Down Club Hurling & Football

[5 Sams]

Does anybody know for sure where and when the various championship finals are on? I was told today that the SHC and IHC would be played as a double header in Portaferry on 23rd Sept and that the JFC would be played as a double header with the SFC in Newry on 30th Sept. Is that right? What about the IFC final? Castlewellan would be the right venue.

The Minor and Senior Football Finals are definitely in Newry on 7th October.

As for the Intermediate Football Final...I really couldnt give a flying fcuk

[Bacon]

Can anybody who works get to a match for 6.15pm? I know I couldn't.

Good luck to the Point in the Junior Hurling Final. God knows the deserve a win after all the year of effort they've put in.

I'd say Bredagh deserve to win just as much as Warrenpoint. Both clubs have been doing great work promoting hurling. Anyway it's the team that plays well on the day that wins.
Bredagh are the better team and can take scores from all over the field as they showed winning the league and against Castlewellan and Ballela in the championship. The Point have a solid defence but struggle to score from play. They had a poor enough league but their victories over Ballycran and Portaferry in the JHC have to be respected and I expect them to fight for every ball to the final whistle.
Bredagh lost last years final to Ballyvarley and I know it hurt them but The Point lost out the year before to Darragh Cross and that hurt them.
Little between them I reckon but I go for Bredagh to win by 2-3 points.

[Pull Hard Hes No Relation]

I agree with Bacon on this one in that both clubs are doing a lot to promote hurling and probably deserve the "lift" a championship at adult level would give their club but to be honest I expect Bredagh to win this by about five points.

No doubt Bredagh left this behind them last year against Ballyvarley and they know it so will be out for revenage this year and indeed have strengthened their team again with a few handy additions during the year. Point will give it their all and won't be found wanting for effort and commitment but some of their players are fairly limited hurlers and Bredagh have the guile and experience to expose this.

It will be interesting to see if the Point play some of their younger hurlers, the likes of Maxwell, Higgins etc are fine young hurlers but often for some reason are left on the peripheral of their senior team when they should be central players given their talent and ability.

Bredagh to win by 5-6 pts.

[Fear Boirche]

Just a little query, but who was the last non-Down man to manage a senior championship winning team? I think it was Jim McCorry with the Bridge in 2001. Also, wasn't Frank Dawson the Clonduff manager when they beat Mayobridge in the 2000 final in Newry?

[spiritof91and94]

Just a little query, but who was the last non-Down man to manage a senior championship winning team? I think it was Jim McCorry with the Bridge in 2001. Also, wasn't Frank Dawson the Clonduff manager when they beat Mayobridge in the 2000 final in Newry?

Bryansford were managed by Benny Corrigan in 2003.

[Fear Boirche]

Thanks.

Is the senior final definitely on October 7?

[east down gael]

if you can find a local bookmakers taking odds on the jhc final,which is unlikely i know,take the belfast men by a dozen!

[Lecale2]

if you can find a local bookmakers taking odds on the jhc final,which is unlikely i know,take the belfast men by a dozen!

I doubt very much if it will be anything like 12 points!  Warrenpoint have improved this year after some poor results at the start of the year and had a good run in the Ulster league. They have an excellent minor team and will be a force at this level if they can bring those young lads through to the senior team but I think this is a year too soon for them. Bredagh have been totally focused on the JHC since they lost last years final in Kilclief and I'm confident they will do the business on Saturday. Bredagh to win by 2-3 points in a low scoring affair.

[In the Onion Bag]

Would love to go to the JHF but where is Balella. 
Anybody got directions from either the Point or Belfast approaches?

[lecale3]

Ballela direction - see www.bredaghgac.com

[behind the wire]

there always seems to be a great interest in down hurling amongst posters on this board, especially from non ards areas which is great to see. but i couldnt help but wonder is there anything being done within the county to encourage clubs to start playing hurling? bredagh are only newly formed and have been a breath of fresh air to hurling in the county but it would seem that we need more of the same. what would need to be done to encourage more clubs to embrace hurling as in my opinion this is the most important way to develop hurling ie, actually get more people playing it.

any views?

[stpauls]

well, we have started a hurling training session on a saturday afternoon for the kids. it is more of a come down and get introduced to hurling and shown the basics, but this will hopefully develop their interest in the sport and in the long run, will hopefully lead to us entering a team in one of the underage leagues some tine down the line!

[behind the wire]

thats good st pauls, you would be one of the clubs i would be thinking of for starting such an initiative. i also hear that carryduff have underage hurling structures set up which is good to hear.

in my opinion we could do with more development in south down, especially around the mournes.

[Lecale2]

in my opinion we could do with more development in south down, especially around the mournes.

A Mourne hurling club was set up 3 or 4 years ago and they have been fielding at under age level. All the GAA clubs in Mourne contribute to the running of the club and they train at St Louis School and at Longstone. They've produced some great wee hurlers but I think they struggle due to a lack of coaches in the area. It's an area JC and PB should be focusing on.

Ardglass are involved at u8/u10 level and there's talk of Downpatrick & Darragh Cross getting together to field again for next year.

[behind the wire]

thats good news, it seems some effort is being made. does anyone think there would be the possibility of starting a hurling competition for football only clubs? or at least see how many teams would be interested in trying to get a team togeather? theres one for the hurling task force.

i can remeber a time when mayobridge and rostrevor both played hurling, i think maybe bryansford did too, and darragh cross played until a couple of years back. just got me thinking that maybe the best way to develop hurling would be to try to revive it in these areas.

one of the biggest problems seems to be the cost of starting and maintaining a hurling team. is there not any sort of grant from croke park available for this?