Messages

thanks lads, but i had hoped it was online somewhere! surely the ulster council must have that info available or didnt jerome do something like this a cpl of years back?

folks, i am looking for a link to a list of every ulster champ county game since 1980, detailing final scores, scorers, and teams. Searched google but cant get close to what i am looking for...

can anyone help? thanx in advance,...

amallon, do they all know whether they are on next year's panel or not, or whether they need to trial? thats my point. I would have thought the first thing done, would be to speak to each player individually about last year, the plans for the way ahead, and whether that guy was in them or not....even to say we are not sure at this stage...

i dont think that has happened...

i can understand maybe the point that mgt team want to see triallists against co standard players....but wouldnt the best thing be to take last years panel, and play a team against the pick of the triallists?

re: current trials, i have a problem already in that a number of last year's panellists dont know where they stand. thats bad form, and i expected communication to be much much better than this....

i hear that brendy loughran from shamrocks showed well at the trials scoring 2-1. also hear that some of last year's panel, even starting 15 ie monk cole were asked to trial. I really dont understand asking any of last year's panel to trial....

one for the hurlers...

GAA

Down senior hurling training panel: Down's new senior hurling management team of Gerard Coulter, Hugh Gilmore and Paul McMullan have selected an initial training panel for all competitions in 2007.

The following players are asked to attend a meeting with the new management team in Portaferry GAC clubrooms on Wednesday November 22, 8.30pm sharp.

Ballygalget: Graham Clarke, L Clarke, S Roddy, Gabriel Clarke, S Clarke, E Clarke, D Flynn, G Johnson, M Coulter, A Dynes; Portaferry: P Braniff, K Keating, S Murray, K Coulter, A Savage, J Convery, E Trainor, G Adair, R McGrattan, R Conlon; Ballycran: G Savage, S Wilson, P Hughes, A Bell, B McGourty, M Ennis, G Hughes, G Gordon, S Ennis; Newry Shamrocks: K Courtney, A McGuinness, E McGuinness; Liatroim: A Brown, M McCartan, D McCartan; Ballela: M Magee; Kilclief: K Sloan, F Conway; Clonduff: J Murphy, P McCusker; Ballyvarley: D McGovern

All players to take this as official notification. Anyone unable to attend please contact the team management on any of the following numbers: Gerard Coulter – 4272 8604, Hugh Gilmore – 4272 841, Paul McMullan – 4272 8980

Transport will be available for the

non-Ards players from the 8pm ferry.

Master McGrath to feed seniors 
Gaelic Games 
By Seamus Maloney 

PETE McGrath says his job as new Down U21 manager is to bring the county success at that level, as well as helping usher in a new era for the Mourne senior team.

McGrath, who managed Down to All-Ireland senior success in 1991 and 1994, takes over from '91 winning captain Paddy O'Rourke, who was succeeded as senior boss by Ross Carr. McGrath, who has had stints in club management as well as Irish International Rules manager since resigning as Mourne senior boss in 2002, also revealed the lure of his native county was too strong to resist.

"Since I resigned from the Down senior team, quite a number of counties at different times have made offers and were keen to speak to me, but that love you have for your own county is special. It's hard to beat working with your own people," he said.

"When the county secretary approached me with a view to managing the U21s I had no hesitation accepting because it's a different challenge.

"It's a fresh challenge for me, though I did manage the U21s in the 90s along with the senior team. I was attracted by the prospect of working with Down players again, and working with younger players, which I hadn't done for quite a while.

"The U21 team is a feeder to the senior team, and with the new senior management in place, I think it's widely accepted that Down need fresh blood in their senior squad, and they were just keen to maybe have someone with experience undertake the role."

O'Rourke led Down to the All-Ireland U21 final last year, but the Mourne county have struggled at that level in recent years. McGrath wants to improve on their record, but is also intent on working closely with Carr to bridge the gap between minor and senior football.

"I spoke to Ross and he's delighted that I've taken up the offer. Senior trials are going ahead without U21 players, and I think he's going to leave that side of it to me to try to identify the U21 players who could be of senior potential, while he will concentrate on players above that age group.

"With things up-and-running, it would be important to work very closely with the senior management team because I'm sure at some stage there will be an overlap."

The U21 team McGrath takes charge of is likely to be backboned by the All-Ireland minor winning team of 2004, along with some 'veterans' of the 2004 U21 campaign.

However, McGrath also sees the potential for players who may not have featured at minor level to come through, perhaps ultimately to senior level.

"They are a few of that U21 team of 2004 still underage, and there's the successful minor team from 2004.

"There is a healthy crop of talent and I think it's essential that those players gain vital experience at this level by getting a decent run in the competition.

"As well as that, I think it's important to cast the net very wide. Quite often at that age you find players aren't missed, it's just that they aren't ready for county minor football.

"But then, between 17 and 19, or even up to 20, players can develop and improve an awful lot, and develop physically, so they can be more suited to play county football at 20 than they were at 17 or 18.

"So, it's important that players who are in that category aren't overlooked, it's important that we have a process to unearth talent that has developed in the interim, for the U21 team and to possibly develop further."

made it in....nice board, so far so good.

the bridge result was shocking yesterday, i cant believe the second half performance was quite so bad. it doesnt create the best impression of our club level v other counties out there. mind you, it may keep the expectation in check for the forthcoming intercounty series...