Down Club Hurling & Football

[AnRiochtCLG]

Snoopdog's thinking may be a little confused here. An Riocht made the quarter finals this year, which involved winning one match. The idea that the present squad may never get as far again is hard to swallow. If Marty Clarke was living in Australia, he would not get the chance to play for his club anyway, and the suggestion that he would miss an All Ireland final replay to take a holiday is childish in the extreme.

maybe he is in Australia signing a new contract with Collingwood.
If he came home a couple of years ago to play in a league final its hard to see him intentionally miss out on the club championship on his first year back.
just my childish opinion though.

He's only went to Spain for a week, he has rearranged dates 3 times this year,If he cancelled it he wouldn't of got his money back.

[BRIDGE LAD]

Burren v Mayobridge
Kilcoo v Bryansford
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

same

[Out in Front]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[Lecale2]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[behind the wire]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[western exile]

There seems to be a silent majority on here who are willing for Mourne Rover to plough a lonely furrow, leaving the selfish minority to make most noise 

It is good enough that Marty Clarke give up a professional footballers damn good salary to come home to play for no money, but it is too much for people to expect him to be additionally out of pocket as well 

Of all the posters on here who have criticised  Marty Clarke for taking a well deserved holiday  with his partner, would you answer yourselves these questions:
1. Which one of you would be prepared to pay for his cancelled holiday so that he could be in Ireland last week?
2. Which one of you knew for sure last Spring (when his holiday would have been booked) that An Ríocht would be playing Championship football in October?

Give the man a break ffs

[When We Win]

On the Marty Clarke issue, I do not see what relevence it has to the rest of us outside of An Riocht whether he stayed, played, whatever. We shouldnt be second guessing what his club think about it and I for one have not heard much from any An Riocht member on the matter.

In any event, a Championship quarter final requires 15 players and another 5 subs to be called upon. Maybe they just were not good enough and if Marty was there, he may well have been marked out of the game and they could have been beaten by more. Maybe other players would not have played as well expecting one player to win it for them.

If someone was writing this guff about me for the past week I would be putting a late night call through to Oz to see what they have to offer. But in 6 months time this will be forgotten and good old Clarke will be the Saviour of Down again.

[Banana Man]

On the Marty Clarke issue, I do not see what relevence it has to the rest of us outside of An Riocht whether he stayed, played, whatever. We shouldnt be second guessing what his club think about it and I for one have not heard much from any An Riocht member on the matter.

In any event, a Championship quarter final requires 15 players and another 5 subs to be called upon. Maybe they just were not good enough and if Marty was there, he may well have been marked out of the game and they could have been beaten by more. Maybe other players would not have played as well expecting one player to win it for them.

If someone was writing this guff about me for the past week I would be putting a late night call through to Oz to see what they have to offer. But in 6 months time this will be forgotten and good old Clarke will be the Saviour of Down again.

+1

Never heard as much sh!te about a lad who played his socks off all year for Down and will be expected to do so again in a months time against the aussies, it's no one's business but his own ffs

[DuffleKing]

There seems to be a silent majority on here who are willing for Mourne Rover to plough a lonely furrow, leaving the selfish minority to make most noise 

It is good enough that Marty Clarke give up a professional footballers damn good salary to come home to play for no money, but it is too much for people to expect him to be additionally out of pocket as well 

Of all the posters on here who have criticised  Marty Clarke for taking a well deserved holiday  with his partner, would you answer yourselves these questions:
1. Which one of you would be prepared to pay for his cancelled holiday so that he could be in Ireland last week?
2. Which one of you knew for sure last Spring (when his holiday would have been booked) that An Ríocht would be playing Championship football in October?

Give the man a break ffs

You're right - it's probably only An Riocht's business. It's fairly well established that they are absolutely fuming.

I'd say the wider interest comes from the fact that if anyone's county player did this to their club they'd be aghast.

I'd have thought Clarke could have waited a few more weeks and used Down's 10 day holiday to unwind like the rest of the down players. Or maybe he could have waited a couple of further weeks and made the most of the 10  day all stars holiday?

A very poor show imho. Not 1 but 2 championship games? was it beyond the realm of possibility to even get back a day early? Those defending clarke are entitled to do so but in their heart of hearts they have to know that mitigating explanations of tiredness, partners and amateur lives just don't wash.

[redandblackareback]

Look the "Martin Clarke Holiday saga" gives us all something to discuss, as this is a discussion board and the reason we joined is to discuss matters relating to Down GAA and further beyond.

I know for one if the same senario happened in my club there would be complete mayhem!! Its just not right what he done imo. All GAA lads in every club have long years and some of them maybe 10/12 long years to the senior cause! We have 1 senior player who has played for 11 consecutive seasons for us and has missed 3 league games in that period!

It is an issue for An Riocht I agree but maybe from reading some of the comments over the past week on here, he might have lost a little bit of the aura he is held in throughout the county! But sure by the mc kenna cup we ll all love him again 

[Dubh driocht]

Marty owes nobody in Down or An Riocht anything and F the Begrudgers.Marty, you do what you like as long as you do your best for Club and County as you've always done.

[RGU08]

SFC

Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC

Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[knockitdown]

SFC

Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo

IFC

Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

ur on a winner there RGU 

[Green+Gold]

SFC semi finals
Burren v Mayobridge
Bryansford v Kilcoo
IFC semi finals
Annaclone v Carryduff
Tullylish v Drumgath

[Oglach]

Should be a good weekends football with a couple of derbies! Whats the odds of the ref flashing a couple of reds over the two days?