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Anyone know whos bright idea it was to stream a game from probably the biggest network black spot in the county?

18 quid and can't even get on at all. Trying to charge another fiver for by the sound of it no coverage anyway. But sure hi its only a couple a quid, decent spuds trying to provide a service.

I've mixed feelings about it to be honest. On one hand, the attempt to widen the coverage of our championship is a fantastic idea, it reaches those that are housebound, abroad or even those from other counties.

On the other hand, it doesn't seem like any network testing was done at Liatroim or Ballymartin prior to the day of the match, going to those grounds on the day and hoping for the best is just lunacy. Then asking people to cough up £5 a head for a sub-par service, then not issuing a credit for a future game or refund when it doesn't work sends the whole lot into farce. Asking people to pay when you've no idea if the service will work doesn't sit right with me

Burren
Downpatrick
Ballyholland
Kilcoo
Carryduff
Mayobridge
CPN
Castlewellan
Annaclone
Liatroim
Tullylish
An Riocht
Shamrocks
Ballymartin
Bright
Saval
Ardglass
Kilclief
Mitchels

Some amount of disrespect to the stone on here earlier after reading some of their posts...total fools if they believed the stone wouldn't make a game of that tonight. There are a few teams you never get anything handy from them the stone being one. Fair play Longstone well deserved and not one bit surprised.

I'll hold my hands up, got that one badly wrong.
I did get a run down to the game, and even for a neutral, the low scoring game was very entertaining. Walking out at the end I heard a few CPN supporters saying they kicked an awful lot of wides, but I have to give top marks to the Stone defence. They were forcing the shots from the wings. Every time a CPN player crossed the 50 they were met with a wall of red jerseys. CPN seemed to run out of ideas at the end.

I also have to say Ballymartin have to get credit for hosting the game, thought they done a great job considering they rarely get SFC games. The pitch and the lights were fantastic.

Do we need e-tickets for tonight's game?

Yes, ticket only. Still available on the app

Longstone will give the point their fill of it this eve...W'Point riddled with Injuries and Covid too maybe but think there is a serious amount of lads missing tonight...I expect this game to go 1/2pts either way but if I was a betting man I'd say the stone might get a big scalp this eve...hope I'm wrong

This feels a bit like trying to downplay the massive favourites tag. Its a double digits Point win.

Is there a back door this year, I didn't think so but seen a comment a few days ago that there is

The dates provided by the CCC includes a 'Round 3' for SFC and IFC, which wouldn't be possible without a qualifier/backdoor.
I can't confirm if there is a backdoor for JFC as haven't seen those ones but going by recent years I think there isn't? I'm open to correction on that one if I'm wrong.

I'd agree with Smurfy and wobbler, I don't understand the mass backlash. Everyone that posted negatively has ignored the fact that this is not a permanent change, it is temporary to allow for a restriction on the number of tickets that can be offered for each game. If the country is fully open this time next year, you can guarantee the under 16s will be allowed in FOC again.

Regarding the pricing, single matches in previous years were £8, double headers £10, so yes there has been a reduction on price on adult tickets.

[wisdom of the crowd]

Now that we have a good mix of entries for the prediction comp, I thought it would be interesting to have a look at the 'wisdom of the crowd'.

In the SFC, CPN, Burren and Clonduff are all expected to get landslide victories as they have all got 100% of the votes. So far, the closest battle predicted is the RGU-Carryduff encounter. The community has RGU slight favourites in a coinflip, one which the bookmakers have marked Carryduff as clear favourites.

Dromara-Clann na Banna and Saval-Darragh Cross look to be the picks of the IFC.

27 (100.00%)   CPN (1/8)   -   Longstone (9/2)   0 (0.00%)
0 (0.00%)   Saul (13/2)   -   Burren (1/14)   27 (100.00%)
7 (25.93%)   Bredagh (11/4)   -   Castlewellan (1/3)   20 (74.07%)
10 (37.04%)   Mayobridge (4/1)   -   Kilcoo (1/6)   17 (62.96%)
27 (100.00%)   Clonduff (1/2)   -   Rostrevor (15/8)   0 (0.00%)
3 (11.11%)   Loughinisland (7/4)   -   Ballyholland (4/7)   24 (88.89%)
20 (74.07%)   Bryansford (1/3)   -   Glenn (11/4)   7 (25.93%)
14 (51.85%)   RGU (15/8)   -   Carryduff (1/2)   13 (48.15%)
26 (96.30%)   An Riocht   -   Ballymartin   1 (3.70%)
15 (57.69%)   Clann na Banna   -   Dromara   11 (42.31%)
5 (19.23%)   Bosco   -   Atticall   21 (80.77%)
22 (81.48%)   Shamrocks   -   Drumgath   5 (18.52%)
2 (7.41%)   St Johns   -   Liatroim   25 (92.59%)
3 (11.11%)   St Pauls   -   Annaclone   24 (88.89%)
11 (40.74%)   Saval   -   Darragh Cross   16 (59.26%)
25 (92.59%)   Tullylish   -   Bright   2 (7.41%)
4 (14.81%)   Mitchels   -   Glasdrumman   23 (85.19%)
25 (96.15%)   Drumaness   -   St Michaels   1 (3.85%)
26 (96.30%)   East Belfast   -   Aghaderg   1 (3.70%)
24 (88.89%)   Aughlisnafin   -   Teconnaught   3 (11.11%)
7 (26.92%)   Ardglass   -   Dundrum   19 (73.08%)

Is there a back door this year?

Yes.

[CPN]

SFC

CPN V Longstone
Saul v Burren
Bredagh v Castlewellan
Mayobridge v Kilcoo
Clonduff v Rostrevor
Loughinisland v Ballyholland
Bryansford v Glenn
RGU vs Carryduff


IFC

An Riocht v Ballymartin
Clann na Banna v Dromara
St Johns Bosco v Atticall
Shamrocks v Drumgath
St Johns v Liatroim
St Pauls v Annaclone
Saval v Darraghcross
Tullylish v Bright


JFC

Mitchels v Glasdrumman
Drumaness v St Michaels
East Belfast vs Aghaderg
Aughlisnafin vs Teconnaught
Ardglass v Dundrum

Over in Derry, £70. £80 for Armagh. Sounds like a lot but let's be realistic, the lowest amount we'd be charged in to games is £8, maybe even £10 or £12. Given the fact there's 27 games in the senior championship alone, you could easily take in 8-10 games in the first two rounds and the rest of the championship would effectively be free for you.

In ref SFC Kilcoo are still the big favourites, dont be kidding yourselves despite the injuries. The chasing pack led by CPN are much of a muchness . CPN, Burren, Clonduff, Mayobridge, and Carryduff.
Harps and RGU will also be dangerous.

Absolutely. It almost feels like we have this same discussion every year "oh Kilcoo aren't the team they were" then they get to yet another final, and all bar one win it. It definitely feels like the chasing pack are getting closer though and having more teams in it will make for a fantastic championship.

On that note, does anyone know if the county are doing a season ticket pass like they have in Armagh and Derry?

Any word when the championship fixtures are being announced, as in date, venue, ref etc.

Surely the league conclusions don't affect the Championship do they have to wait until after Friday to plan them?

Nothing posted officially on county website or social media, but there's fixtures showing on Wikipedia so who knows if they are real or someone having us on:

16 September 2021Round 1   Longstone    v Warrenpoint   Ballymartin   
19:30 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: Páirc Cois na Farraige
17 September 2021Round 1   Saul    v Burren   Liatroim   
19:30 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: Fontenoy Park
18 September 2021Round 1   Bredagh    v Castlewellan   Downpatrick   
14:00 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: Páirc Tomás Ruséil
18 September 2021Round 1   RGU Downpatrick    v    Carryduff   Darragh Cross   
17:00 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: St Mochai's Park
19 September 2021Round 1   Mayobridge    v    Kilcoo   Newry   
15:00 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: Páirc Esler
19 September 2021Round 1   Loughinisland    v    Ballyholland Harps   Newcastle   
17:00 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: St Patrick's Park
19 September 2021Round 1   Clonduff    v    Rostrevor   Newry   
19:00 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: Páirc Esler
20 September 2021Round 1   Bryansford    v   Glenn   Newry   
19:15 IST (UTC+1)            Venue: Páirc Esler

Now that the destiny of Division 1 is firmly in CPN's hands (barring a final day slip up at home to Bryansford), attention turns to the other three divisions. All three have an exciting run in.
Division 2: Downpatrick are already promoted and should wrap up the title with a win at Saul on Friday. Last night's results have thrown up an interesting clash, as Longstone and Castlewellan play in a winner take all battle for the second promotion spot. The draw favours the Stone, should that be the result.
Division 3: 2 games remaining for most, and if Shamrocks can get a win away at Liatroim on Friday, it will leave all of the top 3 on 16 points going into the final match on Monday. A Liatroim win on Friday will see them and Saval promoted as Saval will have a 2 point lead over Shamrocks and have them on the head to head.
Division 4: With 2 games remaining, any of 4 teams still have a shot at going up. On Friday, Bright and St Pauls should have comfortable victories, but Kilclief and Dromara face each other. A Dromara win will see Kilclief out of the running, but a Kilclief win will see them both with a mathematical chance of going up, but needing a result elsewhere to give them a chance.

Longstone are almost assured promotion being 2 points ahead of Castlewellan and have a 48 point better points difference so unless there is a 25 point win by Castlewellan its pretty much game over in div 2. Although Longstone struggled go put away an under strength kingdom team on Friday

My understanding is that head to head is the tiebreaker, not score difference.

Now that the destiny of Division 1 is firmly in CPN's hands (barring a final day slip up at home to Bryansford), attention turns to the other three divisions. All three have an exciting run in.
Division 2: Downpatrick are already promoted and should wrap up the title with a win at Saul on Friday. Last night's results have thrown up an interesting clash, as Longstone and Castlewellan play in a winner take all battle for the second promotion spot. The draw favours the Stone, should that be the result.
Division 3: 2 games remaining for most, and if Shamrocks can get a win away at Liatroim on Friday, it will leave all of the top 3 on 16 points going into the final match on Monday. A Liatroim win on Friday will see them and Saval promoted as Saval will have a 2 point lead over Shamrocks and have them on the head to head.
Division 4: With 2 games remaining, any of 4 teams still have a shot at going up. On Friday, Bright and St Pauls should have comfortable victories, but Kilclief and Dromara face each other. A Dromara win will see Kilclief out of the running, but a Kilclief win will see them both with a mathematical chance of going up, but needing a result elsewhere to give them a chance.