Down Club Hurling & Football

[marty34]

So, our minors hurlers are out tomorrow night in the MHC final, and the country board have now fixed out MFC semi against Carryduff for this Friday. We have 7 dual players. Why the rush to get these matches played so close together? Yes the hurling has been fixed longer than the football, but the winner goes into Ulster which is December, and the final of the football is two weeks after the semis, so plenty of time to refix games. Yes I understand the 48 hours between the games but why the rush.

Would it be wrong to describe these as first world problems?

In all seriousness though, balancing the crossover of u18H, u18F, u16H and u16F is practically impossible once the nights get short.

That's before you balance in the crossover of u16H, u16F, u14H, u14F.

That's before you factor in the crossover between minor and senior championships.

That's before you factor in that Rannafast and equivalent competitions get underway this week, Corn Na N'Og and equivalents next week, and MacRory and equivalent training is fully underway across the county.

So no matter what way fixtures coordinator turn, it's going to be into a wall of some description.

 

I think regardless of timings etc. then these finals should be at the week-end.

Not under lights. They've trained from March to September in daylight and I don't think it's fair to play big matches under lights.

I understand that it's a tough one but just my opinion.

[thewobbler]

I'd agree with you Marty, but the solutions would likely only cause other problems.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that a club of Carryduff (Clonduff, Bredagh) type stature could make finals in u16F, u18F, u16H and u18F in the same season.

In the context of Square Ball's issue (2 games, 2 days apart), were we to allow even week spacing and cross-sport spacing between games, then the last of those would run into December.

I'm not saying it can't be improved, just that there'll be another obstacle wherever they turn.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, they're trying to minimise crossover in football, and there'll be 3 full weeks of a gap between our u16F quarter final and semi final. I actually think that's a worse situation for players and management than games in close proximity. But hi we're still in the championship. Hence it is something of a "first world" problem rather than a real one.

[clonian]

I'd agree with you Marty, but the solutions would likely only cause other problems.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that a club of Carryduff (Clonduff, Bredagh) type stature could make finals in u16F, u18F, u16H and u18F in the same season.

In the context of Square Ball's issue (2 games, 2 days apart), were we to allow even week spacing and cross-sport spacing between games, then the last of those would run into December.

I'm not saying it can't be improved, just that there'll be another obstacle wherever they turn.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, they're trying to minimise crossover in football, and there'll be 3 full weeks of a gap between our u16F quarter final and semi final. I actually think that's a worse situation for players and management than games in close proximity. But hi we're still in the championship. Hence it is something of a "first world" problem rather than a real one.

Why did that happen?

There's always problems at this time of year with dual players and throw the soccer/rugby into the mix now it's a mess. My lads played both this year and one played up, the last couple of weeks of August and start of September were mental but they enjoyed it. Unfortunately all the teams went out of championship within a week of each other but that's the nature of it.

[johnnycool]

So, our minors hurlers are out tomorrow night in the MHC final, and the country board have now fixed out MFC semi against Carryduff for this Friday. We have 7 dual players. Why the rush to get these matches played so close together? Yes the hurling has been fixed longer than the football, but the winner goes into Ulster which is December, and the final of the football is two weeks after the semis, so plenty of time to refix games. Yes I understand the 48 hours between the games but why the rush.

I'm in total agreement with you.

We were told that the game was brought forward from the original thursday to tonight was to allow an extra days rest for you minor footballers if they got through the previous round and that game was to be fixed for the Saturday.

I'm all on for the final being in Pairc Esler but why on a weeknight with both clubs the far end of the county?

We've loads of kids going straight from school in Belfast to this, not even getting a decent meal in them before this game, I'm sure the Bredagh kids are similar, but they might make it home from school first.

[thewobbler]

I'd agree with you Marty, but the solutions would likely only cause other problems.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that a club of Carryduff (Clonduff, Bredagh) type stature could make finals in u16F, u18F, u16H and u18F in the same season.

In the context of Square Ball's issue (2 games, 2 days apart), were we to allow even week spacing and cross-sport spacing between games, then the last of those would run into December.

I'm not saying it can't be improved, just that there'll be another obstacle wherever they turn.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, they're trying to minimise crossover in football, and there'll be 3 full weeks of a gap between our u16F quarter final and semi final. I actually think that's a worse situation for players and management than games in close proximity. But hi we're still in the championship. Hence it is something of a "first world" problem rather than a real one.

Why did that happen?

There's always problems at this time of year with dual players and throw the soccer/rugby into the mix now it's a mess. My lads played both this year and one played up, the last couple of weeks of August and start of September were mental but they enjoyed it. Unfortunately all the teams went out of championship within a week of each other but that's the nature of it.

It's hard to know why, but it looks like some logic got detached in the cycle of u14/u18 on the same weekend, and u16 on alternate weekends, and it had to be built back in. Possibly due to hurling, possibly due to a lack of referees (let's remember, every single club in Down was still in adult football action just a week ago, and all championship matches have 3 officials), possibly just a clerical error.

Anyhow I'm not complaining. Last year when most of our lads were u14, their season ended on 26 Aug, losing in a last 16 game. Last year felt very abrupt.

[Lowintotheforwards]

What is the logic in playing the MHC final in Newry and making two teams travel miles to what will be a largely empty stadium? I'm not convinced that the supposed 'glory' of playing in Pairc Esler outweighs the mad logistics involved. It does nothing to promote hurling.

[Truth hurts]

What is the logic in playing the MHC final in Newry and making two teams travel miles to what will be a largely empty stadium? I'm not convinced that the supposed 'glory' of playing in Pairc Esler outweighs the mad logistics involved. It does nothing to promote hurling.

This game should have been fixed around the Downpatrick area. Are Bredagh favourites for both? Bredagh are a well run club.

[No1]

I don't envy whoever is co-ordinating fixtures and referees but they could do themselves a massive favour and do away with the group stage format for championship at juvenile level.  Maybe a back door option if a team loses their first game but no more than that.  Also having Plate, Shield, Cup and Championship is overkill. 

We had fellas playing football and hurling at 14's and 16's and as clonian has pointed out it the last couple of weeks of August and start of September were crazy.  Dual clubs are getting it tight.  I'm sure many would say just scrap one code but that would cause civil war within clubs!!  No easy answers.

[clonian]

I don't envy whoever is co-ordinating fixtures and referees but they could do themselves a massive favour and do away with the group stage format for championship at juvenile level.  Maybe a back door option if a team loses their first game but no more than that.  Also having Plate, Shield, Cup and Championship is overkill. 

We had fellas playing football and hurling at 14's and 16's and as clonian has pointed out it the last couple of weeks of August and start of September were crazy.  Dual clubs are getting it tight.  I'm sure many would say just scrap one code but that would cause civil war within clubs!!  No easy answers.

The group stages add in more games but they usually aren't very even. We were higher end of Div 2 at 14s&16s but the teams at the top of 1 were hammering all below them. At 14s everyone went to the last 16 but only quarters for 16s which meant there were dead rubber games in the group too. I'm not sure there's a solution to be had though.

[Truth hurts]

I don't envy whoever is co-ordinating fixtures and referees but they could do themselves a massive favour and do away with the group stage format for championship at juvenile level.  Maybe a back door option if a team loses their first game but no more than that.  Also having Plate, Shield, Cup and Championship is overkill. 

We had fellas playing football and hurling at 14's and 16's and as clonian has pointed out it the last couple of weeks of August and start of September were crazy.  Dual clubs are getting it tight.  I'm sure many would say just scrap one code but that would cause civil war within clubs!!  No easy answers.

Yes I agree, there seems to be so many needless matches.

[Square Ball]

Our minors will play Bredagh in the Minor final for the 4th year in a row next Wednesday night in Pairc Esler.

Bredagh have won all three previous encounters.

TBH within the club we didn't expect this considering we'd lost seven lads from last years team and two of our 18yo's have been injured most of the year and another struggling with a knee issue so doing nets.

In the semi-final v a very fancied Castlewellan we were also missing our normal FB who got a straight red in the previous game but battled through, scoring 6 goals in the process. The lads from the U16 team that have been on the receiving ends of big batterings at that level can hold their own at minor.
Castlewellan will be disappointed, they'll be stronger next year though and will need to learn that when you're dominating the game how to convert into scores.

A Wee bit of testerone got the better of some lads after the final whistle, but all made it to school the next day so no harm. 


Bredagh had a much easier night out against our neighbours, Portaferry and will go into the final as bigger favourites than last year.

We have played each other 3 times this year and it's 2-1 yous with a combined score of 2-33 to 11-45 against us (I think) , yes we won the last game but no way are we favourites. It's a final and of course we will give it a rattle as underdogs.

The league final plays a big part in your stats where you arrived down at our place shorn three or four of your main players.

We'll give it a lash.

Favourites win then, well done and deserved, no complaints from me. Thought your 7 or keeper were your best players, keeper made three great saves, the one in the second half when our forward got a flick on it was his best, some puck on him.

[johnnycool]

Our minors will play Bredagh in the Minor final for the 4th year in a row next Wednesday night in Pairc Esler.

Bredagh have won all three previous encounters.

TBH within the club we didn't expect this considering we'd lost seven lads from last years team and two of our 18yo's have been injured most of the year and another struggling with a knee issue so doing nets.

In the semi-final v a very fancied Castlewellan we were also missing our normal FB who got a straight red in the previous game but battled through, scoring 6 goals in the process. The lads from the U16 team that have been on the receiving ends of big batterings at that level can hold their own at minor.
Castlewellan will be disappointed, they'll be stronger next year though and will need to learn that when you're dominating the game how to convert into scores.

A Wee bit of testerone got the better of some lads after the final whistle, but all made it to school the next day so no harm. 


Bredagh had a much easier night out against our neighbours, Portaferry and will go into the final as bigger favourites than last year.

We have played each other 3 times this year and it's 2-1 yous with a combined score of 2-33 to 11-45 against us (I think) , yes we won the last game but no way are we favourites. It's a final and of course we will give it a rattle as underdogs.

The league final plays a big part in your stats where you arrived down at our place shorn three or four of your main players.

We'll give it a lash.

Favourites win then, well done and deserved, no complaints from me. Thought your 7 or keeper were your best players, keeper made three great saves, the one in the second half when our forward got a flick on it was his best, some puck on him.

Yeah for me, it was a game of goals winning games, when your lads had us under a lot of pressure in the first quarter he prevented any goals going in and kept us in the game until we got going, we could have been 6 or 7 down at that stage, but the lads rallied well to rattle over some nice scores with our FF bagging his usual goal to go in at the break 6 up.

There was a time I thought our policy of playing the older lads no matter what was going to cost us as your lads got it to within 4 points going into the last 10 minutes and that save from your lads flick was pure reflex, that goes in and it's all to play for. We scored from a goalmouth scramble on the next attack to get us a bit of breathing space.
We did make the change in the defence though, and the lad taken off can have no complaints, he got over 45 minutes of "meaningful" gametime, bringing on another U16 who shored things up until we got the final goal from wee Mick to put a gloss on the final score.
We may have won by 8 points, but there's not 8 points difference in those two teams. Some good forwards in that Bredagh team who'll fill out physically in their own time.

We've been putting our underage teams in the gym over the winter, well those over 16, if they're U16 they have to be supervised by a senior hurler who've they've to "buddy" up with before they can go into the gym and it's beginning to show on them now, some haven't really engaged in it and that also shows.

As for the keeper, he didn't lick if off the grass as they say, his father had an agreement with us that he wouldn't be stuck in goals all the time through juvenile even though it was glaringly obvious where his talents lay and he'd play outfield in his own level and play in goals for the level above.
He was midfield in last years final and in goals the previous 2 finals. He was only in goals this year because he's hurt his knee and played very little hurling all year other than goals with the minors.

On a more poignant note, the O'Connor family have put up the Minor final player of the year for the last few years since their son Nialls death and this is the first time a Ballygalget player won it, the lad that won it, his older brother was best friends with Niall. Nialls sister Ciara was in bits, the poor wee mite.

[Square Ball]

Our minors will play Bredagh in the Minor final for the 4th year in a row next Wednesday night in Pairc Esler.

Bredagh have won all three previous encounters.

TBH within the club we didn't expect this considering we'd lost seven lads from last years team and two of our 18yo's have been injured most of the year and another struggling with a knee issue so doing nets.

In the semi-final v a very fancied Castlewellan we were also missing our normal FB who got a straight red in the previous game but battled through, scoring 6 goals in the process. The lads from the U16 team that have been on the receiving ends of big batterings at that level can hold their own at minor.
Castlewellan will be disappointed, they'll be stronger next year though and will need to learn that when you're dominating the game how to convert into scores.

A Wee bit of testerone got the better of some lads after the final whistle, but all made it to school the next day so no harm. 


Bredagh had a much easier night out against our neighbours, Portaferry and will go into the final as bigger favourites than last year.

We have played each other 3 times this year and it's 2-1 yous with a combined score of 2-33 to 11-45 against us (I think) , yes we won the last game but no way are we favourites. It's a final and of course we will give it a rattle as underdogs.

The league final plays a big part in your stats where you arrived down at our place shorn three or four of your main players.

We'll give it a lash.

Favourites win then, well done and deserved, no complaints from me. Thought your 7 or keeper were your best players, keeper made three great saves, the one in the second half when our forward got a flick on it was his best, some puck on him.

Yeah for me, it was a game of goals winning games, when your lads had us under a lot of pressure in the first quarter he prevented any goals going in and kept us in the game until we got going, we could have been 6 or 7 down at that stage, but the lads rallied well to rattle over some nice scores with our FF bagging his usual goal to go in at the break 6 up.

There was a time I thought our policy of playing the older lads no matter what was going to cost us as your lads got it to within 4 points going into the last 10 minutes and that save from your lads flick was pure reflex, that goes in and it's all to play for. We scored from a goalmouth scramble on the next attack to get us a bit of breathing space.
We did make the change in the defence though, and the lad taken off can have no complaints, he got over 45 minutes of "meaningful" gametime, bringing on another U16 who shored things up until we got the final goal from wee Mick to put a gloss on the final score.
We may have won by 8 points, but there's not 8 points difference in those two teams. Some good forwards in that Bredagh team who'll fill out physically in their own time.

We've been putting our underage teams in the gym over the winter, well those over 16, if they're U16 they have to be supervised by a senior hurler who've they've to "buddy" up with before they can go into the gym and it's beginning to show on them now, some haven't really engaged in it and that also shows.

As for the keeper, he didn't lick if off the grass as they say, his father had an agreement with us that he wouldn't be stuck in goals all the time through juvenile even though it was glaringly obvious where his talents lay and he'd play outfield in his own level and play in goals for the level above.
He was midfield in last years final and in goals the previous 2 finals. He was only in goals this year because he's hurt his knee and played very little hurling all year other than goals with the minors.

On a more poignant note, the O'Connor family have put up the Minor final player of the year for the last few years since their son Nialls death and this is the first time a Ballygalget player won it, the lad that won it, his older brother was best friends with Niall. Nialls sister Ciara was in bits, the poor wee mite.

Jez, I am sure they were, that's near set me off.

[Square Ball]

Our footballers just about got over the line in the minor football semi against Carryduff last night, last second fisted point by Jacko got us there after Carryduff had scored a goal very late to equalise.

I think that could make us the first team in Down to make the minor Football and Hurling final in the same year? Given the Ards dominance in the hurling for decades it could well be.

[johnnycool]

Our footballers just about got over the line in the minor football semi against Carryduff last night, last second fisted point by Jacko got us there after Carryduff had scored a goal very late to equalise.

I think that could make us the first team in Down to make the minor Football and Hurling final in the same year? Given the Ards dominance in the hurling for decades it could well be.

You have that one in the bag I'd have thought.

Big Magic thought he'd be the first to play in both the senior football final with Loughinisland and the senior hurling final with us the following week but he fucked our manager off by going on the sauce with the Loughinisland lads and missing physio sessions that he never put him on even when we were winning.

Still hasn't happened