Down Club Hurling & Football

[Lecale2]

I believe this was passed at your AGM sometime. Who propsed it   Derek Trotter seconded by Rodney--the vote being carried with the help of Uncle Albert and Trigger.

That's like an Irish League soccer club deciding not to play on Saturday because of a car-boot sale. Have they shifted all the Masses in Dundrum to Saturday? 

[6th sam]

GAA matches can't be played because of a car boot sale, I'd say that's a GAA issue.

Still, as long as the money is coming in.  It doesn't matter if 10 and 11 year olds don't know what it's like to play on their own pitch.

Sorry Down Fanatic,you're on your own, most would agree with No.1 on this one.

1.It should be discussed under the GAA section as it is relevant if it effects GAA fixtures.
2.Banning your under 12s from your own pitch for apparent financial reasons is inexcusable.
3.Does the money you make on the car-boot sale outweigh the safety concerns,effect on club fixtures,ill-will generated due to Sunday traffic delays,and valuable time input of your club members?
4.Any chance of getting me a few cheap Daniel O'Donnel CDs at this week's car-boot sale?

[Bacon]

Is this rule even valid? There's nothing in the Down bye laws about postponing games due to a car boot sale.

Surely the reason for building a pitch is to play games on it not run car boot sales. Way out of order if you ask me. The County Board should fix matches for a Sunday and award the points if the Car Booters refuse to play. That may help them focus on the priorities for GAA clubs.

[No1]

Is your pitch closed at the moment?

[Blue Island]

"Is your pitch closed at the moment?"

No pitch is open again. Could not play on it whilst the new clubhouse was being built due to lack of ball stoppers behind nets to stop balls whacking off the new roof. Ball stoppers now in place. I suppose the bonus is of the 12 games the seniors have left to play eight of them are home games and the reserves have no more away games at all this season.

We will see you on Monday then?

[No1]

  Aye you'll see me but most of the rest of them are away on a stag this weekend so f**k knows how many will show up on Monday night!  The joys of seconds football, eh?!

 Plenty of home games on your run in alright, Longstone used to do that on a regular basis!

[cloneman]

Annaclone 4-19 Glasdrumman 0-3

This was a complete mismatch with it being one way traffic from start to finish as the scoreline suggests.

Also heard that Banbridge drew with Ballyholland.

[goldenyears]

ballyholland playing terrible football. lucky to get a draw in banbridge last night, against one of the poorest teams ever to play in div2, on the worst pitch ever in div2 history! 1-2, 1-2 at half time, game finished, 1-5, 1-5.

Harps have seen a number of experienced players retire, have another number injured, and have two county players missing. the team now is represented by a number of teenagers learning their trade and it is proving difficult. mid table season looks the best bet for a couple of years until these lads mature a little......

[johnneycool]

I hear the county minor hurlers were treated abominably last weekend in Casement by the county board.

There weren't enough jerseys for the panel of 28 and Ronan Sheehan had to go to the O'Neills shop in Newry to buy another 4 out of his own pocket, then they hadn't enough tracksuits for the subs and the mentors had to give them theres. The ones that they did have were old gaelic gear ones, shambolic to say the least.

I bet those young hurlers were proud to play for their county last weekend!!

Why are we such an amateurish outfit?

[6th sam]

I hear the county minor hurlers were treated abominably last weekend in Casement by the county board.

There weren't enough jerseys for the panel of 28 and Ronan Sheehan had to go to the O'Neills shop in Newry to buy another 4 out of his own pocket, then they hadn't enough tracksuits for the subs and the mentors had to give them theres. The ones that they did have were old gaelic gear ones, shambolic to say the least.

I bet those young hurlers were proud to play for their county last weekend!!

Why are we such an amateurish outfit?

Shades of Saipan there,me thinks!

The question is do you blame the minor management/mick mccarthy or the county board/FAI.

Whatever the reasons in the famous words of Roy Keane-"it should have been sorted out 2 weeeeks ago!"

I doubt if the above shambles would have happened with the minor footballers--but is that due to county board bias,or due to the organisational skills of the minor football management??

I agree that there are problems with Hurling being considered the poor relation,but it is lazy to just blame the county board.In my opinion all  with a vested interest in Hurling,need to get heads together.The "Ards" is one of the strongest Hurling areas in Ireland and Hurling is now stronger outside the Ards than it has been for many years.Our Hurling potential as a county is massive--but it's time to stop gurning and  instead actively address the shambolic organisation of Hurling in this county.

[downgael]

Is the regulations for minor teams not that only 24 members of a panel are to be involved in match days - so the hurling minors should not have 28 players involved on match day?

I do agree that any extra players should be looked after and provided with gear etc

It is time that the Hurling Clubs push for the Hurling County Board to get its act together and represent the needs of Hurling – a start would be for hurling people to put themselves forward for positions on the hurling board – once hurling people get involved in the hurling committee the next step would be to get involved in the full County Board – then and only then will hurling get its just rewards

[TORGAEL]

Goldenyears, Drumgath are suffering the exact same problems as yourselves, albeit in division 3. Player retirements, injuries & unavailability of county players leaves them hoping for a playoff spot, whereas in other circumstances they should be certainties for promotion............such is life !

[johnneycool]

Is the regulations for minor teams not that only 24 members of a panel are to be involved in match days - so the hurling minors should not have 28 players involved on match day?

I do agree that any extra players should be looked after and provided with gear etc

It is time that the Hurling Clubs push for the Hurling County Board to get its act together and represent the needs of Hurling – a start would be for hurling people to put themselves forward for positions on the hurling board – once hurling people get involved in the hurling committee the next step would be to get involved in the full County Board – then and only then will hurling get its just rewards

The hurling board allegedly has nothing to do with the running of the county teams, they are only responsible for juvenile hurling according to my source which I find a bit strange anyway. The hurling board is a waste of time as they don't do anything and have no real powers to effect how the game is organised. Some of you might recall it was the clubs that had to kickstart the hurling academies this year by taking the county board to task late last year. In saying that what was agreed by the clubs and county board about the academies and what resources were required, the county board have failed to deliver by not supplying water bottles and a place to train. The U-16's have trained on three seperate pitches in Downpatrick, one was a school pitch with no ball screens and changing rooms, luckily it didn't rain that day. The training bibs were allegedly still in the office in Castlewellan but the academies have been running for more than 4 sessions now and still no sign. A distinct smell of bullshite coming from Mr Bell yet again.

[6th sam]

In saying that what was agreed by the clubs and county board about the academies and what resources were required, the county board have failed to deliver by not supplying water bottles and a place to train. The U-16's have trained on three seperate pitches in Downpatrick, one was a school pitch with no ball screens and changing rooms, luckily it didn't rain that day. The training bibs were allegedly still in the office in Castlewellan but the academies have been running for more than 4 sessions now and still no sign. A distinct smell of bullshite coming from Mr Bell yet again.

This is unacceptable--surely the time is ripe to put an end to this nonsense.
Down are a top 2nd tier Hurling county ,despite all this organisational  shambles.Our potential if we got our act together is immense.Look at Ballygalget's achievement in getting within a whisker of an All-Ireland,with relatively smaller playing resources than the county team.
Obviously a number of issues need addressed,but an immediate necessity is that every county squad should have their own "logistics" officer to ensure suitable venue and equipment is available to each squad.It comes back to the old chestnut of there being a dedicated centre(s) of excellence for all county teams,which would solve alot of these logistics problems.
I hope ClubDown will now expend their considerable energies in to developing these training venues,now that Páirc Esler is completed.

[greygoose]

Div 3 Predictions

Div Three S12

Teconnaught v Mitchels    ( Home Win )

Tullylish v Dundrum           ( Home Win )

Saul v Glenn                     ( Away Win )

Bosco v St. Pauls               ( Home Win )

Bredagh v Ardglass            ( Away Win )