Non Ards

[neilthemac]

players from those Galway clubs would be too strong for the Rackard

[tayto]

Im tipping Fingal/North Dublin to win it this year. Improving with each game and plenty of players to call upon.

Not that may players to choose from, it's not a full north dublin selection, clubs included are : Fingallians, Naomh Mearnóg, O'Dwyer's, Skerries Harps, Setanta, St Brigid's, St Finian's (S), Naomh Maur, Naomh Barróg, St Sylvester's and Trinity Gaels - not many of those are well known for hurling. But they do seem to be improving as the competition progresses alright. 

[highking]

Im tipping Fingal/North Dublin to win it this year. Improving with each game and plenty of players to call upon.

Not that may players to choose from, it's not a full north dublin selection, clubs included are : Fingallians, Naomh Mearnóg, O'Dwyer's, Skerries Harps, Setanta, St Brigid's, St Finian's (S), Naomh Maur, Naomh Barróg, St Sylvester's and Trinity Gaels - not many of those are well known for hurling. But they do seem to be improving as the competition progresses alright. 

Theres more hurling clubs there than in Sligo and Leitrim put together.....

[tayto]

oh .... eh .... right .... just thought that you thought it was a full dublin north selection 

[Galforever]

Galforever - Football would be the dominant sport in all them areas, but they compete ok at Intermediate/JuniorA in Galway. I know their player standard wouldnt be up to the Galway Senior level, but what Im saying is that they would put a nice team together for the Rackard Cup.

Yeah, I know what your point was.

But still, I am unsure if players from these area would be up to it even at Nicky Rackard level. Most of the best players from these clubs just transfer fto better hurling clubs anyway (Kevin Brady from Sylane to Castlegar, I think?)

[hurl4ever]

just a quick question.....kieran courtney is from newry shamrocks and plays for down seniors but if the non ards team was playing in the semi final this weekend and with the down seniors out of the christy ring, would courtney have been aloud to play for the non ards team???

[Whitehair]

No i think at the start of the year Courtney and Fintan Conway(other non ards player) choose to play senior so are excluded. Although both can play for the non ards team in the Down senior club championship.

[Guillem2]

Is this some sort of break away from the Down County Board? If it is they shouldn't be tolerated.

The Ards clubs have played in the Antrim league because it offers them a good standard of competition for years. Other Down clubs have played in Antrim as well Kilclief & Bredagh - even Tyrone & Armagh clubs have been welcomed.  If these guys in South Down are trying to split from Down it should nott be encouraged in any way. There will be mayhem if they are recognised as a county.

[SCENTOFSAM]

I don't think there is anything underhand in all this business about the Non Ards/ S Down team. My understanding is that they played and competed quite well in Div 4 NHL this year. Anything that helps promote hurling an improve standard beyond the Ards has to be welcomed. Clubs like Warrenpoint and Bredagh have come on leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. Just a pity that Downpatrick an Darragh Cross no longer are involved

[MadMick007]

I don't believe there is a split of South Down from the County Board. One of the reasons South Down was formed was to drive a split between the Senior County Hurling Team, The Ards and the County Board. An example of this was taking the Ards team to Newry to play Derry, who in their right mind would take and Ards based team out of the Ards to play in Newry against a very good Derry team. The hierarchy of the county board did not go to watch the Carlow game but chose to travel and watch South Down play fermanagh indicating that South Down are the priority team.
if it was not for Antrim Down hurling would be long extinct! The vast majority of hurling people in the Ards have no respect for either the Hurling Board or County Board and basically put club over county. Hurling in the Ards receives no support from the county, eg players played Christy Ring games on the Saturday and Antrim have fixed games for the Sunday. Did the Down County board contact Antrim to ask for games to be rescheduled, NO! Players who played against Derry had 4 games in seven days! On the other hand they are cancelling games galore to accommodate South Down.

[downgirl]

The county board never has done anything for the senior hurlers, and probably never will.  It's a disgrace.

[Whitehair]

On the other hand they are cancelling games galore to accommodate South Down.

I think thats a bit of an overstatement. Im not too sure about about ACHL Div2 but i play in Div1 for a non-ards team and our fixtures, like lost others in the Division have been relatively unaffected by the South Down team, others may disagree but i feel this season has been the most competitive for a while.