Down Club Hurling & Football

[johnneycool]

Underage success may not necessarily be a true form guide of the county boards underage set ups. My experience would suggest it's probably more to do with either a few clubs or school/colleges having made a concerted effort with a group of players from underage up. It's only at minor or so that the county board reap the rewards of someone elses work.

For example the Down minor hurlers who for all their problems run Antrim very closely success was based in the majority on the huge effort Ballycran have been putting into their underage teams with no assistance from the county board.

I'd bet that there are similar scenario's with underage football teams. What inputs would the county board had on the likes of Martin Clarke, James Colgan etc in their early years. I bet that their clubs and schools had more to do with their football schooling than any county board iniative.

[lecale3]

Totally agree with Johnnycool. I think the last 2 years Minor performances are a truer reflection on the state of the County set-up than the St Louis inspired team 3 years ago. 3 scores this year against Monaghan is inept.
Look at Owen Beg or the Mid-Ulster set up at Cookstown - we are asking our Development Squads to go to a council pitch at Annsborough, or to get changed in a byre at Lisnacrees old pitch in Kilkeel. We therefore don't attract the cream to the county set up the way Tyrone do - yes the Kilcoo/Mayobridge/Hilltown lads will participate fully - but other better players in Downpatrick/Newry etc end up playing Milk Cup/Irish League soccer.
We need to make it "the thing" to play for the County, look after them etc - tradition is great, but the kids don't remember 91/94, never mind 60/61/68.   

[redandblackjack]

would it be an idea for each team to have a seperate sponsor for example- and the sponsorship money used solely for this team and this team only with assistance from the county board? Would this help generate more £ for each team? Down is a big county with a big fanbase- could this be 'tapped' into more effectively by the county board? Armagh did a good job with their 500 club. Incentives need to be there for financial backers, unfortunately it costs big money these days to run county teams and this doesn't grow on trees. The development of pairc esler will go along way however to encouraging the youth to play for down as it can only mean more home games for down and a chance for the young ones to see their county. A centre of excellence is needed badly-st colmans would be ideal as would the new Abbey school when it is built.

[Lecale2]

A centre of excellence is needed badly-st colmans would be ideal as would the new Abbey school when it is built.

There are advanced plans for state of the art generation what ever pitches and facilities at St Colman's college.The county Board are working with the college and Newry & Mourne Council on the project. It's badly needed but Castlewellan would be more central.

[redandblackjack]

I had heard about and seen plans for the new Abbey school with synthetic pitches, state of the art weights room and numerous playing pitches and there was talk of the county board jumping on board, i never knew St Colmans had plans too.

[Cloc Mor]

There are advanced plans for state of the art generation what ever pitches and facilities at St Colman's college.The county Board are working with the college and Newry & Mourne Council on the project. It's badly needed but Castlewellan would be more central.

I find it hard to believe that the county board are hoping to base a centre of excellence at the college.  The parents of pupils at the college have been asked to contribute a substantial amount for the development of sports facilities and I cant see them being too happy if their money is used to bail the county board out.  I hear the pitches at the college are an absolute mess at the minute anyway and are one of the worst examples of prunty pitches about.  Its about time the Down county board had their own centre of excellence rather than expecting to use the facilities that clubs/schools which have paid a fortune to build.  Typical county board - looking to do things on the cheap again.

[Lecale2]

If the County Board is not to do things on the cheap it means in reality that all of us and others will have to put our hands in our pockets.
There's no more sponsorship available, no HM Govt grants and no Russian Billionaire. The sale of St Patrick's Park didn't go down too well so let's hear some realistic suggestions for raising the funds required to provide Down GAA with a state of the art training facility.
We all know it's needed but we have to be realistic about what it will cost.
This Saturday al the development squads are out. Proper transport and pitches have been arranged. Lets see how it goes.

The hurling development squads are all about deveolping skills and personal behaviour/lifestyle but the football squads play challenge matches against other counties. Why the different approach?

[ONeill]

I've been following Martin Clarke's progress in Collingwood. He has recently been called up to the senior squad as cover but is still playing in the VFL for Williamstown. I think you'll afford yourself a chuckle at this report from his most recent game:

Martin Clarke
Marty had 28 possessions as a half-back flanker, and he also did the job on his man. He had a long shot at goal from the centre of the ground, and I think it was marked in the goal square, so he was a little bit disappointed about that. He had a couple of shots at goal, but it was more about the way set the ball up from half back and through the middle of the ground. His work rate and his use by hand and foot was exceptional, but there was one interesting thing where he toed the ball running in motion and flicked the ball up into his hands rather than bending down to pick it up, that was quite amazing.

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/5586/Default.aspx?newsId=45179

From an earlier game:

Martin Clarke
Marty's progress is quite amazing. I had him on the half-forward flank, changing on-ball, and he kicked 1.1 and had 16 disposals. He did a great snap shot out of a pack for a goal inside our forward fifty, and also had a long shot at goal which just missed from about fifty metres out with the breeze, went through about post high, so he's a thumping kick. He was interesting, in the first quarter, kicking into the breeze, he had a shot from about 35 metres out, not quite understanding when you kick it into the breeze, you've actually got to keep it low. He's actually thumped this ball, which has gone very high and straight and just held up in the breeze. He probably set up another two or three goals, I'm pretty happy with the way he's going.

Earlier again:

43. Martin Clarke (rookie list)
Martin's an interesting one. At times he looks really, really good, at other times he made a couple of errors, which is just not knowing the game. On the weekend, he transferred the ball across from the defensive side to the attacking side, and the ball held up and they marked it, and he probably thought he was doing the right thing and he's learning. He just needs to play a lot of games.

[In the Onion Bag]

Thanks for this O'Neill.  Good to know the lad is doing well down under (wait for the wry posters to latch onto that statement).

Just wish we had him back here 2 weeks ago in the Red & Black.  He might have been able to counteract Finlay.

[Bod Mor]

I'm going to the Swans/Collingwood match on Saturday. Does anybody know if Clarke will be on the senior squad this weekend? It would be great to see himself and Kennelly on show.

[ONeill]

I'm going to the Swans/Collingwood match on Saturday. Does anybody know if Clarke will be on the senior squad this weekend? It would be great to see himself and Kennelly on show.

It looks like he'll be in the squad but almost a certainty not to feature.

[amallon]

Noel Sexton was back training with the county last night.  Not before time if you ask me. 

[Brick Tamlin]

with no offence to Noel Sexton or anyone else that has been drafted into the training squad/panel this is ridiculous.(and before ye go jump down my throat i think he is someone who should have been on it from the start).

why has Ross Carr picked a panel at all or has defenders on his bench if he knows he will never use them, they are just being used as training props as far as i can see. Your defence has been shite all season, come championship time its even more apparent that they are struggling, so instead of trying to build some sort of system to counteract or hide this difficiency what do we do..we go and start asking club defenders onto the panel when its pretty much too late at this stage. If you were one of those guys on the bench gettin no look in ye wouldnt be hangin around too much - quite demoralising to see that your manager doesnt rate you highly enough to stick you into the action and see what you can do.

Its clear that certain guys are on the panel to push as hard as possible for a place and make competition for places, thus pressurising the starting 15, but all along they wil never actually get a chance - glorified training aids.

[girt_giggler]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6225600.stm

[Hitmaster]

John McAreavey for Down?

The man has the class to make a difference. He's got the vision of a cat, he leaps like a salmon and is an accomplished free taker. Been doing some stuff for the lish.

Plus he's got the inside knowledge on the tyrone camp in case we ever meet them.

Done