Down Club Hurling & Football

[Line Ball]

PATH TO THE FINALS TICKET
Down GAA are delighted to be able to offer patrons the opportunity to purchase a Path To The Finals Ticket which will allow patrons access to all Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals in Football and Hurling up to October 12th.

Tickets cost £50.00 and are available to purchase from Down GAA Offices in Castlewellan or from the Down GAA Ticket Van at venues over this weekend.

I was looking forward to saving a few pound by buying this ticket but not now at £50.  I think it was £30 at the same stage last year but they are really putting the arm into the ordinary supporter at this price.

[PAULD123]

...Also, I think those people that say they wish Burren v Kilcoo were the final are wrong.  This draw gives every other team a glimmer of hope and has raised the appetite of all the clubs...

I agree, that they play each other at all in a knock out competition is good enough and gives us the entertainment we would want. The beauty of a straight draw knock-out is exactly that other teams could gain a foothold in the championship. Whichever of these two teams reaches the final they will play another team who have not won it for a while and anything can happen. If a system is too heavily geared towards keeping the big teams apart all you get is a predicable semi-final lineup. Okay eventually a couple of exciting games but not an exciting championship.

[whitegoodman]

I agree that the current system is a lot better than the group stage scenario.  However I am not sure if it is right for one team to beat another team and then the beaten team gets two further warm up matches before getting another chance to beat the winning team.....

[elk]

Sounds like a worried burren supporter

[super reds 99]

Stopped of to watch rostrevor and clonduff game tonight in minor championship good game no defensive football all out attack good to see rostrevor deserved winners in the end

[supersub]

Stopped off? Where were you heading? Good win for the Reds alright!

Going back to a few posts ago, there is a match on Sunday in the Championship? Won't play them all the same day!

[PAULD123]

I agree that the current system is a lot better than the group stage scenario.  However I am not sure if it is right for one team to beat another team and then the beaten team gets two further warm up matches before getting another chance to beat the winning team.....

I would agree with this. If you beat a team then it is not just for them to be allowed a second chance toto beat you ay any stage before a final. For Burren this its not a fair knock-out competition this year.  But from a Warrenpoint view, I'm glad we got to avoid Kilcoo, even though we have a very tough task taking on Castlewellan.

[wobbller]

Stopped of to watch rostrevor and clonduff game tonight in minor championship good game no defensive football all out attack good to see rostrevor deserved winners in the end

Shamrocks didn't appear to be firing on all cylinders last night against us and we could
be in for a rematch from last year's county minor  final between them and Burren although
Rostrevor looked good in our league match.

[thewobbler]

PaulD, re teams meeting again so soon, personally I don't think any attempts should be made to manually control a draw. It should be random.

Take this scenario: Kilcoo and Burren meet in round 1, and a pre-ordained rule means they could not meet again unless they both make the final. Being the best two teams in the county, they've drawn a win-win situation, and there's really no point in bating the shite out of each at this stage. So they put B teams out in round 1 and don't care which side they manoeuvre along from there; for on either side of the draw they should both make the final.

- - -

Super Reds, I'm glad you enjoyed the game, but any minor team that is insistent on playing 15 v 15 attacking football is playing for second place this year, as Burren are streets ahead. If all a club wants is to make an MFC final, then fair play. But if the intention is to win the thing, then playing to a system isn't just something that can be turned on. Your management team might regret not practicing it earlier!

- - -

Re the £50 ticket, I'd suggest that wrapping hurling and football into one package, and using it as an excuse to justify the large pricepoint, is a blunder from the county board. As competitions they've a lot less in common than the GAA traditionalists would like us believe, especially so among spectators.

At a push I'd maybe take in two SFC quarter finals, the two semis, and the final. That's not going to more than £55 individually (I hope).

So the ticket isn't being aimed at me. Who is it being aimed at?

- - -

Re the conversation about playing JFC matches in Newry, I really don't understand why anyone would want to play those games in Esler. It's not Croke Park, not even close; it's not a field of dreams. If any man wants to play that badly in Newry, join a D3 team next years and face up to the Rocks. The stand is great, no doubt, but the rest of the facilities are no better /worse than a dozen grounds around the county. I've played reserve and ACFLII football in Esler and can tell you that is vacuous, eerie and soulless unless there's a crowd.


- - -

Re the Poacher chat. I play 5-a-side with him most weeks, and will happily boot him to the ground at anyone's request - so long as that someone will put their name against their handle. Nobody loves an opinion more than Poacher, but at least it's his name going against it.

[TheClutch]

PaulD, re teams meeting again so soon, personally I don't think any attempts should be made to manually control a draw. It should be random.

Take this scenario: Kilcoo and Burren meet in round 1, and a pre-ordained rule means they could not meet again unless they both make the final. Being the best two teams in the county, they've drawn a win-win situation, and there's really no point in bating the shite out of each at this stage. So they put B teams out in round 1 and don't care which side they manoeuvre along from there; for on either side of the draw they should both make the final.

- - -

Super Reds, I'm glad you enjoyed the game, but any minor team that is insistent on playing 15 v 15 attacking football is playing for second place this year, as Burren are streets ahead. If all a club wants is to make an MFC final, then fair play. But if the intention is to win the thing, then playing to a system isn't just something that can be turned on. Your management team might regret not practicing it earlier!

- - -

Re the £50 ticket, I'd suggest that wrapping hurling and football into one package, and using it as an excuse to justify the large pricepoint, is a blunder from the county board. As competitions they've a lot less in common than the GAA traditionalists would like us believe, especially so among spectators.

At a push I'd maybe take in two SFC quarter finals, the two semis, and the final. That's not going to more than £55 individually (I hope).

So the ticket isn't being aimed at me. Who is it being aimed at?

- - -

Re the conversation about playing JFC matches in Newry, I really don't understand why anyone would want to play those games in Esler. It's not Croke Park, not even close; it's not a field of dreams. If any man wants to play that badly in Newry, join a D3 team next years and face up to the Rocks. The stand is great, no doubt, but the rest of the facilities are no better /worse than a dozen grounds around the county. I've played reserve and ACFLII football in Esler and can tell you that is vacuous, eerie and soulless unless there's a crowd.


- - -

Re the Poacher chat. I play 5-a-side with him most weeks, and will happily boot him to the ground at anyone's request - so long as that someone will put their name against their handle. Nobody loves an opinion more than Poacher, but at least it's his name going against it.

Surely it is the desire of any team/player to play at their county ground with a bit of a crowd at championship level during the latter stages, as opposed to having a desperation to play there. My opinion is that the JFC is regarded as less important than the other championships by the county board, particularly this year with the group games not being at neutral venues.

I agree with your opinion on the £50 ticket, over priced and doesn't really appeal to a high demographic of supporters. Greed.

[downup]

Wobbler I don't think anyone is really asking you to boot him to the ground. The chat was regarding his own ambitions as a county manager which he gave in an interview. I also don't believe that anyone can argue about his ability as a coach. It was simply being pointed out that, in peoples opinions, his antics along the line would certainly not be to the standard of that required of county management at any level and there is no point in him blaming the county board for his non selection of county management posts.
Generally I think you talk a lot of sense in your posts and for me this is not a keyboard warrior assault. Let me ask you this, knowing him as you obviously do, would you like to see him warts and all as our county manager?

[Down Follower]

Nice and brief there wobbler.
Agreed on open draw - this, A cant play B and C cant play D crap make a mockery out of the draws in the AI qualifiers at times.  Once you bring in a back door there is going to be a chance of the two teams meeting again and thats just that.

The 4 minor teams (assuming Warrenpoint get through) who are through to the semis are def the 4 strongest teams.  Clonduff did have a shout to be amongst that but Rostrevor put paid to that.  The semi finals should be cracking games with Burren favourites based on results to date.
Are many of these minors playing for the senior teams at the moment? 

[SamFever]

Nice and brief there wobbler.
Agreed on open draw - this, A cant play B and C cant play D crap make a mockery out of the draws in the AI qualifiers at times.  Once you bring in a back door there is going to be a chance of the two teams meeting again and thats just that.

The 4 minor teams (assuming Warrenpoint get through) who are through to the semis are def the 4 strongest teams.  Clonduff did have a shout to be amongst that but Rostrevor put paid to that.  The semi finals should be cracking games with Burren favourites based on results to date.
Are many of these minors playing for the senior teams at the moment?

Are CPN not already through to the semi finals?

[redandblackareback]

PaulD, re teams meeting again so soon, personally I don't think any attempts should be made to manually control a draw. It should be random.

Take this scenario: Kilcoo and Burren meet in round 1, and a pre-ordained rule means they could not meet again unless they both make the final. Being the best two teams in the county, they've drawn a win-win situation, and there's really no point in bating the shite out of each at this stage. So they put B teams out in round 1 and don't care which side they manoeuvre along from there; for on either side of the draw they should both make the final.

- - -

Super Reds, I'm glad you enjoyed the game, but any minor team that is insistent on playing 15 v 15 attacking football is playing for second place this year, as Burren are streets ahead. If all a club wants is to make an MFC final, then fair play. But if the intention is to win the thing, then playing to a system isn't just something that can be turned on. Your management team might regret not practicing it earlier!

- - -

Re the £50 ticket, I'd suggest that wrapping hurling and football into one package, and using it as an excuse to justify the large pricepoint, is a blunder from the county board. As competitions they've a lot less in common than the GAA traditionalists would like us believe, especially so among spectators.

At a push I'd maybe take in two SFC quarter finals, the two semis, and the final. That's not going to more than £55 individually (I hope).

So the ticket isn't being aimed at me. Who is it being aimed at?

- - -

Re the conversation about playing JFC matches in Newry, I really don't understand why anyone would want to play those games in Esler. It's not Croke Park, not even close; it's not a field of dreams. If any man wants to play that badly in Newry, join a D3 team next years and face up to the Rocks. The stand is great, no doubt, but the rest of the facilities are no better /worse than a dozen grounds around the county. I've played reserve and ACFLII football in Esler and can tell you that is vacuous, eerie and soulless unless there's a crowd.


- - -

Re the Poacher chat. I play 5-a-side with him most weeks, and will happily boot him to the ground at anyone's request - so long as that someone will put their name against their handle. Nobody loves an opinion more than Poacher, but at least it's his name going against it.

If you tell me where and when I ll come kick him myself! Here s one, spoke to a player who played under him and he said great coach & all the players loved playing for him so I don't know why he acts like a cxxt along the sideline, on the down side also heard today he spat on a county board official on Saturday night after the game when ballyholland were asked to leave the field so the 2nd game could take place which is truly shocking behaviour. Any truth in that Wobbler?

[thewobbler]

It didn't quite happen like that. It was much worse.

First he went into the media room and exchanged their sugar pot for one filled with salt and little bits of dandruff.

Then he went to the referee's room, and, using his own blood, inscribed on the wall in 12 foot high letters the Latin for "just blow against us again, just once, I dare you. Signed, the reaper".

He then broke into the county board's ticketing van and changed all the numbers on the dials, meaning that next week's tickets can only be sold at €1.00, with sterling not welcome.

Eagle eyed, he spotted Sean Og's famous hat in the van, and quickly remoulded it into a crown of thorns, with an accompanying pouch filled with pieces of silver. He was going to leave a note for the Runai, but let's be honest Sean Og would put 2 and 2 together quickly. Only one man is capable of these deeds.

But the lowest moment came when, just before the throw in for the next match, the machete he was using to lacerate every tyre in the official's car park suddenly slipped from his hand. A series of "accidents" when he continually plunged the sword in peoples' sides when trying to explain to newcomers what had happened, culminated in 11 young people losing either their eyesight, or the power of speech.

He doesn't even feel guilty about this either.