Down Club Hurling & Football

[Lecale2]

Jingo was disgusted by his charges tendency to fight, just a tad ironic to some of us who know the mans own playing history with the Paddies in the bear pit.

Magic will start. No question about it. I think you're messing there Jonnycool!

[johnneycool]

Jingo was disgusted by his charges tendency to fight, just a tad ironic to some of us who know the mans own playing history with the Paddies in the bear pit.

Magic will start. No question about it. I think you're messing there Jonnycool!

I kid you not Lecale, he give out to them after the 40 minute game.

As for magic i wouldn't start him on principal as he hasn't done the hard yards even though he trained with the club on sunday morning and wasn't in too bad of nick, his touch is unbelievable even if he hasn't had a hurl in his hand for the best part of 4 months.
You got to show some kind of respect to the rest of the lads who've bothered to bust their balls through the stamina training or you'll lose any team spirit built up over the winter. I'd make him work like f**k for the next few weeks but the Meath game is a must win for Down he'll be very tempting to spring from the bench if things aren't going your way. A tough decision for Jingo to make so early in the year.

[goldenyears]

I cant understand the below - surely we need training facilities / central  development ground etc
when club down has been so good, why oh why would they let it stand down??


Latest News: Committee to Stand Down

Statement from Sean O''Neill, Chairman

Following the successful completion of the redevelopment of Park Esler, the Committee of Club Down has undertaken discussions with the officers of the County Committee to determine what role Club Down might now play for the future benefit of the GAA in the county. We have not identified a specific role that we feel we could undertake at this stage and therefore, at our last meeting, it was agreed in principle to wind up our activity as at 31st March 2008. The officers of the Committee were authorised by that meeting to prepare the final accounts and make suitable interim and transitional arrangements, including the disposal of assets. Any surplus funds will be made available to the county's designated Park Esler account. This will come as a disappointment to many of our sponsors and members whose loyalty to our efforts has been the sound foundation on which our success was built, but it may be that a suitable project or role will emerge in the future for a re-constituted Club Down or similar body; however, in the meantime we have decided to stand down. I want to emphasise that we have enjoyed the best of working relations with the county officers and they have our full support going forward. A final statement of account will be sent to all members and sponsors in due course and the co-ordinator will also be writing with details of our transitional arrangements. The Club Down Committee has worked extremely hard over the past five years to deliver the new stadium that is Park Esler, and we are proud that, with your invaluable support, we helped to make it happen. It is a worthy testament to your generous contribution and a significant investment in the future of the GAA in Down. Thank you again most sincerely for the important part you have played.

Source: Club Down

[Pangurban]

Totally mystified by above statement, unbelievable that no need or role which could be addressed by Club Down can be identified, at this time. If the organisation winds up, it will be difficult if not impossible to re-form, especially with people of the same calibre. There must be more to this story, something is wrong somewhere

[amallon]

The U21's were beaten by a point by Monaghan in the final of the Shamrock cup in Burren tonight after extra time.  It was a good enough game of football on a lsippy surface.  £7 was steep enough for a gloified under 21 challenge game.

[5 Sams]

£7 was steep enough for a gloified under 21 challenge game.

Hungry bastards!!!!! Who was taking the gate??

[amallon]

Cremartin (Monagahn Club) run the tournament and I believe they get the gate.  Its a nice wee fundraiser for them.

[Leo]

Totally mystified by above statement, unbelievable that no need or role which could be addressed by Club Down can be identified, at this time. If the organisation winds up, it will be difficult if not impossible to re-form, especially with people of the same calibre. There must be more to this story, something is wrong somewhere

Agree that Club Down has been the most successful initiative in the county for as long as I recall. Thie aim was to complete Park Esler and this they have achieved. I know that there is talk of new dressing rooms but thier main objective has been met. They may consider that training facilities etc will be taken care of by money from Newcastle but still the county board should be movinhg heaven and earth to keep these guys on board.
I suppose by stepping aside they are proving that theye are not motivated by holding onto office unless it is for some clear purpose, and the tone of the statement indicates that they are deferring to the wishes of the county board, but I am mystified as to why the new county board has not sincluded them in a county plan.
Club Down went about their business quietly and efficiently and the proof of the pudding id there for all to see in our fantastic new ground at Newry. Make no mistake about it their resignation is a major setback for the GAA in Down.

[Bacon]

Drumgrath have applied to be regraded from Junior to Intermediate while Ballyvarley have applied to be regraded in the other direction. Decisions will be taken next week.

Drumgrath have a case and it's good to see a club taking the initiative. It's nonsense to have a club drop from Senior to Junior in a year. They would have walked the JFC and it's good to see them not grabbing the cheap trophy.

Ballyvarley won the JHC two years but are no where near Intermediate standard. They were very badly beaten by Ballygalget in the IHC last year and finished near the bottom of Division 2. It makes sense for them to drop back down with Bredagh going up to Intermediate.

[loughshore lad]

Sorry to interrupt lads. My club (Ardboe) are playing Clonduff on sunday in the ulster league. What sort of team have they and who are their main players (I know Aidan Carr and John Fegan play for them)? Where are they based?

[wobbller]

  their men players
  There is some of the women players I don't know

[wobbller]

 Joking aside they are based in Hilltown with their pitch on the Castlewellan Road opp the Chapel as you go out of the town!

[loughshore lad]

  their men players
  There is some of the women players I don't know

Joking aside they are based in Hilltown with their pitch on the Castlewellan Road opp the Chapel as you go out of the town!

Cheers, just trying to decide if I should go and watch it, its a fair drive for an ulster league game. What are they like?

[Down Gael]

Former Down All-Ireland winning captain and current county senior assistant team-manager DJ Kane has been banned for 16 weeks after his latest sideline indiscretion. However, his suspension will end in time for the Mourne sides Ulster SFC first round clash with Tyrone this summer.

Kane's suspension expires at 12 midnight on the day of Down's trip to Healy Park, Omagh on Sunday, June 8th.

It was confirmed from Croke Park this week that Kane is not just banned from the sideline , but also from the changing rooms area and will not be allowed to sit among the substitutes in the stands, according to the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

Kane angrily protested against a decision involving Down player Ronan Sexton which prompted Armagh referee, Padraig Hughes to banish him from the dug-out. After consulting Hughes' subsequent match report the CCCC handed down a 16 weeks suspension to the 1994 Down All-Ireland winning captain.


Earlier this year DJ Kane incurred the wrath of the Ulster Council and suffered a sideline ban during the Mourne county's successful Dr. McKenna Cup campaign which ended with their final defeat of Derry in Casement Park.

Last season, the Down assistant manager missed the start of the Ulster championship campaign after becoming embroiled in an unseemly incident in a game between Down and Armagh that led to an 8 weeks sideline suspension.

Kane was sent to the stands for the Mournemen's two games against Cavan in Kingspan/Breffni Park, Cavan and Pairc Esler in Newry before returning to the sidelines alongside manager Ross Carr. It is unlikely that the Down officials will contest Kane's latest ban.

It now looks as if Down boss, Ross Carr will be without the assistance of his assistant manager on match-days for the remainder of their NFL Division Three campaign - with games against Longford (home), Limerick (home), Leitrim (away) and Fermanagh (home).

With three games played to date in the current NFL the Down side are nicely placed in the division with two wins out of three starts - they lost their last game away to Wexford who presently top the league table.

[amallon]

No way!