Down Club Hurling & Football

[Blue Island]

If I was from Drumgath I would not be too bothered. The rules are written down and if the Ulster Council don't rule in Drumgath's favour the DRA will. The DRA effectively look at the scenario from a legal point of view and the issue is black and white. They will not accept the excuse that it was an oversight on by the county board.

[6th sam]

6th Sam, i too think it is unfair on them as the rules clearly state it was the bottom 3, and with Bright not making the 30% rule, it left us and Mitchells to play of.
then there was the fact we were told that if we beat Mitchells last sunday, we would be safe in div 3, and the loser would play Drumgath, with the winners of that being safe and the losers relegated. then, on tuesday we were told that it was now a round robin situation and if Mitchells beat Drumgath this saturday, though that is now not happening, that we had to play Drumgath next weekend. never mind the goalposts being moved, they were taken down! it now leaves us in limbo not knowing what as happening, and this could drag on for months, leaving us with what could possibly be a 10,11 or 12 month season. by the time we could finish this season, it will be pre-season already.

The plot thickens!
Agree with you totally St.Paul's,this whole situation has now become very untidy.The implications of relegation to Division 4 are massive.You lads have made great strides at all levels,along with Bredagh and Carryduff-and GAA strength in North Down is essential to future Down success.The gloss has been taken off your excellent season(in which you were competitive in most of your games) by administrative difficulties outside your control.
This fixtures chaos in sept/oct/nov  has been a problem for years ,and it's time the county held a workshop to include representatives from all interested parties--club officers/managers/players.,county managers/players, and county board,to grasp the nettle on fixtures once And for all.

[stpauls]

6th Sam, i too think it is unfair on them as the rules clearly state it was the bottom 3, and with Bright not making the 30% rule, it left us and Mitchells to play of.
then there was the fact we were told that if we beat Mitchells last sunday, we would be safe in div 3, and the loser would play Drumgath, with the winners of that being safe and the losers relegated. then, on tuesday we were told that it was now a round robin situation and if Mitchells beat Drumgath this saturday, though that is now not happening, that we had to play Drumgath next weekend. never mind the goalposts being moved, they were taken down! it now leaves us in limbo not knowing what as happening, and this could drag on for months, leaving us with what could possibly be a 10,11 or 12 month season. by the time we could finish this season, it will be pre-season already.

The plot thickens!
Agree with you totally St.Paul's,this whole situation has now become very untidy.The implications of relegation to Division 4 are massive.You lads have made great strides at all levels,along with Bredagh and Carryduff-and GAA strength in North Down is essential to future Down success.The gloss has been taken off your excellent season(in which you were competitive in most of your games) by administrative difficulties outside your control.
This fixtures chaos in sept/oct/nov  has been a problem for years ,and it's time the county held a workshop to include representatives from all interested parties--club officers/managers/players.,county managers/players, and county board,to grasp the nettle on fixtures once And for all.

yeah sam, our position in the league didn't really reflect our performances, a lot of them fair enough we did not win, but we certainly played better than our final points tally shows, we were one of the top scoring teams in the league for the first month or so, but faded in that department, and the lack of numbers in some games, (our away game in teconnaught being a prime example, were we had 15 players only, and two were playing injured, with one being sent off and another limping of during the game leaving us with 13 on the field), left us stuggling to get wins when we really needed them. we can only hope that this problem resolves itself, we stay in division 3, learn from this year, and come out stronger and more competitive next year.

[southdown]

Any more new names on that county panel?

I see Alder from the Duff has been called called up, he's a good keeper, but I always thought John Gibney would have got a chance some time soon.

Good to see some new faces been drafted in, but I still cant see anything special about Joe Ireland, he would hardly stand out for Bryansford.

[boscomo]

think andy coleman deserves a shout on the county panal , my only concern is his soccer commitments, but has a pinpoint 60yd + kickout and a great shot stopper.

[Orior]

Shocking news today of a mixed marriage.

A Poyntzpass O'Hanlons man married a Mayobridge woman. Rumour had it that the Pass man had aspirations to play for the Bridge (stood a fair chance of getting on) but a serious leg injury at the start of the year put paid to that.

Good luck to the happy couple.

[southdown]

SFC Final preview

Taken from http://longstone.down.gaa.ie

Mayobridge will be looking to win their fourth Down Senior Football Championship in a row in Newry on Sunday. However, Longstone will be keen to become the first team since Bryansford, who beat Mayobridge in the 2003 final, to dethrone the Sky Blues. Longstone make their first appearance in the final of this competition since 1986, and having made just two final appearances in the club's 62 year existence, are yet to win the big one.
   
On the day though, the Bridge will boast a strong squad, including Down stars such as Ronan Sexton, Michael Walsh and Brendan Grant, but they most famously have county, province and country star Benny Coulter amongst the ranks, and this for the neutrals who will don the stands, will make Mayobridge slight favourites. Longstone, however, will not go down without a fight and will come out with all guns blazing. They will look to the big names in the squad to attempt to rewrite the Stone's history books. Michael Higgins and Mark Doran will be marshalling the defence, Ambrose Rogers, if selected at midfield, will attempt to control the game from the middle of the park, while up front the Stone will look to Barry Doran, Mark Poland and Ryan Kelly for the majority of the team's scores.

It may be worth noting that when paired together for the league series, these teams played out two exhilarating, entertaining games of attacking football. In Longstone Park back in April, the game finished all square at 1-10 apiece, while in St Patrick's Park in June, Mayobridge edged it by a scoreline of 1-11 to 1-09.
   
In order to reach the final, both teams encountered tricky paths. Mayobridge beat off Attical, Rostrevor after a replay and Bryansford, in a game which the Bridge scored four goals, in order to reach the club's eighth final in nine years. Longstone had to see off the challenge of last year's IFC champions, division three side Drumgath, league high-flyers Kilcoo and Burren, who ironically defeated Longstone in their last final appearance all those years ago.
   
Another fact for the notebooks is that it was indeed Mayobridge who dumped Longstone out of last year's competition on a scoreline of 2-11 to 0-08, despite two very close league matches earlier in that season.
   
In the past few weeks, both teams received a psychological boost, with Mayobridge winning through to the ACFL Division One semi-finals, were they have set up a meeting with An Riocht, while Longstone recently won the Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland 7s competition in Dublin.
   
A big crowd will be expected for this encounter, and on past clashes between the two, it is easy to see why. On paper, Mayobridge edge ahead slightly as favourites, but on the day the teams such be evenly matched, both play attacking, passing football, and both teams can perform on the big stage. So this match could go right to the wire.

[passedit]

Dundrum 0-15   Tullylish 1-07
Saul        3-6     Bredagh 1-10

Dundrum promoted

[Whitehair]

Great win for Dundrum earlier, fully deserving of their victory! Their mobile forwards were better suited to the slippy conditions unlike Tullylish's. Conor Mc Shane had a great game scoring 5 points.

Glasdrumman beat Banbridge by 3!? Clann hit the post with a penalty in injury time.

[DownFanatic]

Great day for Dundrum today. Definitely the better team. Conor McShane was unreal weighing in with 5 points. The other man of the match had to be our 37 year old veteran Martin Coughlan. He had balls of steel and a really passionate desire to win. Overall it was a panel effort but I have to admit we played really well. We worked hard all year and kept focused. Divsion 2 is the ultimate step up for us and im sure every player will relish it.

PS. Bryansford 0-03 Loughinisland 0-14 in Division 1 Relegation Playoff.

[umpire]

Today result Mayobridge 2.13 An-Riocht 0.7

Final league Table

Mayobridge   22   15   3   4   33   112
Kilcoo   22   15   2   5   32   98
Burren   22   10   4   8   24   6
An Riocht   22   10   4   8   24   -31
Longstone   22   10   3   9   23   12
Rostrevor   22   10   3   9   23   5
Clonduff   22   9   4   9   22   -14
Castlewel   22   11   0   11   22   6
Bryansford   22   9   3   10   21   -19
Loughinisld   22   8   4   10   20   -18
Liatriom   22   7   3   12   17   -27
Attical   22   1   1   20   3   -130

                    FOR              AGAINST                 Averager per game   
Mayobridge     38 243    357     19   188  245           16.22      11.13
Kilcoo             25 252    327     14   187   229           14.86      10.40
Burren            19 207    264     11   225   258           12         11.72
An Riocht       15 231    276     21   244   307           12.54      13.95
Longstone      13 230    269      8   233   257           12.22      11.68
Rostrevor       12 227    263     16   210   258           11.95      11.72
Clonduff         24 212    284     25   223   298           12.90      13.54
Castlewellan   18 226    280     24   202   274           12.72       12.45
Bryansford     21 202    265     25   209   284           12.04       12.90
Loughinisland 18 186    240     13   219   258           10.90        11.72
Liatriom         15 220    265     19   235   292           12.04        13.27
Attical            5  176    191     28   237   321            8.68         14.59

[umpire]

Last year championship first round game in Newcastle
Team and scorers

Mayobridge team.
Sean Featherstone, Gavin Barry, Brendan Grant, Michael Lively, Brendan Rooney, Ronan Sexton 1-0, Daragh Tighe, Eoghan Woods, Cathal Magee, Declan Rooney, Benny Coulter 0-1, Noel Sexton 0-2, John Quinn 1-2, Michael Walsh 0-4, Adrain Barry 0-1, Sub used, Robbie Coulter for Cathel Magee, Gavin Walsh 0-1 for Noel Sexton

Longstone team
Aidan Poland, Michael Higgins, Eamon Quinn, Hugh Magee, Conor Smyth, Barry Kelly, Cormac Poland 0-1, John Magee, Ambrose Rodgers 0-1, Adrain Trainor, Mark Poland, Barry Doran, Eamon Trimble, Ryan Kelly 0-6, Stevie Doran, Sub used Mark Doran for Barry Doran, Peter Trainor for Ambrose Rodgers/
Top 5 Scorers in Down Championship from 2002 to 2007
2002
PP McCartan, Liatriom 4-13;  Robbie Coutler, Mayobridge 1-21; Aidan Cole, Rostrevor, 0-16;  Paddy Bradley, Burren 1-10; Conor Daly, Rostrevor 0-12

2003
Robbie Coulter, Mayobridge 5-13; Chris Brannigan, Bryansford 0-20; Colm Kearney, Bryansford 1-14; MickeyLinden, Mayobridge 2-9; Brendan Coulter, Mayobridge 3-6

2004
Benny Coulter, Mayobridge 2-11; Robbie Coutler, 2-10; Aidan Fegan, Annaclone, 1-12; Donal Kane, Kilcoo 0-14; Barry Doran, Longstone 0-13

2005
Daniel Hughes, Saval 2-13; Chris Brannigan, Bryansford 0-18; Benny Coulter, Mayobridge 2-11; John Quinn, Mayobridge 1-13; Shane King, Bryansford 2-10

2006
John Fegan, Clonduff 2-11; John Quinn, Mayobridge 2-11; Mickey Walsh, Mayobridge 0-13; Benny Coulter, Mayobridge 2-6; James McGovern, Burren 0-10;

2007 ?
Any thoughts on who will finish on top five scorers for this year?

[Our Nail Loney]

Any prices today boscomo?? Forgot to ring Hughes there during the week.

[boscomo]

niall ring larry mcalinden on 07872327618 he might be able to get you a price just tell him mo rooney was talking to you

i know drumaness are favourites

mo

[Square Ball]

Congrats to Dundrum on their promotion to div 2, leaves the rest fighting for the remaining place, Bredagh and Tullylish on 1 point and Saul on 2. the remaining fixtures are Bredagh v Dundrum and Saul v Tullylish. IF there is a tie for second place what is the deceiding factor, or is it a playoff between the two teams?