Down Club Hurling & Football

[johnneycool]

SHC Semi Final Result
Ballygalget 0-16 0-11 Portaferry
A poor enough game that lacked the intensity of recent championship matches between these two. Gramham Clarke dislocated his should after 6/7 minutes and had to go off. I must say the reaction of a small section of the Portaferry support was a disgrace. The rivalry between Portaferry and Ballygalget is getting way out of hand.
Playing with a strong breeze Ballygalget went in 10-7 up and I have to say I didn't think they had done enough. In the second half Portaferry never got going at all where as Galgets lifted there game. Ports were missing easy frees and Ballgalget took every opportunity with Magic, Paddy rat and Johnny Boon picking off points. The game was over with 10 minutes left when a 21 yd free was saved by the Ballygalget defence.
Altogether it was a disappointing game for the large crowd but Ballygalget won't worry about that.

T'was a poor game alright with very few points from play but in fairness the tight confines of the pitch are always going to mitigate against high scoring games down there.
Even though we won I think we have real concerns about our half forward line who apart from Magic didn't win enough ball. Both Gary Flynn and Stevie Clarke getting called ashore long before the end. I can't think of either striking leather with any significance during their duration on the field. Barry Coulter adds much needed physique and experience in this area but he hasn't the legs for 60 minutes any more. Maybe some younger blood will get a chance in the final!!
Stevie Johnson needs to let the ball into the forwards earlier as his solo running is abysmal, a boot up the hole required there IMO. Gabs Clarke swept up a lot of the breaking ball aimed for BA and although did give away silly free's was the pick of our defence. I'd still like to see him in midfield but with a Bo Duke getting his first start in centre back I can understand the logic of keeping him back there.
I really couldn't understand the Ports who had nothing barring a forray from Coogie and BA didn't really trouble a suspect Ballygalget defence early on. With a new keeper from very early on, novice fullback and centre back making their championship starts not really tested. The fight went out of them early plus McGarry for all his faults was far from Portaferry's worst player, Marty should of maybe looked a bit closer to home as wee Pete had a mare from the start. Neither big Emmet or Niall McGee are going to break any delf yet stayed on long enough. Zelda as I've said in the past relied very heavily on his now defunct speed, Paddy rat exposed him on several occasions yet Zelda stayed on ahead of Ryan Conlon who's a better hurler and defender.
I see Dule was stripped out but it would of been pure madness to consider bringing him on at any stage on sunday. He's now got the winter and spring to get himself right and it's the best in the long term.

HTF.

[Lecale2]

Behind the Wire - I think you've hit one of the nails on the head. Hurling costs more than football and for this reason club committees are reluctant to encourage it. It's also expensive compared to football for parents with young ones. Just by way of example - I look after a minor team and 2 weeks ago we went down to Kilcief for a league game. It was a very close game played in a sporting manner and both teams enjoyed it. We lost 6 balls and the lads broke 9 sticks. A ball costs £5.50 and a stick around £12. Plus every lad had to have a helmet at £35 a go.
It's alot dearer than football for clubs & parents. I think the GAA outh to subsisdise hurling toput it on a level playing field.

In the 80s the county Board got an interest in promoting hurling and launched a competion for football clubs. It worked to an extent and may be worth trying again. I think they ran it on Tuesdays (hurling night as a 9-11 aside competition).

[Bacon]

On the basis of who would benefit more from the JHC final,I think it would be Warrenpoint in the short term as they have been putting in the effort over a longer period of time.Having been at Bredagh's talk show there seems to be a good collection of gaels who'll get over any disappointment they might get tomorrow and come back stronger next year.

I think for Bredagh this is next year! They threw it away last year and for some of their older players like Lorenzo & Danny H this could be the last chance. Having said that you're right about the Point plugging away for over 30 years with little to show for the effort.  Good luck to both clubs.

[Aristotle Flynn]

While I am sure it is quite exciting for Warenpoint and Bredagh,who really gives a toss about this match?Is there no football of any description on this week?

Catch yourself on wobbler. This is a GAA discussion board and if lads want to discuss GAA what's your problem? Where you p*ssed in the early hours when you posted or just annoyed that Ballyholland are out of the Championship?
To keep you happy here's a result from last nights Div 2 Football - Downpatrick 3-15 0-07 Carryduff. The hoops confirm a play off place. Carryduff were already down.

[DownFanatic]

With the League season proper basically at an end (playoffs remaining of course) I think it would be interesting to name our Divisional AllStar teams. Here would be my Division 3 selection based purely on League form.

Goalkeeper                                                           
Andy Coleman (Bosco)

Full Back Line
Neil McComiskey (Dundrum)       
Gareth Johnson (Tullylish)       
Niall Fitzpatrick (Drumgath)

Half Back Line
Donnan Ritchie (Saul)                 
Jody Gormley (Bredagh)         
Kevin McKiverghan (Tullylish)

Midfield
Adam King (Saul)                     
Peter Quinn (Tullylish)

Half Forward Line
Eamon Pollock (Mitchels)           
Paul McComiskey (Dundrum)           
Kyle Brennan (Bosco)

Full Forward Line
Mark Brannigan (Drumgath)           
Nathan Keenan (Saul)                 
Enda Gormley (Bredagh)

[Bacon]

JHC Result Bredagh 2-10 1-02 Warrenpoint
Just in from the Junior Hurling Final which Bredagh won on a scoreline of 2-10 to 1-02. The Point weren't at the match and it was played at a pedestrian pace in the first half. Playing with the strong wind Warrenpoint allowed Bredagh to dominate and they scored 1-4 while The Point hit wide after wide. Warrenpoint finally found the target with a pointed free in injury time at the end of the first half.
The Point improved a bit in the second half and in truth that wasn't hard to do they were so poor in the first. They pulled back to within 4 points of the south Belfast men but Bredagh scored a goal & 4 points without reply to run out easy winners.
Down Democrat Man of the match was Ian Galway for Bredagh. Danny Hughes, Fergal McCamphill, Paul Doole and Eoin Donnelly were excellent for the winners. Spud Murphy in goals and Deccy Boyle at full back were the only Point players to impress.

[lecale4]

Well done to the hurlers and Ian Galway for his MoM performance.
That's JHC and Div 2 for the hurlers, EDRFL and the Div 3 play-offs to come for the Snr footballers. Not bad for a wee City club!!!
Any word of venues for the play-offs yet?

[Square Ball]

agree with Bacon's assessment of a dour game, a long night in the Paradox beckons for the boys, Danny Hughes was his normal fantastic self, does he now have the full set of Senior, intermediate and junior hurling medals?

[6th sam]

delighted to see bredagh secure the hurling title-especially with the likes of danny hughes and lorenzo mcmullan on board.For bredagh to start a hurling club from scratch and do so well is a massive achievement.
If bredagh can build on their success with competing against the ards at underage level -it will give Down a hurling foothold in the city,which could be a catalyst for a hurling revival in the county.
well done bredagh

[Mourne Rover]

Bredagh's fine under-age structures mean they have every chance of progressing. Informed sources say Danny Hughes does not have an Intermediate medal...yet.

[In the Onion Bag]

Wel done the Bredadh Hurlers.  I know they wanted this one badly, esp after the dissapointment of last year.

Heard also that the Stone cleaned up at Kilmacud.  If so well done again.  Gr8 to see a former club do so well, now go on a take the County title as well.

[Lecale2]

There's a few sore heads around south Belfast this morning. I left the Parador around 2 and the party was still in full swing. Delighted with the result and looking forward to giving Ulster a rattle. Apparently we now face the Armagh Junior Champions in Newry on 30th September.

I heard Longstone beat St Gall's by 11 points in the final. Congratulations.

[Square Ball]

There's a few sore heads around south Belfast this morning. I left the Parador around 2 and the party was still in full swing. Delighted with the result and looking forward to giving Ulster a rattle. Apparently we now face the Armagh Junior Champions in Newry on 30th September.

I heard Longstone beat St Gall's by 11 points in the final. Congratulations.

will be great if it is the 30th, wont clash withh the football play offs.

Lecale, seen a few of the team this morning at the underage training, looked OK to me

[weeman]

good point from 6th sam - until Down get another 2 or 3 senior clubs they're going nowhere fast - hopefully the likes of Bredagh can compete with the Ards teams in the future but it's at least 5/6 years away at the minute

[Square Ball]

Its a brilliant result fot the Belfast team, we have lot of kids who want to play hurling and are more than capable of doing it