Down Club Hurling & Football

[Brick Tamlin]

Is it a wee small paragraph stuck in a corner?
That's all it would take to summarise the last year.

[Aristo 60]

Maybe the Irish News could consider the respective county boards in turn. Structure, personnel, funding, salaries etc. That would make for an interesting article.

[GreenGiant]

I hear there is to be a hearing tonight about a possible replay of the Poacher Show, oh sorry i meant to type Ballyholland,  vs Glenn game

[TheClutch]

This Saturday evening in Newry should be a packed house with two very big games in store. It is a pity that Burren and Kilcoo have been drawn together in the quarters as they are the two strongest teams in the county in my opinion, which would have made a great final. I think CPN have the edge over the Town, they have had a good couple of championship campaigns in recent years albeit in the IFC but their experience from long tough games in the Ulster IFC should stand by them in good stead.

On another note coming from a Junior club I am disappointed that none of the JFC games have been played in Newry this year, and most likely will not be until the final. Is this a case of possible damage being done to the playing surface due to a high volume of games? Or a matter of county hierarchy seeing the JFC as of less importance? The fact that the group games of the competition were not played at neutral venues took a bit of the 'championship' feeling out of those games as well.

Why in recent years have early round championship fixtures not been spread around the clubs to be hosted at their grounds? I would have thought this was a good source of income for the clubs and kept the neutral venue aspect of championship games intact also.

[redandblackareback]

This Saturday evening in Newry should be a packed house with two very big games in store. It is a pity that Burren and Kilcoo have been drawn together in the quarters as they are the two strongest teams in the county in my opinion, which would have made a great final. I think CPN have the edge over the Town, they have had a good couple of championship campaigns in recent years albeit in the IFC but their experience from long tough games in the Ulster IFC should stand by them in good stead.

On another note coming from a Junior club I am disappointed that none of the JFC games have been played in Newry this year, and most likely will not be until the final. Is this a case of possible damage being done to the playing surface due to a high volume of games? Or a matter of county hierarchy seeing the JFC as of less importance? The fact that the group games of the competition were not played at neutral venues took a bit of the 'championship' feeling out of those games as well.

Why in recent years have early round championship fixtures not been spread around the clubs to be hosted at their grounds? I would have thought this was a good source of income for the clubs and kept the neutral venue aspect of championship games intact also.

The final of the junior is played in Newry is it? it would be nice to see the likes of Finn and Aghaderg etc get their day out in Newry, great point. Totally agree.

[downup]

The Newry Democrat has an article today in which they interviewed Steve Poacher. In it he says he won't get the county job as his face does not sit well within the hierarchy of the county board and that in the future he could see himself managing other county teams. If he is serious about taking county teams at any level then he needs to seriously look at how he conducts himself on the sideline during a match. I certainly would not want him representing any county team given the way he acts on the sideline. Part of being a manager is composure and unfortunately its an area where he falls down. I watched him beside the dugouts on Saturday past at Ballyholland's match and I suppose I could understand the excitement when they got the goal but for the 25 -30 mins prior to that the language and abuse he shouted at the referee, the other team and our county officers was a disgrace. Its nothing new but if he is to give an interview citing county management aspirations then there no point in blaming the hierarchy on the county board, he needs to look at himself and change his ways. Imagine if last weekends management in croker acted like that!!!!

[Down Follower]

On the Championship this year, what are peoples thoughts compared to A - the group stage championship we had for the past two years, and B - the traditional knockout style championship. ( I realise the Junior is still group so only IFC and SFC are changed ).

I for one think it has been much better than the group stage fare we had the past couple of years and has had that knockout feel to it even though some of the games werent strictly knockout.  Think Burren v Kilcoo, Rostrevor v Clonduff as two prime examples of games that had the feel of knockout in them.

Also, I think those people that say they wish Burren v Kilcoo were the final are wrong.  This draw gives every other team a glimmer of hope amd has raised the appetite of all the clubs.  To beat one of them would be tough, to beat both would be, well...

[Brick Tamlin]

In fairness, the Newry Democrat sports section isn't worth reading this weather.
Its become a vehicle for PR and media-hungry individuals involved in local GAA.
The mentality and integrity of some people who are involved with teams these days is astounding.

[redandblackareback]

I don't particularly like Poacher and don't like the style of football he promotes either, cant comment about him on Saturday as I was too far away but I did see him in the stand for the first half, cant understand why more managers don't adapt that approach, have to say as much as I do resent him, Poacher is certainly not on his own, some of the behaviour of other management teams this season in Newry have been deplorable and disrespectful towards our county board officials, it needs to be stamped out.

[whitegoodman]

The Newry Democrat has an article today in which they interviewed Steve Poacher. In it he says he won't get the county job as his face does not sit well within the hierarchy of the county board and that in the future he could see himself managing other county teams. If he is serious about taking county teams at any level then he needs to seriously look at how he conducts himself on the sideline during a match. I certainly would not want him representing any county team given the way he acts on the sideline. Part of being a manager is composure and unfortunately its an area where he falls down. I watched him beside the dugouts on Saturday past at Ballyholland's match and I suppose I could understand the excitement when they got the goal but for the 25 -30 mins prior to that the language and abuse he shouted at the referee, the other team and our county officers was a disgrace. Its nothing new but if he is to give an interview citing county management aspirations then there no point in blaming the hierarchy on the county board, he needs to look at himself and change his ways. Imagine if last weekends management in croker acted like that!!!!

Thinks a lot of himself our Stevie doesnt he !!!

[whitegoodman]

In fairness, the Newry Democrat sports section isn't worth reading this weather.
Its become a vehicle for PR and media-hungry individuals involved in local GAA.
The mentality and integrity of some people who are involved with teams these days is astounding.

Are you referring to anyone in particular there Brick?

[SHEEDY]

why is there now a fixation with playing championship matches on saturday, sunday and monday nights. what ever happened to sunday afternoon throw in times. i know that with competition from all ireland games on tv, this wouldnt always be possible but surely fixing cpn v castlewellan for 2pm and kilcoo v burren for 3.30pm this sunday afternoon would draw a bigger crowd than saturday night or am i wrong in thinking that? when the county finals have been played on a saturday night they just havnt felt the same.

[whitegoodman]

Couldnt agree more

[elk]

The Newry Democrat has an article today in which they interviewed Steve Poacher. In it he says he won't get the county job as his face does not sit well within the hierarchy of the county board and that in the future he could see himself managing other county teams. If he is serious about taking county teams at any level then he needs to seriously look at how he conducts himself on the sideline during a match. I certainly would not want him representing any county team given the way he acts on the sideline. Part of being a manager is composure and unfortunately its an area where he falls down. I watched him beside the dugouts on Saturday past at Ballyholland's match and I suppose I could understand the excitement when they got the goal but for the 25 -30 mins prior to that the language and abuse he shouted at the referee, the other team and our county officers was a disgrace. Its nothing new but if he is to give an interview citing county management aspirations then there no point in blaming the hierarchy on the county board, he needs to look at himself and change his ways. Imagine if last weekends management in croker acted like that!!!!

Have to agree with your comments. I also have witnessed this man's behaviour along the line at a couple of matches - not very enjoyable to watch or listen to. At the same time Ballyholland have had a decent seasons to date.

[charlieTully]

why is there now a fixation with playing championship matches on saturday, sunday and monday nights. what ever happened to sunday afternoon throw in times. i know that with competition from all ireland games on tv, this wouldnt always be possible but surely fixing cpn v castlewellan for 2pm and kilcoo v burren for 3.30pm this sunday afternoon would draw a bigger crowd than saturday night or am i wrong in thinking that? when the county finals have been played on a saturday night they just havnt felt the same.

they realised I was off Saturday evening and working Sunday, I thank them for accommodating me and am looking forward to hopefully two cracking games.