Down Club Hurling & Football

[umpire]

When's the next round of football championship matches?

Sat 12th  and Sun 13th

[goldenyears]

ORMER Down manager Ross Carr has threatened legal action over the manner of his dismissal from the post, The Irish News understands.

The Clonduff clubman was allowed to address the Down County Board meeting on Thursday night and mentioned the possibility of going down the legal route.

Carr was upset about certain remarks that were made when the decision was taken to dispense with his services as Mourne county manager at the end of last month, and it is believed that he requested a right of reply.

That opportunity was granted at the county board meeting and Carr made an impassioned defence of his three-year term in charge of the red-and-blacks, citing factors that had worked against his teams achieving success and listing certain grievances.

Sources say that Carr pointed the finger at the referee for the defeat that ended this year's Championship campaign, the controversial and surprising loss to Wicklow in round three of the qualifiers.

The two-time All-Ireland winner as a player also made mention of the succession of serious injuries that had afflicted the Down team and panel during his time in charge.

Carr led Down to promotion into Division Two earlier this year, and achieved a notable victory over eventual All-Ireland champions Tyrone last season, but the failure to reach an Ulster final or the All-Ireland quarter-finals cost him the job.

However, his comments to the county board meeting have muddied the waters as the Mournemen seek his successor.

A similar speech by John Joe Doherty persuaded the Donegal County Board to reconsider their decision not to appoint him as senior football manager last year. However, Donegal were then taken to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) by Declan Bonner and Charlie Mulgrew, who had been told that they would be the new management team. Bonner and Mulgrew's appeal was not upheld but aspects of the Donegal board's handling of the matter were criticised by the DRA.

Carr may consider taking his case via GAA channels first, and perhaps as far as the DRA, which could cause problems for Down's managerial selection process.

The deadline for nominations closed just over a fortnight ago and, although the five-man

sub-committee set up to choose the new boss has kept its counsel, the names of the leading contenders have emerged.

They include Peter McGrath, who led Down to All-Ireland glory in 1991 and 1994 and has taken their U21s to the last two Ulster titles, and also James McCartan Jr, who is free from club commitments after Ballinderry's exit from the Derry SFC.

An intriguing candidate is Paddy Tally, who was Tyrone's coach when the Red Hands lifted their first senior All-Ireland in 2003 before parting company with Mickey Harte. The Galbally man was recruited as coach by Carr for last season.

If Down turn to Tally, he would be their first outside manager since McGrath's predecessor, Belfast man Jackie McManus, with another Antrim man, the late great Paddy O'Hara, having also been in charge of the Mournemen in the mid-sixties.

[supersub]

Warrenpoint 2-08 Castlewellan 2-13
Liam Morgan was woeful as ref- he yellow carded the 'Point keeper for running thirty yards out of his goal towards the sideline to stick the boot in our 10 stone corner forward from behind as he bent down to pick the ball up- Morgan said  " Technically it was a red card"- how then can he only give a yellow? Luckily no serious damage was done. A very niggly game with both sides guilty of a lot of off the ball stuff but the 'Point corner back (No. 4) goading the Town forwards  about " Doing to you what we done to your players last Saturday night" was disgusting- a man lay on a life support machine with his family distraught only for someone to use their situation to annoy an opponent? That's not what the GAA is about.

Some behaviour from a club whose player made the headlines last year for the "phantom assault" in Banbridge

f**k up

[gorm agus bui]

Warrenpoint 2-08 Castlewellan 2-13
Liam Morgan was woeful as ref- he yellow carded the 'Point keeper for running thirty yards out of his goal towards the sideline to stick the boot in our 10 stone corner forward from behind as he bent down to pick the ball up- Morgan said  " Technically it was a red card"- how then can he only give a yellow? Luckily no serious damage was done. A very niggly game with both sides guilty of a lot of off the ball stuff but the 'Point corner back (No. 4) goading the Town forwards  about " Doing to you what we done to your players last Saturday night" was disgusting- a man lay on a life support machine with his family distraught only for someone to use their situation to annoy an opponent? That's not what the GAA is about.

Some behaviour from a club whose player made the headlines last year for the "phantom assault" in Banbridge

f**k up
Hit a raw nerve there oops

[supersub]

Ha aye if only you knew

[behind the wire]

Ha aye if only you knew

Knew what exactly? Did all the rest of us miss something?

[Cúig huaire]

Just back after a weekend away.Tell me this is not true.Mother of  sweet Je-us! Where will it all end?

In the courts if Ross has his way. What does he expect? Another year? the job for life? Or until he wins Ulster?
His departure was handled badly but he should have the sense to walk away and have some self respect. He simply wasn't up to the job of inter-county management.

[RadioGAAGAA]

His departure was handled badly

Aye.

He should have been shown the door straight after the Brewster park debacle!

[lroberts680]

Any Down Underage Hurling fixtures for this week?

[Cúig huaire]

It should have been made clear that his services were no longer required after the Wicklow game, it should never have gone to a vote or a meeting. Many people will say that he should have been sacked after the Fermanagh game. Either way, the correct decision was made and Ross should abide by that decision. They CB are as much to blame for this farcial situation as Ross is, he should never have been allowed to address that meeting.

[gorm agus bui]

Just back after a weekend away.Tell me this is not true.Mother of  sweet Je-us! Where will it all end?

In the courts if Ross has his way. What does he expect? Another year? the job for life? Or until he wins Ulster?
His departure was handled badly but he should have the sense to walk away and have some self respect. He simply wasn't up to the job of inter-county management.

Maybe I'm missing something.How was it badly handled?   
Was he not voted out at a county board meeting 45-10 or something?

The better phrase would be he has handled his departure badly.

This outburst is quite emabrassing for his family,friends,club and indeed Down.

I do not think he is as cut up about not being re-instated but the whole manner in which the Co Chairman made such an attack on him personally.
It was a real character assassination from what I hear and this was totally uncalled for and no chance of redress at the time.
The Co Chairman should be ashamed of himself for what he did and indeed things never need to have got that far if Mgt Ctte had had the balls to come out at the first meeting and say that that they would not be recommending an extension of The Senior mgt teams term
Instead they tried to hide behind the clubs and the fall out is not unexpected.
If common sense had prevailed Ross would have seen the writing on the wall and gone quietly, but the Chairmans behaviour has cast us in this same shameful light.

[Cúig huaire]

What exactly did the Co Chairman say?

[DownFanatic]

Does anyone have this weeks East Down and All County fixtures handy?

[charlie stubbs]

If you finish top of the league, you should be champions, end of. If you finish bottom you should go down. Tell me one good reason why this isnt the case?

angermanagement has explained the reason behind the system, and here's the reason to keep it - having four way play-offs at the top and bottom means nearly every team has a reason to keep taking the league seriously right up the season's end.

Even with the current system, I've played in a few end-of-season matches with nothing at stake, and they really are a waste of time. I'd hate to imagine how many of those game would turn up if there were no play-offs.

agree with that wobbler.in armagh there is a two up two down system in the league. my club is currently 3 points clear of the relegation zone and with respect to the teams below i couldnt see them catching us if the games where played at competitively as say the 1st league game.  constantly looking over shoulder now with the majority of sides out of the cship and/or with nothing to play for

[Town Gael]

Does anyone know the name of the Down Minor Football championship cup?