Down Club Hurling & Football

[Truth hurts]

Down go to Enniskillen on Holy Saturday for a game at 4.00pm. Game overlay near 6.00pm.
We used to respect the Easter ceremonies but TV schedules rule everything now.

An earlier time would have been better, a lot of people still value their faith. However, in Ireland these days, speaking up will result in ridicule, as shown in the posts below.

[Splash]

Bitterly disappointing for the footballers to go straight back Down to Division 3. A lot of positives about this season, and it did look like promotion could have been on the cards.

Ultimately, the Cavan game was what cost Down.

Good to beat Cork for the first time since the 2010 Final, and good to get a win in Clones- somewhere Down haven't had a good track record in over the past few years.

There's a lot of potential, but I think there are plenty of key positions that still need to be filled. Where you find the players to fill them is another question...

[Splash]

Down leagues starting this weekend- Any Predictions for Division winners/ Relegation 

D1- Winners- Carryduff
  - relegated- Ballyholland/ Downpatrick

D2- Promoted -Bredagh/Glenn/ Bryansford
  - relegated- St Johns/ Drumgath

D3- Promoted Liatroim/ Banbridge
  -relegated Bosco/ Dromara

Division 4- Promoted-Teconnaught

Glenn for back-to-back promotions seems a real possibility.

Drumgath to join the list of senior championship clubs playing Division 3?

Will say Annaclone will get promoted from Div 3.

[Sheedy]

Down go to Enniskillen on Holy Saturday for a game at 4.00pm. Game overlay near 6.00pm.
We used to respect the Easter ceremonies but TV schedules rule everything now.

An earlier time would have been better, a lot of people still value their faith. However, in Ireland these days, speaking up will result in ridicule, as shown in the posts below.

go to mass somewhere on the way home if you really have to get, Enniskillen will have a 7pm mass surely, make a day of it or even better just go the next day.

[Splash]

Best of luck to the hurlers in the League Final against Kildare tomorrow.

Whilst promotion is already secured, a bit of silverware would be nice.

Down beat Kildare in the first round of the league, but there is never much between these two sides and it will be a tough match to say the least. Kildare have been a bogey team for Down for a few years now, but Down won't fear them one bit.

The last time Down reached this stage in 2022 they were beaten by a goal scoring Westmeath team in Thurles. Down have certainly kicked on again since then, and are more than capable to put Kildare to the sword.

I would encourage as many people as possible to take a run out and lend their support. The match is at Inniskeen in Monaghan, at 13:30. That's about what? A half hour drive from Newry? It's certainly a lot closer to home for many in Down than Ballycran is.

I would not be surprised if Kildare supporters well outnumber Down supporters. If anybody is curious as about the Down hurlers, tomorrow is as good a time as any to go and have a look. Big game, close to home, against good opposition.

In 2022, the final was in Thurles and was played before the Div 1 final. It is disappointing to not have that this year. But it is certainly logistically and practically better for Down.

Down have been on fire so far this year. Hopefully tomorrow continues this trend.

[DownFanatic]

After a tentative and at times wasteful 1st half, I thought Down produced a brilliant 2nd half display there. Kildare were decent but in McGrattan, Prenter and Pearse Óg McCrickard we had three excellent performers. Entertaining game that was played at the most part at a high standard. Brilliant that this group will now be playing Division 1 hurling next year.

[Sheedy]

Great win for the hurlers, excellent in the second half. Impressive all round display to beat a strong Kildare team

[johnnycool]

Well done to the hurlers today.  League titles are thin on the ground up here.

They responded well in both halfs when Kildare got their goals, in particular at the start of the second half.

CT was good for the whole game, my motm, no doubt Tom McGrattan is in with a shout and took his goals well will always grab the headlines.

Roll on Div1B.

[downtothecore]

Well done hurlers.
Footballers lagging behind. Seniors are somewhat competitive but Minors and u20s really struggling

[KeyboardWman]

Joe McMahon and Martin Corey the new Kilcoo management ticket. The reason behind them leaving Meath

[marty34]

Well done hurlers.
Footballers lagging behind. Seniors are somewhat competitive but Minors and u20s really struggling

Were the seniors not relegated?

Great to see Down move up  grade in hurling. It'll be tough but very positive.

Bring back the Ulster hurling championship is what I say.

[Godsown]

Joe McMahon and Martin Corey the new Kilcoo management ticket. The reason behind them leaving Meath

Think they've missed the boat. Expecting Poacher to be unveiled today at first league match

[Splash]

Massive well done to the hurlers yesterday.

Did very well to come back after Kildare put the pressure on.

It's been a great league. Absolutely delighted that Down have finally got that monkey off their back after knocking on the door for past couple years.

A McDonagh Cup and a place in the Leinster Championship next year would go well with it. But we'll worry about that in a few weeks.

Looking forward to Division 1 next year and seeing Down against the likes of Clare, Dublin, Wexford, and Antrim.

Massive congratulations to all players, management, and everyone involved. Did the county proud over this league campaign.

[johnnycool]

Can I ask you football lads why are Down so uncompetitive at underage level, both the U20's and the minors were beat by double scores over the weekend, is there something we're fundamentally way behind on?


All I can say with my limited knowledge is that with the playing numbers available to the footballers, they should be on a par with the likes of Derry, Donegal etc but don't seem to be.

I happened to be in Mayobridge one night last year (U12 camogie) and on their main pitch what was billed as a top 2 minor league clash v Bryansford and both with their county players back.

What was stark to me and another lad whose bigger into his football than me was a few things, in the warm ups (which were extensive to say the least) neither team really did much kicking, I think Bryansford did one shooting drill for about a few minutes, but come the game it was very safe, lateral handpassing was the key. Mayobridge did have one lad who would take his man on and go past him once in a while, he was the exception.

When we talk about the "Down way" and when I did manage to go to a few games back in the day, the likes of Gary Mason, Greg Blaney, Ross Carr, Eamon Burns, big Greg McCartan could put a kick pass on the head of a pin for Mickey Linden, wee James and the likes, are there footballers in Down who could do that now or has it been coached out of them?

[clonian]

Can I ask you football lads why are Down so uncompetitive at underage level, both the U20's and the minors were beat by double scores over the weekend, is there something we're fundamentally way behind on?


All I can say with my limited knowledge is that with the playing numbers available to the footballers, they should be on a par with the likes of Derry, Donegal etc but don't seem to be.

I happened to be in Mayobridge one night last year (U12 camogie) and on their main pitch what was billed as a top 2 minor league clash v Bryansford and both with their county players back.

What was stark to me and another lad whose bigger into his football than me was a few things, in the warm ups (which were extensive to say the least) neither team really did much kicking, I think Bryansford did one shooting drill for about a few minutes, but come the game it was very safe, lateral handpassing was the key. Mayobridge did have one lad who would take his man on and go past him once in a while, he was the exception.

When we talk about the "Down way" and when I did manage to go to a few games back in the day, the likes of Gary Mason, Greg Blaney, Ross Carr, Eamon Burns, big Greg McCartan could put a kick pass on the head of a pin for Mickey Linden, wee James and the likes, are there footballers in Down who could do that now or has it been coached out of them?

There's a lot of copy cat coaching in football and the coaches are playing the same gameplan - control everything as much as possible. There's some reasoning that does make sense to be fair, if you hold onto the ball the other team can't run up scores so it evens out some teams natural advantages, bigger or better players. It's a style that doesn't seem to suit us at county level but nearly worked against Armagh last year and at club level Kilcoo are so much better at it than everyone else.

It's not easy to watch though - some U16 games, which is where it starts, I saw last year were shocking. Schools football is even worse - nearly unwatchable at the minute.