Down Club Hurling & Football

[T O Hare]

The premier reserve used to be a very competitive league but it's been sadly dying the past few years and it definitely needs revamped of some sort.it would be interesting to see if the county board invited B teams to enter the junior league as it would be a seperate panel from the first team .

[our_fella]

The premier reserve used to be a very competitive league but it's been sadly dying the past few years and it definitely needs revamped of some sort.it would be interesting to see if the county board invited B teams to enter the junior league as it would be a seperate panel from the first team .

I know Armagh have done this, with Crossmaglen, Cullyhanna (and a few more i think), have entered teams into the 3rd div, with a completely separate panel from the seniors..


You could list fellas on your "top 13/15", and maybe some of them may not get barely any game time at all, just so that the main players can play reserves. Joke

[Down Follower]

The premier reserve used to be a very competitive league but it's been sadly dying the past few years and it definitely needs revamped of some sort.it would be interesting to see if the county board invited B teams to enter the junior league as it would be a seperate panel from the first team .

In fairness clubs should be able to use the reserves for their own purposes, within reason.  Had a look on Rostrevors website there now and there was 6 players who started in their last senior match who started against Bryansford in the seconds! Quite a number but not beyond reason.  It was also the 3rd game in a week for their B team and in the previous 2 games, only 1 player who started their last senior match started in the reserve games.  (Their website gives good info on all the games).

This would seem to me to be a reasonable enough approach and I think most teams take this approach.

[Line Ball]

We all know that the main issue is with the authenticity of the 'Top 13' players submitted by clubs.  It would be very interesting if the County Board published these lists as we all know that many clubs will put at least 3 or 4 players on the list who may have quit, may be working abroad, may be a long term injured player and out for a while.  This only leaves 7 or 8 authentic first team players with the rest being able to play seconds and reason why there is a big overlap between firsts and seconds.

[6th sam]

The premier reserve used to be a very competitive league but it's been sadly dying the past few years and it definitely needs revamped of some sort.it would be interesting to see if the county board invited B teams to enter the junior league as it would be a seperate panel from the first team .

In fairness clubs should be able to use the reserves for their own purposes, within reason. 

This would seem to me to be a reasonable enough approach and I think most teams take this approach.

I think that we need to be clear about the actual reason for reserve football . It is presumably 1. For development of fringe players. 2. To give football to players not selected for the first team. 3. To give players who can not train/play their way on to the senior team, eg due to work , family commitments , the opportunity to play at the weekends 4.to rehabilitate injured players.

The winning of matches or titles at this level is of fairly low importance.

Therefore a more workable and functional solution is that u can not play 13 named starting players from the previous first team game. This would be the best way of allowing the four reasons listed above to be satisfied. And importantly ensures the maximum amount of player involvement each weekend.
This happens in other sports, why not GAA

[Line Ball]

How desperate has our county team become that the management is pestering lads to join the county senior team with a few weeks to go to championship?  In recent days the likes of Jamie O'Reilly have been in the papers, nearly being begged to come back.  King, Savage and Howard from Bryansford are also being pursued, Paul Mc Comiskey and Conor Toner from Burren, from what we hear but I'm sure there are many others.  Down CCC have arranged that clubs now have played nearly a quarter of the whole league programme in just 2 weeks and is it any wonder that players will get injured which will impact on the county team.  A certain fitness test last weekend stopped nearly 20 county players from playing with their clubs, now how fair is that?  The whole thing is a shambles as far as I can see.

[ardtole]

It does look like an admission from James that he knows he hasnt sufficient quality. 22/1 in the bookies to win Ulster tells you what the bookies think. Only Antrim and Fermanagh are longer odds.

[Mourne Rover]

Our league campaign started reasonably but performances declined sharply towards the end. In those circumstances, James has a responsibility to freshen up the squad. King and McComiskey have proven ability and should definitely be involved if available. At the very least, the others are worth a look.

[ardtole]

Its a double edged sword. Can you allow players to opt out of pre season and national league games regardless of how genuine the reasons are, and allow them to come back a fortnight before the championship. Its probably too late to be bringing players in at this stage unless someone is in red hot form at club level, although this has become rare almost non exsistant in last ten years.

[Line Ball]

I have no problem with James trying to get his best team/panel possible but 2 weeks before we play our most important game of the year and begging players to come onboard just isn't on.

Are we that bad that we have to beg lads to play for Down?

[supersub]

Anyone else think its a bit of a joke the way the Down reserve league run??

Was at the Ford v Rostrevor game tonight, and got talking to a few locals. Was told that Rostrevor started 7-9 players that started their Senior league match v Island last week. whereas Ford only had a small few..

Surely we would look into the way its done in Derry, Armagh + i think also in Tyrone.. Start your previous senior match, you cant play next reserve match.. Not fair on lads slogging away, and sitting on bench for both teams!

Firstly Our Fella, you said last week you were at the Rostrevor v L'island game as well, surely you could see for yourself a few players who may have been playing in both games without asking locals. It is also the second time you've had a pop at Rostrevor in the same period. Once again I'll give you a bit of background to your claims; it was Rostrevor Seconds third game in 6 days, the first two (on Sunday and Wednesday) had a XV which was made up of players who were yet to play any football this season, or had limited substitute appearances for the Seniors in the first four games. The players on the bench in these games were lads who have played for the Seniors in most of their games this season. There was only one lad who started for the Seniors and both seconds games, Liam Fegan, and this was solely down to availability of defenders in the seconds. We then came to the match on Friday night v Bryansford, and as you would expect with that number of games, there were a few changes made to the starting team - this was both down to injuries and giving lads (who obviously hadn't trained all week) more game time so they don't have a full two weeks off between Senior games. The seconds have had a number of games called off for different reasons since the start of the season hence the build up of games this week - every lad in the panel was given a opportunity to play a decent amount of football over the three games, and that's the way it should be.

As for the top 13, if you knew how the county board were going about policing it this season you would know they have taken close interest in the lists. We have nothing to hide from ours and it is up to the individual managements to decide who to play, and when to play them. It was also interesting to note Bryansford had Timmy Hanna and Luke Howard playing for their seconds - two former/potential county men, and the same happened last season when Conor Maginn and Hanna played against Rostrevor for the seconds - no one is complaining about that as its obvious they just need football.

[johnneycool]

Anyone else think its a bit of a joke the way the Down reserve league run??

Was at the Ford v Rostrevor game tonight, and got talking to a few locals. Was told that Rostrevor started 7-9 players that started their Senior league match v Island last week. whereas Ford only had a small few..

Surely we would look into the way its done in Derry, Armagh + i think also in Tyrone.. Start your previous senior match, you cant play next reserve match.. Not fair on lads slogging away, and sitting on bench for both teams!

Firstly Our Fella, you said last week you were at the Rostrevor v L'island game as well, surely you could see for yourself a few players who may have been playing in both games without asking locals. It is also the second time you've had a pop at Rostrevor in the same period. Once again I'll give you a bit of background to your claims; it was Rostrevor Seconds third game in 6 days, the first two (on Sunday and Wednesday) had a XV which was made up of players who were yet to play any football this season, or had limited substitute appearances for the Seniors in the first four games. The players on the bench in these games were lads who have played for the Seniors in most of their games this season. There was only one lad who started for the Seniors and both seconds games, Liam Fegan, and this was solely down to availability of defenders in the seconds. We then came to the match on Friday night v Bryansford, and as you would expect with that number of games, there were a few changes made to the starting team - this was both down to injuries and giving lads (who obviously hadn't trained all week) more game time so they don't have a full two weeks off between Senior games. The seconds have had a number of games called off for different reasons since the start of the season hence the build up of games this week - every lad in the panel was given a opportunity to play a decent amount of football over the three games, and that's the way it should be.

As for the top 13, if you knew how the county board were going about policing it this season you would know they have taken close interest in the lists. We have nothing to hide from ours and it is up to the individual managements to decide who to play, and when to play them. It was also interesting to note Bryansford had Timmy Hanna and Luke Howard playing for their seconds - two former/potential county men, and the same happened last season when Conor Maginn and Hanna played against Rostrevor for the seconds - no one is complaining about that as its obvious they just need football.

In the hurling leagues you used to have to name a top 13 who are ineligible to play in Div1 and then a further 12 who are then ineligible to play in Div2 also, and we'd normally base that first 13 on our starting 15 from the previous years senior championship with the odd exception.
Its slightly different this year as only our thirds play in Down and I think we'd to name 22 players who'd be ineligible in it. Within reason you are allowed to make changes to these lists, but we were requested by the CCC to downgrade Magic as he's done the cruciate ligaments and will probably miss the entire year which I think is bad craic from them. The big bollox done it playing for Down and if, big if, he makes it back this year then in theory he could play in the thirds.
You lads seem to have a free reign in terms to chopping and changing panels.

[Down Follower]

Looking at the reserve leagues results it appears most teams are certainly using their squads to the full this year.  No one team is streaking away at the top which would indicate that teams are mixing and matching. I still think a missing link here is an Under 21 competition - and I dont mean the one ongoing at present that is neither run nor supported properly by co. board or clubs. Perhaps a case for it and reserves to played on alternate weekends! Not sure how to work it in exactly but it seems that with players now doing more gym work at senior level, the gap, physically between minors and seniors gets bigger and we have nothing to fill that gap.  Just a thought.

[Mourne Rover]

Looks at though St Michael's did not travel to St Paul's in D3 tonight. St Michael's were promoted and won the junior championship in the last decade, and have provided plenty of county players over the years, so hopefully they will be fielding again soon. However, they are certainly not the only lower division side struggling for numbers.

[forevergreen]

Well folks just looking at results tonight, no game for Saval and Leitrim. Anyone know why this wasn't down to be played?

Bryansford setting the standard well and Mayobridge off to a great start.

The loss of some major players for Burren plus the county contingent gonna make this year a rebuilding process and getting some more of the previous under 21players and a few of our minors through.

Can anyone shed light on why Leitrim and Saval didn't play??