Down Club Hurling & Football

[downjim]

Ballyholland club: hardly the ritz. Main course of pat courtney sausage rolls

[Leo]

Ballyholland club: hardly the ritz. Main course of pat courtney sausage rolls

My first time in the Ballyholland club - its a superb venue and this was the best Club Down event I have ever been at. Col McAlarney was brilliant.

As for the food - absolutely gorgeous piping hot meal and choice of desserts by Willows Cafe of Warrenpoint. Unbelievable value at a tenner.

Cracking entertainment and Conor Laverty derved to win Breen Morgan award.

Brilliant event in

[downjim]

I was only joking about the harps. I admire the work they are doing and its great that the gaels of newry have a division one team to support

[5 Sams]

Ballyholland club: hardly the ritz. Main course of pat courtney sausage rolls

My first time in the Ballyholland club - its a superb venue and this was the best Club Down event I have ever been at. Col McAlarney was brilliant.

As for the food - absolutely gorgeous piping hot meal and choice of desserts by Willows Cafe of Warrenpoint. Unbelievable value at a tenner.

Cracking entertainment and Conor Laverty derved to win Breen Morgan award.

Brilliant event in

McAlarney was as good a speaker as I have ever heard. Sean Magee did a great job with the Q&A although in fairness McAlarney was an easy interviewee. Very passionate about Down football. Good to hear a few new yarns from Big O although all the old ones were still there.

[Leo]

McAlarney was so natural and at ease. Magee knew his stuff and gave the prompts but at the same time stood back and let Colm be the focus. Great insight into a great player's experiences. Did anyone record this?
There should be an archive committee in Down capturing wonderful interviews like this.

[SHEEDY]

brilliant day for down football. well done kilcoo and warrepoint.

[dundrumite]

Well done to Warrenpoint and Kilcoo. An port mor cakewalked there semiby 13 points which leaves a huge regret for us.

However, I remember 14 or 15 years ago going to watch our seniors play Kilcoo and now they are in an Ulster Senior club final. An achievement beyond words. All you can do is say fair play to them.

Looking at the talk of Jim Mc corry in BBC page " we will bring our own game and intensity to the final" they won't be fearing cross and like a lot of teams beat before they get on the field. The whole of 09 they were underdogs and thrived with that tag. Be a difficult task but I hope they can do it.

[DownFanatic]

Ventured to the Athletic Grounds today and it was great to see Warrenpoint and Kilcoo both winning. This is a great boost for club football in our county.

Warrenpoint dominated the 1st half of their game and finished the 2nd half well. Aghagallon were a poor enough outfit but the Point always looked in control. They are an extremely young side who have done very well in getting to where they are considering their inexperience. Ross McGarry along with their captain McAleenan and the McCartan brothers had right and good games while the boy (Number 13) in corner forward was a threat throughout.

The 1st half of the Kilcoo game was tedious enough but the excitement levels rose in the second thirty. The Magpies were three down at a stage midway during the 2nd half but they came back admirably. Their substitutions worked a treat. Sean Devlin got the goal while Ryan Johnston seemed to get on the ball with nearly every attack. A couple of late points sealed it despite Niall McEvoy getting sent off.

Darragh O'Hanlon was the best player on the field of play in my opinion. He may only be 19 but he plays like a veteran. Took some brilliant scores and was intelligent on the ball. Donal Kane had a storming game and seemed to be everywhere. Laverty showed well and defensively the Brannigans played rightly. Galls looked lethargic in their warm up and apart from Karl Stewart they offered little scoring threat. Sean Kelly was superb in defence for them too. The Belfast men didn't take too well to Kilcoo's gamesmanship and it seemed to unnerve them.

Both teams will be underdogs for the Finals but it would be a massive coup if both pulled off victories.

[Leo]

Great day for Down football from two teamss who understand the meaning of "club" and in y opinion are the emerging forces in the county. Move over Burren & Mayobridge.

[lucan]

in reply to all the narrow minded dudes who knocked young mooney for speaking his mind be aware in these times of recession his livelyhood is considerably more important to him than the rantings of  cretons.

[JimStynes]

Ventured to the Athletic Grounds today and it was great to see Warrenpoint and Kilcoo both winning. This is a great boost for club football in our county.

Warrenpoint dominated the 1st half of their game and finished the 2nd half well. Aghagallon were a poor enough outfit but the Point always looked in control. They are an extremely young side who have done very well in getting to where they are considering their inexperience. Ross McGarry along with their captain McAleenan and the McCartan brothers had right and good games while the boy (Number 13) in corner forward was a threat throughout.

The 1st half of the Kilcoo game was tedious enough but the excitement levels rose in the second thirty. The Magpies were three down at a stage midway during the 2nd half but they came back admirably. Their substitutions worked a treat. Sean Devlin got the goal while Ryan Johnston seemed to get on the ball with nearly every attack. A couple of late points sealed it despite Niall McEvoy getting sent off.

Darragh O'Hanlon was the best player on the field of play in my opinion. He may only be 19 but he plays like a veteran. Took some brilliant scores and was intelligent on the ball. Donal Kane had a storming game and seemed to be everywhere. Laverty showed well and defensively the Brannigans played rightly. Galls looked lethargic in their warm up and apart from Karl Stewart they offered little scoring threat. Sean Kelly was superb in defence for them too. The Belfast men didn't take too well to Kilcoo's gamesmanship and it seemed to unnerve them.

Both teams will be underdogs for the Finals but it would be a massive coup if both pulled off victories.

What game were you watching? Aghagallon were winning at half time and dominated the first 15 mins of the second half but missed a lot of easy chances! On another day those chances would have went over the bar or in the net and would have ran out easy winners. Fair play to Warrenpoint though they finished stronger and were able to bring on good subs. Aghagallon just have too many men away to oz and injured after a long hard season. Warrenpoint are a good side but they panic when put under pressure. With more experience and a few key players showing more composure they could be a very good side.

[DownFanatic]

Ventured to the Athletic Grounds today and it was great to see Warrenpoint and Kilcoo both winning. This is a great boost for club football in our county.

Warrenpoint dominated the 1st half of their game and finished the 2nd half well. Aghagallon were a poor enough outfit but the Point always looked in control. They are an extremely young side who have done very well in getting to where they are considering their inexperience. Ross McGarry along with their captain McAleenan and the McCartan brothers had right and good games while the boy (Number 13) in corner forward was a threat throughout.

The 1st half of the Kilcoo game was tedious enough but the excitement levels rose in the second thirty. The Magpies were three down at a stage midway during the 2nd half but they came back admirably. Their substitutions worked a treat. Sean Devlin got the goal while Ryan Johnston seemed to get on the ball with nearly every attack. A couple of late points sealed it despite Niall McEvoy getting sent off.

Darragh O'Hanlon was the best player on the field of play in my opinion. He may only be 19 but he plays like a veteran. Took some brilliant scores and was intelligent on the ball. Donal Kane had a storming game and seemed to be everywhere. Laverty showed well and defensively the Brannigans played rightly. Galls looked lethargic in their warm up and apart from Karl Stewart they offered little scoring threat. Sean Kelly was superb in defence for them too. The Belfast men didn't take too well to Kilcoo's gamesmanship and it seemed to unnerve them.

Both teams will be underdogs for the Finals but it would be a massive coup if both pulled off victories.

What game were you watching? Aghagallon were winning at half time and dominated the first 15 mins of the second half but missed a lot of easy chances! On another day those chances would have went over the bar or in the net and would have ran out easy winners. Fair play to Warrenpoint though they finished stronger and were able to bring on good subs. Aghagallon just have too many men away to oz and injured after a long hard season. Warrenpoint are a good side but they panic when put under pressure. With more experience and a few key players showing more composure they could be a very good side.

Although I don't have the stats at hand I would be pretty confident that they would show that Warrenpoint dominated possession in the 1st half. And also, just because a team are winning at halftime doesn't necessarilly mean that they are dominating a game.

[PAULD123]

JimStynes, You highlighted the phrase "Warrenpoint dominated the 1st half of their game" in Downfanatics post then go on to disrepute it by saying it is wrong because Aghgallon dominated the first 15 minutes of the SECOND half. Do you not see your obvious error there???

Anyway both posts have truths in them. Warrenpoint dominated the first half and were amazingly unlucky to be behind at half time, Aghgallon had a 15 minute spell in the second where they were on top before Warrenpoint retook control and scored six points without reply. Aghgallon were woeful in shooting. but you can hardly claim much credit for them when they scored in the first five minutes of the second half and then got their next point 4 minutes into injury time at the end of the game.

Also you talk about Aghagallon missing chances and what might have happened "on another day.......". Warrenpoint also missed a goal chance, and two frees inside 30m. Not to mention that in the first twenty minutes they hit SIX wides before Aghagallon had scored their second point, which could have put them out-of sight by the first quarter. What about if their shots had been converted "On another day....".

To summarise, the game Downfanatic was watching was one where Warrenpoint dominated 75% of the match, Out-scored their opposition 7-1 in the 30 minutes regulation play of the second half, were denied a bagful of clear free-kicks, and restricted the opposition to 3 points from play over 65 minutes of football.

Well done Warrenpoint. More will be needed for the final but keep going and anything is possible. First Ulster Final in the club's history - A great moment!

[JimStynes]

JimStynes, You highlighted the phrase "Warrenpoint dominated the 1st half of their game" in Downfanatics post then go on to disrepute it by saying it is wrong because Aghgallon dominated the first 15 minutes of the SECOND half. Do you not see your obvious error there???

Anyway both posts have truths in them. Warrenpoint dominated the first half and were amazingly unlucky to be behind at half time, Aghgallon had a 15 minute spell in the second where they were on top before Warrenpoint retook control and scored six points without reply. Aghgallon were woeful in shooting. but you can hardly claim much credit for them when they scored in the first five minutes of the second half and then got their next point 4 minutes into injury time at the end of the game.

Also you talk about Aghagallon missing chances and what might have happened "on another day.......". Warrenpoint missed two goal chances, and two frees inside 30m, not to mention hitting SIX wides before Aghagallon scored their second point, which could have put them out-of sight by the first quarter. What about if their shots had been converted "On another day....".

To summarise, the game Downfanatic was watching was one where Warrenpoint dominated 75% of the match, Out-scored their opposition 7-1 in the 30 minutes regulation play of the second half, were denied a bagful of clear free-kicks, and restricted the opposition to 3 points from play over 67 minutes of football.

Well doen Warrenpoint. More will be needed for the final but keep going and anything is possible. First Ulster Final in teh club's history - A great moment!

I said Aghagallon were winning at half time! Meaning that if Warrenpoint were dominating the first half then why were they not 6 or 7 points up at half time? No point listing out the stats (that I looked at straight after the game) here as you will disagree with them anyway. But Aghagallon had the winnings of the game and missed too many chances at the start of the second half. A lot of neutrals shared the same view as me.

Anyway it doesnt matter as Warrenpoint won the game and are in the final now and fair play to them. The game was played in great spirit with both teams giving it all and hardly a dirty tackle the whole game. I have a few friends from the point and would love to see them go on and win it now. A place the size of Warrenpoint should be challenging for Senior honours!! Hopefully you have a group of players there that can start to try and achieve that.

Aghagallon has probably the smallest parish in the whole of Antrim so it was a great achievement to get to semi final but hopefully we can build on it now and get back to the big stage again in the near future.

[Maurice Moss]

Yesterdays results were brilliant for both Kilcoo and Warrenpoint! I was pleased to see the Kilcoo supporters get behind Warrenpoint and support the Warrenpoint team and likewise to the Warrenpoint supporters who supported our lads. Great great stuff