Down Club Hurling & Football

[redandblackareback]

Feel bit sorry for Anton but Im sure he has learnt a very valuable lesson. Frank will stay with Burren and to be honest I think they could be set to dominate Down club football for the near future. He has got the best out of these young lads and if Declan Rooney gets fit and they dont lose anyone to the states next summer they ll get another pop at Cross.

Hats off to cross though fantastic team and will take some stopping.

[bcarrier]

Anton McArdle has the potential to be a serious footballer IMO. He has the size, engine and a good football brain already and should add a bit more strength, craft and composure over next few years.  His brother should make up into a county player too but probably needs a couple of years . I'd say the rest of team has been tapped already as far as county is concerned.   

In general Burren are a bit on the light side. Rooney would definitely give them a bit more steel and a genuine niggle factor ...some of the other lads missing have a bit more beef than the team that lined out at the weekend. A winter on the weights and a new kick out strategy would improve them .

[alba2]

Anton McArdle has the potential to be a serious footballer IMO. He has the size, engine and a good football brain already and should add a bit more strength, craft and composure over next few years.  His brother should make up into a county player too but probably needs a couple of years . I'd say the rest of team has been tapped already as far as county is concerned.   

In general Burren are a bit on the light side. Rooney would definitely give them a bit more steel and a genuine niggle factor ...some of the other lads missing have a bit more beef than the team that lined out at the weekend. A winter on the weights and a new kick out strategy would improve them .

Burren are a bit on the light side - are you serious - look at the size of some of the men playing on sunday.  not many under 6 foot and they are all built like houses.... i just think cross are light years ahead of all teams at the minute and i see today that oisin has a bit in the paper about their u13 team coming through... they must have a great structure in place in their club - it would be worth getting a copy of and trying to mirror clubs around here the same way...

[brokencrossbar1]

Anton McArdle has the potential to be a serious footballer IMO. He has the size, engine and a good football brain already and should add a bit more strength, craft and composure over next few years.  His brother should make up into a county player too but probably needs a couple of years . I'd say the rest of team has been tapped already as far as county is concerned.   

In general Burren are a bit on the light side. Rooney would definitely give them a bit more steel and a genuine niggle factor ...some of the other lads missing have a bit more beef than the team that lined out at the weekend. A winter on the weights and a new kick out strategy would improve them .

Burren are a bit on the light side - are you serious - look at the size of some of the men playing on sunday.  not many under 6 foot and they are all built like houses.... i just think cross are light years ahead of all teams at the minute and i see today that oisin has a bit in the paper about their u13 team coming through... they must have a great structure in place in their club - it would be worth getting a copy of and trying to mirror clubs around here the same way...

What paper is that alba, can't see it in the Democrat.  My young lad plays on that team and there are actually 2 good teams, last years and this years and they are pretty strong.  Plenty of familiar names, McConvilles, Shorts, Cunninghams, O'Neills and they could be pretty strong in the years to come.  Still young though.

[east down gael]

have just been reading about the situation in letterkenny where there is a dispute between the gaels and st eunans regarding boundaries.in a nutshell the gaels want their own catchment area,eunans dont.made me think of newry,a town of a similar size,probably a fair bit bigger.what is the situation regarding clubs picks of players?is it similar to west belfast,were you play for the club your father played for.is it linked to primary schools?or are there actual boundaries?

[Lecale2]

No boundary in Newry as far as I know.

[DownFanatic]

I would have to agree with Eaglelord on this, put any spin on it all u like but to be forced to sell these tickets is a disgrace.

I dont no whats going on in Tullylish but it is not easy to sell £120 tickets to the local community in the current climate just before or after christmas especially.  This is on top of annual membership, insurance, club down or whatever else people contribute financially to the GAA.

Probably the same as most clubs. 20 tickets to sell before you see a profit? I'd say most aren't looking a gift horse in the mouth. My unscientific survey of a grand total of two clubs shows a 100% success rate so far. I'd be interested to see what an increase in that sample size would do to the overall percentage.


ps when I said Tullylish had sold twenty already, one of the lads I spoke to had sold twenty himself.

Although the club draw is essentially a levy on all clubs, I have to say that it is a fantastic concept. Ticket sales with us are going well. We threw in the extra bonus that if you buy a £120 ticket this will also cover your membership for the year which stands at £30/£40. People seem to be attracted to this.

Basically, a £120 ticket works out at 33p for everyday in the year. The prizes are attractive and the monthly club draws are a nice touch too.

[passedit]

I would have to agree with Eaglelord on this, put any spin on it all u like but to be forced to sell these tickets is a disgrace.

I dont no whats going on in Tullylish but it is not easy to sell £120 tickets to the local community in the current climate just before or after christmas especially.  This is on top of annual membership, insurance, club down or whatever else people contribute financially to the GAA.

Probably the same as most clubs. 20 tickets to sell before you see a profit? I'd say most aren't looking a gift horse in the mouth. My unscientific survey of a grand total of two clubs shows a 100% success rate so far. I'd be interested to see what an increase in that sample size would do to the overall percentage.


ps when I said Tullylish had sold twenty already, one of the lads I spoke to had sold twenty himself.

Although the club draw is essentially a levy on all clubs, I have to say that it is a fantastic concept. Ticket sales with us are going well. We threw in the extra bonus that if you buy a £120 ticket this will also cover your membership for the year which stands at £30/£40. People seem to be attracted to this.

Basically, a £120 ticket works out at 33p for everyday in the year. The prizes are attractive and the monthly club draws are a nice touch too.

Tis wonderful what a positive outlook and a bit of innovative thinking will do.  Can I up my sample size to three while keeping the 100% DF?

[DownFanatic]

I would have to agree with Eaglelord on this, put any spin on it all u like but to be forced to sell these tickets is a disgrace.

I dont no whats going on in Tullylish but it is not easy to sell £120 tickets to the local community in the current climate just before or after christmas especially.  This is on top of annual membership, insurance, club down or whatever else people contribute financially to the GAA.

Probably the same as most clubs. 20 tickets to sell before you see a profit? I'd say most aren't looking a gift horse in the mouth. My unscientific survey of a grand total of two clubs shows a 100% success rate so far. I'd be interested to see what an increase in that sample size would do to the overall percentage.


ps when I said Tullylish had sold twenty already, one of the lads I spoke to had sold twenty himself.

Although the club draw is essentially a levy on all clubs, I have to say that it is a fantastic concept. Ticket sales with us are going well. We threw in the extra bonus that if you buy a £120 ticket this will also cover your membership for the year which stands at £30/£40. People seem to be attracted to this.

Basically, a £120 ticket works out at 33p for everyday in the year. The prizes are attractive and the monthly club draws are a nice touch too.

Tis wonderful what a positive outlook and a bit of innovative thinking will do.  Can I up my sample size to three while keeping the 100% DF?

Yup

[gaelman]

I would have to agree with Eaglelord on this, put any spin on it all u like but to be forced to sell these tickets is a disgrace.

I dont no whats going on in Tullylish but it is not easy to sell £120 tickets to the local community in the current climate just before or after christmas especially.  This is on top of annual membership, insurance, club down or whatever else people contribute financially to the GAA.

Probably the same as most clubs. 20 tickets to sell before you see a profit? I'd say most aren't looking a gift horse in the mouth. My unscientific survey of a grand total of two clubs shows a 100% success rate so far. I'd be interested to see what an increase in that sample size would do to the overall percentage.


ps when I said Tullylish had sold twenty already, one of the lads I spoke to had sold twenty himself.

Although the club draw is essentially a levy on all clubs, I have to say that it is a fantastic concept. Ticket sales with us are going well. We threw in the extra bonus that if you buy a £120 ticket this will also cover your membership for the year which stands at £30/£40. People seem to be attracted to this.

Basically, a £120 ticket works out at 33p for everyday in the year. The prizes are attractive and the monthly club draws are a nice touch too.

Tis wonderful what a positive outlook and a bit of innovative thinking will do.  Can I up my sample size to three while keeping the 100% DF?

Yup

Not so sure about all this positivity!!! The idea of "throwing" in a membership fee along with a ticket is a short term fix - its hard enough to get members to pay up every year without breaking the cycle - what happens if the co board continues with the draw or changes it to £10/ticket next year with £55, 000 in prizes - will you throw in the membership again?

Having said that, I do think that the draw is a good idea and a valuable fundraiser for some clubs.

What pisses me off though is its ham fisted, bully boy introduction and stupid threats about no home fixtures for clubs that dont sell 20. What if a club cant sell any? What if a club sells 19? What if two clubs who have not met the 20 are due to meet - where do they play? What about the youngsters who wont get football because big bully boy county board dont award fixtures to the grounds that parents and forefathers struggled to provide? What about funding organisations like the lottery fund - will they be happy to see these grounds lying idle, having pumped thousands of support into them - will they want their money back? What about the youngsters who will go to rugby/soccer where they can get football?  What about Clubs who already have similar draws up & running and which start to collapse as club supporters (many from other clubs) opt to support their own club in the co board draw at the expense of the club draw.

Good for clubs with plenty of members and no other draws going and who will have no bother selling 20 - everyone else, it stinks.

[thewobbler]

I bought a ticket. But I still don't agree with it.

Does anyone know if the draw is to fund a new venture, to pay off debt, or to cover running expenses? Genuine answers please.

[DownFanatic]

Club Down have a serious right to be pissed off about the whole thing. They put a lot of effort in the past few years in pushing their membership and prize draw. Joining Club Down had a lot of benefits for clubs.

Id say a lot of people wont be renewing their Club Down membership next year in favour of buying a Down GAA club draw ticket.

Gaelman, if a club cant get 20 members to subscirbe to something which is essentially a contribution of 33p each a day then there is something seriously amiss. £120 amounts to a night on the beer in Belfast for most of the lads I know. If its advertised right with the proper incentives then it should sell.

There is going to be a lot of clubs who are going to make a serious amount of money at this. They dont have to organise their own draws or put up their prizes. It's done for them.

[Leo]

Club Down have a serious right to be pissed off about the whole thing. They put a lot of effort in the past few years in pushing their membership and prize draw. Joining Club Down had a lot of benefits for clubs.

Id say a lot of people wont be renewing their Club Down membership next year in favour of buying a Down GAA club draw ticket.

Have to agree with both these points and, under pressure from my club "draw promoter", I am cancelling my Club Down membership even thougn I think it was the best scheme and very well organised - but I can't afford both at the minute on top of supporting other club activities.

Gaelman, if a club cant get 20 members to subscirbe to something which is essentially a contribution of 33p each a day then there is something seriously amiss. £120 amounts to a night on the beer in Belfast for most of the lads I know. If its advertised right with the proper incentives then it should sell.

I think what is seriously amiss is that many clubs have well established fund-raising initiatives that will suffer - and the members who have selflessly worked at promoting them will be pissed off big time. The county scheme is similar to many other counties but it will be hard to graft it onto what is already happening in this county

There is going to be a lot of clubs who are going to make a serious amount of money at this. They dont have to organise their own draws or put up their prizes. It's done for them.

[whitegoodman]

Thats exactly the point, what if clubs have already got their own fundraising scheme in place?  Are they supposed to scrap these now in favour of the one created by the county board?

Fair enough if clubs want to partake in the scheme to raise their own funds fair enough but if a club has had the forsight to do their own fundraising surely they shouldnt be pushed into something to suit the county board?

Are the ordinary club members supposed to pay club membership, club fundraising scheme, clubdown and this draw now as well to show they are a true gael?  Not to mention the ever increasing costs of going to support ur club and county in matches which is now a 12 month season.

Rediculous

[supersub]

Anybody know where one could find a list of club PRO's (& contact details) in the county?