Down Club Hurling & Football

[DuffGael]

Following on from Friday's match, curious if anyone had any insight on why Bredagh and Carryduff seem to be trending in different directions, despite similar levels of success at underage? Had expected a bit more from Bredagh in Div 1,particularly this year but is there something (apart from Carryduff's greater infrastructure) which is setting them apart?

The Dub is a grass pitch. Duff played Bredagh in an IHC final replay there a few years ago.


They were both heading the same direction last Thursday night. 21 - 25 miles towards Leitrim. Madness that this was the nearest best venue.

Would it be the nearest venue in Down with suitable floodlighting?

Surely the Dub (I know it's in Antrim) would have made more sense if available.

Is the Dub not 4G (as well as being in Antrim)?

Liatroim, Kilcoo, Newcastle, Downpatrick, Tullylish. All much of a muchness for the Belfast teams.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Surely the Dub (I know it's in Antrim) would have made more sense if available.

It'd be worth the county board approaching the Dub and making a general arrangement for use as a neutral venue for championship matches.

The cost might be a little higher, but you might see a bigger gate to compensate.

Ye'd think it'd justify evaluating over a few years anyway.

[Splash]

It's the best time of the year, with the Junior and Intermediate Hurling Championships beginning this week.

Starts with the biggest hurling derby this side of Strangford Lough with Ballela v Ballyvarley on Thursday night, in Ballyvarley. Ballela have spent the last few years in the Intermediate Championship, but will be far from favourites for the Junior this year.

Both teams had poor enough league campaigns, both finishing at the bottom of Division Two. Ballela seem to have picked up after a particularly bad year last year, and despite a bad league, it's been a big improvement. Johnny McCusker is still solid for them, but the big addition this year is the return of former county dual star, Mal Magee

Ballyvarley seem to have taken a step backwards from the progress they made last year, and seem to have struggled after losing their best player to Liatroim.

These teams played only once in the league, with Ballela coming out on top, but both will have changed a lot since then.

Should be a hard hitting, brutal match, and would expect to see a couple cards dished out.

If Ballyvarley can keep the frees low, they're probably a better team and will be able to out play Ballea. However, giving away frees is giving Ballela scores on a plate, and if Ballela can feed the ball through their main men and keep ticking over, they should win.

It's always interesting to note these teams are amalgamated at underage right the way through until senior. They seem to do quite well, too. You would wonder what the future holds a


Saturday sees Castlewellan host East Belfast. This time last year, East Belfast produced the shock of the year when they dumped JHC favourites, Castlewellan, out of the championship.

A lot has changed since then. Castlewellan had a good league in Division One, and cemented their status there for next year with wins over Clonduff, Newry Shamrocks, and impressively, Ballygalget.

East Belfast will join them in Division One next year, after managing to secure promotion to the top flight in only their fourth year of existence. They've come a long way, and are no longer plucky underdogs and will be expecting to win the Junior Championship and continue their rise.

That loss really hurt Castlewellan last year, but it was probably a necessary learning experience and they'll not want to be caught out twice. They have some great hurlers in the ranks, with the captain of Down's All Ireland B Champions amongst them.

East Belfast have no shortage of impressive hurlers, and will be confident going into this. They probably have the strongest overall forward line in the competition, which will cause problems for most teams.

Both of these teams realistically need to get out of the Junior Championship to continue their development, and I wouldn't be surprised to see these two meet again in the final.

It is still quite an open Junior Championship. Both Castlewellan and East Belfast will feel they need to win, Ballela feel like something of a 'one last ride' team with their old guns back, and Ballyvarley are well fit to mix it with any of those teams and could be hiding in the long grass.

It may not be as fast or as pretty as the Senior Championship, but it'll be just as interesting to watch, if not more, given how open it is.

[Splash]

The intermediate is not quite as exciting this week, but could still throw up a shock or two.

Shamrocks will travel to Kilclief, and Clonduff will host Warrenpoint.

Last year's Junior Champions, Kilclief, will want to make a statement win. However they don't seem as strong as they were last year, and whilst Shamrocks have also regressed from where they were a few years ago, it's still very hard to see past them as the best team in the Intermediate at the moment. The few years they  spent in the Senior Championship will probably serve them well.

Clonduff have been massively struggling this year. Understandable given the tragic circumstances around the club, recently. With low numbers and a poor league campaign, it is hard to see them doing much damage to a strong Point team who really want to target getting an Intermediate Championship.

Unfortunately, there's not too much more that can be said for this week's Intermediate action. Shamrocks and the Point are realistically a good bit ahead of Kiclief and Clonduff.

I think the problem with the intermediate is the lack of teams in it. There's only a few teams in the county, and there's a big enough gulf between teams going up from junior (like Kilclief) and meeting teams coming down from Senior (like Shamrocks).

I think the only real solution is we need more teams so we can expand the championships- although that is far easier said than done.

The intermediate championship should throw up some interesting clashes this year, with a mix of Div One, Div Two, and potentially Antrim league teams once the senior clubs come down later on in the championship. Realistically though, it is hard to see past whoever comes down from the senior championship meeting in the final.

Should be an interesting championship, all the same.

[Truth hurts]

The intermediate is not quite as exciting this week, but could still throw up a shock or two.

Shamrocks will travel to Kilclief, and Clonduff will host Warrenpoint.

Last year's Junior Champions, Kilclief, will want to make a statement win. However they don't seem as strong as they were last year, and whilst Shamrocks have also regressed from where they were a few years ago, it's still very hard to see past them as the best team in the Intermediate at the moment. The few years they  spent in the Senior Championship will probably serve them well.

Clonduff have been massively struggling this year. Understandable given the tragic circumstances around the club, recently. With low numbers and a poor league campaign, it is hard to see them doing much damage to a strong Point team who really want to target getting an Intermediate Championship.

Unfortunately, there's not too much more that can be said for this week's Intermediate action. Shamrocks and the Point are realistically a good bit ahead of Kiclief and Clonduff.

I think the problem with the intermediate is the lack of teams in it. There's only a few teams in the county, and there's a big enough gulf between teams going up from junior (like Kilclief) and meeting teams coming down from Senior (like Shamrocks).

I think the only real solution is we need more teams so we can expand the championships- although that is far easier said than done.

The intermediate championship should throw up some interesting clashes this year, with a mix of Div One, Div Two, and potentially Antrim league teams once the senior clubs come down later on in the championship. Realistically though, it is hard to see past whoever comes down from the senior championship meeting in the final.

Should be an interesting championship, all the same.

Thanks for this splash, what way would you like the county board to increase teams? Where would you target?

[johnnycool]

In the senior we're now getting down to the nitty gritty.

Bredagh and Liatroim is a must win game for both if either want to secure an away semi-final in the knock out stages.

Bredagh have improved as the competition has went on and Liatroim have flattered to deceive, but with Ballycran in their last game they will need to win this.

If Bredagh fail to win it then they're down into the intermediate championship. I think they might pull off a win here though.

Carryduff gave our lads a scare last Saturday and were allowed to play some decent hurling. This is also a must win game for Ballycran and I just don't see Ballycran being as stand-off ish as our lads were and will probably secure the victory here but it won't be plain sailing.
If Carryduff can get the home victory then they will have put the cat among the pigeons and will have secured one of the two remaining semi-final spots and that'll leave a three way battle for the final semi-final spot.
I'm expecting Ballycran to bandage up their walking wounded to see them over the line.


Our game v Portaferry is a meaningless game and we'll be looking to rest our minors and also those carrying a few knocks and strains. Portaferry will win this pulling up as they've the much stronger panel to contend with injuries etc etc.

[imtommygunn]

Have Carryduff plated Liatroim JC?

[Splash]

Have Carryduff plated Liatroim JC?

Played in the first round in Carryduff. Liatroim won by 10+

[imtommygunn]

Oh - cheers splash.

[Splash]

In the senior we're now getting down to the nitty gritty.

Bredagh and Liatroim is a must win game for both if either want to secure an away semi-final in the knock out stages.

Bredagh have improved as the competition has went on and Liatroim have flattered to deceive, but with Ballycran in their last game they will need to win this.

If Bredagh fail to win it then they're down into the intermediate championship. I think they might pull off a win here though.

Carryduff gave our lads a scare last Saturday and were allowed to play some decent hurling. This is also a must win game for Ballycran and I just don't see Ballycran being as stand-off ish as our lads were and will probably secure the victory here but it won't be plain sailing.
If Carryduff can get the home victory then they will have put the cat among the pigeons and will have secured one of the two remaining semi-final spots and that'll leave a three way battle for the final semi-final spot.
I'm expecting Ballycran to bandage up their walking wounded to see them over the line.


Our game v Portaferry is a meaningless game and we'll be looking to rest our minors and also those carrying a few knocks and strains. Portaferry will win this pulling up as they've the much stronger panel to contend with injuries etc etc.

Bredagh v Liatroim is for me the hardest game to call in the entire tournament. Both teams are off where they were but Bredagh seem to be going through something of a transitional period and I think Liatroim will throw everything at them to give themselves the best chance of making it to the knockouts.

Would love to see Carryduff shocking Ballycran and opening up the championship, and whilst Ballycran have been far from their best this year, it's hard to see Ballycran not coming out on top, and will be more cautious after the scare Carryduff gave Ballygalget.

I'm expecting to see a replay of the Portaferry/Ballygalget game in the final unless Ballycran have been holding back for the knockouts.

[Splash]

Oh - cheers splash.

Not a bother

[Splash]

The intermediate is not quite as exciting this week, but could still throw up a shock or two.

Shamrocks will travel to Kilclief, and Clonduff will host Warrenpoint.

Last year's Junior Champions, Kilclief, will want to make a statement win. However they don't seem as strong as they were last year, and whilst Shamrocks have also regressed from where they were a few years ago, it's still very hard to see past them as the best team in the Intermediate at the moment. The few years they  spent in the Senior Championship will probably serve them well.

Clonduff have been massively struggling this year. Understandable given the tragic circumstances around the club, recently. With low numbers and a poor league campaign, it is hard to see them doing much damage to a strong Point team who really want to target getting an Intermediate Championship.

Unfortunately, there's not too much more that can be said for this week's Intermediate action. Shamrocks and the Point are realistically a good bit ahead of Kiclief and Clonduff.

I think the problem with the intermediate is the lack of teams in it. There's only a few teams in the county, and there's a big enough gulf between teams going up from junior (like Kilclief) and meeting teams coming down from Senior (like Shamrocks).

I think the only real solution is we need more teams so we can expand the championships- although that is far easier said than done.

The intermediate championship should throw up some interesting clashes this year, with a mix of Div One, Div Two, and potentially Antrim league teams once the senior clubs come down later on in the championship. Realistically though, it is hard to see past whoever comes down from the senior championship meeting in the final.

Should be an interesting championship, all the same.

Thanks for this splash, what way would you like the county board to increase teams? Where would you target?

No bother Truth. Hope you found the read interesting.

It's of course very difficult to start hurling teams and takes a long time, and the County Board can't force clubs to field hurling teams. I think we should put the emphasis on offering football, hurling, and handball to everyone in the county and go from there.

There's a lot of areas I think could be targeted for hurling growth, and in different manners.

I think for a start we've a scope to promote hurling in our urban areas.

If you think of the major towns in the county- Newry, Downpatrick, Newcastle, Banbridge, Kilkeel etc., the only one that has a team is Newry. (I wouldn't count Kilclief, Castlewellan, and Ballyvarley as being hurling clubs in those towns, they are different clubs people from Downpatrick, Newcastle and Banbridge would have to travel to to play hurling).

Downpatrick in particular is a place with major potential I would say. A large, nationalist town, with a lot of Ards people attending school in the town.

I also think any club that fields a camogie team would be fit to field a junior hurling team. Others may disagree, but in my opinion, the resources, or at the very least, the foundations, are already there. Ballyholland, Mayobridge, Kilcoo, and An Riocht all compete in the Senior Camogie Championship. Surely it wouldn't be impossible to introduce underage hurling alongside underage camogie?

One example that comes to mind is St Kevin's. The club is exclusively a camogie club. No football, no hurling, purely camogie. Surely there should be a discussion about offering hurling? (I understand the situation surrounding St Kevin's and that it's not as simple as that, and it draws its players from Teconnaught and Drumaness etc., the run in with the county board a few years ago, but I still don't think any of that prevents the club offering hurling).

Resurrecting hurling in clubs where it used to be is also something I think should be looked at by the county board.

Darragh Cross had a particularly strong hurling team in the relative recent past. Glenn and Rostrevor had hurling teams around that time, too. There's others, but those are ones that spring to mind.

There's a lot that could be done to promote hurling in the county, and there's no quick fix, and it'll take a lot of persuasion, but it's possible.

If every club that offered camogie offered hurling, large urban clubs like RGU and Bryansford fielded clubs, and a few parishes resurrected the game, we would double the amount of hurling clubs in the county. This would be huge, and it would allow us to expand the championships to more than 4 teams, and would lead to more competitive and more interesting championships across all grades.

That's my 2 cents anyway. Im sure alot of people will say it's wishful thinking and I should give over and just let clubs focus on football, but I think it's a pragmatic way of thinking about it, and at the very least, it's discussions we should be having.

The same can be said of football in hurling clubs and handball. There's no reason we shouldn't be talking about offering Gaelic Games to everyone.

[johnnycool]

In the senior we're now getting down to the nitty gritty.

Bredagh and Liatroim is a must win game for both if either want to secure an away semi-final in the knock out stages.

Bredagh have improved as the competition has went on and Liatroim have flattered to deceive, but with Ballycran in their last game they will need to win this.

If Bredagh fail to win it then they're down into the intermediate championship. I think they might pull off a win here though.

Carryduff gave our lads a scare last Saturday and were allowed to play some decent hurling. This is also a must win game for Ballycran and I just don't see Ballycran being as stand-off ish as our lads were and will probably secure the victory here but it won't be plain sailing.
If Carryduff can get the home victory then they will have put the cat among the pigeons and will have secured one of the two remaining semi-final spots and that'll leave a three way battle for the final semi-final spot.
I'm expecting Ballycran to bandage up their walking wounded to see them over the line.


Our game v Portaferry is a meaningless game and we'll be looking to rest our minors and also those carrying a few knocks and strains. Portaferry will win this pulling up as they've the much stronger panel to contend with injuries etc etc.

Bredagh v Liatroim is for me the hardest game to call in the entire tournament. Both teams are off where they were but Bredagh seem to be going through something of a transitional period and I think Liatroim will throw everything at them to give themselves the best chance of making it to the knockouts.

Would love to see Carryduff shocking Ballycran and opening up the championship, and whilst Ballycran have been far from their best this year, it's hard to see Ballycran not coming out on top, and will be more cautious after the scare Carryduff gave Ballygalget.

I'm expecting to see a replay of the Portaferry/Ballygalget game in the final unless Ballycran have been holding back for the knockouts.

Ballycran have been openly targeting to peak later on in the championship, but if they don't beat Carryduff and Liatroim it'll be for nought.

If we do end up playing them in a semi-final it's a 50/50 game for me. They weren't at full strength in the first round game between the two of us, but neither were we. They do have a genuine lack of pace in their defence though which they can mask on a tight pitch. Our pitch is almost full width.
We struggle with big, physical forwards which they do have and they will go direct to target that.

There's a bit of hurling to be played before we get to that stage and they're still in the fight for that 3rd spot.
4th spot ultimately will be a semi-final v Portaferry in Portaferry and to date with the new round robin no one has managed to win a knock out game there.

[manwithnoplan]

The intermediate is not quite as exciting this week, but could still throw up a shock or two.

Shamrocks will travel to Kilclief, and Clonduff will host Warrenpoint.

Last year's Junior Champions, Kilclief, will want to make a statement win. However they don't seem as strong as they were last year, and whilst Shamrocks have also regressed from where they were a few years ago, it's still very hard to see past them as the best team in the Intermediate at the moment. The few years they  spent in the Senior Championship will probably serve them well.

Clonduff have been massively struggling this year. Understandable given the tragic circumstances around the club, recently. With low numbers and a poor league campaign, it is hard to see them doing much damage to a strong Point team who really want to target getting an Intermediate Championship.

Unfortunately, there's not too much more that can be said for this week's Intermediate action. Shamrocks and the Point are realistically a good bit ahead of Kiclief and Clonduff.

I think the problem with the intermediate is the lack of teams in it. There's only a few teams in the county, and there's a big enough gulf between teams going up from junior (like Kilclief) and meeting teams coming down from Senior (like Shamrocks).

I think the only real solution is we need more teams so we can expand the championships- although that is far easier said than done.

The intermediate championship should throw up some interesting clashes this year, with a mix of Div One, Div Two, and potentially Antrim league teams once the senior clubs come down later on in the championship. Realistically though, it is hard to see past whoever comes down from the senior championship meeting in the final.

Should be an interesting championship, all the same.

Thanks for this splash, what way would you like the county board to increase teams? Where would you target?

No bother Truth. Hope you found the read interesting.

It's of course very difficult to start hurling teams and takes a long time, and the County Board can't force clubs to field hurling teams. I think we should put the emphasis on offering football, hurling, and handball to everyone in the county and go from there.

There's a lot of areas I think could be targeted for hurling growth, and in different manners.

I think for a start we've a scope to promote hurling in our urban areas.

If you think of the major towns in the county- Newry, Downpatrick, Newcastle, Banbridge, Kilkeel etc., the only one that has a team is Newry. (I wouldn't count Kilclief, Castlewellan, and Ballyvarley as being hurling clubs in those towns, they are different clubs people from Downpatrick, Newcastle and Banbridge would have to travel to to play hurling).

Downpatrick in particular is a place with major potential I would say. A large, nationalist town, with a lot of Ards people attending school in the town.

I also think any club that fields a camogie team would be fit to field a junior hurling team. Others may disagree, but in my opinion, the resources, or at the very least, the foundations, are already there. Ballyholland, Mayobridge, Kilcoo, and An Riocht all compete in the Senior Camogie Championship. Surely it wouldn't be impossible to introduce underage hurling alongside underage camogie?

One example that comes to mind is St Kevin's. The club is exclusively a camogie club. No football, no hurling, purely camogie. Surely there should be a discussion about offering hurling? (I understand the situation surrounding St Kevin's and that it's not as simple as that, and it draws its players from Teconnaught and Drumaness etc., the run in with the county board a few years ago, but I still don't think any of that prevents the club offering hurling).

Resurrecting hurling in clubs where it used to be is also something I think should be looked at by the county board.

Darragh Cross had a particularly strong hurling team in the relative recent past. Glenn and Rostrevor had hurling teams around that time, too. There's others, but those are ones that spring to mind.

There's a lot that could be done to promote hurling in the county, and there's no quick fix, and it'll take a lot of persuasion, but it's possible.

If every club that offered camogie offered hurling, large urban clubs like RGU and Bryansford fielded clubs, and a few parishes resurrected the game, we would double the amount of hurling clubs in the county. This would be huge, and it would allow us to expand the championships to more than 4 teams, and would lead to more competitive and more interesting championships across all grades.

That's my 2 cents anyway. Im sure alot of people will say it's wishful thinking and I should give over and just let clubs focus on football, but I think it's a pragmatic way of thinking about it, and at the very least, it's discussions we should be having.

The same can be said of football in hurling clubs and handball. There's no reason we shouldn't be talking about offering Gaelic Games to everyone.

I wouldn't agree Downpatrick has any potential in terms of hurling. It could be easily argued that for such a large population the RGU have seriously underachieved in football for a very long time. I doubt there would be a strong enough interest for hurling or the playing numbers to sustain it.

[johnnycool]

FYI Newry is getting it's own dedicated GDO, so they better promote hurling as well or else they'll be getting it on Twitter.

I think we're also getting a hurling GDO for the whole county.   

Overdue for manys a year.