Down Club Hurling & Football

[Splash]

Intermediate Hurling Championship starts up again tomorrow, and there could be some good viewing. It feels like the first time in a couple years anyone could beat anyone on the day.

Newry Shamrocks will be expected to beat Clonduff. Clonduff have struggled for a while now, and whilst they finished well in the league, Shamrocks are probably the best of the intermediate teams and will be a tough challenge. If Clonduff make all the right decisions they're more than capable to get a win here, but it feels like this is still a team in transition. Shamrocks, whilst not at the heights they were in recent years, still feel like they are bit ahead.

Ballela v Warrenpoint is a very similar sort of situation. Warrenpoint have been playing at a higher level and should have enough for Ballela, but you never know. It seemed in 2023 Ballela were going to massively struggle, before they won the Championship in 2024. Some said that was one last hurrah, before they won the league in 2025. Meanwhile Warrenpoint have slowly been establishing themselves as a true intermediate team ever since their JHC win in 2022. The Point should probably have enough, but as we seen last year with Castlewellan, Ballela are more than able to hold their own. The last time these sides met in the championship, it was a close game. The Point will be favourites, but Ballela could very well cause them plenty of problems- and from there, it could be anyone's game.

[blackwater1992]

Any truth in the mayobridge WhatsApp message doing the rounds?

What's this now?

[blackwater1992]

Big win for East Belfast in the juniors last night, hard to see who else apart from Bright would put it up to them.

[Mourne Red]

Big win for East Belfast in the juniors last night, hard to see who else apart from Bright would put it up to them.

Have the easier group.. Finn, Ardglass and Drumaness in the other group always seem to go up a level come championship time wouldn't look past those 3

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

Any truth in the mayobridge WhatsApp message doing the rounds?

What's this now?

A WhatsApp message sent by the manager in the aftermath of the drumgath game. Meant for the selectors group, sent to the players group. Allegedly.

[Square Ball]

Any truth in the mayobridge WhatsApp message doing the rounds?

What's this now?

A WhatsApp message sent by the manager in the aftermath of the drumgath game. Meant for the selectors group, sent to the players group. Allegedly.

Surely it's a load of cobblers, allegedly ripped the players out individually, turned his phone off and went to bed

[blackwater1992]

Any truth in the mayobridge WhatsApp message doing the rounds?

What's this now?

A WhatsApp message sent by the manager in the aftermath of the drumgath game. Meant for the selectors group, sent to the players group. Allegedly.

Surely it's a load of cobblers, allegedly ripped the players out individually, turned his phone off and went to bed

Wouldn't be the first time a fake WhatsApp message has been going round about the bridge!

[johnnycool]

Carryduff picked up an important point vrs Ballycran at the weekend and from all accounts were unlucky not to get the win.

They now face Bredagh and Liatroim in their final games, and I think if they beat Bredagh they would get a semi-final spot.

Ballycran have always known they were going to struggle but should secure that other semi-final spot and they'll be dangerous enough come the time.

I find it hard to believe but our lads were telling me that Liatroim won the toss on Saturday and elected to play against a gale of a wind.

The game was over as a contest after 20 minutes as we'd put something like 5 goals and 12 points on them, Prenter was having a field day. They then got a man sent off, he reacted to a bit of manhandling by our fullback with a clip of the hurl to the back of his head, not a full swing by any stretch, referee saw it for himself and a straight red was shown.

They did rattle off a few points in the second half, but the game was well out of reach and petered out long before the final whistle.
I'm not sure we learned anything from this game TBH.

Liatroim are almost certain in the intermediate now I'd have thought with Carryduff up next and the final game v Ballycran.

Ballycran may well need to beat Liatroim in their final game as it's hard to see them get anything from their next game against Portaferry.

We need another point to secure a home semi-final although if some results go our way, i.e. Carryduff beating Bredagh our current 6 points would be enough.

Ports are resting key players all the way and still winning comfortably. They're still the team to beat.

[clonian]

Carryduff picked up an important point vrs Ballycran at the weekend and from all accounts were unlucky not to get the win.

They now face Bredagh and Liatroim in their final games, and I think if they beat Bredagh they would get a semi-final spot.

Ballycran have always known they were going to struggle but should secure that other semi-final spot and they'll be dangerous enough come the time.

I find it hard to believe but our lads were telling me that Liatroim won the toss on Saturday and elected to play against a gale of a wind.

The game was over as a contest after 20 minutes as we'd put something like 5 goals and 12 points on them, Prenter was having a field day. They then got a man sent off, he reacted to a bit of manhandling by our fullback with a clip of the hurl to the back of his head, not a full swing by any stretch, referee saw it for himself and a straight red was shown.

They did rattle off a few points in the second half, but the game was well out of reach and petered out long before the final whistle.
I'm not sure we learned anything from this game TBH.

Liatroim are almost certain in the intermediate now I'd have thought with Carryduff up next and the final game v Ballycran.

Ballycran may well need to beat Liatroim in their final game as it's hard to see them get anything from their next game against Portaferry.

We need another point to secure a home semi-final although if some results go our way, i.e. Carryduff beating Bredagh our current 6 points would be enough.

Ports are resting key players all the way and still winning comfortably. They're still the team to beat.

JC - how big of a problem for Ballycran would them ending up in the intermediate? That seemed impossible a few years ago.

They've dropped down to the lower division at underage level, we were up there a couple of weeks ago. Are they struggling for young lads much more than yourselves or Portaferry? You've a good minor team I heard but Bredagh are strong too. Castlewellan seem to be on top at 16s and Liatroim are very strong at 14/15.

[johnnycool]

Carryduff picked up an important point vrs Ballycran at the weekend and from all accounts were unlucky not to get the win.

They now face Bredagh and Liatroim in their final games, and I think if they beat Bredagh they would get a semi-final spot.

Ballycran have always known they were going to struggle but should secure that other semi-final spot and they'll be dangerous enough come the time.

I find it hard to believe but our lads were telling me that Liatroim won the toss on Saturday and elected to play against a gale of a wind.

The game was over as a contest after 20 minutes as we'd put something like 5 goals and 12 points on them, Prenter was having a field day. They then got a man sent off, he reacted to a bit of manhandling by our fullback with a clip of the hurl to the back of his head, not a full swing by any stretch, referee saw it for himself and a straight red was shown.

They did rattle off a few points in the second half, but the game was well out of reach and petered out long before the final whistle.
I'm not sure we learned anything from this game TBH.

Liatroim are almost certain in the intermediate now I'd have thought with Carryduff up next and the final game v Ballycran.

Ballycran may well need to beat Liatroim in their final game as it's hard to see them get anything from their next game against Portaferry.

We need another point to secure a home semi-final although if some results go our way, i.e. Carryduff beating Bredagh our current 6 points would be enough.

Ports are resting key players all the way and still winning comfortably. They're still the team to beat.

JC - how big of a problem for Ballycran would them ending up in the intermediate? That seemed impossible a few years ago.

They've dropped down to the lower division at underage level, we were up there a couple of weeks ago. Are they struggling for young lads much more than yourselves or Portaferry? You've a good minor team I heard but Bredagh are strong too. Castlewellan seem to be on top at 16s and Liatroim are very strong at 14/15.

Ballycran dipping into intermediate would be a blow to them alright, we weren't far off it a few years back either if the truth was told, so it can happen easily.
They have been hit hard with emigration to Australia mostly in recent years and young, talented lads not committing to the hurling and playing soccer and rugby. They seem to have enticed a few back the last month.

Ballycran have a few very decent hurlers in their minors and U16's but would be struggling for numbers to give them competitive teams to compete with the likes of Bredagh, Castlewellan who won't be dipping into the younger age groups so will struggle, much like ourselves at U16 and U14 this year.

It's been near on 5, maybe 6 years since an underage championship has been won by an Ards team and I can see all three not going to an Ards club again this year.

Am I concerned about that? From a Ballygalget perspective, no to an extent as our minors got to three finals in recent years, lost them all to Bredagh yet two of those players have made it onto the County seniors and the vast majority are still hurling away, training like mad with the seniors, pushing onto the panel and a further one made his senior championship debut vrs Liatroim and did very well with another lad still in minors coming on near the end.

They've pushed the "social" hurlers off the senior panel, the lads who rock up once in a while to training and still got handed senior jerseys are no longer needed to make up a panel and whilst it will take another few years for some of them to mature they've the right attitude and that sets the bar for the other juveniles also coming up through the ranks even if they are getting hammered at U16 and U14 that they see the lads a few years older getting starts for the seniors in the Antrim leagues and then championships.

Ballycran are where we were 5 or 6 years ago, the spine of the team is well past it's prime and no young lads to fill the gaps and a few lads who don't have the shape to suggest they're committed enough to be a proper senior hurler.

This is a true story that the last time we won a Down senior championship we were due to play Slaughtneil in the Ulster final in Armagh, the senior manager called me the Thursday night before to ask if I could call the parents of some of the older U16's to see if they'd strip out to do the warm up and sit on the bench to look as if we'd a panel as we were down to 19 fit players and one was the sub keeper.
Hence why we adopted an internal policy to ensure we retained juvenile players for as long as possible and whilst it may have cost us one of those minor finals as we'd better U16's on the bench than some of the 17/18yo's that started it will work out in the long run.

I've been around too long to get excited about the next boy wonder hurler at U14 or whatever.

[clonian]

Numbers playing overall seems to be an issue for clubs. 3 of the intermediate teams had 3 or 4 subs this weekend and a lot of lads around or over 40.

At least you are holding on to your lads even if there's only a few of them. Have Bredagh held on to those minor lads over the last few years?

[marty34]

Carryduff picked up an important point vrs Ballycran at the weekend and from all accounts were unlucky not to get the win.

They now face Bredagh and Liatroim in their final games, and I think if they beat Bredagh they would get a semi-final spot.

Ballycran have always known they were going to struggle but should secure that other semi-final spot and they'll be dangerous enough come the time.

I find it hard to believe but our lads were telling me that Liatroim won the toss on Saturday and elected to play against a gale of a wind.

The game was over as a contest after 20 minutes as we'd put something like 5 goals and 12 points on them, Prenter was having a field day. They then got a man sent off, he reacted to a bit of manhandling by our fullback with a clip of the hurl to the back of his head, not a full swing by any stretch, referee saw it for himself and a straight red was shown.

They did rattle off a few points in the second half, but the game was well out of reach and petered out long before the final whistle.
I'm not sure we learned anything from this game TBH.

Liatroim are almost certain in the intermediate now I'd have thought with Carryduff up next and the final game v Ballycran.

Ballycran may well need to beat Liatroim in their final game as it's hard to see them get anything from their next game against Portaferry.

We need another point to secure a home semi-final although if some results go our way, i.e. Carryduff beating Bredagh our current 6 points would be enough.

Ports are resting key players all the way and still winning comfortably. They're still the team to beat.

In fairness, at times that's not a bad ploy.

Slow the game down in 1st half, take an extra 30 secs with the frees and puckouts and try not to concede any goals. Takes teams 10 mins to 'grow into' a game.

On the otherhand.....

[marty34]

Carryduff picked up an important point vrs Ballycran at the weekend and from all accounts were unlucky not to get the win.

They now face Bredagh and Liatroim in their final games, and I think if they beat Bredagh they would get a semi-final spot.

Ballycran have always known they were going to struggle but should secure that other semi-final spot and they'll be dangerous enough come the time.

I find it hard to believe but our lads were telling me that Liatroim won the toss on Saturday and elected to play against a gale of a wind.

The game was over as a contest after 20 minutes as we'd put something like 5 goals and 12 points on them, Prenter was having a field day. They then got a man sent off, he reacted to a bit of manhandling by our fullback with a clip of the hurl to the back of his head, not a full swing by any stretch, referee saw it for himself and a straight red was shown.

They did rattle off a few points in the second half, but the game was well out of reach and petered out long before the final whistle.
I'm not sure we learned anything from this game TBH.

Liatroim are almost certain in the intermediate now I'd have thought with Carryduff up next and the final game v Ballycran.

Ballycran may well need to beat Liatroim in their final game as it's hard to see them get anything from their next game against Portaferry.

We need another point to secure a home semi-final although if some results go our way, i.e. Carryduff beating Bredagh our current 6 points would be enough.

Ports are resting key players all the way and still winning comfortably. They're still the team to beat.

JC - how big of a problem for Ballycran would them ending up in the intermediate? That seemed impossible a few years ago.

They've dropped down to the lower division at underage level, we were up there a couple of weeks ago. Are they struggling for young lads much more than yourselves or Portaferry? You've a good minor team I heard but Bredagh are strong too. Castlewellan seem to be on top at 16s and Liatroim are very strong at 14/15.

Ballycran dipping into intermediate would be a blow to them alright, we weren't far off it a few years back either if the truth was told, so it can happen easily.
They have been hit hard with emigration to Australia mostly in recent years and young, talented lads not committing to the hurling and playing soccer and rugby. They seem to have enticed a few back the last month.

Ballycran have a few very decent hurlers in their minors and U16's but would be struggling for numbers to give them competitive teams to compete with the likes of Bredagh, Castlewellan who won't be dipping into the younger age groups so will struggle, much like ourselves at U16 and U14 this year.

It's been near on 5, maybe 6 years since an underage championship has been won by an Ards team and I can see all three not going to an Ards club again this year.

Am I concerned about that? From a Ballygalget perspective, no to an extent as our minors got to three finals in recent years, lost them all to Bredagh yet two of those players have made it onto the County seniors and the vast majority are still hurling away, training like mad with the seniors, pushing onto the panel and a further one made his senior championship debut vrs Liatroim and did very well with another lad still in minors coming on near the end.

They've pushed the "social" hurlers off the senior panel, the lads who rock up once in a while to training and still got handed senior jerseys are no longer needed to make up a panel and whilst it will take another few years for some of them to mature they've the right attitude and that sets the bar for the other juveniles also coming up through the ranks even if they are getting hammered at U16 and U14 that they see the lads a few years older getting starts for the seniors in the Antrim leagues and then championships.

Ballycran are where we were 5 or 6 years ago, the spine of the team is well past it's prime and no young lads to fill the gaps and a few lads who don't have the shape to suggest they're committed enough to be a proper senior hurler.

This is a true story that the last time we won a Down senior championship we were due to play Slaughtneil in the Ulster final in Armagh, the senior manager called me the Thursday night before to ask if I could call the parents of some of the older U16's to see if they'd strip out to do the warm up and sit on the bench to look as if we'd a panel as we were down to 19 fit players and one was the sub keeper.
Hence why we adopted an internal policy to ensure we retained juvenile players for as long as possible and whilst it may have cost us one of those minor finals as we'd better U16's on the bench than some of the 17/18yo's that started it will work out in the long run.

I've been around too long to get excited about the next boy wonder hurler at U14 or whatever.

That's 100% correct.

Never a truer statement. See if they're still playing at U18. That's a better yardstick. 

[County Star]

Big win for East Belfast in the juniors last night, hard to see who else apart from Bright would put it up to them.

Have the easier group.. Finn, Ardglass and Drumaness in the other group always seem to go up a level come championship time wouldn't look past those 3

Ardglass will have too much for Finn. But think Bright are the favourites now

[befair]

Drumgath gave Wpt a close contest tonight. Anyone at the game?