Down Club Hurling & Football

[DownFanatic]

I have to disagree with you entirely DownFanatic.

The one thing that will guarantee you juvenile footballers and mentors walking away from the game is a series of excessive away trips, especially for 7pm throw-ins on week nights. It takes the likes of our club the best part of a hour to hit half the clubs in East Down.

Why would a 14 or 16 year old from Newry, half-committed to anything and everything, go the whole way to Belfast to play GAA when all the soccer matches he wants is on his doorstep in Newry? What about when's 17 and working for a living? How many clubs really have a healthy selection at all grades to risk losing their half-committed players.

But there's worse. There's travelling for an hour to find out the ref hasn't turned up and you opponents won't play a friendly. Worse again, there's travelling an hour and finding out that your opponents have decided not to field because of a game the next night involving some of their players (this happened to our u16s last year). Did they phone ahead and let us know? Did they hell. That's when even your committed players and managers start walking away.

Let juveniles enjoy football, don't make them sick of it in an ill-advised attempt to make things more competitive for a team here or there.

The amount of tankings some underage teams in East Down take year in year out because of the lack of suitable competition in the divisional area is just as big if not a bigger factor than what you suggest for the non enjoyment of the sport.

[thewobbler]

Yep Down Fanatic, I know all about it. But sending a rubbish group of players on an 80 mile round trip just so as they don't get tanked is not the answer.

And no matter what you do, some mentors will be blinded to how bad their teams really are, and other mentors will be sneakily doing what they can to lift a cup even if it means playing rubbish teams every week. So the leagues will always have anomalies.

[DownFanatic]

Yep Down Fanatic, I know all about it. But sending a rubbish group of players on an 80 mile round trip just so as they don't get tanked is not the answer.

And no matter what you do, some mentors will be blinded to how bad their teams really are, and other mentors will be sneakily doing what they can to lift a cup even if it means playing rubbish teams every week. So the leagues will always have anomalies.

We'll agree to disagree but the All County underage system works really well in Tyrone so there must be some merit behind it.

P.S. Rostrevor made it 3 out of 3 tonight with a win over Castlewellan.

[gerdy]

rafferty has made a great start with them. Are the u21s available 2 play 2moro nite

[DaUmpire]

Wouldnt mind the minor leagues starting earlier, remember playing in the east down league on sunday mornings. Meant leagues were over by time exams were starting and left boys free for U16s,reserves and seniors.At the moment i know boys in my own club trying to commit to 3 teams while keeping up with school work an part-time jobs etc.Minor championship could be played in the summer.

[umpire]

Div one
Rostrevor 0.12 Castlewellan 1.5

[umpire]

Under 21 players
Conor Magee and Colm Murney did not play for Rostrevor tonight

[gerdy]

the u21 capt i think is from castlewellan did he play 2nite

[DownFanatic]

Wouldnt mind the minor leagues starting earlier, remember playing in the east down league on sunday mornings. Meant leagues were over by time exams were starting and left boys free for U16s,reserves and seniors.At the moment i know boys in my own club trying to commit to 3 teams while keeping up with school work an part-time jobs etc.Minor championship could be played in the summer.

Loved playing Minor football on a Sunday morning. Leagues were usually wrapped up by April and then we had Championship in May. It left the whole Summer free for Reserves and Seniors.

A few years ago Kilcoo put in a motion to the East Down Board to start the Minor Leagues in April and since then that has been the status quo.

Gerdy - U21 captain is Timmy Hanna from Bryansford.

[gerdy]

your rite df i cudnt remember his name i knew he was from either bford or the town. Any word on the 15 startin on sat

[mournerambler]

your rite df i cudnt remember his name i knew he was from either bford or the town. Any word on the 15 startin on sat

All in good health

[general]

can anyone shine light on what happend with the keeper(gordon) for the u21's? played up til the ulster semi i think, now hes not in the first 24

[supersub]

Div one
Rostrevor 0.12 Castlewellan 1.5

we also missed a penalty and a few very scoreable frees! hopefully the lads can keep this good form up!

[DaUmpire]

can anyone shine light on what happend with the keeper(gordon) for the u21's? played up til the ulster semi i think, now hes not in the first 24

From what i heard the keeper at the momnet Joyce, was unhappy about not getting a chance in goals and was thinking about walking away. Pete give him an opportunity in goals and since them has been happy enough to keep him in there. theres talk about fall outs and things like that but not sure if there true. Both very good keepers. If Gordan wasnt in the 24 who was the sub goalie?I thought i seen Gordan sitting on the bench last sat.

[Mickey Linden]

Many of you heading to the match tomorrow? Is there no thread on the game?