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Somebody showed me Rostrevor's 5 Year Development Plan.

An interesting read- well, I suppose if you're into that kind of thing- but there was one thing in particular that stood out to me.

Strategic Goal # 3.7:
Explore expansion into other codes.

I was very pleased to read that.

Before the plan, there is an article about the history of the GAA in Rostrevor. There are several mentions of hurling, camoige, and handball in the parish. It does not only make a reference to the ghosts of the small ball, but it talks about the hurling and camogie success of previous years with great fondness, and talks about Rostrevor's reputation as "a thriving, multicode GAA club" with great pride.

Again, I was very pleased to read that.

The plan does not promise to restore hurling by 2030.

Instead, it sets out that they intend to 'examine the feasibility of the reintroduction of hurling and camogie' and 'survey the interest to offer handball and rounders.' All subject to facility enhancements. Of course.

I think this is a great approach from Rostrevor. I don't know if hurling will return to Rostrevor as soon as that. I hope so. But I can appreciate the challenges it will face. But I do think this is a great, pragmatic, sensible approach from a 'football club' who seem to be willing to engage with the other codes.

Too often I hear in football clubs 'sure no one would want to play that.' An insufferable argument.

According to the article, Rostrevor has 841 playing members. I'd say they could get 15 for a junior hurling/camogie team.

Rostrevor last won a hurling championship in 1994- well within living memory for many people. There is a tradition. Perhaps not the tradition of Portaferry or Ballycran; but there is a tradition nonetheless.

If every club was at least open to the possibility of providing hurling and camogie like Rostrevor seem to be, it would be a huge step in the right direction.

Best of luck to Rostrevor. Let's hope we see the small ball back at the foot of the Mournes before too long.

Regarding the handball and rounders- I know nothing about them. But I do think as part of Irish culture they deserve to be preserved and promoted in their own right.

Surely every club- hurling, football, or dual- could offer handball?

This is a great approach I think.

I'd love to see hurling back in our club- and I don't think it's too far away. But I can appreciate that there'll be a lot of logistics, preparation, and organisation involved.

A feasible plan outlining the next few years could be a great method to reintroduce hurling.

I've never really heard any talk about handball, but in the interests of preserving culture, I think it could be nice to see a bit of it.

What's the basis for having Ballyholland and Saul as SFC teams when they were relegated to Division 2, and having Glenn as an IFC team after they were promoted to Division 1 and beat Ballyholland in the Championship?

When was the last time a team won their first senior football championship? It's been a long time since we had a 'new' champion.

According to a quick google search, Rostrevor in 1976, Loughinisland in 1975, and Burren in 1966.

Nothing between Annaclone and Clann na Banna at all in either game.

Both matches could have gone either way. Both teams in Division 2 next year, and each will be more than capable of holding their own.

Thought Clann na Banna had won it after the second goal. There could definitely well be an Intermediate Championship in them yet.

3 out of 4 semi finalist already known, a huge upset if Kilcoo don't join.

Carryduff went about their business with minimal fuss, can this be the year they challenge Kilcoo. Burren looked to be home and dry at half time but second half would be worrying for them. Glenn with a comfortable win again, seen most of the game and have to say they have enough there to challenge most Division 1 teams, as proven. Will be a big ask for whoever they have in the next round saying that.

Who would make the best final this year?

Kilcoo vs Burren
Carryduff Vs Kilcoo

something else?

Glenn v Kilcoo.

Turned into a real good game yesterday, plenty of mistakes and missed chances but intensity of championship makes up for it all. Glenn missing 3 key players with a fine second half display. Clonduff will find that one hard to deal with over the dark months. Glenn play an exciting brand of football which is a bit different to the norm, great to see.

What age is Carville? He is like a wrecking ball from the 1980's at the edge of the square.

Would be mid thirties I think.

The best game of the championship thus far was the one involving Clonduff and Glenn. Up until the red card, Clonduff was winning handily. After that, they started to stand off Glenn, and Glenn picked them off. Glenn plays a beautiful type of football, and they will be a handful or anyone in the quarters with the returning players.

Thought our lads did very well to come back the way they did.

There was a time when we maybe wouldn't have expected to beat a team like Clonduff, especially after being in the position we were in at half time.

To do so whilst missing some key players is great, too.

It'll be interesting to see how we get on from here on out. Bryansford was the draw I would have wanted, but they'll be a tough ask. Hopefully Glenn have more in the tank, yet.

Probably a bit later for posting this now since it's all already kicked off, but any predictions for the football championships?

Kilcoo still looking like the team to beat at senior. Carryduff didn't look great against Glenn, and hard to look too much into Burren's performance.

Intermeidate could be interesting enough. Was expecting Saval to win it again and go straight back up, but who knows. Annaclone looking quite strong. An Riocht and Shamrocks will be disappointed with their performances.

Thought Kilclief were a shout for the Junior, but must have been a good performance from Magherlin to beat them. Last I heard of Magherlin they were struggling badly- are they on the up? Think Dromara are going well and could give the junior championship a good rattle this year.

SFC Winners- Kilcoo
Relegated- Liatroim

IFC Winners- Saval
Relegated- Drumaness

JFC Winners- Dromara

Down SHC continues unabated.

We'd to bring on two of our IC hurlers to finally put a resilient Liatroim finally to the sword but were made sweat until the last 10 minutes or so.

Goals win games and that's how it came to pass. Liatroim also had a penalty (a pretty soft one, but can understand how the ref gave it) saved and we rattled over a few points and a goal to push the margin out to 9.
Not sure how Liatroim let their best hurler stand on the edge of his own square when we were popping over the points from further out. We were happy to see it TBH. In saying that we did butcher a few other goal chances in the second half through poor decision making and poor control.
Liatroims forwards did cause our FB line some issues as expected and something our management will need to sort out, but they'll be happy with 2 wins out of 2.

Carryduff did a number on their more illustrious neighbours and they'll be overjoyed to get some points on the board. If they can build on that they'll be happy enough with their first year at senior.

Ports did as expected by beating Ballycran with 15 points to spare.

They're the team to beat and I can't see it happening this year.

Good read.

Hurling championship seems more interesting now than it has in a long time.

Liatorim will be disappointed and Carryduff delighted. Who do you think will be relegated from the senior championship this year? Carryduff will fancy themselves to stay up now?

What sort of teams have Ballygalget and Portaferry been getting friendlies with? A couple lads who would play hurling in our club were saying it's been difficult for them to arrange friendlies this year (albeit, they aren't playing at Senior Championship Level).

Speaking of hurling, see the senior championship has kicked off.

Any predictions or anything to watch out for?

No sign of Splash recently? Really enjoyed the hurling discussion going on here- some good insights.

[and with the recent Re-introduction of hurling]

Was chatting to a Saul veteran last night who said that Saul were never in All county league division 1. It's not that long ago that Saul was struggling towards the bottom of Division 4. A number of players will have div4, Div 3 and now Div 2 winners medals. And I'm sure they'll not rest on their laurels. Saul Senior ladies also won the league this year , Pierce Laverty lifting a national trophy in Croke Park and with the recent Re-introduction of hurling,  GAA is thriving in Saul at the minute .

What way is the hurling getting on in Saul, does anybody know?

Would love to see hurling reintroduced into my own home club. Great to see.

Hurling going well in Saul in youngest age groups  , thanks to a number of volunteers who are putting in serious work. There is also a local recreational hurling team , the Social Slashers which has been a great initiative. Historically Saul players hurled with Kilclief , and hopefully the introduction of another local club will boost Kilclief as well.
The challenge for hurling is getting regular fixtures , and the introduction of more clubs will hopefully help that .

Currently Saul go to the P4 and P6 blitzes on the first and third Saturdays of the month. They've decent enough numbers with them.

Great to hear. Hasn't heard much about hurling in Saul in a while, and was wondering if it had managed to take off. Good to hear it's going well.

The social team is a good idea to create a bit of interest around the parish.

Agree that the introduction of more clubs is beneficial to hurling, and hopefully the introduction of hurling in Saul will benefit Kilclief in the long run. Wonder would it have any impact on Downpatrick?

I know in my own experience, when playing hurling, you would get a bit fed up of playing the same teams over and over, whereas the football was always a bit more varied.

[and with the recent Re-introduction of hurling]

Was chatting to a Saul veteran last night who said that Saul were never in All county league division 1. It's not that long ago that Saul was struggling towards the bottom of Division 4. A number of players will have div4, Div 3 and now Div 2 winners medals. And I'm sure they'll not rest on their laurels. Saul Senior ladies also won the league this year , Pierce Laverty lifting a national trophy in Croke Park and with the recent Re-introduction of hurling,  GAA is thriving in Saul at the minute .

What way is the hurling getting on in Saul, does anybody know?

Would love to see hurling reintroduced into my own home club. Great to see.

Aughlisnafin have conceded tonight, meaning Glenn have won Div 3. Only undefeated team in the county, if I'm not mistaken.

Be interesting to see how they get on back in Div 2.

Speaking of promotions, was looking at the hurling tables, and see East Belfast and Kilclief are second and third of Div 2 of the hurling respectively, behind Ballycran.

Since Ballycran can't go up, the match between the two tonight is a defacto promotion decider.

Be intwresting to see how either of those teams gets on in Div One.

Are you sure about whether a team in second place can go up even if the table toppers like Ballycran in this instance can't get promoted?

The reason I ask is that we were in Div2 a few years back and I'm almost certain our secretary at the time said that we needed to top the table to get promoted. We didn't have a team in Div1 then.

Both Clonduff and Newry struggling to fulfil fixtures in Div1 doesn't bode well and in general too many "blue" results not draws in this league with two cancelled for tonight which seems to be a case of some teams picking and choosing the games they play...

There needs to be more of a punishment for not fulfilling the fixture and if a team can't travel then they should also lose the points of the home game against the same opposition..

Fairly certain.

Castlewellen finished second place last year, behind Ballycran, and went up.

Believe this is because Ballycran already have a team in Div One, and you can't have the two teams in one divison, as opposed to your case, where yous didn't have a team in Div One.

Agree with you- something needs to be done about teams not fulfilling fixtures.

Both the top two teams in Div1 didn't field over in Liatroim so if I was Liatroim I'd be pretty pissed off about that as that's not enough to develop a team.
They'd be better off in the Antrim leagues and working their way up and put a team in Div2 in Down as they'd a big panel over in our place in their last league game at the start of July.

To add to this, both times the top teams didn't field in Liatorim, they used some of their seconds players against Ballyvarley at home.

Liatorim should feel done by because, as you say, it's not enough for them to develop, and Ballyvarley should feel done by, as it's not doing them any favours to go out and play seconds players in a thirds fixture.

Clubs fielding seconds players in thirds fixtures, first players in seconds fixtures etc., really needs to be dealt with better. If clubs can't field 3 adult teams, then they shouldn't enter 3 adult teams into completions.

Understand what you're saying about Liatorim in Antrim, but imo, it's a pity not to have the top teams in the county playing in our highest division. It probably would be best for their development, though.

Fair play to East Belfast. Some going for them to reach Division One after four tours of existence.