Down Club Hurling & Football

[spiritof91and94]

although I would safely say the rest of Down will be on our side.

south down man here spirit and I would have no want/hope that you beat the bridge at all - i dont think the rest of down will be backing you either. there is no doubt that going into ulster the bridge are still the best equipped to challenge, altho i do think that challenge wont hold against the quality in other counties right now......

Well everyone's entitled to an opinion but 9 out of ten cats prefer whiskers and i suppose there is always the stubborn one!!!!!
What club are you from then?

[spiritof91and94]

Is "Gubber" still playing for Bryansford?

Gubber has stopped playing for the moment and legend has it he is playing with the great Glenavon team in the Irish League, they will love him up there - I wonder how he covers his tattoo in that area?
He always said he was like wee James McCartan and this proves it as he wears his former number 9 shirt for the Lurgan Blues!

[Statto-Gael]

Friday 7th September 6.30pm
O'Neills International Sportswear League
Div 1: Liatroim v Kilcoo
Div 2: Shamrocks v Carryduff
Div 3: Ardglass v Drumgath

Div 2: Shamrocks 3-14 Carryduff 1-12

Any other scores?

[southdown]

Does anyone know if any fixtures will be played next Sunday(AIF day and all that)??

[thewobbler]

Mayobridge 4.11 - 0.14 Bryansford

Possibly the most undeserved 9 point win you will ever see, but credit to Mayobridge, they always looked like they had an extra gear when they needed it.

Bryansford dominated possession at midfield for the best part of 50 minutes, but had no answer to Mayobridge's direct football, and to Benny Coulter in particular. Benny ended up with something like 3-3 from at most 9 touches of the ball. Poor Stevie McVeigh should never have been left one on one with him.

Ireland and Carvill dominated midfield throughout the first half and with ten minutes left in that half were 3 points to the good. The two Brannigans were impressive in the full-foward line, as was Gareth Toner at wing-forward. Then Coulter banged in a quick brace and Cathal Magee was allowed to run 30 metres in from the touchline to add another goal. This left 'Ford six behind at the interval.

The Newcastle team were extremely impressive during the opening 10 minutes of the second half, and clawed that lead back to 2 points on a couple of occasions. Mayobridge finally got going a little at midfield and pushed that back out to 4 points when with 10 minutes to go, the 'Ford were awarded a dubious enough penalty. Simon Gribben was probably held back a little, but after turning into trouble, he didn't deserve to be rewarded. 

Quite why substitute Gribben was allowed to hit the penalty, I don't know. He looked hurried, fidgety and anxious, but I suppose it has to be said Liam Coulter still did well to get down low and save it.

The wind was completely knocked out of the 'Ford by the miss and John Caldwell and Pluggy Barry excelled in the final 10 minutes (plus 5 injury), as Mayobridge delivered a deluge of high balls on top of Magee and Coulter. Coulter rewarded the spectators with a couple of fine catches and a trademark third goal, coming in from the touchline and blasting low past Travers. By this stage Bryansford were a shambles.

Best players on show were Coulter, Magee, Adrian Barry, Gavin Barry (after a tricky opening 20 minutes with Brannigan), and Seamus Grant was quite good. Best for 'Ford were Chris Brannigan - badly underused as he looked to have the beating of Brendan Grant any time the ball came in - Carvill, Ireland and Toner.

Luke Howard and Ronan Sexton pretty much cancelled each other out. As did Aidan Shields and Mickey Walsh.

For Shane King watchers, he came on with 10 minutes to go, and although he saw a fair bit of the ball, he slowed things down too much for my liking. Bryansford looked a better team when they they were more direct early doors.

[DownFanatic]

Down SFC Semi Final
Mayobridge 4-11  Bryansford 0-14

An absolute great game in my eyes. It was very unpredicatable throughout. Benny Coulter was invariably the difference. He destroyed Stevie Toner with a tally of 3-03 from play. Unfortunately for the Ford they didnt have another man who would of been up to the task of marking Benny.
Unbeleivably, Bryansford dominated the possession stakes up until the midpoint in the 2nd half. Gee Morgan, Adrian Carville and Conor Gribben were immense around the middle while Chris Brannigan was excellent in full forward. I was expecting more from Ciaran Brannigan and Conor Maginn but a little bit of inexperience cost them. Luke Howard and Aodhan Shields were also very good and I agree with Wobbler that they both basically neutralised Sexton and Walsh.
The Bridge were really exciting to watch. They tried everything and it generally came off. Benny was a class apart and won tonnes of high ball while Cathal Magee was strong at the edge of the square. Others to shine for them were Kieran O'Hare and Seamus Grant at the back. Brendan Grant was roasted and really didnt look county standard. Just another thing, both Cathal Magee and John Caldwell started today. If memory serves me right they couldnt get anywhere near the Down Minor team of 2005. Just shows the quality we had that year.
I would say the Bridge will be well pleased. Bryansford need a few years yet and a bit more strength in depth.


Down JFC Semi Final
Bosco 1-12  St Michaels 1-10

This was a very poor game. Bosco led 1-07 to 0-04 at the break but St Michaels came back in the 2nd half to draw level at 1-10 apeice. Bosco always looked the stronger though and they got a couple of late points to win it.
Just a few points. How Neil and Bryan Sweeney got on that Down Senior team this year is beyond me. Both are very average even for Junior standard. Bosco will more than likely face Drumaness in the Final. Looking at this game Drumaness will not be overly worried. If Bosco really had of wanted to set down a marker they should of really whopped what is in truth a desparately poor St Michaels team. They will need to up it by another 50% or so.
Have to say BoscoMo yous have some very good players there. Richard Kimberely is a very good full back and Ryan Lynch is a very able half back. I thought the introduction of Keith McCrink done it for ya's. A lot more ball in to Francie Downey would yield more goals I think. By the way why wasnt Ciaran Murtagh playing? Would he not be your best player?

[In the Onion Bag]

Thanks DF.  You are doing a great job keeping us all posted and informed.  Think you deserve a nomination for 'Down Poster of the Year'

[boscomo]

df have to agree with what you say it was a poor game and our wee young team let the nerves get to them we really should have shut the game out at the start of the 2nd half but got compacent and let St.Michaels back into it. Murtagh was away this week but should be available for the final.

[boscomo]

guys let us know the result of the drumaness v st johns match when it comes in
cheers

[Lecale2]

SHC Semi Final Result
Ballygalget 0-16 0-11 Portaferry

[bcarrier]

sfc longstone win by 4.

[Cloc Mor]

Wee James collapsed and had to be taken off on a stretcher.  Not the only one as big Peter Trainer was also stretchered off 10 minutes beforehand.  Longstone fully deserved the win and played all the football.  The game teetered on the edge for long periods with two sendings off and more could have gone.  15 minutes of extra time played in which Ambrose came into his own.  Dawson acted like a complete p***k throughout, throwing his arms in the air at every tackle.  Still reckon the stone can beat the bridge but if their full back line play like this again Benny on his own will beat them.

[DownFanatic]

ACFL Division 3 Table

                   Played     Points
Tullylish           22            34             Playoffs
Saul                22            31             Playoffs
Dundrum         22            31             Playoffs
Bredagh          22            29             Playoffs
--------------------------------------------
Bosco              22            26
Ardglass           22            23
Teconnaught    22            22
Glenn              22            20
------------------------------------------
Drumgath         22           19         Playoffs
Mitchels           22            11         Playoffs
St Pauls           22            10         Playoffs
-------------------------------------------         
Bright              22             8          Relegated

[ExiledGael]

Wee James collapsing? Nothing serious is it??

[DownFanatic]

Down SFC Semi Final
Longstone 1-09  Burren 0-08

James McCartan collapsing, 14 minutes of injury time being played, Eoin McCartan jumpin' into the crowd to attack a heckler from Longstone, two sendings off and a Burren waterboy throwing a bottle of water at a spectator. What a day of incident.
Really bad game that was stop start throughout. Big Ambrose got the Stone goal in the 1st half while his team just about kept in front in the 2nd. Finishing was poor from both teams.
It was the amount of off the ball incidents that really summed up the game. Chris McGovern of Burren saw red at the start of the 2nd half for striking while Barry Kelly went for skelping PJ McAlinden. The amount of injury time played was due to two incidents. Firstly, Peter Trainor received lengthy treatment before being stretchered off and then James McCartan was stretchered away after he collpased on the sideline. A couple of minutes later Eoin McCartan was walking back towards the dugout before a Longstone supporter told him politely to 'f**k away off back to Tullylish.' McCartan then made a lunge at him.
Apart from all these additional happenings the game was very poor. Longstone seemed afraid to shoot and overdone it at times but Mark Poland and Ambrose Rodgers were brilliant all day. John Magee had a good game in midfield while Cormac Poland and Mickey Higgins were very sound at the back.
Burren were awful. They were way too over physical and their football suffered. McKernan tried hard but had a quiet one while the rest of the forwards were very wasteful. PJ McAlinden should probably have started from the start. Declan Rooney showed well in the 2nd half. On another note big Sean Ward is one dirty bastard. No football in him, just dirt.
It's great to see the Stone in the Final. There is definitely a lot more to come from them.


Down IFC Semi Final
Ballyholland 2-13  Ballymartin 2-14

Best game of the weekend I seen by far. Both teams played well but Ballymartin just had that little bit extra near the end. Ballyholland were in top form in the 1st half. Murtagh was scoring for fun while Mullholland was pulling the strings. Ballymartin couldnt get in to it but they made about three switches before the break which definitely helped their cause in the 2nd half.
The 2nd half was very tight but Ballymartin were definitely the better side.Murtagh went missing as did the Ballyholland midfield. Peter Fitzpatrick started to run the show and the Whites had the men to punish. Ryan Rooney was exceptional at full forward while Cathal McDowell was man of the match on the wing. Sean McManus was also brilliant at the back. A good switch that was made was the introduction of yer boy Paul Cunningham. Looks nothin like a footballer but he turned the game around the middle with his distribution.
Near the end of the game Darren O'Hanlon was clean through on the Ballyholland goal but he got dispossessed. The Newry men then went up the pitch and got a goal to level it but near the death O'Hanlon pointed to win it.
All in all a fantastic game which the better all round team won.


Down IFC Semi Final
Darragh Cross 0-06  Downpatrick 1-07

Down JFC Semi Final
Drumaness 1-15  St Johns 0-03

PS. All the best to Wee James