnstone, Ryan johnstone, Caolan mooney, Martin clarke, James colgan, Jamie o'reilly, Kevin duffin, Niall branigan, Kalum king, Danny savage, Ryan Boyle, Luke Howard, Packie Downey.

Now there are the likes of James Colgan and Jamie O'Reilly but I included them as they are examples of players who were allowed to drift away. Colgan watched an all ireland final from the bench in which we were being cleaned out in midfield and he should have been thrown in. He barely featured after that. O'Reilly was a serious talent and perhaps more could have been done to keep him involved. Obviously some other players are injured but the rest could all have been involved with better man management. Look at the contrast with Monaghan's approach regarding Finlay and Clerkin, Donegal with Kavanagh, Tyrone with Joe McMahon. They understand the value of having these guys about. Perhaps the current management and indeed the previous management have been too worried about putting the noses of some players out of joint by taking the experienced lads back in around March or April, instead of everyone realising that it would be in the best interests of down football. Management should be able to get people to buy into that approach. I have to say that the argument that we need to forget about the older players and build for the future doen't stand up anymore. Quite simply, the best players in the county should be there regardless of age. Kerry have lads at 36 years of age chomping at the bit and bringing the younger players on. Management need to reflect, man up and ask Clarke, Gordon, Laverty and anyone else who is an option to return to training this week. If others don't like it then they shouldn't be there in the first place.

decent first post. welcome aboard

first half Down edged it and due to the ref giving soft frees/poor Down tackling while at other end wayward shooting meant Monaghan went in ahead at the interval by 3 points.

it was 10- 7 when Turley was black carded, then the wheels came off and the wind picked up monaghan got on top and Down heads dropped.

it is quite obvious several players that would improve squad will not commit and the management need to approach these players and find out why and try accommodate them if they indicate a willingness to return.

benny coulter is better than henry brown
martin Clarke is better than barry ohagan
caolon mooney is better than connaire Harrison
dan gordan and peter Fitzpatrick would boss that midfield with peter turley and mckernan is a half back not a midfielder.

if players cant or wont commit then the county management should just make it public and work with what they have and the rest of us should just accept where we are and try help where we can to re-build.

more work is being done at underage level than ever before but I feel part of the problem is that potential underage players slip the net because not assessed in their own club matches but at trials in a short space of time at the wrong time of the season when other sports are at advanced stage of their competitions.

there are many things needing put right but on here is the last place the powers that be will look

we don't have the players from minors upwards to improve on where we are at the minute in Down.

here's a novel idea......why not just lay off the minors and give them a chance to progress instead of continual sniping before they even get a decent run at it

glass half empty brigade

a decent run at what? Their county season is over and most of them are in their final year so minor career is also finished. Novel?

at county football.

here's a novel idea......why not just lay off the minors and give them a chance to progress instead of continual sniping before they even get a decent run at it

glass half empty brigade

[8 EastDown teams & 4 SouthDown teams showed up for their 7s tournaments]

Minor 7s
Don't know about the rest of yous but for only 8 EastDown teams & 4 SouthDown teams showed up for their 7s tournaments which for me is really disappointing that clubs dont have 10 boys who would want to play for a chance of a 7s medal

Teams that showed up
East Down ( -Kilcoo / Castlewellan / Bryansford / Saul / Dundrum / Liatroim / Bright / Teconnaught
South Down (4) - Clonduff / Saval / AnRiocht / Longstone

I think clubs should be fined if they don't show up

Anyone else got opinions?

yeh don't play them at a stupid time such as a bank holiday weekend

fine the clubs ? no not their fault. cant force teams to play them

Good game in Burren tonight .. McGrath from Burren was outstanding at linking the play up. Where'd he come from? Is he still at school?

what level senior ?

I went to the St Johns v an riocht game

competitive enough first half but an riocht done their homework at half time and strolled second half with clever football with martin Clarke very instrumental. he scored 1-2 from play himself but set up plenty even with 2 men on him.

be good to see him in county colours if only to be sprung from bench. alas not looking likely

any predictor comps for the new leagues 2016

HEARD U21S WON A TOURNAMENT IN LAOIS OR SOMEWHERE

I actually think there are decent minors coming through. we will know soon enough. and james mccartan right man to oversee it.

I reckon mccartan will return to the senior job when some of his current crop progress