Down Club Hurling & Football

[Truth hurts]

Areas that could be targeted are Newcastle and Downpatrick. Is there a hurling GPO?

[skat man]

football clubs probably dont see it in their best interest to promote hurling and it is probably the same in reverese in ards . Are there many succesful senior dual clubs except slaughtneil ?

[johnnycool]

Areas that could be targeted are Newcastle and Downpatrick. Is there a hurling GPO?

If there is then they hide themselves well.

[johnnycool]

football clubs probably dont see it in their best interest to promote hurling and it is probably the same in reverese in ards . Are there many succesful senior dual clubs except slaughtneil ?

The level of success achieved by the likes of Slaughtneil is unprecedented in terms of dual success at provincial level and indeed camogie, but I'd counter that the likes of Bredagh, Carryduff and Liatroim do a fine job in promoting all codes with honourable mentions to Clonduff and Castlewellan also.

It helps to have big numbers

[Johnnysboys]

The only way to improve hurling in Down is to get more clubs playing, we punch way above where we should and produce hurlers of real quality but just dont have the critical mass to be a top tier team. Some of the bigger football only clubs should start hurling.

Should start hurling - I'm not sure that would sit well with their footballing committees. Some see it as a major distraction in clubs with dual players not able to commit to anything really by giving 50% to both. I love the fact we have it in our club but have been to very few games in any season.
Not being able to field, only playing 13 aside etc is frustrating. Lads are full of empty promises in January about the commitment they will give to hurling and then take the easy option when they are needed for games. That's how I see it in our club anyhow.

[marty34]

Every club in Ireland should have a hurling team.

Great advantage.  So many cross over skills but the 'football people' in clubs thinks it a disadvantage.  It's an advantage.

Look at the top Dublin clubs, all dual clubs. Throw in Sleacht Néil, Loughmore Castleiney, Dunloy, Naas and a few Clare clubs etc.  These are just a few.

It's a bit like learning two languages - they complement each other and are of benefit, not, as people think, a disadvantage.

[Hard2Listen2]

The only way to improve hurling in Down is to get more clubs playing, we punch way above where we should and produce hurlers of real quality but just dont have the critical mass to be a top tier team. Some of the bigger football only clubs should start hurling.

Not much football played at the strongest hurling clubs either!

[Hard2Listen2]

Areas that could be targeted are Newcastle and Downpatrick. Is there a hurling GPO?

I think Ulster GAA have GPOs who are dedicated specifically to hurling.
I assume they work in Down?

[befair]

When football was, as it should be, a hobby, dual players would have been more feasible. Now that even club teams are expected to live like Spartans and train like the SAS, it's no longer possible.
The pressure on playing fields of an extra code would also be too much for most clubs.

[Targetman]

Liatroim looking for a new senior football manager

[skat man]

Every club in Ireland should have a hurling team.

Great advantage.  So many cross over skills but the 'football people' in clubs thinks it a disadvantage.  It's an advantage.

Look at the top Dublin clubs, all dual clubs. Throw in Sleacht Néil, Loughmore Castleiney, Dunloy, Naas and a few Clare clubs etc.  These are just a few.

It's a bit like learning two languages - they complement each other and are of benefit, not, as people think, a disadvantage.

biggest city in ireland has enough players to support dual clubs. In other news water is wet . Sucessfull top level dual clubs are rare for a reason

[DuffGael]

The only way to improve hurling in Down is to get more clubs playing, we punch way above where we should and produce hurlers of real quality but just dont have the critical mass to be a top tier team. Some of the bigger football only clubs should start hurling.

Not much football played at the strongest hurling clubs either!

They are small clubs

[Splash]

Disappointing defeat to Kildare for the hurlers yesterday in the Kehoe Cup. No pre-season silverware this year.

Close enough game in the end. Ultimately you have to be happy enough with the pre-season. Beat Meath, and have the potential to beat Kildare. At the end of the day, when we play these teams later in the year, they will be, in all likelihood, must-win games to avoid relegation in the league and championship, let alone gain promotion. Hopefully we finish this preseason off well with a good performance over Wicklow in the next round.

Have to say, Kildare's Hurling Action Plan has been quite remarkable over the past few years, and would be great to see us implement something similar in Down.

How would you improve hurling in the county?

Great bit of hurling discussion going on today. Love to see it.

As others have said, the most fundamental thing which has to be done to improve hurling is to get more people playing hurling. At the end of the day, it boils down to that. I've said it before and I'll say it again; we are lucky to have the fourth biggest population in Ireland. Take out the usual arguments, that a lot of those people don't come from a club that offers hurling, or half of that population wouldn't be interested in hurling for political reasons. At the end of the day, there's  over half a million people in County Down. We should be trying to make hurling as accessible to each and every one of them.

The key thing, for me, would be to get more clubs offering hurling. The most obvious thing would be suggesting teams like RGU or Bryansford offering hurling. Downpatrick and Newcastle are two big population centres in South Down, and neither has a hurling team. Yes, Kilclief and Castlewellen are options for people in those towns, but let's face it, if you have to travel, no matter how little the distance, the game will not be as popular.

It would be great to see clubs that used to offer hurling revive it again. Darragh Cross and Glenn would be the two examples that spring to mind.

It would also be great to see a couple more new clubs come into existence in the near future.

The other big thing would be to improve the standard of the hurling that is being played. A complicated matter, but it has to be done.

Our schools could encourage the game more. Having more Down schools being competitive in the Mageen Cup would be great. Schools competition if often a good step between club and county. Giving more Down players the chance to play against quality opposition from other schools across Ulster would be beneficial in the long run.

There are other things I think that could be done to improve the quality of hurling in Down, but I think those 3 things would be a massive boost in particular.

I don't understand the opposition from some football people to having hurling in their club. If they don't like it, fine. Nobody will force them to play. Don't see why you would try to stop giving anyone else the chance to play it, though. I would agree that the hurling only clubs should offer football, but it's not a good reason to say 'Sure why would we start a hurling team if the Ardsmen aren't playing football.' Every club should offer both, as well as handball.

Regarding the success of dual clubs, Slaughtneil are/were a once in a generation team. You couldn't expect any dual club in Down to be operating at that level. There are plenty of dual clubs that are competitive in both. Dunloy in Antrim. Saint Eunan's in Donegal, etc.

It's ridiculous to think having a hurling team will hamper the football in the club. The Point reached a senior football final and won a junior hurling championship in the same year in 2022. The two can live side by side.

There's a lot that could be done to improve the hurling landscape in Down. But it's nothing that can't be done.

[skat man]

not opposition to hurling , im sure most like to watch a game . its the reality's of it . most clubs struggle for numbers as is , clubs who only have 1 code are doing what they can to promote their chosen code and even w then some are struggling . what clubs realistically in Down except maybe burren and kilcoo could field a hurling team seperate from the football team.
you wont convince people from either code in clubs with a smaller pick that dual can work , it doesnt , naming a few clubs who have done things in 1 off seasons wont change that. the problems of using the same players for both and burnout/injury , lack of facilities and both teams struggling due to training sessions being disrupted still remain . if you have soloutions to them real issues id be interested to hear .

[Splash]

You make it seem as though most clubs are struggling to field 15 players every week in the football. That's simply not the case. A lot of clubs already have reserve teams.

As I said, the most obvious answers would be RGU and Bryansford due to their population centres.

Saval, Mayobridge, Loughinisland, Darragh Cross, Glenn, to name a few.

Plenty of examples of clubs being able to sustain both.

Youre not necessarily using the same players for both codes. You wouldn't be expecting every player to be a dual player. The fact is you will have some fellas who just play football, and some who just play hurling. It's not simply a case of handing the senior football team hurls. You will have people playing hurling who don't play football for the club.

One shouldn't be hampering the other. If it is, you're doing something very wrong. 

Lack of facilities can be difficult, but a lot of clubs have at least two pitches, but you wouldn't be expecting hurling and football to be on the same night, anyway. It's just about being pragmatic with time slots.

The fact of the matter is most clubs in Down aren't struggling to field football teams. No reason most senior football clubs couldn't field a junior hurling team.

If football men are afraid that hurling may take away from football (I assume, because they're afraid lads will enjoy and commit to the hurling?), it is their responsibility to make sure football is enjoyable and keep people interested.