Down Club Hurling & Football

[mourne gael]

lol..... your new pitch is fair taking shape nice job will fair look the part when it's complete fair play to yah's

[Blue Island]

Can anybody verify the play off rules - I was told yesterday it goes on score difference if there is a tie, I know last year after the three teams had a win each they replayed with Annaclone going down but was this changed? Hopefully not.

I think it's still the same spirit. At least we have not heard otherwise and anticapate further games. Although with the present Drumgath fiasco in mind it is probably better to see these things wrtten down in black and white.

With regards your performance I would have to agree that we were surprised at Bryansfords performance. However, not as surprised as you would expect and I don't think there is necessarily any thing seriously wrong at the Ford. I think these play offs can favour those teams who know they are going to be in them at an early stage. I think Bryansford had an eye on the Longstone - Castlewellan match and hoping they would avoid the play offs. Consequently, they were caught short psycolgically and were not prepared in their heads for the challenge. I would expect that mindset to now change and their next match will be a very different story. It is the same every year. The team pulled last into the play offs can be very vulnerable mentally. The challenge is to accept your up to your neck in and roll the sleeves up and get on with it. McComskey has Laitroim fired up for these play offs but they will be pissed that they have to play again and I expect a very tight match with the Ford. All to play for. Boy, do these play offs suck.

[spiritof91and94]

Can anybody verify the play off rules - I was told yesterday it goes on score difference if there is a tie, I know last year after the three teams had a win each they replayed with Annaclone going down but was this changed? Hopefully not.

I think it's still the same spirit. At least we have not heard otherwise and anticapate further games. Although with the present Drumgath fiasco in mind it is probably better to see these things wrtten down in black and white.

With regards your performance I would have to agree that we were surprised at Bryansfords performance. However, not as surprised as you would expect and I don't think there is necessarily any thing seriously wrong at the Ford. I think these play offs can favour those teams who know they are going to be in them at an early stage. I think Bryansford had an eye on the Longstone - Castlewellan match and hoping they would avoid the play offs. Consequently, they were caught short psycolgically and were not prepared in their heads for the challenge. I would expect that mindset to now change and their next match will be a very different story. It is the same every year. The team pulled last into the play offs can be very vulnerable mentally. The challenge is to accept your up to your neck in and roll the sleeves up and get on with it. McComskey has Laitroim fired up for these play offs but they will be pissed that they have to play again and I expect a very tight match with the Ford. All to play for. Boy, do these play offs suck.

I dont buy that for one minute - we were bloody awful - Joe Ireland, Conor Gribben and Luke Howard + Down panel = joke!!!!!!

On the County front - they are taking over Bryansford Sports Hall and fitting it out as a gym for the new Panel.

[amallon]

Spirit - Do you mean the sports hall in your new club house?  If not I didn't know the Ford had a sports hall.

[southdown]

AMallon, where did you hear that McGeeney is training us??  I can tell you that is 100% lies!  Unless you are mistaking him for Chris Burden of course! And one session in Attical would be a bit closer to the mark.

[up down]

i agree with south down for once in that young gibney should get chance. also heard rumors that ciaran rogers from the 'stone was asked to join the county panel, a nippy defender with a good work ethic but can be a bit yella at times.
from the squad that has been announced its lookin like another depressing year from down, the players arent there not the managements fault.
bryansford are the worst team in division 1 apart from attical their performance the other day was terrible. castlewellan should just give up aswell, bunch of posers!

[spiritof91and94]

Spirit - Do you mean the sports hall in your new club house?  If not I didn't know the Ford had a sports hall.

Yeah, in St Patrick's park - the large building next to the stand.

[amallon]

Southdown - Heard it in the pub at the weekend.  I take everything I hear in the pub with a pinch of salt, especially the pub I drink in!  I notice you didn't shoot down the holidays rumour. 

The Down Masters beat Tyrone last night 2-12 to 0-9 in Omagh. 

[downredblack]

What time is the throw in on Sunday ?

amallon - Where you  at the masters game ? How did Micky get on ?

[amallon]

Think its 3:45 on Sunday.

I wasn't at the Masters just got a text about it this morning. The text said that Mickey and Robbie scored 2-6 between them so I'm not sure what the breakdown was.

[spiritof91and94]

i agree with south down for once in that young gibney should get chance. also heard rumors that ciaran rogers from the 'stone was asked to join the county panel, a nippy defender with a good work ethic but can be a bit yella at times.
from the squad that has been announced its lookin like another depressing year from down, the players arent there not the managements fault.
bryansford are the worst team in division 1 apart from attical their performance the other day was terrible. castlewellan should just give up aswell, bunch of posers!

Who to fu~k are you and where did you come in from?

Did you think that any particular squad was going to change things? We all know the problems are out there.

Just because Bryansford had a bad day it doesnt make them the worst team - they had 21 points usually enough to see you safe but with the league being so tight this year it went to the wire with Castlewellan getting a great win against the County Finalists Longstone to finish with 22 points - if Bryansford are as bad as a p***k like you is stating then just give mayobridge the cup today as Longstone wont be a threat at all especially with a 'yella corner back' in their team.
I know we had a bad day on Saturday and stated it here but we arent gone yet - Saturday is the biggest test for Bryansford in a long time and I will be confident of a result.
As for Castlewellan being posers perhaps Townie could reply to that one.

[6th sam]

Again ,we have the unpredictable fixture chaos associated with our current club structure--Incidentally ,you can't blame the activities committee for this-it's just the system that's crazy.
A few examples:
Bryansford-defeat in their last league match dragged them into the bottom 4,despite being within touching distance of the top 4.
RGU pipped Annaclone to a place in the top 4 on the back of a nothing game against an already relegated Carryduff.
Mayobridge and RGU having to prepare for the Ulster club series,and also play league playoffs.
St.Paul's secured a playoff after Teconnaught didn't field in their last game.
Drumgath-effectively penalised for providing county players.
Drumaness-Div 4 dominance,and short 4 month season proved poor preparation for JFC.
Season fragmented for all,and very short for some teams.
Confusion surrounding play-off rules-score difference etc.
County players regularly playing do-or die games in Nov /Dec.
Fixture dates/times totally unpredictable from September onwards-making it impossible for players to plan work etc.
Championship almost relegated to being of secondary importance to the leagues,as relegation/promotion means so much to clubs.
Poor revenue from club championships.
The list is endless--who does this current system suit?

Every player(from a number of clubs) I have asked about this ,despise the current system.

IT HAS TO CHANGE-I am convinced that our club system contributes to our lack of success at senior level.
There are solutions out there,but I feel  clubs need to agree that this is a serious issue.Regrettably however a few clubs seem to veto change every year.

Do any of our regular contributors have any thoughts on this?

[stpauls]

personally 6th Sam, regardless of our current situation as a club, i would prefer to see in every league, the top team wins the league and is promoted automatically, with the next 3 teams in a promotion play-off, with it being the next 2 teams in division 4, although this is based on the current league format and will all depend if they are changed in the future.
no relegation playoffs, bottom 2 teams go down automatically, meaning that teams have to play to their capability all season to stay up and cannot rescue it in 1-2 games at the end of the season.  **looks around whistling**
obviously the current system is benefiting us at the minute, but it just drags a season out longer for a team that make the 30% rule but still have no chance to stay up. and as the current system doesn't seem to be working, god only knows when our season will come to an end thanks to the Drumgath saga!

edit: as a club who would have a vested interest in the Drumgath saga, you would assume that the county board could at least let us know the outcome of the CCC meeting held on saturday to try and sort out the problem, but no, not a dickiebird about it!! stupid county board!!! Rant Over!

[general]

to be honest it seves drumgath rite for being so aragant!!!! they sould have fielded, just bad luck for them and if relegated or whatever il be glad in a way as its gna giv us a good chance of promotion nxt season and il not hav to listen to that oul bag patsie mcpolin!!! he needs shot

[cavanmaniac]

Who's in the Down SFC final on TG4 on Sunday? Mayobridge I'll guess, but versus who?