Down Club Hurling & Football

[ardtole]

Just seen the div 2 table for the first time in quite a while, I couldnt believe St Johns were in third place, some achievement for a small club. Hard to believe they are in position for a play off spot for div one.

[Minus15]

St John's have been on quite a run for some time now picking up some notable scalps along the way. They could be a dangerous proposition in championship over next few weeks.

A lot of talk of 3 leagues v 4 leagues and gaps between divisions in terms if quality. Whilst I agree that there is a distinct difference in quality between top of Div 2 and bottom of Div 1, I would expect that if leagues are left well alone over next 3-4 years this gap should be closed as more clubs get a taste of the higher level.

Have to agree with Barry Breen's Bandage here. As a Glenn man, if we were to achieve promotion, that would be a fine achievement for the club. The league restructuring has offered a carrot to the likes of ourselves and St John's that wasn't there before. Clubs should be commended for taking this opportunity.

If Div 1 comes round for us, lets hope that we will be all the better for it as a club in the next few years, regardless of any league results in 2014.

[DaisyCutter]

Heard Ambrose was taken off injured last night against Kilcoo.
Anybody at it? Did it look serious?
That was a big score the the Magpies racked up.
Huge win for Liatroim against the Bridge following thier big defeat last week.
Good wins for Ballyholland, Downpatrick, Bford and Annaclone ahead of the C-Ship.

[Leo]

Reflections on the Championship ...

We sold our soul and took the Donegal game to Donegal ...
and stilll got bate!

We went back to Derry on our journey through the qualifiers (!!) - and still got bate...

Meanwhile Derry surrendered to a youthful Cavan -  who were in turn batted aside by Kerry, like a mild irritant.

Donegal were turned over by Monaghan - who in turn couldn't stand the heat of an indifferent Tyrone team....

At the back door Donegal were blown to the winds by Mayo ....

And there are still people in Down who think we have made progress and that no changes should be made?

The silence on this issue within the county is baffling.

[Brick Tamlin]

Give us your answer to all the 'problems' Down have then.
Im sure we would all love to hear them.

[thewobbler]

Reflections on the Championship ...

We sold our soul and took the Donegal game to Donegal ...
and stilll got bate!

We went back to Derry on our journey through the qualifiers (!!) - and still got bate...

Meanwhile Derry surrendered to a youthful Cavan -  who were in turn batted aside by Kerry, like a mild irritant.

Donegal were turned over by Monaghan - who in turn couldn't stand the heat of an indifferent Tyrone team....

At the back door Donegal were blown to the winds by Mayo ....

And there are still people in Down who think we have made progress and that no changes should be made?

The silence on this issue within the county is baffling.

Alternatively:

- Contrast last year's exits to Donegal and Mayo, and witness how we actually put ourselves in with a chance in every game this year.

- We showed Monaghan the template for how to beat Donegal. And with their better players, especially in defence, they achieved it.

- We did this with the weakest Down panel since 2001, with around 10 first choice players missing or abroad. Look how Donegal fared when just 3 of their main players took knocks.

- The 1999 minor team dominated the Down panel for the past decade. Only one of them is left, and he's only just hanging in. We are in transition.


I don't think Wee James is the perfect manager by any stretch. But there wasn't the talent in Down this year to challenge for any sort of honours. Armagh, Derry, Meath, Galway are all in the same boat. If you can remember that before you go off on one, it makes for more balanced conversation.

[supersub]

What way is Paul Murphy wobbler?

[Leo]

wobbler

I was just asking the questions and at least you took them onn fairl as opppposed to other posters.
For "thon other wans" who think I'm a smart-ass -  no I dont have the answers - I just asked the questions!!
They haven't been answered.

[southdown]

I can see what Leo is saying, but Wobbler is also right in that James has limited resources at his disposal.

On one hand you can be harsh and say that James has won no major trophies during his tenure, and in this respect he has failed.

But there is no doubt that we are in a better state than we were before he took over, even with the poor finish to this season.

I can se why people are now questioning James' involvement.  My view is that nobody out there will do a better job. I don't think a new face will get any more out of the players.  We just need to face the reality we no longer have any Lindens, Blaneys, Breens etc, we have to make the best of what we have.  No manager can change that.

[supersub]

No major trophies? All Ireland and Divison 1 National League would be the 'major' trophies. Now he didn't win them but they were a long long way from either when he took over. They got to a final and he got them into divison 1. Admittedly this season has been rather disappointing on both fronts, but due to the players available/not available not much more can really be expected.

[snoopdog]

maybe the question should be what are the county board doing about the future of Down football. are there plans for a centre of excellence? the counties that are at the top are the one who are investing big in the development of players. I've read a few times on here about the terrible organisation of underage development within the county. James can only work with what he has but is anything being done to help provide better for the future. From someone who no longer lives in the county my felling is that the Down way is to wait for 30 years for once in a life time group of players to come along instead of doing something to help it happen. 20   years since we won anything and it doesn't look like its gonna change soon.

[Line Ball]

maybe the question should be what are the county board doing about the future of Down football. are there plans for a centre of excellence? the counties that are at the top are the one who are investing big in the development of players. I've read a few times on here about the terrible organisation of underage development within the county. James can only work with what he has but is anything being done to help provide better for the future. From someone who no longer lives in the county my felling is that the Down way is to wait for 30 years for once in a life time group of players to come along instead of doing something to help it happen. 20   years since we won anything and it doesn't look like its gonna change soon.

Here is an example from the current development squad set up taken from the Down Facebook page which was posted yesterday:


There will be 2 sessions this week for the ‪#‎DownGAA‬ U17 Football Development Squad.

There will be an indoor session in the Abbey GS Newry at 10am on Wednesday 7th August. All players must attend.

On Saturday 10th August the u17 squad will travel to MUSA Cookstown to compete in the Ulster u17 Jim McGuigan Cup qualifying round.

All players must attend. All players must wear their track bottoms and polo tops and bring their shorts and socks. Players are also asked to bring a packed lunch.

Bus Times as Follows:
9.00am Upper Square Castlewellan
9.15am Kilcoo Shop
9.25am Hilltown Square
9.35am Mayobridge Bus Stop
9.50am Brass Monkey

Any player who is unable to attend either of these sessions must contact John McAteer immediately:




Questions I have in relation to this.
1. A session at 10am on a Wednesday morning - All players must attend. What about the lad who has a part time job to earn a few pound during the Summer?  Do they make their own way to the Abbey or are the arrangements like below?
2. Lads from Kilclief, St Pauls, Bredagh etc and the same from Atticall, Tullylish or other areas of South Down have to make their own way to one of these pick up points at their own expense.
3. All players must wear their track bottoms and polo tops and bring their shorts and socks - maybe I am being pedantic but what gear did the players get?  There is no tracksuit top mentioned here or bags and I am sure they have gotten the full works.  Believe me, there is enough gear in the County office to kit out 10 teams.
4. Players are also asked to bring a packed lunch - surely lads leaving home at 8 or 9 in the morning, travelling to Cookstown and home quite a few hours later, the least we can give them is a bite to eat.  I'm not sure what other counties do but I'm sure that they get a bit more than our lads do.


Who is involved with this team as I don't recognise the name?  I know Pete Mc Grath has overall responsibility for the development squads but this was only given to him as a token for not getting the Senior Manager a few years back.

We are in a bad state.  Airing publicy our problems by asking people to go to meetings, giving their views on where we are going wrong and how we can sort it out - pathetic.  As for infrastructure, we have no centre of excellence.  Derry built up Owenbeg from one All Ireland win in the 90's, we won two and still have nothing to show.  We should have sold St Patrick's Park when we had the chance but sat on our hands and we are paying for it now.  Nearly every other county in Ulster has their own training grounds but we are using school grounds to prepare our teams.  This really is pathetic but sums up the state we are in at present and it ain't good.

[artisan2010]

Didn't Pete stop a minor team from getting fed after a defeat a couple of years ago or is that another urban myth or Down legend.

With the best will in world things have moved on from 1994. Are there no young aspiring coaches in the county

[ardtole]

You would imagine the buses for underage groups would have a pick up point in Downpatrick. After a tournement similar to the one in Cookstown are the lads dropped off in Castlewellan in the evening? Not that too many lads from our part of the county make these squads but the ones that do should receive the same treatment as the south down footballers.

[downjim]

You would imagine the buses for underage groups would have a pick up point in Downpatrick. After a tournement similar to the one in Cookstown are the lads dropped off in Castlewellan in the evening? Not that too many lads from our part of the county make these squads but the ones that do should receive the same treatment as the south down footballers.

Let's be realistic. A car would probably take the county footballers who live past castlewellan regardless of the age level!