Down Club Hurling & Football

[Splash]

Good week of hurling action.

Portaferry v Bredagh went much as expected. Been a tough year for Belfast side, but could win the Intermediate, and have had more success at minor again this year. They will begin to trouble the Ards sides at senior level soon enough, surely. Portaferry will very much in with s chance to win back fo back titles.

Newry Shamrocks simply couldn't live with Ballycran. Shamrocks have struggled and will be glad to see the back of the Senior Championship for now. Whilst they may not be hitting the highs they were a year or two ago, the club is in a far better place now than it was a few years ago. It's been good to see their development in hurling. Ballycran still favourites for the title. Good team.

Liatroim will be kicking themselves. This was perhaps their best chance at beating an Ards side. Liatroim seem to produce good hurlers, just not enough of them to thrive against the Ards sides. Regardless of the rumours of players leaving the club, have heard talk of lads transferring in. Whilst Liatroim are down, they are not out. Still capable of springing a surprise in this championship. Ballygalget seem to be slowly getting back on track. Whilst a senior championship is probably too far a step this year, they seem to be getting back to form.

Worth raising the point- the physicality and strength of the Ards sides seems to put them above their opponents. Surely this could be transferred to the Junior Football Championship? I know players travel to Loughinisland, Saul, etc. to play with the big ball, but it is hardly convenient for lads on the Ards to travel to such an extent to train every week.

I would be a massive supporter of encouraging more clubs to have hurling teams, but perhaps it goes both ways? No child should be denied the chance to play either code.

Believe I am right in saying there was football on the Ards in the past?

[Splash]

Warrenpoint snatch a late victory from Clonduff.

I remember when they won the junior last year, talking to somebody, saying it was well for them, but they were in for a rough ride. Pleasantly surprised  to find that has not been the case. Great to see. Need more hurling along the seafront in Down.

Wouldn't know much about hurling in the point, but is it a case of good systems, have they good lads coming through, etc., or is this a golden generation?

Clonduff missing some key players so the story goes. Christy Hynes a big miss I hear. All the same, this doesn't take away from CPN's victory, and Clonduff will be happy with their lot considering where they were at the start of the year.

Would expect them to come back up from Div 2, particularly if the Brannagans return to play. Assuming Carryduff get promoted to the Senior Championship, there's nothing stopping Clonduff giving the Intermediate a rattle next year.

Be interesting to see now how the rest of the championship unfolds.

[johnnycool]

Good week of hurling action.

Portaferry v Bredagh went much as expected. Been a tough year for Belfast side, but could win the Intermediate, and have had more success at minor again this year. They will begin to trouble the Ards sides at senior level soon enough, surely. Portaferry will very much in with s chance to win back fo back titles.

Newry Shamrocks simply couldn't live with Ballycran. Shamrocks have struggled and will be glad to see the back of the Senior Championship for now. Whilst they may not be hitting the highs they were a year or two ago, the club is in a far better place now than it was a few years ago. It's been good to see their development in hurling. Ballycran still favourites for the title. Good team.

Liatroim will be kicking themselves. This was perhaps their best chance at beating an Ards side. Liatroim seem to produce good hurlers, just not enough of them to thrive against the Ards sides. Regardless of the rumours of players leaving the club, have heard talk of lads transferring in. Whilst Liatroim are down, they are not out. Still capable of springing a surprise in this championship. Ballygalget seem to be slowly getting back on track. Whilst a senior championship is probably too far a step this year, they seem to be getting back to form.

Worth raising the point- the physicality and strength of the Ards sides seems to put them above their opponents. Surely this could be transferred to the Junior Football Championship? I know players travel to Loughinisland, Saul, etc. to play with the big ball, but it is hardly convenient for lads on the Ards to travel to such an extent to train every week.

I would be a massive supporter of encouraging more clubs to have hurling teams, but perhaps it goes both ways? No child should be denied the chance to play either code.

Believe I am right in saying there was football on the Ards in the past?

You need 18 to 20 lads comfortable and capable of senior hurling to really make an impact, at the minute we don't, we've still a few passengers on a good day and if we get a few injuries we're digging deep into either untested youngsters or lads who're ultimately junior hurlers.
As much as Bredagh chinned us in the minor championship (again) this is the start of our development program coming to fruition into adult hurling but it'll take time for them to have an impact at this level and I'm talking about 2 to 3 years. We've some strong hurlers in each year right down to U13 where we're suffering badly with numbers but that doesn't mean to say there's not some good hurlers in there.
Liatroim just didn't have enough hurlers in key positions, corner back and keeper being the two obvious ones. Prenter is a handful and whilst he got a good few scores he also left a goal or two behind him as did two of the younger lads, taking their eye off the ball at the wrong moment, they'd the ball hit and in the net before they'd actually secured the pass in their hands, schoolboy errors they'll need to learn from and quickly.
Liatroim persisted with the sweeper for too long when chasing the game with the wind in the second half, although when they did move Ruairi McCrickard up the field to win ball, John McManus went with him and if anything that had a more positive impact for us than them. Pierce OG was dangerous enough at times but was starved of quality ball to work with. We aren't good at playing the sweeper and he made hay in the first half off that but we got far better in the second half in denying him the space he needed.
Neither Ballycran nor Portaferry will be to worried about what they saw in that game TBH.

[Targetman]

Good week of hurling action.

Portaferry v Bredagh went much as expected. Been a tough year for Belfast side, but could win the Intermediate, and have had more success at minor again this year. They will begin to trouble the Ards sides at senior level soon enough, surely. Portaferry will very much in with s chance to win back fo back titles.

Newry Shamrocks simply couldn't live with Ballycran. Shamrocks have struggled and will be glad to see the back of the Senior Championship for now. Whilst they may not be hitting the highs they were a year or two ago, the club is in a far better place now than it was a few years ago. It's been good to see their development in hurling. Ballycran still favourites for the title. Good team.

Liatroim will be kicking themselves. This was perhaps their best chance at beating an Ards side. Liatroim seem to produce good hurlers, just not enough of them to thrive against the Ards sides. Regardless of the rumours of players leaving the club, have heard talk of lads transferring in. Whilst Liatroim are down, they are not out. Still capable of springing a surprise in this championship. Ballygalget seem to be slowly getting back on track. Whilst a senior championship is probably too far a step this year, they seem to be getting back to form.

Worth raising the point- the physicality and strength of the Ards sides seems to put them above their opponents. Surely this could be transferred to the Junior Football Championship? I know players travel to Loughinisland, Saul, etc. to play with the big ball, but it is hardly convenient for lads on the Ards to travel to such an extent to train every week.

I would be a massive supporter of encouraging more clubs to have hurling teams, but perhaps it goes both ways? No child should be denied the chance to play either code.

Believe I am right in saying there was football on the Ards in the past?

[Targetman]

Good week of hurling action.

Portaferry v Bredagh went much as expected. Been a tough year for Belfast side, but could win the Intermediate, and have had more success at minor again this year. They will begin to trouble the Ards sides at senior level soon enough, surely. Portaferry will very much in with s chance to win back fo back titles.

Newry Shamrocks simply couldn't live with Ballycran. Shamrocks have struggled and will be glad to see the back of the Senior Championship for now. Whilst they may not be hitting the highs they were a year or two ago, the club is in a far better place now than it was a few years ago. It's been good to see their development in hurling. Ballycran still favourites for the title. Good team.

Liatroim will be kicking themselves. This was perhaps their best chance at beating an Ards side. Liatroim seem to produce good hurlers, just not enough of them to thrive against the Ards sides. Regardless of the rumours of players leaving the club, have heard talk of lads transferring in. Whilst Liatroim are down, they are not out. Still capable of springing a surprise in this championship. Ballygalget seem to be slowly getting back on track. Whilst a senior championship is probably too far a step this year, they seem to be getting back to form.

Worth raising the point- the physicality and strength of the Ards sides seems to put them above their opponents. Surely this could be transferred to the Junior Football Championship? I know players travel to Loughinisland, Saul, etc. to play with the big ball, but it is hardly convenient for lads on the Ards to travel to such an extent to train every week.

I would be a massive supporter of encouraging more clubs to have hurling teams, but perhaps it goes both ways? No child should be denied the chance to play either code.

Believe I am right in saying there was football on the Ards in the past?

[Targetman]

Good week of hurling action.

Portaferry v Bredagh went much as expected. Been a tough year for Belfast side, but could win the Intermediate, and have had more success at minor again this year. They will begin to trouble the Ards sides at senior level soon enough, surely. Portaferry will very much in with s chance to win back fo back titles.

Newry Shamrocks simply couldn't live with Ballycran. Shamrocks have struggled and will be glad to see the back of the Senior Championship for now. Whilst they may not be hitting the highs they were a year or two ago, the club is in a far better place now than it was a few years ago. It's been good to see their development in hurling. Ballycran still favourites for the title. Good team.

Liatroim will be kicking themselves. This was perhaps their best chance at beating an Ards side. Liatroim seem to produce good hurlers, just not enough of them to thrive against the Ards sides. Regardless of the rumours of players leaving the club, have heard talk of lads transferring in. Whilst Liatroim are down, they are not out. Still capable of springing a surprise in this championship. Ballygalget seem to be slowly getting back on track. Whilst a senior championship is probably too far a step this year, they seem to be getting back to form.

Worth raising the point- the physicality and strength of the Ards sides seems to put them above their opponents. Surely this could be transferred to the Junior Football Championship? I know players travel to Loughinisland, Saul, etc. to play with the big ball, but it is hardly convenient for lads on the Ards to travel to such an extent to train every week.

I would be a massive supporter of encouraging more clubs to have hurling teams, but perhaps it goes both ways? No child should be denied the chance to play either code.

Believe I am right in saying there was football on the Ards in the past?

I remember Ballycran playing in Div4 many years ago, Greg Blaney was playing for them back then

[DownFanatic]

Ballycran in the early 90's had established themselves as a decent Division 3 outfit in football and had picked up a right few victories in the IFC.

[Truth hurts]

The chances of the lads of Clough fielding a hurling team in the JHC in 2023 are higher than those of Ards fielding a football team.

[johnnycool]

Ballycran in the early 90's had established themselves as a decent Division 3 outfit in football and had picked up a right few victories in the IFC.

Back then football suspensions carried into the hurling, not the case now, but hard to see much motivation within any of the three Ards clubs to put out a junior football team right in the middle of a hurling season.

In saying that if you look at Dunloy, they seem to manage it quite well although they don't look to have given league football in Antrim much focus.

[befair]

Easy win for Burren tonight; Glenn seemed overawed, none of the drive that dismantled the Bridge. !5 men behind the ball even when 6 points behind in the second half revealed their mindset

[Splash]

Never realised Ballycran reached the level of the IFC.

Heard someone float an idea once of simply having an amalgamated Ards team on the peninsula as opposed to each 3 clubs fielding a team. Think it was explained as being based on the logic there would not be enough interest to be able to field 3 teams, and one team would be more competitive than 3 smaller teams.

This will no doubt be met with comments of 'there's more chance of Celtic and Rangers merging than the Ards teams merging,' etc.

It's unlikely, yes. But it's an interesting idea to think about. How best can Down utilise its resources?

Dunloy have shown what can be done with the right setup.

Realistically, wouldn't expect any team in Down to be seriously challenging for both senior championships (bar perhaps Carryduff in a couple years and maybe Bredagh), but there is no reason a club cannot be competitive at junior/intermediate level in their second code.

Would there be any interest on the Ards at all in the big ball? Was speaking to a fella who used to live in North Antrim, and he told me he wasn't able to find anywhere showing the Ulster SFC. Just no interest whatsoever he says.

Would the Ards be the same?

Phelim Savage from Ballycran plays football for Saul, and I know a couple lads have a bit of interest in the soccer, but that's all that I can think of.

[Nanderson]

Clonduff really lost the heads at the end of that match and glad Conor Curran had the sense to blow it up before something else sparked another brawl

[downtothecore]

Disgraceful scenes in newry. Clonduff let themselves down big time.

[Sheedy]

Disgrace at the end, Clonduff were lucky not to have more sent off

[GAA Madness]

Clonduff actions cannot be condoned, but have to question if Niall Brannigan has a single brain cell lashing out when winning by a hatful,caused that whole scene and caused himself a final place..... well at least until the legal team get in and get that overturned.