Down Club Hurling & Football

[Leftmidfield]

Terrific performance fro Kilcoo. Probably bookie's favourite now for Ulster tho they won't want to hear that

[Ed Hardy]

Some team performance last night from Kilcoo they were devastating at times, and could have a few more goals in the 1st half. Dabs surely been best player in Ulster club this past 10years. Sheelan Johnson had some game, ability never been doubt but he nows looks physically able to cope at that level.

[Splash]

Could it be that Down are punching above their weight at county level, and Derry are underachieving at county level.

Down have the Ards which is primarily a hurling stronghold, whereas Derry would have more genuine dual clubs, ie Swatragh, Slaughtneil, Ballinascreen and I'm sure there are more.

Over the last few years Derrys best hurlers have also been their best footballers particularly the Slaughtneil contingent, the 2 McKaigues, Brendan Rodgers and Shane McGuigan, have all focused on football recently at county level.

You've hit the nail on the head there.

Derry certainly underachieve in the hurling. They only have a few clubs, maybe, but they're of a good standard.

Down are in a funny position where I could simultaneously make arguments that they are over achieving and under achieving.

We are a large county, with many clubs, and some good players, we should have higher ambitions than Division Two hurling.

But at the same time our clubs just aren't at the level of the clubs in other counties, and the fact we manage to compete as well as we do is admirable.

Next year will be interesting. Derry are coming up to a newly structured Division Two, and won their league quite comfortably.

Meanwhile, we just lost out on promotion to Division One, falling short against Laois in the semi finals. Based off of that, we should probably be favourites to get promoted next year, especially considering two teams can now go up, but at the same time, Down could slip up. It will be an interesting year.

Next year will see Down, Derry, Donegal, and Tyrone playing in Division Two, so will be great to see more Ulster Derbies and hopefully generate a bit of interest in Ulster Hurling again.

Derry definitely have the potential to overtake Down. If we could turn some of our clubs into true, dual, GAA clubs like the Derry clubs, as opposed to football clubs with a hurling team or vice versa, it would be great for the county.

[terrifictommy]

That was a monumental performance from Kilcoo. Seen them a lot already this year but I think that's the most ruthless and clinical I've seen. Maybe the opposition helped a little as they aren't the same quality as in previous years. Watching the other contenders and Kilcoo must be favourites for the AI?

[ClubScene13]

That was a monumental performance from Kilcoo. Seen them a lot already this year but I think that's the most ruthless and clinical I've seen. Maybe the opposition helped a little as they aren't the same quality as in previous years. Watching the other contenders and Kilcoo must be favourites for the AI?

Padraig Pearses in Roscommon very impressive in dispatching St Brigid's and Corofin with relative ease but aside from them Kilcoo are definitely up there. Cuala and Dr Crokes shaky enough at the weekend I don't think Kilcoo should hold great fear of anyone remaining. Saying that Errigal will not be as naive as Scotstown they will find a way to keep that game tight in my opinion.

[snoopdog]

According to IN Down league campaign starts with a trip to Roscommon then at home to Cork.  Mentions these are the end of the Liam Kerr article on him heading off to Australia for the year. Big loss for Down.

[on the sideline]

Is there a GAA club in, or near, Holywood?

[Sheedy]

Is there a GAA club in, or near, Holywood?

St Paul's are in Holywood

[on the sideline]

Is there a GAA club in, or near, Holywood?

St Paul's are in Holywood

Thank you. What division are they in, or what championship do they play in?

[Square Ball]

Is there a GAA club in, or near, Holywood?

St Paul's are in Holywood

Thank you. What division are they in, or what championship do they play in?

Division 4 and junior

[on the sideline]

Is there a GAA club in, or near, Holywood?

St Paul's are in Holywood

Thank you. What division are they in, or what championship do they play in?

Division 4 and junior

Thanks

[Ed Hardy]

According to IN Down league campaign starts with a trip to Roscommon then at home to Cork.  Mentions these are the end of the Liam Kerr article on him heading off to Australia for the year. Big loss for Down.

Yeah massive loss. Only 24, so really only coming into his prime and the new rules would have suited him well..

See Aaron Mcclements in involved in the panel, was he there for a while back in Tallys 1st year? Always impressed for L.island, surprised he wasnt called back in sooner.

[Splash]

Is there a GAA club in, or near, Holywood?

St Paul's are in Holywood

Thank you. What division are they in, or what championship do they play in?

Division 4 and junior

Thanks

Do St Paul's not play in the Intermediate Championship? Think they beat Drumaness this year and stayed up.

Would love to see them kick on and make it to the next level some day.

[Splash]

Best of luck to Portaferry today in the Ulster Final.

10 years since they were last here, and that time, they won their only Ulster Title.

The last time Portaferry went up against Slaughtneil, it could only be described as a hiding. But Portaferry, without doubt, are a far better outfit now than they were in 2022.

Slaughtneil are still very justified favourites, but Portaferry as a team are older, wiser, bigger, stronger, fitter, and more dangerous now than any team to have come out of Down in the past few years.

Slaughtneil were unreal against Cushendall. The amount of one on one battles they won, the amount of things that came off for them, was amazing. No point saying otherwise, but Cushendall were very much kept in the game by McManus. Portaferry do not have a single star of the magnitude of McManus, but there is a strong argument that their forward line, on the whole, is stronger. Cushendall are of course a good side, but they depended far too much on McManus to keep the score board ticking over. Portaferry have a greater spread of higher quality forwards. The Sands, McGrattan, Turpin, etc., are all well capable of taking it to Slaughtneil. Portaferry's backs will also have to be performing well to deal with Rodgers, O'Doherty, Cassidy, etc., who were unmarkable in the last round.

Ultimately, Slaughtneil are a more physical team. They are bigger. But Portaferry will have put serious work into their strength and conditioning, and as they showed last year against Cushendall, they are well fit to take on bigger teams.

Last year would have been sickening for Portaferry. To have been so dominant over a team that went on to win Ulster and were unlucky not to make it to the All Ireland Final will have left a bad taste. All year, it had very much seemed like Portaferry were building to something bigger than a county championship. This is not to say they are expected to win Ulster, but they are clearly at a higher level than anyone else in Down at the moment.

The one area of the field you got the impression from watching the Ports this year was that their midfield presence was not always on par with other areas of the field. This is not to say their midfield was bad at all, but it perhaps is a chink in their armour, and Slaughtneil are very strong in the middle of the pitch. But, I have no doubt Gerard McGrattan will have a plan for all this.

It should be a good match. If anybody has little to be at, Armagh this evening isn't the hardest place to go to- probably a lot easier for some people in Down to get there than the Ards.

It will certainly be a challenge for Portaferry. Rumours of Slaughtneil's demise have been greatly exaggerated. They won't fear Portaferry one bit, and are far more comfortable with being in the Ulster Final than the Ports.

But you never know. Portaferry absolutely have the resources to go out and take a scalp. They probably had been preparing for
Cushendall, but I don't think the management would have slept on Slaughtneil.

If it is anything like the semi final, what an advertisement for Ulster Hurling that will be. If Portaferry can manage to bring a provincial title back to Down, it would be all the better.

Should be a good day of hurling. Looking forward to it.

[downtothecore]

Dissapointed for Portaferry. A great 50 mins hurling but momentum swung from them as it easily can in Hurling and in the last 10 minutes you felt once Slaughtneil got on top there was only going to be one winner. If ports could at least prevented 1 of the 2 goals they may have held on. Unfortunately they will look back on the last 2 ulster finals as games they should have won. Hopefully they can refocus and get over the line next year...