Down Club Hurling & Football

[stpauls]

see also the official ruling in the bye-laws:

The teams that finish 2nd, 3rd and 4th from the bottom of Divisions 1, 2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will play off with 2 of these 3 teams also being relegated in this year. (A draw will be made for the 1st play-off game and the loser of this game will play the 3rd team.)"

minus, this also confirms my theory above!!

On reflection, I am sure the county board would have preferred to have the winner of the first game playing the 3rd team, rather than the loser. If the winner of the first game won the second game against the 3rd team, the relegation playoffs would be over in two games. As it is we now have a scenario where at least three games are required. Surely common sense can prevail. Obviously, if you do not abide by the bylaws possible appeals arise, but could the three teams involved not agree to a rule amendment.

Hopefully so, playoffs are a bleeding curse at this time of the year.

Blue, this would have been the best idea, saves the season dragging even longer than it already has. personally, i don't see why it couldn't, the 3rd game would make no difference, as the team that won both games would have 4 points, and would not be caught no matter what the result of the last game would be!!

[down6061689194]

Despite being a drumaness man I feel techonaught are hard done by, I was under the undertsanding that they were in the final, Drumaness play St. Pauls with the winner going into a winner takes all clash with techonaught.

This puts their efforts to finish 4th bottom to waste.

[Blue Island]

If the county board got a written undertaking from the three clubs involved that there would be no attempt to rely on a technical breach of the rules, problem solved. I cannot see a reason why the clubs would not agree.

[Blue Island]

Despite being a drumaness man I feel techonaught are hard done by, I was under the undertsanding that they were in the final, Drumaness play St. Pauls with the winner going into a winner takes all clash with techonaught.

This puts their efforts to finish 4th bottom to waste.

The rule as it stands obviously favours my own club, but you are right that it offers no incentive to finish fourth from bottom rather than second from bottom. Your original understanding would also have resulted in a maximum of two games (barring draws). Round robbins can go on for at least three games and often more.

[stpauls]

Despite being a drumaness man I feel techonaught are hard done by, I was under the undertsanding that they were in the final, Drumaness play St. Pauls with the winner going into a winner takes all clash with techonaught.

This puts their efforts to finish 4th bottom to waste.

that is a good suggestion, but it may also be a disadvantage to them. if the winner of the first game catch them out, they would only get one game to stay up, where as this at least gives them another game to recover and stay up.

i am divided on this one myself, in the first instance i would prefer to get it over and done with, and the season finished, but with the way it is, we have 2 chances to stay up!

[RadioGAAGAA]

Down County Board have received planning permission on the proposed new home of Bryansford GAC.
This will be interesting.

Really?


I expect Jim "the fuckwit" Wells to have something to say....

[mournerambler]

Down County Board have received planning permission on the proposed new home of Bryansford GAC.
This will be interesting.

Are you sure about that spirit, I thought it still had to go to the next council meeting?

[bredaghgael]

    Kilkenny Manager Brian Cody will visit Ballycran's Mc Kenna Park on Saturday October 24th  @ 12noon to sign copies of his new book "Cody", the autobiography of seven-times All-Ireland winning Manager.

[6th sam]

Glenn  - - Dundrum - Off as Glenn play in Ulster JFC on Sunday

This again highlights the mess created by the unpredictability of our playoff system.The JFC final should have been played weeks ago,and promotion/relegation sorted to allow Glenn to concentrate on Ulster.If Glenn get a run in Ulster,when will the playoffs get finished??

This must be friustrating for Dundrum,who don't know when their last league game will be played,Tullylish who now know that Glenn have the advantage of playing Dundrum when all other results are known,Drumgath who don't know who/when they are playing,and Glenn who are probably more concerned about promotion than winning Ulster.

I wouldn't mind but this nonsense goes on every year.The contributions to this board over the last few years indicate that there is more talk about playoff conundrums than actual football, at this time of year.

Leagues should be well sorted by now,our winning clubs should be concentrating on Ulster,and the county senior manager should be given the opportunity to  trial players before the nov/dec enforced break.

Why do we keep making the same simple mistakes?

[Minus15]

Where there are two teams level on points does it definitely go down to head to heads. I always thought it was score difference. Is this a new rule this year? Does anyone have the official ruling on it or is it another one of those grey areas that the rules are just made up on the spot?

[behind the wire]

it seems to be a moot point, was talking to a county board man at the game on sunday and he doesnt think anyone is really sure.

did the celebrations last as long in len this time as they did after the last junior success.

[Minus15]

well you would think we would need clarification before the last round of games are played but sure not much chance of that.

The celebrations only lasted a day surprisingly. Pity the ulster game was so soon. It was almost as sweet as beating banbridge the last time!

[When We Win]

Down County Board have received planning permission on the proposed new home of Bryansford GAC.
This will be interesting.

Are you sure about that spirit, I thought it still had to go to the next council meeting?

Yeah, I think the groups decision has to be ratified by the council meeting but either way its looking like they are going to have a bloody nice set up in a couple of years.

[When We Win]

If you check the rules it is worded vaugely but it does say that it will be decided in the order as they are written in the bye laws. So i think the rule is 1. Head to heads between the two teams. If its one game each then its score difference between the two teams based on their head to head games. 2. After this its Score difference overall. 3. Then highest score for. 4. Finally scoring average.

If any team get beyond points two i would be amazed.

[Tomorrow is another day]

Here are the By laws - look at the last point. This would indicate that the outstanding game on Wed 21st in the 2nd Div is irrelevant. However the cut off date provided at the start of the season was 11t October so by the strict interpretation of the laws Attical finished 3rd on 11th October! What a mess!!

All County Football Leagues
(a) Year 1: 2009 - The team that finishes in 1st place after the ordinary round stages in all 4 Divisions will play in their respective league finals. The teams that finish in 2nd and 3rd place after the ordinary round stages in all 4 Divisions will play each other with the winner of this game progressing to their respective league finals. The league winner only in Divisions 2, 3 and 4 will be promoted in this year (2009). The team that finishes bottom of Divisions 1,2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will be automatically relegated.

The teams that finish 2nd, 3rd and 4th from the bottom of Divisions 1, 2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will play off with 2 of these 3 teams also being relegated in this year (2009). (A draw will be made for the 1st play-off game and the loser of this game will play the 3rd team).

(b) Year 2: 2010 - The team that finishes in 1st place after the ordinary round stages in all 4 Divisions will play in their respective league finals. The teams that finish in 2nd and 3rd place after the ordinary round stages in all 4 Divisions will play each other with the winner of this game progressing to their respective league finals. Both finalists in Division 2 will be promoted in this year (2010). The
league winner only in Divisions 3 and 4 will be promoted in this year (2010).

The team that finishes bottom of Divisions 1, 2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will be automatically relegated. The teams that finish 2nd & 3rd from the bottom of Division 1 after the ordinary round stages will play each other with the loser also being relegated. The teams that finish 2nd, 3rd and 4th from the bottom of Divisions 2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will playoff and 2 of these 3 teams will also be relegated in this year (2010).
(A draw will be made for the 1st play-off game and the loser of this game will play the 3rd team).

(c) Year 3: 2011 - After 2 years Divisions 1 & 2 would have 10 teams each, Division 3 would have 12 teams and Division 4 would have 11 teams. At this stage the team that finishes in 1st place after the ordinary round stages in all 4 Divisions will play in their respective league finals.

The teams that finish in 2nd and 3rd place after the ordinary round stages in all 4 Divisions will play each other with the winner of this game progressing to their respective league finals. Both finalists in Divisions 2, 3 & 4 will be promoted thereafter. The team that finishes bottom of Divisions 1,2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will be
automatically relegated. The teams that finish 2nd & 3rd from the bottom of Divisions 1,2 and 3 after the ordinary round stages will play each other with the loser also being relegated.

(d) Where teams finish on equal points, finishing position shall be decided by the following means and in the order specified:
(i) Where two Teams only are involved - the outcome of the meetings of the two Teams in the previous games in the Competition i.e. the combined scores of he two games;
(ii) Scoring Difference (Subtracting the total Scores Against from the total Scores For);
(iii) Highest Total Score For;
(iv) Scoring Average (Divide total Scores Against into total Scores For).

In the event of any of the Play-off games for promotion or relegation ending in a draw, extra time of ten minutes each way will be played.

(e) A team failing to fulfil a fixture shall forfeit two league points to the opposing team and shall have five scoring points deducted from their aggregate score in games played. Five scoring points shall be added to the opposing team's aggregate in games played.

(f) The County Competitions Control Committee may designate a "cut-off" date, which will be notified to clubs before the start of the league. The league positions of teams after the "cut-off" date shall be regarded as the final position in the ordinary league rounds.