Down Club Hurling & Football

[elk]

The point being made here is Burren as a club don't view League success as a priority and championship is all that matters .Playing League in November really doesn't matter and championship in last 2 years has been missed but this year in reality was a very unlucky one stole by Kilcoo in last few minutes.

Stole implies that it was rightfully Burren's to begin with and that Kilcoo took it unfairly. Perhaps you could rephrase that as Kilcoo earned/deserved/secured/prevailed/merited victory in the last few minutes. Choose any word you think suitable, but maybe don't imply Kilcoo took something that belonged to someone else, that they deprived the rightful owner of it. That is just a touch arrogant don't you think?

I agree PAULD123 a bit arrogant, think Burren are having a problem accepting the fact that they're not the top club in Down anymore ( except U14's )

[Confused]

Courtney, what a load of tripe. If there was any doubt about championship final result( which there shouldn't be) this has just confirmed kilcoo are better than burren.

[downjim]

We were missing about six regulars last night. Kilcoo were far fitter and looked good at times but that's the first time this year they played any expansive football. The last two championships were Won with dour defensive displays. When I remember great championships teams I think of Byransford in the seventies. Burren in the 80s and the Bridge in the 90s and 2000s.these teams played attractive football and not the crap we see today. Will any of these players break into the Down team?? Kilcoo would not be a club which has gave our county many greats over the years tbh

[PAULD123]

We were missing about six regulars last night. Kilcoo were far fitter and looked good at times but that's the first time this year they played any expansive football. The last two championships were Won with dour defensive displays. When I remember great championships teams I think of Byransford in the seventies. Burren in the 80s and the Bridge in the 90s and 2000s.these teams played attractive football and not the crap we see today. Will any of these players break into the Down team?? Kilcoo would not be a club which has gave our county many greats over the years tbh

Conor Laverty has probably been Down's best player for the last two years. As for the rest of the team, their best players are fairly young but Darragh O'Hanlon, Paul Devlin, Ryan Johnston, Jerome Johnston, and Niall McEvoy are all good enough to play for the county and will probably be in the panel this year.

Having said that there is no denying Burren have some terrific individuals - O'Hare, McCardle, McKernan, Rooney to name a few.

But Downjim you miss the point. It is not a debate on who has the better players, it was who had the better team, who worked better together and who got the best performance out of their resources and strategy. Kilcoo deserved to win the last two championships. I objected to the word "stole". Kilcoo stole nothing they earned their victories. Just because their football is dogged more than sublime does not mean they are not the better team or that they don't deserve  a victory.

[Brick Tamlin]

Doesn't matter one iota a f**k.
They have put back to back senior championships together and are the strongest side in Down at present.
They deserve respect at least for that, but I suppose your arrogance and lack of humility wouldn't let you see that.
The challenge for other teams in Down is to get to their level and right now Burren aren't at that level.
Its not too long ago Kilcoo were in lower divisions and to come as far as they have within the last 15 years is a fantastic feat for a small community.
A measure of respect wouldn't go amiss.

[supersub]

CPN deserved the win yesterday , Burren didn't show up , complacency and posssibly a few eyes were on Ulster and who they would get back for that campaign .But Burren with the history it has will progress on , 2013 was a funny year for Burren -championship was won with 1 minute to go and Kilcoo got a few flukey scores at the end and Kevin McKernan not being 100 percent . 2014 I wouldn't back against Burren .Kilcoo got a lucky title this year but with the talent coming through Burren are by the far the strongest squad in the county and with a big number on the county panel these lads will progress even more.

Catch a grip. It was far from lucky, Burren never did enough in the county final to pull away, it was always tight. They were beaten by Bryansford and Kilcoo in the championship this year, they (Burren) are hardly world beaters.

Suppose they were lucky to beat Cross too over two games complete with extra time on both occasions?


Also I see you posted this in another thread before the U20 final:
"Burren look like strong favourites given their championship pedigree,CPN just might be a year or two  too soon.Donnach McAleenan and Ryan Magee still young though great talents and a steady keeper with McCartan in the middle but I think the match up between Magee and Shay McArdle could be interesting but Burren to shade it.Gerard McGovern developing into a serious player ,this Burren team will not be beaten."

Doing an awful lot of trumpet blowing for a club that won very little this year.

Supersub I am not sure what club you are actually from but you most definitely are a soccer man so I'll take no lectures from you.

How could you possibly make such a statement, and what defines a 'soccer man'? Played and been involved in gaelic my whole life, you sir are a WUM and an idiot. Don't think the issue is of what club I am from, it most definitely is the fact that you are not from Burren. A true Burren person would be embarrassed of some of the tripe you have come out with in your handful of posts. Another downjim surely, not fooling anyone chap.

And also everyone knows where I'm from as in here there aren't too many from each club, not sure how you can be confused, have been on the board a long time and no doubt you have too under a different guise. 

[southdown]

Doesn't matter one iota a f**k.
They have put back to back senior championships together and are the strongest side in Down at present.
They deserve respect at least for that, but I suppose your arrogance and lack of humility wouldn't let you see that.
The challenge for other teams in Down is to get to their level and right now Burren aren't at that level.
Its not too long ago Kilcoo were in lower divisions and to come as far as they have within the last 15 years is a fantastic feat for a small community.
A measure of respect wouldn't go amiss.

Nail on head.

[Oglach]

We were missing about six regulars last night. Kilcoo were far fitter and looked good at times but that's the first time this year they played any expansive football. The last two championships were Won with dour defensive displays. When I remember great championships teams I think of Byransford in the seventies. Burren in the 80s and the Bridge in the 90s and 2000s.these teams played attractive football and not the crap we see today. Will any of these players break into the Down team?? Kilcoo would not be a club which has gave our county many greats over the years tbh
Kilcoo were missing a few players also, Felim McGreevy, Daryl Brannigan, Anthony Devlin, Sean Devlin, Aaron Branigan....
Anyhow, wouldn't have mattered, Burren never looked like winning and could have easily had another 3 players red carded.
As for dour displays!!! I think Kilcoo have played fairly attractive football this year.
Burren are a very good team but their arrogance and reliance on outside players will always hold them back...

[whitegoodman]

I think Burren players and supporters alike are fully aware that they were not up to the task this year and were simply not good enough to beat Kilcoo in the championship.  It is up to them to come up with something different next year.

It should also be remembered that Burren didn't have to beat Kilcoo in either of their recent championship winning campaigns.  Whether there is something in this remains to be seen but the fact remains that they couldn't put Kilcoo away and when it came to the heat of the battle in the last 10 mins there was only ever going to be one winner.  That is something the Burren lads will have to look at over the winter months and if it can't be addresses then the result will remain the same next year no matter what talent is at their disposal or how many "county players" they have !!!

On the league match the other night, I have said it before, playing league football at this time of he year is an absolute farce.  This is no fault of Kilcoo but that result was always going to happen for various reasons and I would be surprised if they don't put a big score on Castlewellan tomorrow.  Although I do hope that Castlewellan win, not out of a dislike of Kilcoo but because I believe that the team that finishes top of the league deserves to win the league.

Finally when wee James decides its time to step aside ( and it should be his decision ) then the county board should do everything in its power to get Jim McCurry on board, top coach and manager.

And finally finally I can guarantee that the views on this board of a few Burren "supporters" do not represent the views of 99.5% of Burren supporters or players.....

[Town Gael]

Only 1 competitive match in almost 3 months n cost the Town the league today. Were too sluggish in first 15 mins, took that long to get up to the pace of the game. Were very ood after that and three missed goal chances were vital. Proud of the team though

[Buffer]

Fair play to kilcoo on there success yesterday,best team all year and proved it then. Hard luck castlewellan,u hada good run but just fell short

[Oglach]

Great achievement of Kilcoo to do the double yesterday though i do have sympathy for Castlewellan having to wait so long with no competitive matches, challenge games don't cut it. The Town were gracious in defeat and i'm sure they'll be a force next year.
Kilcoo were in the same position a few years back, the county board needs to have a serious look at this (again).

[thewobbler]

Great achievement of Kilcoo to do the double yesterday though i do have sympathy for Castlewellan having to wait so long with no competitive matches, challenge games don't cut it. The Town were gracious in defeat and i'm sure they'll be a force next year.
Kilcoo were in the same position a few years back, the county board needs to have a serious look at this (again).

Every year the county board come under flak on this issue.

Yet I've never once seen a proposal from any of the clubs to amend the league structures to remove play-offs from the top of division 1, and award the title to the team at the top of the league.

This situation is not the county board's doing. Championship football takes precedence, and the county board will only take immeasurably more flak if they force league games upon a club that is representing our county in Ulster.

I really wish the top clubs would stop complaining about this every year, and simply draft a proposal to fix it. It's got to be one of the easiest motions that will ever pass: it will never affect 30+ clubs in the county and they'll just wave their hands with an aye.

[bridgegael]

the leagues are fine.  its the 4/5week break in june/july that causes this problem.

[thewobbler]

the leagues are fine.  its the 4/5week break in june/july that causes this problem.

I'm not so sure. Even with great intentions, it only takes a few postponed league games, or a strong show from Down in the AI, to push the leagues into September, and from there it's completely at the mercy of Championship fixtures.