Topics

[Brennan enters hurling debate]

RTE

Brennan enters hurling debate

GAA President Nickey Brennan has entered the debate over the one-sided nature of the All-Ireland Hurling Championship.

There has been much discussion on the current standard of hurling, with the predictable Leinster Championship coming in for the most scrutiny.

Brennan revealed that he is looking at ways in which things could be inproved and suggests that Antrim and Galway could enter the Leinster Championship, with the Munster Championship being retained.

The GAA President also claimed that an open Championship draw is an option in order to inject some life into top-flight hurling.

What do you think?

[Kearns' club-mate to referee Leinster final]

Kearns' club-mate to referee Leinster final
04 July 2007

Surprise has been expressed at the appointment of Kerry referee Aidan Mangan to take charge of Sunday week's Leinster SFC final between Dublin and Laois.

Mangan hails from the Austin Stacks club in Tralee, the same club that Laois manager Liam Kearns played for, and this has prompted some Dublin supporters to question his appointment.

One of the most experienced referees in the game at the minute, Mangan previously took charge of Dublin's drawn All-Ireland quarter-final with Tyrone two years ago, and was also the 'man in the middle' when Laois – then managed by Mick O'Dwyer – beat the Metropolitans in the 2003 Leinster semi-final.

Hoganstand

That's a new pairing for the Munster Final. It must be a while since they met in the final, I can't remember it. Have they ever met in a final before?

There was a lot of emotion around Limerick's win over Tipp but I reckon Tipperary are an average side. Over the 3 games Tipp actually looked better than Limerick. To come back from 10 points down the second day was great but they would have been dead and buried in the first half by a good team.

The Limerick defence is a weak link and the Waterford forwards will score goals against them. They'll score against any team in Ireland the way they are playing at the minute. I can't see anything other than a good win for Waterford (6-7 points) but Limerick are still in with a chance of a semi final place depending on the draw.

[Down]

No topic on this yet? Fixtures for this week:

All Ireland Christy Ring Cup Hurling Championship

Group 2A - Round 3

Ballycran 3.00 Down v Mayo Down

Pairc Tailteann 2.00 Meath v Kerry Draw


Group 2B - Round 3
Celtic Park 3.00 Derry v Kildare Derry

Arklow 3.00 Wicklow v Calow Wicklow

Meath have made a great start.

[Hoganstand]

Hoganstand

Dublin to field three hurling teams

The Dublin county board is considering fielding three senior hurling teams in 2008.

As well as fielding in the Leinster championship, the Metropolitans could also enter teams into the Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cups. It's proposed that a team from South Dublin will play in the Christy Ring Cup, with a North Dublin selection competing in the third tier Nicky Rackard Cup.

A few years ago, the GAA's Strategic Review Committee proposed that Dublin should consider fielding two teams in certain competitions and this has already happened at underage level.

Does anybody use it? Any thoughts on usefulness? I cover a lot of miles and there are times when I think it would be useful but is it worth investing in? Are there any systems that posters would recommend?

[Bell likes the sound of Rackard Cup gesture]

At Congress last weekend it was agreed to allow a team representing South Dublin and a team representing Down clubs outside the Ards to enter the Nicky Rachard Cup in 2008. This is good news for Down hurling. The Down Juniors have been struggling for meaningful competition since the All Ireland Junuior Hurling competition was abolished a few years ago. If they are to compete in the Nicky Rachard they'll need a more professional approach than I've seen in recent years.

How will the South Dublin team be selected?

Hoganstand:

Bell likes the sound of Rackard Cup gesture
20 April 2007

Down Hurling Board Chairman Kevin Bell has described Congress's decision to admit the Mourne County's junior hurling team to the 2008 Nicky Rackard Cup as a "major breakthrough" for the game in the county.

"This is a major breakthrough for Down hurling," said a delighted Bell.

"It is the ambition of Down hurlers to compete with the top teams in Ireland.

"To do that we need to increase the number of our senior hurling clubs from three to at least six.

"Playing in the Nicky Rackard Cup competition will help us achieve that."

[Minister tells wrong club of grant success]

From HS

Minister tells wrong club of grant success
13 April 2007


Minister of the Environment Dick Roche ended up in an embarrassing situation recently when he rang the chairman of St. Patrick's in Wicklow town with the news that €250,000 was on its way to the club under the National Lottery funded Sports Capital Programme only to find out it was the wrong club he had contacted.

It was the other St. Patrick's in Wicklow, based in Kilcoole, who did indeed get sanction for the grant and according to the Minister his error in making the phone call was based on wrong information having been given to him by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Richard Griffin, the club Chairman of the Wicklow town based club explained, "We hadn't applied for a grant so we were shocked when we got the phone call and we were wondering how it could have happened. I talked to the development committee and they said we hadn't made an application so someone rang him back."

[Tickets fine for clubs]

From the Down Recorder

Tickets fine for clubs
MONAGHAN County Board has come up with a great way to punish those clubs who do not supply referees for games within the county. Offending clubs will lose their allocation of All-Ireland football and hurling tickets, which will be distributed among the active service referees who take charge of at least a stipulated number of games before August 31 each year. Last year at least four clubs in Down did not have one whistler. Seven had just one referee while several others had a referee in name only.

Shortage of referees is a real problem in many counties. Having a "referee in name only" is a good way out of the problem for some clubs. You get a lad to do the course but then he's never available to ref matches because of other committments. At least you can say your club has supplied a ref & it keeps the Board off your back.

Cork 0-15 0-07 Tyrone (FT)

Cavan 1-14 0-12 Tipp (FT)

2nd half (after 52 minutes):

Armagh 0-07 Galway 0-05

Half time

Donegal 0-06 0-03 Dublin
Roscommon 0-02 1-01 Clare
Wicklow 0-02 0-01 Wexford

Any others?

I saw this on Hoganstand. Two strikes and you're out? Does anybody know what they are on about?

Congress to debate radical hurling proposals
11 February 2007


Delegates at the GAA's Annual Congress next April are to be asked to rubber stamp a complete overhaul of the current hurling championship structures.

Included in the recommendations of the GAA's Hurling Development Committee is a 'two strikes and you're out' system to incorporate the Liam McCarthy, Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cup competitions.

The HDC will meet this coming Friday night to finalise their proposals but with the backing already received from the Munster and Leinster Councils, they are expected to be given the green light.

HDC Chairman Ned Quinn has confirmed that the new system is being proposed for a five year period, starting in 2008, to add stability and continuity to the competitions after much flux over the years.

[Antrim to release proposals]

Antrim to release proposals
17 January 2007


The Antrim County Board is to submit a set of radical proposals aimed at revolutionising the All-Ireland SHC.

Under the forward-thinking plan, Antrim suggest that the All-Ireland quarter-finals would be abolished and the provincial championships played as stand-alone competitions.

The plan would mean that the top 12 teams in the country would form two groups of six, and after a round robin series of games the two top teams in each group would advance to the semi-finals of the All-Ireland SHC.

The Saffrons are the first county to come up with proposals which contrast with the Hurling Development Committees' recent blueprint for the 2007 championship. Antrim's proposals will go before Congress in April next.

Hoganstand

I'm not sure that this is the answer. It will be hard to fit in all these matches, plus Munster & Leinster championship and NHL.  With 6 teams in each group there will be a load of meaningless games. Having said that, the current system is a dogs dinner.

[Antrim (22) Armagh (6)]

He's the list of entries for this year. A fair few more than last year. The increase probably reflects the relative success of the competition.  There's a couple of clubs I haven't heard off in that list. Who are  Gael Chamabhainn from Tyrone for example? I didn't know there were so many hurling clubs in Cavan. 
I'm disappointed with the turn out from Down. Why did Kilclief not enter No 1? They're always complaining about not getting enough matches in Down. Ballela, Liatroim & Ballyvarley are all missing as well but they have small numbers to pick from.

Antrim (22)                Armagh (6)
Loughgiel                       Middletown
St Johns                        Keady
Ballycastle                      Cuchulainn
Rossa                            Sean Tracey's
Glenariff                         Killeavy
Lamh Dhearg                  Craobh Rua
St Paul's
Cushendun                     Donegal (6)
Gortnamona                   Burt
Carey Faughs                  Setanta
St Endas                        Mac Cumhaills
Rasharkin                       Aodh Ruadh
Armoy                           St Eunans
Ballymena                      Four Masters
Dunloy
St Galls                          Tyrone (5)
Sarsfields                        Eire Og
Tir Na Nog                      Eoghan Ruadh
Shane O Neills                Shamrocks Strabane
St Brigids C Mills               Naomh Colum Cille
Ardoyne                         Gael Chamabhainn
Creggan

Down ( 8 )          Fermanagh (2)
Ballycran                        Lisnaskea
Portaferry                      Lisbellaw
Ballygalget
Newry Shamrocks           Monaghan (6)
Bredagh                        Castleblaney
St Peters W, point          Truagh Gaels
Castlewellan                   Monaghan Harps
Clonduff                        Inniskeen
                                  Carrickmacross
                                  Latton

Derry ( 8 )                
Kevin Lynch's
Banagher                       Cavan (4)
Ballinascreen                   Mullahoran
Lavey                            Ballymachugh
Slaughtniel                     Cavan Gaels
Swatragh                       Woodford Gaels
Eoghan Rua
Na Magha

[Another local match ends controversially]

Just to show that it isn't confined to GAA matches.

Mourne Observer, 7th December 2006
Another local match ends controversially

FOR the third time this season a local soccer match has ended in controversy and abandonment.
Saturday's Belfast Telegraph Intermediate Cup second round tie between Kilmore Rec and Newry City Reserves was brought to an end in the 70th minute after fighting broke out at Robert Adams Park.
Newry were leading 3-1 when tempers boiled over after a tackle by a Kilmore player, according to the Crossgar club's website.
It is alleged that spectators became involved and the referee, who was being assessed, decided to abandon the fixture.
The matter will go before the IFA Disciplinary Committee and those found responsible for the abandonment can expect heavy penalties.
Earlier this season Newcastle and Larne Tech were slammed with substantial fines following the abandonment of an Amateur League Division 1A game when fighting, involving both players and spectators, broke out at the School Ground. Both clubs ended up paying £700 in fines and the game was declared void.
Also last month, the Sirocco Seconds manager was suspended until the end of the season and his club fined £100 following the abandonment of the Division 3C fixture against Drumaness Seconds.
Controversy is the last think Kilmore wanted after winning a place in the final of the Border Cup on December 27 against Nortel.
Kilmore were on their way out of the Intermediate Cup on Saturday when things blew up. Newry led 1-0 at half time and raced into a 3-0 lead before Paddy Keown pulled one back from the penalty spot.
East Down is fast becoming the abandonment hotbed of the Province but there has also been trouble in other areas.
In recent weeks 10th Old Boys were fined £175 and had a player suspended for 10 matches after their game against Dundrod OB was abandoned in the Old Boys League and in a North Down fixture Ravenhill Athletic were fined £475 for incidents which led to the abandonment of their fixture with Bangor Rangers U-18s.

Who do we hate the most? The referees, the team from the next parish, the British establishments? Let's have a vote.

Can anybody recommend some motivational music to play on a team bus.  Something to stir the young fellas without being patronising. Years ago one of my team managers was a big reggae fan, in particular a fan of Jimmy Cliff.
He used to play "You can get if you really want it" & " The harder they come the harder they fall" as we travelled to matches. It used to get us in the right frame of mind for a game.
Once on the way to Ballygalget he stuck on " Many rivers to cross" as we boarded the Strangford Ferry and we all sang along (even though we didn't know the words). The boys loved it then but I'm not sure it would work now.
Last year I tried the "Eye of the Tiger" but they didn't get it at all.
Any suggestions? All will be considered.

[DOWN ROLL OF HONOUR 2006]

Better get this started before the Armagh lads get here and flood the site with threads about Armagh ground, Armagh u12 champioship, Armagh club toilets & Armagh long kick competition.

Can you fill in the rest as we go on or correct any mistakes?

DOWN ROLL OF HONOUR 2006

SFC:

Winners:  Mayobridge
Runners-Up: Burren

IFC:

Winners: Drumgath
Runners-Up: Atticall

JFC:

Winners: Bredagh
Runners-Up: Teconnaught

ACFL Division 1:

Winners:  Burren
Runners-Up:   Longstone

Relegated: 
Relegated: Shamrocks

ACFL Division 2:

Winners: 
Runners-Up: 

Relegated:  Saul
Relegated: Glenn

ACFL Division 3:

Winners: 
Runners-Up: 

Relegated: Aghaderg
Relegated: Drumaness

ACFL Division 4:

Winners: Bredagh
Runners-Up: St Paul's

ACPRL Division 1:
Winners:
Runners-Up:

Relegated: 
Relegated:

ACPRL Division 2:
Winners: 
Runners-Up:

PRFC:
Winners: Kilcoo
Runners-Up: Burren

RFC:
Winners: Burren
Runners-Up: Liatroim

MFC:

'A' Competition:
 Winners: Castlewellan
Runners-Up: An Ríocht

'B' Competition:
Winners: Clonduff
Runners-Up: Longstone

U16  FC
'A' Competition
Winners
Runners Up

'B' Competition
Winners
Runners Up

U14  FC
'A' Competition
Winners:  Glenn
Runners Up;  Kilcoo

'B' Competition
Winners: Warrenpoint
Runners Up: Liatroim

SHC
Winners: Portaferry
Runners Up: Ballycran

IHC
Winners: Liatroim
Runners Up: Ballycran

JHC
Winners: Ballyvarley
Runners Up: Bredagh

ACHL Division 1
Winners: Ballycran
Runners Up: Portaferry

ACHL Division 2
Winners: Newry Shamrocks
Runners Up: Ballygalget

MHC
'A' Competition
Winners
Runners Up

'B' Competition
Winners
Runners Up

U16  HC
'A' Competition
Winners: Ballygalget
Runners Up: Portaferry

'B' Competition
Winners
Runners Up

U14  HC
'A' Competition
Winners: Portaferry
Runners Up: Ballycran

'B' Competition
Winners: Bredagh
Runners Up: Kilclief