Down Club Hurling & Football

[manwithnoplan]

Ref was threatened at HT apparently and walked off. Can't blame him.

Genuinely surprised by the limited responses on this one. There will be no Championships running at all if they go on strike similar to the refs in Wexford. We've all complained about decisions here and there but having the ref threatened enough that they leave at half time, that's mental.

If a ref is threatened, clubs should be forced to play all of their senior games away next season. That would be an effective deterrence.

Clubs should be fined and banned from playing some fixtures. That affects league positions. Or depending on circumstance, banned from championship. The only way to stamp it out is to dish out an impactful punishment. Playing away games is not really much of a deterrent. It seems to be getting worse, people seem to forget that even of you have a senior panel of 30 and hundreds of members, nobody plays a match without a referee.

[DownFanatic]

CCC were probably genuinely looking to give the JFC sides as many Championship games as they could, broadly in line with the IFC and JFC. But the format, while not completely meaningless, only eliminates two teams after the first phase of fixtures. With Division 4 having given 11 games and the two new split sections hosting an additional 5 games minimum, I'd say most JFC teams would have been happy with a straight knockout championship. Two preliminary round games to eliminate two teams then quarters, semis and final.

[ardtole]

Would 2 groups of 5, with 4 meaningful games (bar a possible dead rubber game towards the end), with top 2 going through. Winner of each group plays runner up from other group in the semis.

A round robin group of 3 with no immediate elimination is like a go games blitz.

[supersub]

The number of opinions and formats here shows exactly how hard it would be to a. Please everyone and b. Get the best suitable format i.e not many and not too few games. The number of teams in JFC doesn't lend itself to traditional formats unless you are looking straight knockout. Even then someone is going to have to play prelim etc. Our fixtures, structures and formats are generally pretty good in comparison to other counties. Let's not use this as another stick to beat CCC.

[ardtole]

I'd generally agree with you. But what is going ahead is utter madness, though as someone mentioned earlier when you are in junior, you are somewhat of an afterthought.

[manwithnoplan]

The number of opinions and formats here shows exactly how hard it would be to a. Please everyone and b. Get the best suitable format i.e not many and not too few games. The number of teams in JFC doesn't lend itself to traditional formats unless you are looking straight knockout. Even then someone is going to have to play prelim etc. Our fixtures, structures and formats are generally pretty good in comparison to other counties. Let's not use this as another stick to beat CCC.

Straight knockout with a preliminary round was done for many years without any problems.

[Minus15]

Due to back door system in operation in Intermediate and Senior, the last few years the Junior has had to wait until R3 before it can get started with preliminary round and then QF aligning with the QF of the top 2 grades.
This has led to some clubs having maybe 1 game in 4 or 5 weeks
August is traditionally championship time yet for the last few years Junior has had to wait until September.
Maybe this year's format is an effort to try to combat that.
I think it would be much better to start it at same time as Senior and Intermediate and let it finish earlier.

[supersub]

The number of opinions and formats here shows exactly how hard it would be to a. Please everyone and b. Get the best suitable format i.e not many and not too few games. The number of teams in JFC doesn't lend itself to traditional formats unless you are looking straight knockout. Even then someone is going to have to play prelim etc. Our fixtures, structures and formats are generally pretty good in comparison to other counties. Let's not use this as another stick to beat CCC.

Straight knockout with a preliminary round was done for many years without any problems.

That may be your opinion and no issue with that. But there has to be some reason they have veered away from that format this year. It would suggest it was not without problems or complaints.

[Mourne Red]

The number of opinions and formats here shows exactly how hard it would be to a. Please everyone and b. Get the best suitable format i.e not many and not too few games. The number of teams in JFC doesn't lend itself to traditional formats unless you are looking straight knockout. Even then someone is going to have to play prelim etc. Our fixtures, structures and formats are generally pretty good in comparison to other counties. Let's not use this as another stick to beat CCC.

Straight knockout with a preliminary round was done for many years without any problems.

That may be your opinion and no issue with that. But there has to be some reason they have veered away from that format this year. It would suggest it was not without problems or complaints.

There was 10 teams in Div 4 and played each other twice when there was straight knockout.. This year league splits in 2 so only 15 games in league compared to the other leagues where they get 18 and back door system.

Say the round Robin is to give junior teams more games and not have league games being called off at the end of the year when the lower teams in the league are paying dead rubbers

[manwithnoplan]

The number of opinions and formats here shows exactly how hard it would be to a. Please everyone and b. Get the best suitable format i.e not many and not too few games. The number of teams in JFC doesn't lend itself to traditional formats unless you are looking straight knockout. Even then someone is going to have to play prelim etc. Our fixtures, structures and formats are generally pretty good in comparison to other counties. Let's not use this as another stick to beat CCC.

Straight knockout with a preliminary round was done for many years without any problems.

That may be your opinion and no issue with that. But there has to be some reason they have veered away from that format this year. It would suggest it was not without problems or complaints.

It isn't really an opinion, it's something I know from players and people involved in the JFC over the years. Each year there are 2/3 standout teams, the remainder have very little chance of winning it. So a one off game was always the most realistic chance they had of causing an upset. Now we'll see the favourites motor on through as they have a second chance after a bad day. Probably see a few extra one sided results too which do no favours for anyone.

[snoopdog]

Tailteann final in with the Dublin Monaghan semi final. Tickets will be scarce. Will Down and Meath get 10k each?  Will they be available  online  I wonder

[Walter Cronc]

Tailteann final in with the Dublin Monaghan semi final. Tickets will be scarce. Will Down and Meath get 10k each?  Will they be available  online  I wonder

Where you reading this lad?

[snoopdog]

Tailteann final in with the Dublin Monaghan semi final. Tickets will be scarce. Will Down and Meath get 10k each?  Will they be available  online  I wonder

Where you reading this lad?

Rte and the indo.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0702/1392282-kerry-paired-with-derry-in-all-ireland-semi-finals/

[Walter Cronc]

Frig I thought they'd put you on with us as can only see 50k or so at it! Kerry don't really travel. You'll get 10k each I'd say for Tailteann if all ticket. Pretty sure last years semi was ticketmaster so youse can maybe get as many as youse want.

[snoopdog]

Frig I thought they'd put you on with us as can only see 50k or so at it! Kerry don't really travel. You'll get 10k each I'd say for Tailteann if all ticket. Pretty sure last years semi was ticketmaster so youse can maybe get as many as youse want.

It would've made more sense. To have kerry Derry on that day also. Prob the late throw in Tim for the semi stopped that. But they could've worked something. Gaa don't really do common sense though