Messages

This weekend, Down will play in the Division 1 of the NHL for the first time since 2007.

Down are favourites to go straight back to Div 2, but staying up is not out of the question and it would be amazing for Down's development to regularly get games against Liam MacCarthy teams in the coming years.

Clare, Wexford, and Dublin will, in all likelihood, be far too strong.

But it is well worth remembering Down beat Kildare to win the league last year, and had been something of a bogey team for Carlow in the not too distant past.

If what is coming out of Antrim is to be believed, they could be in for a rough year and I really do believe Down should be targeting that game on the last day for survival.

Carlow will be favourites this weekend, but it is certainly a winnable game for Down. The preseason was fairly unremarkable and it is clear that the management knows who their key players are.

The step up this year will be huge, but there is no reason Down can't solidify themselves in Div 1.

Considering the Abbey takes its colours from the Down county colours, it is fair to say it is a Down institution.

St Colman's similarly another Down institution.

Of course, goes without saying that both accommodate for those who come to them from the Armagh side of the Clanrye.

Bryansford won a Down Special Junior Hurling Championship in the early to mid 80's. Obviously a defunct competition now, but I'm guessing it was a Junior B Championship type arrangement?

Bryansford started underage hurling up last year. Not sure how it will go but it would be important to have a hurling outlet in a big urban area like Newcastle.

Wonder when the Special Junior Championship was done away with. There a couple clubs who are currently a bit of a junior championship- maybe wouldn't be a bad thing to see it reintroduced.

Mind Bryansford playing a bit. There was also a juvenile team in the 90s called Rosconnor Gaels over around teconnaught area. Eddie 'Tipp' behind it.

I assume this team covered a few clubs and not just Teconnaught?

I suppose St Kevin's camogie club would cover that area now if they ever extend to the men's game.

Idea of McKenna Cup is to balance getting players ready for the league and trying to source new players for the league & Championship.

I would say Lav has a pretty decent idea of what his starting XV will be vs Clare and the lads will be ready to go.

I wouldn't discount anyone based on that performance but I don't think anyone really stood up and made a case for breaking into the expected team anyway. Thought Crimmins put in a good shift, McPolin & Brooks have potential but didn't convince me they're ready starters.


Wanna see more of Loughrin & Brown in FF line. Loughrin started brightly with 2 moves scores but hardly touched ball after.

Think Brooks is probably deserving of starting in the league at least.

Would be good to see Loughran starting this year.

When was the last time an inter county match was held in Newcastle? Is it completely removed from being associated as any type of county grounds?

It would have been a novelty to see the county footballers line out in McKenna Páirc, although I'm not sure who would have been more unhappy- the Ballycran men, or the footballing fraternity.

I understand why the decision was taken, but ultimately it was the wrong decision. It's bad enough to give up home advantage. To give it up to Armagh of all teams, though...

If Antrim can make Corrigan work I'm sure something could have been sorted within Down.

Tullycarnon

Where exactly is Tullycarnon?

A quick search online shows there are two townlands in Down with the name- one in and around Portaferry, the other about Ardglass.

Is Ballyvarley and Banbridge not one and the same thing?

Ballyvarley and Aghaderg are one and the same. It was explained to me before the reasoning for the two names. It's a bit of a convoluted explanation in my opinion when you consider the camogs in the parish go by Aghaderg- although I'm sure those involved could justify it and explain it well enough for me to understand.

Clann na Banna are the team in the town of Banbridge- only a mile or two away on the same stretch of road.

To the best of my knowledge Ballyvarley/Aghaderg more-so encompasses the village of Loughbrickland and the surrounding parish/countryside, as opposed to the town of Banbridge.

A long time ago, late 70s or 80s I think.

There was something of a drive from the county board around that time to promote hurling in non-hurling clubs, with competitions being 11-a-side.

Banbridge was one of those clubs which took part.

I don't know a great deal more about it than that, unfortunately.

There's been some amount of clubs in Down who have dabbled in the small ball over the years at one point or another. Some of them got on very well with it, too.

For one reason or another, a lot of them have disappeared.

If anyone is able to add to the list, please do.

- Kilcoo
- Ardglass
- Rostrevor
- Darragh Cross
- Banbridge
- Saval
- Mayobridge
- Glenn
- Annsborough (Aughlisnafin)
- An Ríocht
- Downpatrick
- Saul
- Clann na Boirce (Bryansford)

To the best of my knowledge St Paul's, Holywood had underage hurling in the not so distant past- but it never took off at senior level.

Out of these former Down hurling clubs, a number have reintroduced hurling at underage in recent years.

From what I know, there was something of a drive in the late 70s/80s to encourage and promote hurling in 'football clubs.'

If anybody knows of any other clubs that used to put out hurling teams, has memories of any defunct hurling teams, or knows anything about them, it would be very interesting to hear.

Anyone know anything about Sean Martin's in the Short Strand?

Been talking about it a bit lately with someone, but there's very little to actually read or look into.

Know a couple lads who played for them years ago- one of them says he remembers playing in County Down. Was the club a Down club or an Antrim club?

To the best of my knowledge the club colours were maroon and white.

Think I'm right in saying the club finished up sometime in the 90s? What were the reasons which led to the disappearance of the club?

I know St Malachy's would be the local team nowadays, but a lad from the Strand told me there would be people in the area play for Davitts, Ardoyone, and the like.

Where did the club play out of?

East Belfast never really took off in the Strand to the best of my knowledge.

Interesting to think about the club when discussing the GAA in Belfast.

Somebody showed me Rostrevor's 5 Year Development Plan.

An interesting read- well, I suppose if you're into that kind of thing- but there was one thing in particular that stood out to me.

Strategic Goal # 3.7:
Explore expansion into other codes.

I was very pleased to read that.

Before the plan, there is an article about the history of the GAA in Rostrevor. There are several mentions of hurling, camoige, and handball in the parish. It does not only make a reference to the ghosts of the small ball, but it talks about the hurling and camogie success of previous years with great fondness, and talks about Rostrevor's reputation as "a thriving, multicode GAA club" with great pride.

Again, I was very pleased to read that.

The plan does not promise to restore hurling by 2030.

Instead, it sets out that they intend to 'examine the feasibility of the reintroduction of hurling and camogie' and 'survey the interest to offer handball and rounders.' All subject to facility enhancements. Of course.

I think this is a great approach from Rostrevor. I don't know if hurling will return to Rostrevor as soon as that. I hope so. But I can appreciate the challenges it will face. But I do think this is a great, pragmatic, sensible approach from a 'football club' who seem to be willing to engage with the other codes.

Too often I hear in football clubs 'sure no one would want to play that.' An insufferable argument.

According to the article, Rostrevor has 841 playing members. I'd say they could get 15 for a junior hurling/camogie team.

Rostrevor last won a hurling championship in 1994- well within living memory for many people. There is a tradition. Perhaps not the tradition of Portaferry or Ballycran; but there is a tradition nonetheless.

If every club was at least open to the possibility of providing hurling and camogie like Rostrevor seem to be, it would be a huge step in the right direction.

Best of luck to Rostrevor. Let's hope we see the small ball back at the foot of the Mournes before too long.

Regarding the handball and rounders- I know nothing about them. But I do think as part of Irish culture they deserve to be preserved and promoted in their own right.

Surely every club- hurling, football, or dual- could offer handball?

I'm not having any issues understanding how it happened, but by that logic, would it not be apt to argue that Loughgiel or Ballygalget should enter Ulster Intermediate as they're the second best teams in their respective counties? Or that Dunloy and Ballycran should be entering the Ulster Junior Championship as the third best teams in Antrim and Down?

Best of luck to Down Senior hurler, Oisín MacManus in the Ulster Hurling Final this evening.

An Armagh fella told me when he transferred across the Clanrye the biggest change he noticed was the physicality in Down hurling compared to that of Armagh hurling.

I know though that some of the Down fellas say the same when they hop over the Lagan and head up into Antrim.

I would agree- Down have been physically dominated at times in the Joe McDonagh, and it'll be tough dealing with what is coming in the likes of Clare and Dublin in Div 1.

Hopefully it will be a learning curve and will stand in good stead in the long run as Down try to cement themselves in Division 1 in the coming years.

It's been spoken about to death- but I wonder why Down players are, on average, across both hurling and football, typically on the smaller side? It's not as though there are many giants of players in the county just not making the cut. It just seems on average players in Down are of smaller stature.