Down Club Hurling & Football

[thewobbler]

Fior Gael, the simple answer is no.

Those fellas are still under-16s and are eligible to compete in under-16 competitions until December 31st.

[supersub]

i presume that they are not allowed to play u21 football for their club either then if they are still u16 until dec 31st? didnt this happen with ballyholland and another club last year in the u21 championship ending in an appeal?

[spiritof91and94]

It is now Under 20 and the rules state no Under 16 can play albeit very badly stated.

[spiritof91and94]

6th Sam, I truly wish I was allowed more of a social life.

Seriously though, I'm not a player these days except in the most direst of emergencies (and some would say that this was always the case).

But I train with the senior panel, and act as a rep for them when they need things done either with our committee or with the county board. Players approach me throughout the season about when our fixtures are, about what fixtures they would want moved, and about when they should book holidays.

Other clubs go through me a lot of the time when they want to reschedule. I can normally weigh up the pros and cons of switching a fixture straightaway, either at our request or at another club's request. There are certain clubs in Down who I will never do another favour for, but that's another matter.

So I'm in a pretty good position to know what the average player wants out of a season, if only based on the players of one club.
Secondly, I spent a year on the County Board - so I know all too well what they have to put up with. I've a better understanding than most of just how much effort it takes to run the excellent league programme we currently have, and I've a better understanding than most that change just won't happen for the sake of it - which is what a lot of these proposals effectively amount to. When you truly weigh up most of the demands that clubs have, most of them are purely selfish needs and don't think of the bigger picture.

Why not just tell us you are the Club Fixture Secretary.

[5 Sams]

6th Sam, I truly wish I was allowed more of a social life.

Seriously though, I'm not a player these days except in the most direst of emergencies (and some would say that this was always the case).

But I train with the senior panel, and act as a rep for them when they need things done either with our committee or with the county board. Players approach me throughout the season about when our fixtures are, about what fixtures they would want moved, and about when they should book holidays.

Other clubs go through me a lot of the time when they want to reschedule. I can normally weigh up the pros and cons of switching a fixture straightaway, either at our request or at another club's request. There are certain clubs in Down who I will never do another favour for, but that's another matter.

So I'm in a pretty good position to know what the average player wants out of a season, if only based on the players of one club.
Secondly, I spent a year on the County Board - so I know all too well what they have to put up with. I've a better understanding than most of just how much effort it takes to run the excellent league programme we currently have, and I've a better understanding than most that change just won't happen for the sake of it - which is what a lot of these proposals effectively amount to. When you truly weigh up most of the demands that clubs have, most of them are purely selfish needs and don't think of the bigger picture.

Why not just tell us you are the Club Fixture Secretary.

I wish to fcuk he was

[johnneycool]

 As for the hurling, I don't wanna start as I would be here for another 3 pages!

Vent your spleen.

I'd like to hear the perspective of a non-ards person on the woes of Down hurling.

[wobbller]

6th Sam, I truly wish I was allowed more of a social life.

Seriously though, I'm not a player these days except in the most direst of emergencies (and some would say that this was always the case).

But I train with the senior panel, and act as a rep for them when they need things done either with our committee or with the county board. Players approach me throughout the season about when our fixtures are, about what fixtures they would want moved, and about when they should book holidays.

Other clubs go through me a lot of the time when they want to reschedule. I can normally weigh up the pros and cons of switching a fixture straightaway, either at our request or at another club's request. There are certain clubs in Down who I will never do another favour for, but that's another matter.

So I'm in a pretty good position to know what the average player wants out of a season, if only based on the players of one club.
Secondly, I spent a year on the County Board - so I know all too well what they have to put up with. I've a better understanding than most of just how much effort it takes to run the excellent league programme we currently have, and I've a better understanding than most that change just won't happen for the sake of it - which is what a lot of these proposals effectively amount to. When you truly weigh up most of the demands that clubs have, most of them are purely selfish needs and don't think of the bigger picture.

Why not just tell us you are the Club Fixture Secretary.

I'd be interested to hear about the Clubs that p..sed you off.We could could compare notes. Bryansford must be the biggest t**sers from all that I've heard over the years.

[Square Ball]

It is now Under 20 and the rules state no Under 16 can play albeit very badly stated.

I dont think you are supposed to be able to play more than one age above you, therefore u16s can play minor and not above

[DownFanatic]

Im definitely in favour of an amendment to our League structures.

If we were to increase the number of divisions, Id go for 5, with 8 teams in Division 1-4 and 11 teams in Division 5 with each team playing each other twice.

The reason for this suggested structure is that over the past few years a few trends have emerged in our Leagues. Generally Division 1 sees 8-9 teams able to compete competently with each other. Usually the bottom 3 or 4 teams are slightly off the pace and usually the two promoted Division 2 teams can be found in this pile.

So, going on League placings at this time this would be my Division 1: Mayobridge, Rostrevor, Kilcoo, Castlwellan, Burren, Clonduff, Loughinisland and Longstone.

My Division 2 would see the bottom 4 Division 1 side's pair up with the top 4 Division 2 sides. The vast majority of these eight teams are yo-yo's, generally going up one year and down the next. Saval, Shamrocks. Warrenpoint and Ballyholland have being doing this now for the best part of 6 or 7 years. I would view this grouping as very even and it would surely be ultra competitive.

Division 2 would line up like this: Saval, An Riocht, Liatroim, Ballyholland, Bryansford, Annaclone, Banbridge and Warrenpoint.

Division 3 would see the eight remaining old Division 2 sides group together. There may be a slight imperfection here as the top end of this grouping may just be too strong for the bottom end but it will be a far more balanced prospect than it was before.
This would be the new Division 3: Shamrocks, Ballymartin, Darragh Cross, Atticall, Downpatrick, Tullylish, Kilclief and Dundrum.

Division 3 at present is very open. Shocks happen week in week out and generally it is very competitive. However, there is nearly always a group of teams near the bottom who on a consistent basis are out of their depth and are never really going to challenge seriously for promotion. I would have the first 8 teams from the old Division 3 in a new Division 4.

Division 4 would look something like this: Glasdrumman, Ardglass, Bredagh, Carryduff, Drumaness, Drumgath, St Pauls and Glenn.

I would propose a new look 11 team Division 5. At the moment Division 4 is a shambles and has been for quite some years now. The introduction of the 5 remaining Division 3 teams would raise standards considerably.

It has been shown on numerous occasions in the past that a team can come from the lowest echelon and move up several divisions. Banbridge are a case in hand. Also, the notion of throwing the Kinlar and Finn into the EDRFL is absurd. These two teams are Senior teams and should be allowed to compete in a Senior club League structure.

Division 5 would be made up of the following: Saul, St Michaels, Teconnaught, Bosco, Mitchels, St Johns, Aghaderg, Dromara, Bright, Ballykinlar, Aughlisnafin.

In regards to promotion/relegation, in Divisions 1 to 4 Id have the top placed team going up automatically and the bottom placed team going down automatically with the top placed team in Division 5 going up automatically.

With the starred system in place, I would propose a new idea for the playoffs for all 5 Divisions. It sounds complicated but its not or maybe it is, I don't know.

Take this hypothetical end of season situation under the new League structure:

Division 1 Bottom

6th  Clonduff
7th   Loughinisland
------------------------
8th Longstone

Division 2 Top

1st Saval
-------------
2nd An Riocht
3rd Liatroim

Obviously, Longstone would be relegated automatically while Saval would be promoted automatically.

My idea for the playoffs would see Clonduff, Loughinisland, An Riocht and Liatroim playoff over three weekends, playing each other once.

At the end of the playoffs the top two teams would be the beneficiaries. Ie – If Clonduff and Loughinisland filled the top two positions then they would stay in Division 1. In another scenario, if Clonduff and An Riocht were in the top 2 in the group then Clonduff would maintain their Div.1 status while An Riocht would be promoted to Div.1 with Loughinisland being relegated to Div.2. Again if An Riocht and Liatroim were the top 2 in the group then they would both be promoted to Div.1 with Clonduff and Loughinisland both relegated to Div.2. You get the picture I hope.

It would probably be better to play as many League games as possible in April and May and try to have the Leagues sown up by late October/early November if possible.

In regards to the Championship, Division 1 and 2 teams would be in the SFC while Division 3 and 4 would compete in the IFC. All Division 5 teams would be in the JFC. Obviously if a team wins a Championship then they would be re-graded to a higher grade of Championship regardless of their League position for the following year.

With teams in Divisions 1 to 4 guaranteed a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 17 League games, then a revision of our Championship structures may be called for. Division 5 teams would have a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 23 League games.

[maldini]

Down Fanatic you definately have too much time on your hands

[OnTheLine]

...

Division 3 would see the eight remaining old Division 2 sides group together. There may be a slight imperfection here as the top end of this grouping may just be too strong for the bottom end but it will be a far more balanced prospect than it was before.
This would be the new Division 3: Shamrocks, Ballymartin, Darragh Cross, Atticall, Downpatrick, Tullylish, Kilclief and Dundrum.

...

No self-interest there of course... 

[DownFanatic]

...

Division 3 would see the eight remaining old Division 2 sides group together. There may be a slight imperfection here as the top end of this grouping may just be too strong for the bottom end but it will be a far more balanced prospect than it was before.
This would be the new Division 3: Shamrocks, Ballymartin, Darragh Cross, Atticall, Downpatrick, Tullylish, Kilclief and Dundrum.

...

No self-interest there of course... 

Well, going on League placings as they are at the moment, Dundrum would fall into the the new Division 3 category that I have proposed.

Down Fanatic you definately have too much time on your hands

Far too much time Maldini. A return to the student life means I dont go out at the weekend anymore. GAA Board is my only entertainment on a Friday night

[bredaghgael86]

 As for the hurling, I don't wanna start as I would be here for another 3 pages!

Vent your spleen.

I'd like to hear the perspective of a non-ards person on the woes of Down hurling.

If only the hurling fraternity in the county could complain about the number of games still left to be played.  Even though hurlng in the crap weather isnt ideal, it better than nothing at all.

[east down gael]

i can see the merits in your proposals DF,but it would never get passed as too many clubs would be voting to put themselves down a division for it to come into effect.for example,could you see anyone fom saul being hyappy about playing div 5 football,when they were in div 2 only a few years ago?

[supersub]

It is now Under 20 and the rules state no Under 16 can play albeit very badly stated.

I dont think you are supposed to be able to play more than one age above you, therefore u16s can play minor and not above

yea realise its u20 now, what actually happend with the u16 that played an was appealed against last year? was the club thrown out of the championship?