Down Club Hurling & Football

[EagleLord]

Really can't think what Marty Clarke was thinking..Surely he has let his club down big time, and his teammates. I have no idea why he went or where he went, I just know that he went on a holiday fully aware that he would missing a championship match. Really dissapointed to hear that, not as much as some Kingdom men will be though. Hes not making himself many friends, he was the prodical son, a virtual god coming back. Still cant beleive he went.

[Mourne Rover]

Marty Clarke gave up a professional contract in Melbourne to come home and play as an amateur for An Riocht and Down. His county season began with the McKenna Cup in January, and he has not had a break since then.  He could hardly have anticipated that An Riocht would only have reached the quarter final stage of the club championship by October, and he may well have had his own reasons for needing a holiday. We place enormous demands on our county players as well as their partners and families, and it is simply wrong to accuse any of them of a lack of commitment. An Riocht may be disappointed that he was unavailable for the Kilcoo game, but that has to be balanced against the possibility that he could have stayed in Australia in the first place.

[Any craic]

http://vimeo.com/15514778// - Drumaness's JFC win is on this short video from the weekend club scene, and a cracking goal by Newry Bosco.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Marty Clarke gave up a professional contract in Melbourne to come home and play as an amateur for An Riocht and Down. His county season began with the McKenna Cup in January, and he has not had a break since then.  He could hardly have anticipated that An Riocht would only have reached the quarter final stage of the club championship by October, and he may well have had his own reasons for needing a holiday. We place enormous demands on our county players as well as their partners and families, and it is simply wrong to accuse any of them of a lack of commitment. An Riocht may be disappointed that he was unavailable for the Kilcoo game, but that has to be balanced against the possibility that he could have stayed in Australia in the first place.

All of that is 100% true. However, (and somewhat unfortunately) people are always going to say "for the sake of 3 weeks could he not have waited?"

[6th sam]

Drumaness 1-12
Bosco 1-7

Champions!

Congrats to Drumaness-some achievement,especially considering that they were unable to train or play on their own pitch all year due to redevelopment.Well deserved-especially the 3 players mentioned Murdoch,Noade and Kennedy are real stalwarts of the club.Would like to see Drumaness push on in Ulster now

[When We Win]

Annaclone were not impressive in the win over Darragh Cross. They were on top for the first 20 minutes but never threatened much after that. One point in the second half would not be good enough to win any club championship. I have not seen Tullylish this year but the reports seem to suggest they are fired up for this one. Darragh Cross will be kicking themselves that they didnt play in the first half. I was suprised they had so few score takers. MDG, do you know who the ref was by they way? I thought he had a miserable day and have absolutely no idea what happened in the second half when the lads got lined. By my timing he only played 28 second half minutes despite a few stoppages. I am suprised Darragh Cross managements didnt pick up on that.

[An Cloch Scoilte]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[An Cloch Scoilte]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

Incomplete first time!

[western exile]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[maldini]

anyone got fixtures for this week?

[Mourne Rover]

RadioGAAGAA is harsh to suggest that Marty Clarke should simply have waited for three weeks. If An Riocht had kept winning, they would have found themselves in the county final and potentially an Ulster club campaign stretching into December. Clarke is also highly likely to be involved in the international rules series, so his opportunities to take his partner on their only holiday of the year were very limited.

[John Martin]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[Maiden1]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

Same

[Mid Down Gael]

Annaclone were not impressive in the win over Darragh Cross. They were on top for the first 20 minutes but never threatened much after that. One point in the second half would not be good enough to win any club championship. I have not seen Tullylish this year but the reports seem to suggest they are fired up for this one. Darragh Cross will be kicking themselves that they didnt play in the first half. I was suprised they had so few score takers. MDG, do you know who the ref was by they way? I thought he had a miserable day and have absolutely no idea what happened in the second half when the lads got lined. By my timing he only played 28 second half minutes despite a few stoppages. I am suprised Darragh Cross managements didnt pick up on that.

Gabriel Tumelty of Bright

[snoopdog]

RadioGAAGAA is harsh to suggest that Marty Clarke should simply have waited for three weeks. If An Riocht had kept winning, they would have found themselves in the county final and potentially an Ulster club campaign stretching into December. Clarke is also highly likely to be involved in the international rules series, so his opportunities to take his partner on their only holiday of the year were very limited.

He might never get the chance again to do well in the county championship. He could have left a holiday until AnRiodht were out. the International rules are a waste of time he could have went then.
An Riocht may well be in a Semi if he had turned up. Bad show in my opinion.
Obviously he is Entitled to a holiday. What if the All Irlenad had went to a replay would he have hung around for that?