Down Club Hurling & Football

[Niall Quinn]

Predictions league
After Tues games

14   Downfanatic
13   Niall Quinn
12   Amallon
12   Bridgegael
12   General
12   Islandboy
12   Off the Laces
11   Centre3/4
11   D45
11   Dundrumite
11   TheWobbler
11   Square Ball
11   Umpire
10   Brick Tamlin
10   Minus15
10   NO1

Four games left

Wed evening
IFC; Drumgath v Carryduff
IFC; Banbridge v Warrenpoint
JFC; Glenn v St Michaels

Sat
SFC; Liatroim v Longstone

In the interests of pedantry, aren't both Down Fanatic and AMallon also on 13?

[amallon]

Are we including this weekends Reserve Championship in the predictions comp?

If so my predictions:
Sunday 24th August

2pm PRFC

Ballymartin v Kilcoo

Bredagh v Saval

Burren v Bryansford

Carryduff v Mayobridge


6pm RFC

Darragh Cross v Dundrum

Bosco v Mayobridge

Rostrevor v Atticall

Castlewellan v An Riocht

[amallon]

Bridge v Clonduff
I didn't think we looked capable of loosing the game but it wasn't a great Bridge performance, we gave the ball away an unnormal amount of times for us.  Hopefully we will improve for the Ford game, I don't care that they are in Div2 they really pushed us to the pin of our collar last year and have the players to do it this year too. 

Kilcoo v Kingdom
I wasn't at this game and I thought someone had made a typo when texting me the result.  The Kingdom have been poor all year and Kilcoo will get a real test against Burren.  That game is almost too tight to call, but I'd give Burren the nod

Rostrevor - Loughinisland
Not really surprised with this result, Rostrevor put in one of the worst league performances I've ever seen from a Reds team in our league game down in their place earlier in the season.

[its me again]

been following the own championship over the last few days and i still cant understand why Kilcoo have no county representation on county panel

they seem to have at least a few good panel players 2 ff's and a fb places where down could do with a fresh face from the bench judging by their last performance

yet there were 6 Shamrocks players at one stage and they are mid table division 2 playing intermediate championship

kilcoo are in Div 1 for 10 years now beaten by narrow margins in the last two years championship and last nite beat the current league championships ( with 3 county starting players by 20 odd points)?

[6th sam]

I think An Riochts performance this year,following on from their league win last year,illustrates yet again that our club structures need to be looked at.Championship status should reflect a teams ability with all their county men available,and therefore chamionship should be promoted as the blue riband competition-a genuine reflection of your club's actual standing in the county,ability wise.
League status on the other hand should reflect a team's overall consistency throughout the year,including games when county men are unavailable,and though a meaningful year long competition it is different from championship,as clubs must play some games without their best players.An Riocht won last year's league play-offs having finished just a few points above Bryansford-who ended up relegated,only to totally dominate div 2.Ironically,despite this domination,Bryansford may lose out in promotion play-offs this year!
I strongly believe that the best solution to our club structures should be on the basis of Rugby's Heiniken cup and Magniers league.Let all teams have an extended championship ,when all their players are available.The league fixtures should  proceed regardless of county committments.This would give all players regular fixed date games,and revitalise the championship.It would also put a stop to the lottery of league play-offs in November.The difficulty with play-offs is that it does not reflect the club's overall consistency,and therefore club's can get promoted on the basis of a couple of wins with their county men available ,but then have to play most of their league games,the next year without their county men...leaving clubs like Dundrum and Tullylish to struggle in the higher league.Clubs then hope their county men to get them out of jail in relegation play-offs in November.

Dundrum is the perfect example-with McComiskey,they could give the IFC a rattle,without him they have really struggled in Div 2.

I was involved in a number of successful play-off campaigns,but I found that raising your game for play-offs in November ,gives a false impression of how you are going to cope the following season.

A league should be just that.Start in March,and played each week when there isn't a championship game.County players can play when released.

Championship could  be a mini-league ,followed by knock-out and an "A" and "B" championship at each level.This gives all clubs meaningful extended championship ,with all their players available.The mini-league would be played in March-July,on the weeks when county men available.The knockout phase ,would usually only proceed when Down's championship progress finishes.

This guarantees all our county players championship pace club games,when they have no county games ,but spares them play-off games in mid-november,when they should be having their off season break.

Any thoughts?

[dodgy umpire]

your right about the flaws with the playoffs . not too sure about the idea of a mini league in the championship though

[umpire]

Niall Quinn,

You are 100 % correct, my apologies

The latest update table.

13   Amallon
13   Downfanatic
13   Niall Quinn
12   Bridgegael
12   General
12   Islandboy
12   Off the Laces
11   Centre3/4
11   D45
11   Dundrumite
11   TheWobbler
11   Square Ball
11   Umpire
10   Brick Tamlin
10   Minus15
10   NO1

[No1]

Hey boy, I didn't know I was entering a competition! 

Get my name outta there, unless you turn the table upside down!

[D4S]

Niall Quinn,

You are 100 % correct, my apologies

Very sporting of you Niall Quinn fair play

I was also at the Kilcoo An Riocht game last night.  I went anticipating a really good game thought the An Riocht would really lift themselves, but they never competed with Kilcoo's workrate.  I'm sure they were delighted going in only 3points down and thought they would come out and make a real game of it the 2nd half, but even after the restart they couldn't up their game at all.  Was very disappointed with them.  I heard at the game Kilcoo supposedly had 2 sessions with a psychologist last week anybody else hear this?  Seemed to pay off, they will have a much tougher game against Burren though next week, they should maybe book in for 3 sessions before then! Would like to see Kilcoo win that game as they've been consistently in the top4 for at least the past 8years and yet they've never made a championship final, so I'd like to see them give it a rattle this year.  At this moment in time though the only team I can see putting it up to Mayobridge will be Burren, who see to be as close to full strength at the minute as they;ve been for a few years.

[southdown]

Where has that An Riocht poster went, Andy I think he was called??  He has been quiet for a while now!

[Whitehair]

JHC

Ballela 0.16 Warrenpoint 2.9

Half time we lead 0.7 to 0.6 then in the 2nd half we extended our lead on two occasions only to concede soft goals. Warrenpoints second goal coming with a minute to go to give them a one point lead then we scored two points in a minute to snatch the win. A game we could and should have won easily we hit about 20 wides(12frees, 5 in the last 10min) to their 5-6 wides and could have faced being dumped out of the championship.

Clonduff and Portaferry drew in the other match.

[D4S]

2pm PRFC

Ballymartin v Kilcoo - KILCOO

Bredagh v Saval  -   SAVAL

Burren v Bryansford  - BURREN

Carryduff v Mayobridge  - MAYOBRIDGE


6pm RFC

Darragh Cross v Dundrum  -  DARRAGH CROSS

Bosco v Mayobridge   -   MAYOBRIDGE

Rostrevor v Atticall  -   ROSTREVOR

Castlewellan v An Riocht   -   CASTLEWELLAN

[gorm agus bui]

Niall Quinn,

You are 100 % correct, my apologies

Very sporting of you Niall Quinn fair play

I was also at the Kilcoo An Riocht game last night.  I went anticipating a really good game thought the An Riocht would really lift themselves, but they never competed with Kilcoo's workrate.  I'm sure they were delighted going in only 3points down and thought they would come out and make a real game of it the 2nd half, but even after the restart they couldn't up their game at all.  Was very disappointed with them.  I heard at the game Kilcoo supposedly had 2 sessions with a psychologist last week anybody else hear this?  Seemed to pay off, they will have a much tougher game against Burren though next week, they should maybe book in for 3 sessions before then! Would like to see Kilcoo win that game as they've been consistently in the top4 for at least the past 8years and yet they've never made a championship final, so I'd like to see them give it a rattle this year.  At this moment in time though the only team I can see putting it up to Mayobridge will be Burren, who see to be as close to full strength at the minute as they;ve been for a few years.

wrong re psychologists: It was a psychiatrist

[D4S]

 

[BRIDGE LAD]

Does anyone know the dates for the finals of the RFC, PRFC and senior championship?