Messages

Seems like a crazy appointment for the Bridge IMO...Was Poacher not there before a long time ago? Would have considered Mayobridge to be one of the few pure footballing teams in Down, in the same bracket as Bryansford and Burren. No longer the case...I suppose this is the last roll of a dice in a bid to win something. Surely they'd have been better placed getting Benny in?

If the Bridge are happy paying for Zoom calls...more power to them I guess

How does everyone see next year panning out in the leagues? Any surprise packages on the horizon, clubs on the rise?

I can see a new wave of Burren dominance coming for the next decade or more with too much talent coming through at underage, it's going to be a serious dilemma for their senior managers to keep players happy and you can't play them all. Kilcoo got their last championship for a while this year I think, Burren just missing their two best players, otherwise it'd have been a very different outcome. Clonduff don't have the bite to win Frank I don't think, IMO they'll be a good competitive team for the next 5/6yrs but can't see them getting past any of the big teams. Warrenpoint are a spent force, they are ageing and will be lucky to stay up next season in Div1 but their race is run and they've missed the chance to win one. Next year will be two mini leagues in Down, Burren/Kilcoo/Clonduff/Bridge/Carryduff and then the rest scrapping it out.

Div2 should be Longstone's to lose. Benny taking Rostrevor is a mental move IMO, surely he'd have been better staying with the stone for another year and getting promoted. He must think there's an Ulster IFC on the horizon. Rostrevor people I've spoken to are confident of a rebuild under BC, apparently there's a red moon rising and they're very confident of waltzing an Intermediate next year and will do enough to finish mid table in Division 1. Fair play to them because any time I saw them this year they were in a bad way.

Will Laverty and co. continue on for another season in the black and white or is ten the right time to step away? Be very afraid of Burren coming strong now lads....you heard it here, they'll win it all next year and could go the season unbeaten in 2022 league and championship.

Rice had nothing to do with the outcome of that final. Burren ones can't accept that Kilcoo are too good for everyone else...get over it. Kerr and Foy massive misses but so was dabs and a Dylan Ward and PD not played most of the year, we all have our excuses.

Let's face it, no other team in this county has the balls to beat Kilcoo when it matters. Fair play to the Magpies yesterday, always just do enough. If they needed another score or another gear even they'd have found it. Doesn't matter how good or bad a team is against them, they'll always win by 1/2 and sail on. Hope they give Ulster a good run, Think they'll find Ulster a much more difficult proposition this year to navigate though. Cross (More than likely), Watty Gs and a couple others are stronger than the teams they faced last year. If D Brannigan is out, they've no chance IMO but hopefully he's not too bad.

Rice will crumble when it comes to the pressure of this year's final. He knows full well all the Burren people hate his guts after the McGovern sending off and he'll try to undo that mistake this year and gift Burren a SFC...Burren will win this final by 5/6 and they'll be one of the favourites to win Ulster

Ah sure there ya have it...the beauty of sport. I've spoken to about ten people who were at the game and plenty others who watched the stream and it's definitely splitting opinion...

From what I heard, lots of people saying The refs favoured the big two yesterday. How Higgins got that game is beyond me and for some reason AS keeps getting the big games in Down when he absolutely can't refer at that level...The sad thing for any club outside of the Big two, you're going to have to beat the referees to win a SFC until you become the team to beat...happens in all sports where referees are more likely to give 50/50 decisions to the big team. Suppose that's the advantage you've earned from winning it in the first place...

I thought the tackle on Kerr was fine tbh...We'd all have been slabbering on here about the Clonduff lad if he pulled out of the tackle when he had a chance for a big hit...

Clonduff missed a big opportunity last night, Burren have the Indian Sign over them. Think Burren will beat Kilcoo even without Kerr although he's been the best player of the Championship so far by a long way IMO...Think Burren still have plenty of firepower with Magill, O'Hare and Mckernan has been fantastic this season too...

Is D Brannigan available or what's the story? He is a massive loss to the magpies if unavailable...

Rostrevor will be kicking themselves today...they had the game well within their control 2mins before the second water break. The Ford kicked two frees to get back to 3pts going in to the last 15mins and Rostrevor froze. Yesterday has zero to do with management or coaching, they are lacking in leaders on the pitch and when big Parr stops playing, they're in serious trouble.

Big miss not having arguably the best keeper in the county not available and that comes down to a difference of opinion between management and him but the kickouts were a mess for the Reds yesterday. Fair play to Bryansford who kept at their task and didn't panic. Big no.9 for them looks a player, O'Higgins I think.

It always amazes me how some people have the nerve to slabber to the sidelines with more than 20mins to go, then crawl under their rock when the tide turns. Easy to be a mouthpiece when you're winning. Heard a Reds 'waterboy' give the big 'un' to a Group of Ford supporters behind the wire slagging them off for having 12 at training during the week...then last 5mins he slowly slid back off to the Rostrevor side for the last few mins...classic

Rebuild job but no doubt Rostrevor will waltz the IFC next year and give Ulster a decent rattle. Who will be taking them is another conversation entirely...I think they have a decent chance of staying in Div1 if they can get some players back committing. They're on a level with Loughinisland, Bryansford, Castlewellan and they just ahve to finish above two of those I think.

Also W'Point are on the way down it seems, Carryduff are anyones guess and I think RGU are the same...

Think Paul Chuckle was approached at the weekend and turned it down, doesn't want to get back in to the county spotlight since his brother Barry passed away.

That leaves Tony the Tiger, Jedward, Poacher/Deegan or Dustin the Turkey favourites for the post. Only problem is none of them played on the 90s teams with exception of Deego.

The fact that it is semi-final stages in SFC and no manager appointed is an absolute farce...now that everyone in the country has known for over 6weeks that there has been a vacancy and we haven't got anyone in place that anyone worth their salt who is approached now will turn it down as they'll think they were an afterthought.

At this rate we'll be lucky to have anyone who has been involved with a county team previously so will have to roll the rice on a relatively unknown quantity and hope for the best...Niall McAleenan, Jody Gormley or DJ from Carryduff could end up in the hot seat the way things are going...sad state of affairs

[County board will surely keep Kilcoo and Burren apart in the semi finals hoping for a showpiece event.]

Some draw last night...who in the world could have foreseen that we'd get drawn with Clonduff? That'll be the end of the road for our lads surely...in fairness we are miles off Burren and Kilcoo so it makes no odds whether we play Clonduff now or a better team later as there's a big gulf. Streamed the Burren game last night and I fancy them to win the whole thing. Two easy fixtures has given them a chance to give lots of lads plenty of football and not have to risk any injured players like Fegan and Toner. Liam Kerr and Danny Magill are different gravy. Kilcoo will be worried about Burren IMO...The rest of the teams in the county are a side act...County board will surely keep Kilcoo and Burren apart in the semi finals hoping for a showpiece event.

Not much excitement other than our game this wkend. Should be a good crowd there on Sunday night. Fancy Mayobridge to do enough against Bredagh, they'll win by 2/3 pulling up. Castlewellan will fancy their chances against Glenn but that game will be close and I think Glenn will edge it. Carryduff and Longstone will be tight as well but I think Carryduff will see it through.

Clonduff won't beat Burren...Burren will win the full thing. Clonduff will bottle it this wkend against the first decent team they've faced. Kilcoo could get caught on the hop by the Harps...that'll be closer than people think

Castlewellan not happy at getting promoted and winning a SFC game? Or is that management team moving on of their own accord? Seemed a fairly successful year for them...

L'Island have wasted a good group of players IMO over the last number of years. Makings of a really good team but always flopped on the bigger days. For a string of a few years they had Quarter Finals done and dusted but seemed to conspire to mess it up...now their team is ageing. Flynn and Mason entering the latter stages of their careers and Dan hasn't loads of time left either I wouldn't think...have the got anything coming through at Minor or 21 level?

Rostrevor are in real trouble...they just seem to be going from bad to worse. Have a few good lads who want to give everything for the jersey and then they have a vast majority who don't seem to care one bit what happens the club. From what I've seen this year they have shown no heart, no passion and no leadership on or off the field. The great Pete McGrath surely won't stay on another year but who will take them? Can't see anyone massively dying to take them other than the allure of an Intermediate championship and Ulster run, they'll be getting spanked every week in Div1 and with 12 teams in the league next year they would do very very well to finish 3rd bottom...sad times for the Super Reds

What a result for Saul today...outstanding achievement to see them win their first senior game in a long long time. What in the name of god has happened Rostrevor though? What an absolute shambles of a year for them...only a matter of time before they're relegated as well. Pete McGrath surely won't stick around next year? Well done Saul...great to see it

[Ballyholland]

Morgan Fuels SFC Quarter finals

Ballyholland V Glenn
Downpatrick V Clonduff
Burren V Mayobridge
Kilcoo V Carryduff

Morgan Fuels SFC Relegation Play off semi finals

Rostrevor V Saul
Loughinisland V Bryansford

Parador Lodge IFC quarter final draw

Annaclone V St Paul's
Tullylish V Darragh Cross
An Riocht V Saval
Liatroim V Drumgath

IFC Relegation Play off semi finals

Newry Bosco V Bright
Dromara V St John's

Parador Lodge JFC quarter final draw

Aughlisnafin v Kilclief
East Belfast V Newry Mitchell's
Dundrum V Ardglass
Glasdrumman V Drumaness

Interesting draws...

RGU could beat Clonduff if they turn up but they will need a lot to go right for them and hope Clonduff have an off day. Burren will beat Mayobridge 9 times out of 10 in that fixture. The sky blues are afraid of Burren I think. They have had them on the ropes for the last four or five years in league games and always conspired to lose it with a last minute goal or ship 4/5pts in the dying minutes somehow. Would love to see the Bridge win but can't foresee anything other than Burren by 3/4.

Kilcoo will always just do enough and probs won't give too much away. Glenn could trouble Harps but I think Ballyholland will have just enough to win. Ballyholland get some amount of easy draws...but they'll not get past the semi final once again. If they play Kilcoo, Burren or Clonduff/RGU they'll get spanked.

Semi Finals will be Kilcoo v Clonduff and Burren v Ballyholland.

[Cumann Pheadair Naofa]

SFC

Clonduff V Cumann Pheadair Naofa
Longstone V Carryduff
Glenn V Castlewellan
Bredagh V Mayobridge


IFC

Clann na Banna V Saval
Attical V St Paul's
Darragh Cross V Newry Shamrocks
Drumgath V Ballymartin