Down Club Hurling & Football

[Colonel Cool]

The Down Hurling leagues start on Tuesday 10th April. This date is listed in the Master Fixtures List document. Now the County Board have fixed a round of Priemier Reserve League matches for the same date and time!!!
Hurling in Down really is f****!
Clubs like Clonduff, Warrenpoint, Bredagh, Liatroim, Castlewellan, Kilclief & Shamrocks have dual players and the smaller clubs can't field without them. This is incompetence of the highest order and once again hurling will suffer. It's no wonder Darragh Cross packed in the hurling last year. With small numbers they couldn't field in these circumstances. The likes of Clonduff won't be far behind them if this continues.
What's the f***ing point of a Master Fixtures list if it isn't used. It's not as if there is a back log of football fixtures to clear, this is round one of the ACHL. It just shows you what can be expected for the rest of the season.

[DownFanatic]

Can someone explain to me why nearly every fan in Down football has a perpetual hard-on for James Colgan? Please.

[Brick Tamlin]

thank you, at last someone has said it.
has to be one of the most over rated players about.

[downredblack]

Jaysus lads don't throw the towel in yet , we are Down 

[Lecale2]

The first round of the championship is 5 weeks from Sunday. I cant remember a time when things looked this bad.

How about last year after the Sligo match?

Tuesday 10th April 6pm
ACPRFL Div 1
Downpatrick v Clonduff
Mayobridge v Brayansford
Burren v An Riocht
Kilcoo v Longstone
ACPRFL Div 2
Ballymartin v Castlewellen
Annaclone v Saul
Loughinisland v Carryduff
A.C.H.L. Div 1
Shamrocks v Porfaferry
Ballela v Kilcleif
Liatroim v Ballycran
A.C.H.L. Div 2
Portaferry v Bredagh
Warrenpoint v Clonduff
Ballycran v Castlewellen
Ballyvarley v Ballygalget

6.00pm is an early start for anyone who is at work.

[Blue Island]

-Can someone explain to me why nearly every fan in Down football has a perpetual hard-on for James Colgan? Please.-

I believe many fans in Down football are hoping Colgan will be a star of the furture, because the present senior crop of players are not up to the standard required or are falling well short of their potential. The supporters then look to any potential young stars [who ever they may be] coming through to give them hope.

I believe Colgan could make a great player, but it's far to early to decide about that. Plenty of fellas his age in the past have been great but not made the grade. He should not be placed under undue pressure and should be given time to develope.

He does remind me of Brian Burns a few years back. Very good under age player with similar physic who made good at senior level. But Brian Burns made good in a county team filled with good players and was thus given some time to develope. Colgan is only 19 I believe and should also  be given time to develope.

Just because our present sitaution is dire, we should not rush young players onto the county team. We did that in the last year of McGraths tenure and I believe some of those players who we held out so much hope then now seem quite jaded.

[Cloc Mor]

Big changes to leagues and championships for next year.  16 teams in Division 1 & 2 with 12 teams in Division 3.  Divisions 1 & 2 on a one round basis with Division 3 home and away.  Lots of other pecular rules.  This has to be discussed at club level and a decision made by county board on 19 April.  Interesting.  I'm sure you'll hear more details soon.

[Aristotle Flynn]

Can you post them Cloc Mor? Any plans to change the championships?

[Cloc Mor]

Haven't got them in writing.  No relegation this year from Div 1 and top 4 in Div 2 all go up.  These 16 teams then compete in Senior Championship.  Bottom 5 in Div 3 join teams from Div 4 for Junior championship.  With the rest of the teams in Intermediate Championship, I think.  I think this is all for a trial period of 2 years.  I'm sure someone on here has the full document, this is just what I have been told.  Championship gate money will also be divided up more fairly with 10% to host club, 20% to each competing team and 50% to county board.  Perhaps this is the carrot to get clubs to go with these pr0posals.

[off the laces]

sounds good to me i would be all on for it

[DownFanatic]

FIXTURE PROPOSALS FOR 2008 AND 2009

The Competitions Control Committee make the following proposals in relation to adult football in Down in the years 2008 and 2009.  The proposals outlined below are for this two year trial period. 

In essence league finishing position will determine grade of Championship.  It is proposed that for 2008 and 2009 there will be three league divisions comprising 16 teams in Divisions One and Two and twelve teams in Division Three.

There will be 16 teams in the Senior and Intermediate Championships and 12 teams in the Junior Championship.

Initial stages of Championships will be organised on a round robin basis.

No change to the status quo is recommended to Premier Reserve and Reserve Football and to Adult Hurling.

Where the word 'ranking' is used in this document it refers to that allocated by CCC to each team at the start of each year for the duration of the trial period and which will be based on the finishing league position of the previous year. Clubs will be advised of their ranking for the following year at the end of competition year.

Score difference shall not be used at any stage to determine any league finishing position which has a bearing on the latter stages of that year's League or the following years league and/or Championship

In order to commence the trial in 2008, the following will apply to the leagues in 2007.









2007

Leagues

No relegation from Division One.  Top Four to continue in existing format.

The top four teams in Division Two will be promoted to Division One.  Play-offs will proceed to determine league finishing position only.

There is no relegation from Division Two.

The top seven teams from Division Three be promoted to Division Two.  There will be no play-offs in this Division

Bottom five teams in Division Three will remain in that division.

The winners of Division Four, after the play-offs, will be promoted to Division Two for 2008.

The remaining seven teams in Division Four will be promoted to Division Three for 2008.



Championships

No change to the status quo




2008

Leagues

Division One

16 Teams with one round of fixtures

Where a team in 2008 has 7 home and 8 away fixtures, as far as is practicably possible in 2009 they will have 8 home and 7 away.

In play-offs teams finishing in positions 1 and 2 will automatically qualify for league semi-final. 

Teams finishing in positions 3-6 will play-off (3 v6; 4 v 5) with the winners qualifying for the semi-final.  Teams finishing in positions 1 and 2 cannot meet each other in semi-final.

There will be no automatic relegation.  The bottom four teams will play-off on a round robin basis with the two lowest placed teams from this series of games being relegated.  Score difference will not be used as a factor to determine relegation.  If necessary, additional game(s) will be played.




Division Two

16 Teams with one round of fixtures

Where a team in 2008 has 7 home and 8 away fixtures, as far as is practicably possible in 2009 they will have 8 home and 7 away.

In play-offs teams finishing in positions 1 and 2 will automatically qualify for league semi-final. 

Teams finishing in positions 3-6 will play-off (3 v6; 4 v 5) with the winners qualifying for the semi-final.  Teams finishing in positions 1 and 2 cannot meet each other in semi-final.

Both teams who reach the league final will be promoted to Division One for the following season.

There will be no automatic relegation.  The bottom four teams will play-off on a round robin basis with the two lowest placed teams from this series of games being relegated.  Score difference will not be used as a factor to determine relegation.  If necessary, additional game(s) will be played.



Division Three

Twelve team, with league run on a two round basis.

The top four teams will play-off (1 v 4; 2 v 3) with the winners contesting a league final.  Both semi-final winners will be promoted.

There is no relegation 



CHAMPIONSHIPS

SENIOR

16 teams which will be made up of teams in Division One

Exceptions – (1) Where the Intermediate Championship winners of the previous year are not in Division One, they will compete in the Senior Championship and the lowest eligible ranking team (probably that which is ranked 16th) will play in the Intermediate Championship.

(2) Where the Senior Championship winners of the previous year are not in Division One they will play in the Senior Championship and the lowest eligible ranked team will play in the Intermediate Championship.

(3) Where both (1) and "2) above apply the two lowest ranked teams will play in the Intermediate Championship

The 16 teams will be divided up into four groups of four teams each.  Each group will include two teams from the top eight ranked teams and two teams from the lowest eight ranking teams.

The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals which will be organised on an open draw.

All games in the Senior Championship will be played at neutral venues

All games in the Senior Championship during the round robin stages will be single billing games.  Gates for these games will be allocated as follows;

HOST CLUB 10%
COMPETING CLUBS 20% EACH
COUNTY BOARD 50%



INTERMEDIATE

16 teams which will be made up of teams in Division Two

Exceptions – (1) Where the Junior Championship winners of the previous year are not in Division Two, they will compete in the Intermediate Championship and the lowest eligible ranking team (probably that which is ranked 32nd) will play in the Junior Championship.

(2) Where the Intermediate champions of the previous year are in Division Two, they will compete in the Senior Championship and their place in the Intermediate Championship will be taken by the lowest eligible ranked team from Division One.

The 16 teams will be divided up into four groups of four teams each.  Each group will include two teams from the top eight ranked teams in the competition and two teams from the lowest eight ranking teams.

The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals which will be organised on an open draw.

All games in the Intermediate Championship will be played at neutral venues.  Games may be played as a single or double bill (which may include an Intermediate/Junior double bill).

Where the game is played as a single bill the gate will be divided as follows;

HOST CLUB 10%
COMPETING CLUBS 20% EACH
COUNTY BOARD 50%


Where games are played as a double bill the gate will be allocated as follows;

HOST CLUB 10%
COMPETING TEAMS 10%
COUNTY BOARD 50%




JUNIOR

12 teams which are made up of teams in Division Three

Exception – Where the Junior Championship winners of the previous year are in Division Three, they will play in the Intermediate Championship and their place in the Junior Championship will be taken by the lowest eligible ranked team from Division Two.

The 12 teams will be divided up into four groups of three teams with the top two teams in each group qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Each group will comprise of two teams from the top eight ranked teams in the competition and one team from the bottom four ranking teams in the competition.

Quarter-finals will be organised on an open draw basis.

All games in the Junior Championship will be played at neutral venues.  Games may be played as a single or double bill (which may include an Intermediate/Junior double bill).

Where the game is played as a single bill the gate will be divided as follows;

HOST CLUB 10%
COMPETING CLUBS 20% EACH
COUNTY BOARD 50%


Where games are played as a double bill the gate will be allocated as follows;


HOST CLUB 10%
COMPETING TEAMS 10%
COUNTY BOARD 50%




2009

Leagues and Championships for 2009 will be organised on the same basis as 2008.

The County Committee to decide in the autumn of 2009 on the way forward after this trial period.

[DownFanatic]

If the new rules applied to this season (2007) using last year's (2006) final positions then this would be the following setup.

Division 1

Kilcoo  SFC
Longstone  SFC
Mayobridge SFC
Burren  SFC
Clonduff  SFC
Loughinisland  SFC
Rostrevor  SFC
Castlewellan  SFC
Bryansford  SFC
Liatroim  SFC
Annaclone  SFC
Shamrocks SFC
An Riocht  SFC
Warrenpoint  SFC
Atticall  SFC
Ballyholland  IFC

Division 2
Saval  IFC
Downpatrick  IFC
Ballymartin  IFC
Glasdrumman  IFC
Kilclief  IFC
Carryduff  IFC
Saul  IFC
Glenn  IFC
Darragh Cross  IFC
Banbridge  IFC
Ardglass  IFC
Drumgath  SFC
Tullylish  IFC
Dundrum  IFC
Teconnaught  IFC
Bredagh  IFC

Division 3
Mitchels  JFC
Bosco  JFC
Bright  JFC
Aghaderg  JFC
Drumaness  JFC
St Pauls  JFC
St Michaels  JFC
St Johns   JFC
Dromara  JFC
Ballykinlar  JFC
Aughlisnafin  JFC
Killyleagh  JFC

[goldenyears]

DOWN

Tuesday April 10

O'Neill's International Sports Wear ACPRFL Division 1 (6pm): Downpatrick v Clonduff; Mayobridge v Bryansford; Burren v An Riocht; Kilcoo v Longstone; ACPRFL Division 2: Annaclone v Saul; Loughinisland

v Carryduff; Ballymartin v Castlewellan (OFF)

Friday April 13

O'Neill's International Sports Wear SFL 1 (6.30pm): Atticall v Rostrevor; Bryansford v Clonduff; Castlewellan

v Longstone; Mayobridge v Kilcoo; Loughinisland v Burren; An Riocht v Liatroim; SFL 2: Ballymartin v Shamrocks; Downpatrick v Warrenpoint; Ballyholland v Clann Na Banna; Kilclief v Darragh Cross; Glasdrumman v Annaclone; Carryduff v Saval; SFL 3: Bright v Drumgath; Teconnaught v Mitchels; Dundrum v Tullylish; Glenn v Saul; St Paul's v Bosco; Ardglass v Bredagh; SFL4: Aghaderg v St John's; Ballykinlar v Aughlisnafin; Dromara v Drumaness

Sunday April 15

O'Neill's International Sports Wear ACPRFL Division 1 (2pm): Bryansford v An Riocht; Clonduff v Longstone; Warrenpoint v Liatroim; Rostrevor v Kilcoo; Downpatrick

v Burren; ACPRFL Division 2: Carryduff v Saval; Tullylish v Saul; Ballymartin v Annaclone; Kilclief v Castlewellan

Monday April 16

O'Neill's International Sports Wear SFL 1 (6.45pm): Rostrevor v Bryansford; Clonduff v Atticall; Longstone

v Mayobridge; Kilcoo v Castlewellan; Burren v An Riocht; Liatroim v Loughinisland; SFL 2: Shamrocks v Downpatrick; Warrenpoint v Ballymartin; Clann Na Banna v Kilclief; Darragh Cross v Ballyholland; Annaclone

v Carryduff; Saval v Glasdrumman; SFL 3: Drumgath

v Teconnaught; Mitchels v Bright; Tullylish v Glenn; Saul

v Dundrum; Bosco v Ardglass; Bredagh v St Paul's;

SFL 4: Drumaness v St Michael's; Aughlisnafin

v Dromara; St John's v Ballykinlar

[Cloc Mor]

League Predictions

SFL 1
Atticall v Rostrevor; ROSTREVOR
Bryansford v Clonduff; CLONDUFF
Castlewellan v Longstone; LONGSTONE
Mayobridge v Kilcoo; MAYOBRIDGE
Loughinisland v Burren; BURREN
An Riocht v Liatroim; LIATROIM

SFL 2
Ballymartin v Shamrocks; SHAMROCKS
Downpatrick v Warrenpoint; DOWNPATRICK
Ballyholland v Clann Na Banna; BALLYHOLLAND
Kilclief v Darragh Cross; KILCLIEF
Glasdrumman v Annaclone; ANNACLONE
Carryduff v Saval; SAVAL

[Statto-Gael]

and just making sure we cover all divisions for predictions 

SFL 3

Bright v Drumgath  DRUMGATH
Teconnaught v Mitchels   TECONNAUGHT
Dundrum v Tullylish  DUNDRUM
Glenn v Saul    GLENN
St. Pauls v Bosco     ST PAULS
Ardglass v Bredagh    BREDAGH

SFL 4

Aghaderg v St Johns     AGHADERG
Ballykinlar v Aughlisnafin   BALLYKINLAR
Dromara v Drumaness     DROMARA


and on Monday night next:

SFL 3

Drumgath v Teconnaught   DRUMGATH
Mitchels v Bright     MITCHELS
Tullylish v Glenn     TULLYLISH
Saul v Dundrum     DUNDRUM
Bosco v Ardglass    ARDGLASS
Bredagh v St Pauls   BREDAGH

SFL 4

Drumaness v St Michaels    ST MICHAELS
Aughlisnafin v Dromara    DROMARA
St Johns v Ballykinlar   ST JOHNS