Messages

Lotto have a wee read through your post history when you get a chance.

To put it politely, you sing have anything positive to say about anyone or anything. Just angry at everyone all the time.

Get some more sleep fella.

You have too much time on your hands wobbler. Sticking up for your drinking buddy again.

BTW, I can't sing.

There is a video doing the rounds of him in his pyjamas showing people how to cook a pizza, by the looks of it he has being taking his advice too literally.

I'm amazed to see that not only do we have the best coach in Ireland as one of our own in Down, we now have the greatest chef in Ireland as well. How seriously does this individual crave attention that he first of all puts this madness together and secondly makes the stupid thing public?  As they say, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.

[Are you really that offended by the actions?]

Thoughts on Rostrevor training in kilbroney over Christmas?

Thoughts on you getting your facts right?

Don't ever come on this board and try to demean another club, absolutely disgraceful. You will find that there were no breach of any guidance or restrictions where our club is concerned. 'Over Christmas' is incorrect. Please take this post down it's the lowest. Revised GAA guidelines came in 27th Dec. Previous ones were in place from 11th Dec.

On the County issue, why are so many so quick to get on a high horse. Are you really that offended by the actions? I find it hard to believe so

I am disgusted that county officers rang a number of clubs to request their grounds for a Down Senior session which was totally against the GAA rules yet when they were found out holding the training session in the Abbey they then tried to pass it off as something else. Yes, I am seriously offended by the reckless flaunting of a GAA directive. Most of us are trying to do the right thing to beat this shit but the Down County Board/Senior Team think they can do what they want, seriously? Catch yourselves on. Stop the lying Devaney.

I just hate liars.

From Hoganstand

Down not expecting to face sanctions after Newry gathering
January 08, 2021

Down GAA say they have notified Croke Park of the development
Down GAA say they do not expect to face any sanctions after a number of their senior footballers gathered in Newry last Tuesday.

Elite status allows Down and other counties to train amid Northern Ireland's current lockdown, but the GAA has put a ban on all collective training until February 1 at the earliest.

BBC Sport NI reports that the PSNI looked into the gathering at Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School and were "fully satisfied there was no issue".

Down county board chairman Jack Devaney also confirmed that they have notified Croke Park of the development.

"Some of our squad members did gather for approximately 40 minutes at Abbey CBS college on Tuesday evening to discuss individual training programmes," said Devaney.

"Down GAA has notified Croke Park of the development. We were clear that we were not doing any collective training and indeed haven't trained as a group since mid-November.

"We anticipate that no sanctions will arise from this. Approximately 18 attended, and in line with protocols were split into two groups; many were new to the squad and received induction packages and individual programmes until inter-county training resumes."

There is nothing more I hate in life than a liar. Devaney trying to defend what he says the Down players were doing in the Abbey on Tuesday night. Does he think we are stupid when everybody knows it was a training session yet according to him all the GAA rules were being adhered to and it was just to give individual training programmes. There are ways and means of distributing these programmes, the players don't have to be fully kitted out on a pitch to do this. Devaney should take his lies and f**k away back of to Clare or wherever he is from, he can't defend this. Hold your hands up and take it on the chin, they were wrong and broke the rules. Just don't try to tell lies when the truth is very well known.

Nothing ever surprises me about you wobbler. You are defending Down for breaking the rules the same way you tried to defend your own club Ballyholland who repeatedly broke the rules during lockdown last year. It was wrong then and it is even more wrong now.

['Guidance' not strictly adhered to? Yes.]

Serious amount of people try so hard to be offended and outraged these days. They are adults, they assessed their own risks and made a choice. The same way we all should in life. Virtue signaling is the latest trend I suppose. Laws broken? No. 'Guidance' not strictly adhered to? Yes. Let's all move on.

As an aside, any players keen to leak things to their mates or others maybe aren't of the right mentality to complete/contribute in a high level team environment. And as mentioned, they are adults so if they didn't agree with whatever was planned, they can speak up and make their own choice.

This was not 'guidance'. It was a directive from Croke Park stating in first paragraph in the instruction:
Given the current exceptional rise in infection rates of Covid 19 and the increased risk of community transmission, the GAA has taken the decision that there will be no collective training permitted for inter-county teams for at least the remainder of the month of January.

How exactly do you make this out to be guidance? As for assessing their own risk and making their own choices, the fear that if they didn't attend they could be dropped or playing chances being limited would have been the reason they attended, they would not have said no to Paddy Tally so they had no choice.

[From Hoganstand]

From Hoganstand

GAA confirms no collective training for inter-county teams until February
January 05, 2021

Inter-county teams will not be allowed to hold collective training sessions throughout January
The GAA has announced that no collective training for inter-county teams will be permitted for at least the remainder of January.

January 15th had been the date set out for inter-county teams to resume training with the National Leagues set to commence at the end of February.

However, in a letter sent out to all county board secretaries this morning, GAA Director General Tom Ryan cited "the current exceptional rise in infection rates of Covid-19 and the increased risk of community transmission" as the reason why teams cannot go back to collective training this month.

Mr Ryan added that club and county gyms must also stay closed until further notice and that breaches of these provisions will be dealt with under Rule 7.2 (e) of the officials guide, which is the rule that refers to misconduct considered to have discredited the Association.

"As you are aware the current Level 5 restrictions in the South will run until January 31at which point the GAA will review the current situation and any further advice in this context will be provided," Mr Ryan's letter reads.

"Finally, it is important to note that outdoor gatherings on GAA property are not permitted – the only current exemption to this is for walkways (which may stay open for use by the community with social distancing in place) and for clubs registered for the 'Ireland Lights Up' walking initiative.

"I fully appreciate the frustrations these additional restrictions may place on our inter-county players and management teams.

"However, the safety of everyone in the game and indeed the broader community has to be our primary focus.

"It has never been more important for our players, coaches and officials to follow both the Government guidelines and our own provisions around training."

Did anyone else hear that Down seniors were apparently put off the Abbey pitch by the PSNI last night?

Absolutely ridiculous if this is true. 

Inspirational thread, fair play Ball Hopper. Amazing stuff and all the best for 2021.

According to the greatest coach in Ireland and now ex Down Minor coach, he is helping some lads on twitter to pick an All Stars football side. Perhaps he would have been better concentrating on picking a minor team that could have beaten Fermanagh last Sunday. He's also on an All Ireland Final review podcast and all talk about that game. Very interesting that he hasn't put forward an analysis of his own teams last Sunday on any of his usual formats, now I would listen to that one but he hasn't the balls to do it. Plenty of talk about other coaches and their teams performance but perhaps he needs to look in the mirror first.

What a terrible performance from a team considered by some, don't know who, to be one of the favourites for the All Ireland never mind Ulster. And we have the best coach in Ireland involved with them, the self professed all knowing guru, sure it was going to be easy with the wonderful players they had. If he spent less time mouthing off in the press it would have suited him better. It was like they had never trained or played together and met up just this morning for the match, it was just a shambles from start to finish.

What an U.17 team we have tomorrow v Fermanagh, I hope the Burren team does the business.

With the post-Christmas lockdown, will the Ulster minor championship be abandoned?

I'd say that could be a possibility. Not sure what restrictions will be in Republic, so semis and final may be able to be played in the 3 southern counties.but then you may have travel restrictions etc.

Will the National Leagues now take place if no collective training allowed?

Currently, no sporting activity is permitted between Stephen's Day and 2 Jan. After this the only permitted training or games would be elite sport which is only inter county minor or senior. All other training is not permitted after 26 December.