Tyrone Club Football and Hurling

[Sean Og Patriots]

Funny enough last night at the minor game I was chatting to a guy who does a bit of work with Clonoe said to me that they have 8 members although some youngsters involved with them currently as registered referees. They are really putting a big push on for every single aspect down there. DKB from my recollection have 0 along with Coalisland (Shane Doherty involved now in the management of club referees) . Shane Hughes (Coalisland) was down on the list for those completed course in past 3 years yet not sure he has been present to referee as he is travelling abroad at the moment. He does a lot of work with Fergal McCrory. Coalisland could maybe be a team who think because of who they are that they don't have to put a referee out and that them rules dont apply to them...

[Easttyrone23]

seriously? what a stupid post. Losing brain cells the more I read this board this past while but I think that really takes the biscuit for being the worst post this year. Well done!   "Can anyone see aghayaran or rock going down?"  LOL!

What has went on in Cookstown that they are playing in junior while Rock are intermediate. I know it looks like it will be short lived in junior but did they have an exodus of players last year?

Maybe if the Cookstown lads stayed off the beers and drugs, they would've been up in div1 and continuously playing in it long ago but unfortunately it's huge problem in that town.

Cookstown as well as Galbally. or any other club for that matter will have this issue.. heard it about them all and anyone that would deny its going on in their area is a fool. That's a ridiculous comment.

Cookstown had relied on the same core group for a long time and have turned a leaf to a new squad if you've nothing to contribute you'd want to keep that pish to yourself.

How bad are cookstown when Galbally who are in the top position of Tyrone club football and only unbeaten senior club have same issue with drink and drugs as cookstown who have 20 times the population and play division 3 football? Jesus if you truly believe that's the case then that doesn't say much about the quality of every other club team in Tyrone.
 

[tyrone08]

seriously? what a stupid post. Losing brain cells the more I read this board this past while but I think that really takes the biscuit for being the worst post this year. Well done!   "Can anyone see aghayaran or rock going down?"  LOL!

What has went on in Cookstown that they are playing in junior while Rock are intermediate. I know it looks like it will be short lived in junior but did they have an exodus of players last year?

Maybe if the Cookstown lads stayed off the beers and drugs, they would've been up in div1 and continuously playing in it long ago but unfortunately it's huge problem in that town.

Cookstown as well as Galbally. or any other club for that matter will have this issue.. heard it about them all and anyone that would deny its going on in their area is a fool. That's a ridiculous comment.

Cookstown had relied on the same core group for a long time and have turned a leaf to a new squad if you've nothing to contribute you'd want to keep that pish to yourself.

How bad are cookstown when Galbally who are in the top position of Tyrone club football and only unbeaten senior club have same issue with drink and drugs as cookstown who have 20 times the population and play division 3 football? Jesus if you truly believe that's the case then that doesn't say much about the quality of every other club team in Tyrone.
 

Cookstown population is about 40% non catholic and soccer would be a major sport for kids in the town so a larger population doesn't always result in a larger club. There is a serious issue with drugs in the town, saw a quite a few cookstown players on holiday a few years ago and lets just say it was drink they were taking.

[Easttyrone23]

I know in my own club I have never seen as many CONs as this year, at a time you would get full reserve seasons every year, now its maybe 50%. Is it the commitment required? Reserves is no longer for aul lads in their late 30s looking for a kickabout. It's 18-21 year olds and they are flying fit.

I don't think the current reserve time slot works

Your problem is you're thinking Jerome 

100% the biggest issue across reserve games at the moment. Panels are larger than they ever have been but getting to Aghyaran or Derrylaughan depending on which side of the county you come from is not easy for 6pm on a friday evening..

Reserve football needs to run independently from seniors. 1 league winner in each division with no relegation means after a few games most teams are out of the running to win it. Independent promotion and relegation will result in more competitive reserve football.

Start it a month or so earlier than seniors to have it wrapped up before reserve championship starts in July.


There's always going to be the traditionalist who want to keep it as it is, but what good is it doing in the current format?

Have you thought about how that would work?

It would obviously have to be played on a different day as the seniors as you couldn't expect a club to host a reserve game the same day their seniors are playing away from home. That would then mean clubs whos pitches are already busy with their underage/ladies/senior training and matches would have to work around an extra fixture.

Seniors and reserves would currently train together under the same coaches on days worked to suit around the upcoming fixtures but playing on different days would then mean Separate training sessions and clubs having to hire separate management for the reserves.

How much interest there would be from  supporters to attend those reserve games, And how much interest would there be from many clubs to even bother fielding a team if that was the case?

[Easttyrone23]

seriously? what a stupid post. Losing brain cells the more I read this board this past while but I think that really takes the biscuit for being the worst post this year. Well done!   "Can anyone see aghayaran or rock going down?"  LOL!

What has went on in Cookstown that they are playing in junior while Rock are intermediate. I know it looks like it will be short lived in junior but did they have an exodus of players last year?

Maybe if the Cookstown lads stayed off the beers and drugs, they would've been up in div1 and continuously playing in it long ago but unfortunately it's huge problem in that town.

Cookstown as well as Galbally. or any other club for that matter will have this issue.. heard it about them all and anyone that would deny its going on in their area is a fool. That's a ridiculous comment.

Cookstown had relied on the same core group for a long time and have turned a leaf to a new squad if you've nothing to contribute you'd want to keep that pish to yourself.

How bad are cookstown when Galbally who are in the top position of Tyrone club football and only unbeaten senior club have same issue with drink and drugs as cookstown who have 20 times the population and play division 3 football? Jesus if you truly believe that's the case then that doesn't say much about the quality of every other club team in Tyrone.
 

Cookstown population is about 40% non catholic and soccer would be a major sport for kids in the town so a larger population doesn't always result in a larger club. There is a serious issue with drugs in the town, saw a quite a few cookstown players on holiday a few years ago and lets just say it was drink they were taking.

Right enough if you don't count the non catholic population then it's only 12 times the population of Galbally.

To be clear I'm not suggesting that isn't the possible issue in cookstown, My tongue and cheek comment was in reply to him suggesting Galbally who even though sit at the top of division 1 on the back of their highest league position in their history last year have an issue with drink and drugs.

If that was true and both clubs had a similar problem with drink and drugs then the biggest issue in cookstown would be their football.

[marty34]

Should there not be 2 clubs in Cookstown and these bigger towns?

I know the opposite applies in smaller rural clubs where they merge together.  Should the same be true for the opposite of this - big town clubs with huge populations.

Surely the drop off in players much be huge?

I'd say when you talk about drop off in numbers, it's these clubs that must have the biggest numbers?

For example, I stand to be corrected here but for example, has Portlaoise only one GAA club?

I don't think the GAA is doing enough to counter-act losing players in the bigger urban settings.

[RedHand88]

Should there not be 2 clubs in Cookstown and these bigger towns?

I know the opposite applies in smaller rural clubs where they merge together.  Should the same be true for the opposite of this - big town clubs with huge populations.

Surely the drop off in players much be huge?

I'd say when you talk about drop off in numbers, it's these clubs that must have the biggest numbers?

For example, I stand to be corrected here but for example, has Portlaoise only one GAA club?

I don't think the GAA is doing enough to counter-act losing players in the bigger urban settings.

Cookstown should get out of junior football before worrying about splitting into 2 clubs, same as Strabane.

[tyrone08]

seriously? what a stupid post. Losing brain cells the more I read this board this past while but I think that really takes the biscuit for being the worst post this year. Well done!   "Can anyone see aghayaran or rock going down?"  LOL!

What has went on in Cookstown that they are playing in junior while Rock are intermediate. I know it looks like it will be short lived in junior but did they have an exodus of players last year?

Maybe if the Cookstown lads stayed off the beers and drugs, they would've been up in div1 and continuously playing in it long ago but unfortunately it's huge problem in that town.

Cookstown as well as Galbally. or any other club for that matter will have this issue.. heard it about them all and anyone that would deny its going on in their area is a fool. That's a ridiculous comment.

Cookstown had relied on the same core group for a long time and have turned a leaf to a new squad if you've nothing to contribute you'd want to keep that pish to yourself.

How bad are cookstown when Galbally who are in the top position of Tyrone club football and only unbeaten senior club have same issue with drink and drugs as cookstown who have 20 times the population and play division 3 football? Jesus if you truly believe that's the case then that doesn't say much about the quality of every other club team in Tyrone.
 

Cookstown population is about 40% non catholic and soccer would be a major sport for kids in the town so a larger population doesn't always result in a larger club. There is a serious issue with drugs in the town, saw a quite a few cookstown players on holiday a few years ago and lets just say it was drink they were taking.

Right enough if you don't count the non catholic population then it's only 12 times the population of Galbally.

To be clear I'm not suggesting that isn't the possible issue in cookstown, My tongue and cheek comment was in reply to him suggesting Galbally who even though sit at the top of division 1 on the back of their highest league position in their history last year have an issue with drink and drugs.

If that was true and both clubs had a similar problem with drink and drugs then the biggest issue in cookstown would be their football.

Fair enough. Was just making a point that I find towns have more social issues that rural clubs given the larger numbers.

[tyrone08]

Should there not be 2 clubs in Cookstown and these bigger towns?

I know the opposite applies in smaller rural clubs where they merge together.  Should the same be true for the opposite of this - big town clubs with huge populations.

Surely the drop off in players much be huge?

I'd say when you talk about drop off in numbers, it's these clubs that must have the biggest numbers?

For example, I stand to be corrected here but for example, has Portlaoise only one GAA club?

I don't think the GAA is doing enough to counter-act losing players in the bigger urban settings.

Hard to know what to do. I find young players leaving the GAA to play other sports mainly soccer. With the GAA not allowing tournaments or competition football until over 12 I see younger lads giving up the GAA to play in soccer where they can win medals etc.

This may not be wide spread but I do think there needs to be a balance. The soccer is booming at the minute and it is very cut throat in terms of kids getting dropped out of teams but parents keep flocking to it so its not always the case that competition discourages younger players which seems to be the GAAs take on it.

I would imagine the drop out of minors etc is down to the fact that they dont want to give up a very large portion of their time each week which is fair enough. Coaches have to look at themselves and the demands they are putting on players with drink bans, training etc.

[Sean Og Patriots]

Yes i agree. Split cookstown, errigal ciaran & omagh in two. Galbally have had great boost from being promoted from intermediate. Giving their yo-yo tag, have they got youth coming through? If so a real chance for silverware could be in the not so distant future. I think your social issues regarding drink & drugs is not just in places that have been prejudged in the past for they may have been the very few clubs with these issues once upon a time. It really is everywhere now rather than before. This Cookstown youth have a different mindset. It is more cool now to be fit and healthy than years ago it was who could drink the most. Cookstown nightlife has also been severely reduced which will also help young gaels avoid distractions. Tyrone football is in a great place regardless of what people think, every year there is someone new or someone considered a big team clipped. Tyrone could have a senior championship with 18-22 teams in it and for most of it anyone could beat anyone.

[Aaron Boone]

It's fair to say if Galbally iron out their social issues, then a serious run at the O'Neill Cup will happen in the Autumn.

[tiempo]

Yes i agree. Split cookstown, errigal ciaran & omagh in two. Galbally have had great boost from being promoted from intermediate. Giving their yo-yo tag, have they got youth coming through? If so a real chance for silverware could be in the not so distant future. I think your social issues regarding drink & drugs is not just in places that have been prejudged in the past for they may have been the very few clubs with these issues once upon a time. It really is everywhere now rather than before. This Cookstown youth have a different mindset. It is more cool now to be fit and healthy than years ago it was who could drink the most. Cookstown nightlife has also been severely reduced which will also help young gaels avoid distractions. Tyrone football is in a great place regardless of what people think, every year there is someone new or someone considered a big team clipped. Tyrone could have a senior championship with 18-22 teams in it and for most of it anyone could beat anyone.

This is a great point, while I'm sure some in the leagues are playing on chemical enhancements, others powder their nose on occasion and plenty will drink the bit out - the players in general take more care of themselves and are collectively in better shape than 20-30 years ago due to a chance in societal norms and the general surge in lifestyle fitness and aesthetics. There's always going to be plenty of vice about for young ones but in relative terms the leagues provide a very healthy outlet for young people who have more awareness than ever of their medium and long term health goals

Would love to see a new name or 2 on the O'Neill cup in the next 10 years, some brilliant work being done in clubs who would have been traditionally intermediate or junior

[Goals_Will_Come]

The Friday league games has also been a positive for young player retention. I would personally scrap all Sunday games apart from Championship and run the leagues on Saturday evenings as well as Fridays.

[Sean Og Patriots]

The Friday league games has also been a positive for young player retention. I would personally scrap all Sunday games apart from Championship and run the leagues on Saturday evenings as well as Fridays.

Agreed. During summer have games for friday nights & games Saturday evening. Let the players have the luxury of going to watch their opponents play. Also more attendances to games, therefore more money at the gates. Everyone wins.

[tiempo]

The Friday league games has also been a positive for young player retention. I would personally scrap all Sunday games apart from Championship and run the leagues on Saturday evenings as well as Fridays.

Agreed. During summer have games for friday nights & games Saturday evening. Let the players have the luxury of going to watch their opponents play. Also more attendances to games, therefore more money at the gates. Everyone wins.

Makes so much sense