Messages

An Riocht beat Atticall 0-11 to 0-06 tonight in Division 2 to make it 6 wins out of 6.

Team P W L D P+ P- P+/- Pts
An Riocht  6 6 0 0 85 57 28 12
Atticall  6 4 2 0 68 66 2 8
Clann na Banna  5 2 2 1 50 47 3 5
Ballyholland  5 2 2 1 59 59 0 5
Downpatrick  4 2 2 0 49 42 7 4
Ballymartin  4 2 2 0 46 45 1 4
Kilclief  5 1 2 2 50 50 0 4
Carryduff  5 2 3 0 56 57 -1 4
Glasdrumman  4 2 2 0 50 57 -7 4
Annaclone  5 2 3 0 55 64 -9 4
Shamrocks  5 1 4 0 46 56 -10 2
Darragh Cross  4 0 2 2 42 56 -14 2

Down website are quick these days !!!!!! 

Yes a decent start for them alright. I seen them against downpatrick and they certainly look strong in certain areas. Colgan and Clarke are obviously a big help to have every week.

As for the minor selection only time will tell, give the lads a chance, minor football is very unpredictable and anything could happen !

A fad that imo will pass. A team "bonds" through hard training in the muck and rain, together with (usually) with some bad painful defeats in the past. A serious sense of grievance can also help.

Dont confuse building "team spirit" and "bonding"

Bonding exercises are good for teams that might have a large turnover of players that dont really know each other. Its often when you have an experience of a bonding weekend that lads become closer. Friendships are made etc.

What your describing is team spirit and heart that you get from those experiences like training (suffering) together, painful defeats etc.

So abbeysider what is better then...

1. Taking a team on a training/bonding weekend with no drink just training sessions and recovery

or

2. Taking a team on a weekend were they go on the complete razzle dazzle and have the craic !!

Its getting close to championship time and a lot of counties are doing the old Bonding/Team building weekend. Down had their s in slieve Donard in newcastle last weekend.

How beneficial are these weekends for county teams ? I know they obviously cost a lot of money but will it really make a difference at this stage and should squads not be already be united considering they v been together for about 6 months?

Just curious, anybody any views on it ?  any other counties been away recently? 

[Division 1 2013 --> The Finn v The Town]

Harps were played off the field by An Riocht tonight. Ballyholland were very disappointing - nobody put their stamp on the game at all. But I was well impressed with the Kingdom - they looked a bit more physical and determined than in recent years.

The ref (I can't recall his name) was a disgrace. We had the same man in the reserves a few weeks and he obviously doesn't like yellow shirts.

Out of interest wobbler was John Clarke playing, if so how did he go ?

By the way well done to the finn great to see a small club putting a lot of work in which they have over the last few years and getting some reward  !!
Division 1 2013 --> The Finn v The Town       Never say never !!

just a thought... if the u21's win wednesday week and end up in an all ireland semi final on the following saturday will that disrupt the commencement of the senior league s ??

  yes was thinking that myself !!

anyone think we ll win 2night??

Mc kernan would be a blow i feel for our seniors

Aye John Haughey of Annaclone, think he was Annaclone's captain a couple of years ago.
Poacher was a poor enough footballer and not sure how he started the Underdogs team.

Hard to believe Donaghy and Pearse O'Neill came from this, 2 quality players

Haughey is a strong footballer, seen him playin for annaclone in intermediate final last year god only knows what he is doing now by all acccounts a bit of of a loose cannon!

Poacher wouldnt say was a poor footballer more a limited player, played against him couple of years ago when he played for castlewellan? Didnt know he played for mitchels? By all accounts making a name for himself in coaching circles though!

Dan Mc Cabe cant say iv ever seen him play but think he might have appeared for down u21s?? can anyone confirm this.

was there anymore down men on any of the panels ??

[Rathangan were managed by Kildare town man Ray Darcy and mentored by Jack OShea, while Glasdrumman manager was Derek Davis and his mentor was 1991 and 1994 All Ireland Winning manager Pete McGrath.]

Glasdrumman defeated Kildare side Rathangan by one point in the opening game of Celebrity Bainisteoir 2009.

Unlike the real GAA world - you only have one chance, so that is the end of the road for the Kildare side while the Down side go into the next round. 

Rathangan were managed by Kildare town man Ray Darcy and mentored by Jack OShea, while Glasdrumman manager was Derek Davis and his mentor was 1991 and 1994 All Ireland Winning manager Pete McGrath.

They semi finals are scheduled for April and the final will take place in May at Parnell Park.

The other participants are Sneem (Kerry), Cuala (Dublin), St. Patricks (Limerick), Dromahair (Leitrim), st. Michaels (Roscommon), Rockwell Rovers (Tipperary).



Where does Pete get the time ?? Bryansford, Down u21, Sportstracker ??

[Taken from HS website]

Taken from HS website

Wee James takes Ballinderry reins

Former Down star James McCartan has been appointed manager of Derry giants Ballinderry.

Wee James - an All-Ireland medalist with the Mourne County in 1991 and '94 and part of a legendary Down GAA dynasty - succeeds Michael McKinless, who led Ballinderry to county SFC glory last year.

McCartan's grandfather Briney was the first member of the famous Mourne clan to play for Down, while his father James, uncle Dan and cousin Greg Blaney are all All-Ireland winners.

Ballinderry, previous All-Ireland club champions, reached this season's Ulster club final only to lose to Crossmaglen after a replay.

McCartan was involved last year with Antrim senior champions St Gall's and also helped Queen's University to Sigerson Cup success in 2007. He has also previously managed Burren, the club he once transferred to from Tullylish.


Didn't know there was a caravan park in Ballinderry.   

Thats a long journey for a volunteer !! 

you should thank your lucky stars its not on 5 fm, coverage is awful.. I switched on 1 day and it was enough some fella s on commentating and reviewing games and they wouldnt know if a football was round or square..

[2009 Managers]

2009 Managers


Division 1

Mayobridge -
Kilcoo -
Bryansford - Pete McGrath
Castlewellan - Liam Hardy
Loughinisland - Gary Mason/Gerard Colgan
Burren -
Warrenpoint -
Rostrevor - John Rafferty
Longstone -
Liatroim - Jarlath Austin
Clonduff -
Saval - Declan Morgan


Division 2

An Riocht - Stephen Poacher
Glasdrumman - Hugh Trainor
Carryduff - PJ O'Hare
Annaclone -
Banbridge -
Shamrocks -
Ballymartin - Johnny McComiskey
Atticall -
Darragh Cross - Eamon Burns
Downpatrick - Kyran Smyth
Kilclief -
Ballyholland - Terry McGivern/Glen Elmore


Division 3

St Johns - Gerard McAnulty/Seamus Braniff/Donard King
Ardglass -
Bredagh - Paul Blaney
Drumaness - Bill Geoghan
Tullylish - Tom Morgan
Aghaderg -
St Pauls -
Glenn -
Saul -
Teconnaught - Brendan Mason
Dundrum - Paul Shields
Drumgath - Mickey Linden


Division 4

Aughlisnafin - Philip McGrattan/Gerard McCartan
Bosco -
Dromara -
Mitchels -
St Michaels -
Ballykinlar -
Bright -


To add to the above : Jim Mc Crory - Kilcoo
                               
                               

have to agree there with you to an extent. The standard of coaching in key areas is quite poor. The schools in down are as good as tyrone as regards success/development but development squads, minor, u21 teams poor. Have we even won a game at minor or u21 in last few years ? Who selects the coaches to these development teams?  What criteria do you need to meet is there a standard??? 

had a look at the year book today, have to say fair play to diarmuid another excellent publication with great photos, reports and articles. Maybe next year we ll have more to cheer on the senior football front ??

good post wobbler but i would disagree with you in some respect. There are a lot of very good coaches/trainers/managers whatever you want to call them out there. The quality of sessions I have seen from different managers/coaches etc varies extremely from very poor to very good.

Most club coaches are not capable of delievering a top level session because their not qualified/experienced enough and probably wouldnt command the same level of respect as someone from outside the club.

players attitudes have changed over the years the parish/pride of playing is gone and for a lot of players its now just "a bit of craic" An outside influence with good man management skills might install a different attitude but not for long. I think its a short life spam as a manager at a club and hence why we see a lot of chopping and changing of managers at these clubs.

The new bridge manager will be very interesting ! Personally to go in there and not win a trophy would ruin your reputation good luck to whoever is brave enough.

Bill just seems to have managed quite a few clubs fair play he must be a decent manager !! Anymore word on the managerial merry go round or is it too early ?

Heard reports Castlewellan have a new man and bryansford?