Down Club Hurling & Football

[alba2]

Bridge - but only just.............. Think Burren will be deflated after their Ulster campaign... But then again they could be inspired to win to make up for the disappointment... Its a tough call....

[angermanagement]

Bridge winning 2-11 to 0-7 James McGovern straight red.

[alba2]

Could not have seen that result coming... Bridge with 7 u21s playing were on fire.. After the first few seconds when Mc Kernan got a point for Burren i thought they would run thru the bridge. But thereafter Quinn taught him a footballing lesson. Conleth O'Hare was outstanding as was Cathal Killen in centre half back.  But best by fat for the blues was Kevin O'Rourke. an outstanding performance. Bridge got freak goal and never looked back. Brady was class and cathal magee - when on form - can certainly do a job.  Burren full back line were cleaned out of it for the second game in  succession.  Only Donal OHare showed glimpses of the player he is.

[blueannavy]

top drawer performance from the blues tonight espicially being 11 weeks without competitive football . everyone done their job well . james mcgovern seen a straight red for elbowing cathal killen in the face early on . certainy a disipline problem in the burren camp . i stand to be corrected but thats 5 dismissals in the past 4 games ! anyway should be a good game with the magpies .

[Oglach]

Could Burrran not have threw out a seconds team 2 months ago to recieve such a beating!
Joke!

[Mid Down Gael]

The Bridge where superb tonight in the first half and gave their rivals a lesson in heavy underfoot conditions. James McGovern once again let his side down, deservedly recieving a red card for an of the ball challange. Burren need to sort their disapline out, too many red cards in recent times for stupid of the ball stuff.
The Bridge had great performers in Kevin ORourke, Kieth Quinn, Cathal Magee, Ronan Sexton, Adrian Barry and the brilliant Ryan Brady. Great result for them considering they did so with Benny, Noel Sexton and Eoghan Woods only making late cameo appearances.
Should be a close final with ourselves on Friday night.

[BRIDGE LAD]

Who were Burren missing tonight from the team that started the Ulster final?

Great win by the Bridge tonight, with a very young team, the whole team was outstanding not bad subs to bring on either! Should be a good tussle with Kilcoo!  Im sure they're glad to be finally playing it.

[alba2]

Could Burrran not have threw out a seconds team 2 months ago to recieve such a beating!
Joke!

totally agree... what a waste of time waiting on that... But the result was sweet all the same... Worth waiting for... Any word when and where the final is??

[Mid Down Gael]

Who were Burren missing tonight from the team that started the Ulster final?

Great win by the Bridge tonight, with a very young team, the whole team was outstanding not bad subs to bring on either! Should be a good tussle with Kilcoo!  Im sure they're glad to be finally playing it.

Anton McArdle and Sean Murdock, although think Murdock was on bench.

It will be a great relief for Kilcoo and Mayobridge to get the final played at last, been some wait for both clubs.

[Mid Down Gael]

Could Burrran not have threw out a seconds team 2 months ago to recieve such a beating!
Joke!

totally agree... what a waste of time waiting on that... But the result was sweet all the same... Worth waiting for... Any word when and where the final is??

ACFL Division 1 2011
09/12/2011
19:30 Kilcoo  vs Mayobridge  Pairc Esler

U21 Football Championsip A Simi Finals
13/12/2011
19:30 Burren  vs Mayobridge   
Referee : Damien Laverty Venue : Burren

16/12/2011
19:30 Bryansford  vs Kilcoo
Referee : Oliver Burke Venue : Downpatrick

[forevergreen]

Firstly fair play to Mayobridge for the way they played last night. Plenty of appetite for the game and played a good hardworking brand of football. Some big performances from them particularly Keith Quinn @ midfield, McKernan couldnt cope with him in the air and this was the bridge's platform. O'Rourke played well in the first half but was completely snuffed out by Paddy Mohan in second. Brady looked lively and Gerard McCartan was a pale shadown of the player he was earlier in the season.

As someone said earlier Bridge got a fluke goal and never looked back, but sometimes you have to grasp the chance and they did. Fair play.

From our own perspective Burren were inept, showed a total lack of interest in the game and I just wish they had played the game after the championship final, it would have been good preparation for Ulster and would have helped get good game time for the subs, which would have helped, given the injuries and suspensions we then had in Ulster. Have to say that whilst we were only missing Anton & Sean from Ulster Final, had we had a full quota, Eamonn & Connor Toner , Declan Rooney, Eamonn McGovern would all have been in starting berths and this also weakened the bench, however for Burren to come out and play as they did last night was shambolic.

People talk about tiredness, when you are in a league semi-final, tiredness is not an excuse, the bridge and Kilcoo have both been waiting and bridge looked fresh and they simply wanted to win more. They deserved it.

On a different note and I think all supporters would agree, the county board are a disgrace, turned up @ Pairc Esler last night, gates not open. lights not on and people standing about. Yes it was a Monday night in december but there wwas no urgency to get the game started and it looked like a money saving exercise to keep lights off as late as possibe, its a wonder they didnt give us all candles on way in. You can be damn sure if Down were playing on a saturday night, the lights would be on from 4 O'Clock and all the suits would be out in full peacock mode making sure they were seen. Last night was a joke from an organisational point of view. No respect for the supporters but always someone there to take your money.

[amallon]

Good win for the Bridge last night.  I thought Plugg, Keith, KOR and Conleth had great games.  Jamie Barr gave a good account at mid field in his first senior start.  Should be an interesting game with Kilcoo, they won both league meetings comfortably enough this season so are favourites.  A lot depends on how our young guns handle a team that is going at it full tilt.

Forevergreen - The lights were on in good time last night but the generators cut out.  The turnstiles had to be shut to stop people walking about in darkness.

[whitegoodman]

Burrens attitude last night left a lot to be desired.  If they were going to treat the competition with such contempt then it should have been played 6 wks ago as has already been said.

Difficult to gauge how decent the Bridge were given the oppositions ineptness but u can only beat what is put in front of you.  Its difficult to see them beating Kilcoo if Coulter isnt fit to start imo.  On that note if I was a bridge man i would serious issues with bringing their star man on who has hamsting issues in freezing temperatures with the team 10 points up, asking for trouble if u ask me.

On another note is it too difficult to ask to have 2 neutral linesmen at a league semi final?

[alba2]

Burrens attitude last night left a lot to be desired.  If they were going to treat the competition with such contempt then it should have been played 6 wks ago as has already been said.

Difficult to gauge how decent the Bridge were given the oppositions ineptness but u can only beat what is put in front of you.  Its difficult to see them beating Kilcoo if Coulter isnt fit to start imo.  On that note if I was a bridge man i would serious issues with bringing their star man on who has hamsting issues in freezing temperatures with the team 10 points up, asking for trouble if u ask me.

On another note is it too difficult to ask to have 2 neutral linesmen at a league semi final?

Totally agree with your sentiments here to be honest.  Coulter coming on in those conditions was a complete joke.  Winning the game so comfortably and then doing a couple of runs up and down the sideline and straight into a game is putting serious pressure on an injury.  the linesmen thing was a disgrace.  Surely at a league semi final stage they can have something sorted out for this.  Why are the games a different price for admission?  I was recently at the league two relegation playoff and it was £4 entry in to it, all league games were £3 during the season and now at semi final stage they are £5.  What is the reasoning behind this.  Would it not be a nice jesture for the county board to allow the gate be free entry - given that the gaels have supported them all throughout the season at various events.  that way there might be more attendance at them and given our county secretaries report at the weekend about opening our doors to other codes - this could just be the ticket to getting a few supporters in through the gate from other disciplines to watch our sport.  Then next year they may participate or their children may.  Its only league semi finals and finals this should happen in so thats 6 games in total. div 1,2 and 3 semi final and finals

[True Blue]

On a different note and I think all supporters would agree, the county board are a disgrace, turned up @ Pairc Esler last night, gates not open. lights not on and people standing about. Yes it was a Monday night in december but there wwas no urgency to get the game started and it looked like a money saving exercise to keep lights off as late as possibe, its a wonder they didnt give us all candles on way in. You can be damn sure if Down were playing on a saturday night, the lights would be on from 4 O'Clock and all the suits would be out in full peacock mode making sure they were seen. Last night was a joke from an organisational point of view. No respect for the supporters but always someone there to take your money.

Your opening comments forevergreen are very honest but the last comment is way out of line. I entered the pitch at 7.05 and the lights were on and cut off about 7.10. You seriously need to know all the facts before slagging off the officials there. Im not a county board official or rep, but there was no point in letting people in and paying their money and maybe having to postpone the game and as another poster says it was also for health and safety reasons. There may not have been as many officials running about as there would be on a Down match but the officials their did have respect for the supporters. I would love to have heard your comments if you had of paid in, didn't get your money back and were not able to go to the refixture!!!!!