Armagh Club football & hurling

[pintsofguinness]

Now Pint don't be getting carried away, i'm not ball-licking , i said earlier that i thought the winners of Killeavey and Silverbridge would get promoted. Thats because in my opinion they were the two best teams left in the division, although another journey to South Armagh will hardly make a difference when almost every away game is an hours journey to South Armagh anyway.

I won't fancy our chances if we're playing culloville, we beat them in the championship but they beat us twice in the league, and beat us well though for some reason we didn't perform in either of those games.  I think Cruppen will beat them and we've got the 4 points of them this year. The oul heart will always be screaming the bridge on but the head doesn't want us to go up. 

[Goats Do Shave]

Heard rumours that Ballyhegan were dropping down into the Junior C'ship.

Hard to believe 4/5 years ago they were senior!!!

What is the criteria for dropping c'ship level?? - I thought you had to be beat in the 1st round several years in a row?? or something stoopid like this!?

[Spiritof98]

I think its just a matter of putting your clubs circumstances to the county board. For years teams were reluctant to drop down but now there is a chance of an Ulster and All-Ireland campaign at Junior level and clubs would rather have this than fight it out for a few years at the right grade for them.

[full back]

Couple of years ago I think a team had to be beat in the 1st round for 3 consecutive years.
Spirit is right in that now a club can put forward their case to the County Board.
I think in the case of Ballyhegan a lot of other Junior clubs wouldnt be too keen on them dropping down as they will have 2 County players (more than likely).
If the County players had been playing all year I doubt if they would have got relegated

[Spiritof98]

I think we finally have a decent debate on our hands here.

What are peoples views on clubs dropping down a grade,

I know there is different circumstances in every club but I feel Ballyhegan might have jumped ship prematurely.

Any views?

[full back]

I think that Ballyhegan are going through a rough period and the absence of the County players definitely isnt helping their case.
One of the reasons behind their thinking in my opinion is that if they drop down they will certainly be favourites to win it and if indeed they do it should generate a lot more interest in the area & perhaps get the team going again i.e get players back etc.
People always look at what League a team is in when judging what Championship they are in, but I do think it may be a false scenario in the case of B'hagen

[BenDover]

Surely the club itself realises that they've no chncae of winning the championship they are in so be going down to the next grade they stand themselves a better chance of winning it and now with the all-ireland competition added on its like Full Back says

it should generate a lot more interest in the area & perhaps get the team going again i.e get players back etc.

But then will every club feel the need to lower their standards so they can progress to an All-Ireland clubg final albeit of a lower standard 

[armaghniac]

But then will every club feel the need to lower their standards so they can progress to an All-Ireland clubg final albeit of a lower standard

Not every club, I think Cross' will continue to take their chances in their present grade. Every other club perhaps.

[Tir na nÓg]

The senior championship seriously needs a new winner, fair enough cross have been outstanding over the last decade but I think most teams are beaten before they play them due to their reputation!

I think that if a different team apart from cross win it then it will give hope to all the rest of the teams. Instead of going in with the mind set that cross have won it 11 years in a row so theres no stopping them!

[Uladh]

The senior championship seriously needs a new winner, fair enough cross have been outstanding over the last decade but I think most teams are beaten before they play them due to their reputation!

I think that if a different team apart from cross win it then it will give hope to all the rest of the teams. Instead of going in with the mind set that cross have won it 11 years in a row so theres no stopping them!

As they say. . . it's easy talkin

[Tir na nÓg]

I never said that beating cross would be easy. It will take a team to have every player including any subs that come on to give the game of their lives. But as I said most people hear the names of players they will be playing against and then they just fold! They should look at it that they have nothing to lose. I mean if you were marking oisin mcconville your not expected to keep him scoreless so you can go out and enjoy the match and you never know you could actually surprise yourself!

[BenDover]

The only team that came even close to beating Cross in the past few yrs was the Ogs in the match played in Keady, it was very close at the end with the Ogs leading by 1 or 2 and McConville shoulda got the line for headbutting but maybe becayse of who he was he didn't get the line and the rest is history! Unfortunately 

[full back]

I mean if you were marking oisin mcconville your not expected to keep him scoreless so you can go out and enjoy the match and you never know you could actually surprise yourself!

No offence Tir na nOg but what planet are you living on with a statement like that?

[Uladh]

you can go out and enjoy the match and you never know you could actually surprise yourself!

must remember that one.

i don't know anyone who entertained the possibility of clans beating cross in the county final

[full back]

Honest to God, if you went out with an attitude like that you would find yourself 'enjoying' the match from the sideline