Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[tbrick18]

For the Oisin McWilliams fans among us, good to see him take to the field today. Newbridges first phase of play was good until they seemed to realise they didn't have to expend themselves too much

How'd he do?

[oakleaflad]

Castledawson out of the Intermediate championship and into the relegation playoffs after playing in Div1 is surely a huge disappointment.

On Drumsurn, I can understand it to an extent. They would have very likely lost out anyway and are operating with a very small panel. They haven't fielded a reserve team in years.

[Cluborcountywhynotboth]

I think the issue with Drumsurn is the issue with de coupling the leagues and championship. They played intermediate league this year and from what I hear the players had no desire for playing senior championship as they knew they would struggle. As a result they limped through the league with players not really taking it serious. So as a club I can see why they would want to guard against that happening again next year. They finished mid table last year in intermediate and lost a championship semi final, yet found themselves in senior championship, was never going to be fair on them. I'm sure if they won a championship or got promoted from the league they would have approached it differently as they would have felt like they deserved it and were ready to compete at that level.

[Rawhide]

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

[OakleafCounty]

Drumsurn have requested playing in the IFC next year so that will probably be them games all off

Fair play to them as those games are overkill and they are only being realistic about where their team is at and they don't want to deflate their players any further. Can't get my head around why the championship isn't based on the league that a team has played in that year.

[Rawhide]

Drumsurn have requested playing in the IFC next year so that will probably be them games all off

Fair play to them as those games are overkill. Can't get my head around why the championship isn't based on who play in what league.

Are you serious, giving them credit   
Its not overkill, its a good championship structure. What you have is a club discrediting themselves

[Brendan]

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

Ah come on now that's harsh, like has been said they haven't had a proper reserve team in years and they've been amalgamated at underage for over a decade now

[Squareball71]

Drumsurn have requested playing in the IFC next year so that will probably be them games all off

Fair play to them as those games are overkill and they are only being realistic about where their team is at and they don't want to deflate their players any further. Can't get my head around why the championship isn't based on the league that a team has played in that year.

The league and championship have to be decoupled because the majority of the league has to be played without county players because of the split season eg. If a team like Newbridge, Glen, Slaughtneil, Magherafelt or even Steelstown for that matter finish at the bottom of the league because they spent the majority of it without their county players you then will also penalise them their senior championship status??
Some clubs provide a lot of senior and under 20 players to the county in both codes throughout the split season. Surely they have the chance to prove their championship status with a full hand barring injuries after the county season is over?
I think already we have saw a difference this season in the Steelstown team in the league to the one in the championship. 

[Rawhide]

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

Ah come on now that's harsh, like has been said they haven't had a proper reserve team in years and they've been amalgamated at underage for over a decade now

They had 21 names in their squad for the senior championship tie, they only need 15 to play the remaining two games. Its got nothing to do with a res team or underage-nothing.

[Brendan]

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

Ah come on now that's harsh, like has been said they haven't had a proper reserve team in years and they've been amalgamated at underage for over a decade now

They had 21 names in their squad for the senior championship tie, they only need 15 to play the remaining two games. Its got nothing to do with a res team or underage-nothing.

Just thinking half that panel are well into their 30s with just an intermediate league to show for it, they could have a championship in them yet

[Newbridge Exile]

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

Ah come on now that's harsh, like has been said they haven't had a proper reserve team in years and they've been amalgamated at underage for over a decade now

They had 21 names in their squad for the senior championship tie, they only need 15 to play the remaining two games. Its got nothing to do with a res team or underage-nothing.

Just thinking half that panel are well into their 30s with just an intermediate league to show for it, they could have a championship in them yet

To be fair to them they had four subs togged out against Faughanvale  and between injuries and fellas working away they have had very low numbers at training  this past while

[Ryan O]

Every club has the same issues, the reason for low numbers at training is lack of commitment and lack of interest.

If you are deciding to drop to Intermediate football out of choice and amalgamated at underage to try and field a team, the writing is on the wall for the future of your club unless something changes.
The integrity of the competition and format of the competition is destroyed by clubs doing that, intermediate teams fighting tooth and nail to get an opportunity in Senior football.

[Wildweasel74]

Every club has the same issue, that's crap, I seen Kilrea Reserve game one nite with 25+ players. Drumsurn a small place, they were never strong enough to play senior football. Derry football only strong enough for a top 12 club system but teams at the lower end of the league wouldnt go for that. What's Ballinascreen excuse for bottom of the league/championship more times than enough. Takes in 3 places, massive townland and always near the bottom.

[JoG2]

Walk a mile in a man's shoes before judging

[Ball]

I think the issue with Drumsurn is the issue with de coupling the leagues and championship. They played intermediate league this year and from what I hear the players had no desire for playing senior championship as they knew they would struggle. As a result they limped through the league with players not really taking it serious. So as a club I can see why they would want to guard against that happening again next year. They finished mid table last year in intermediate and lost a championship semi final, yet found themselves in senior championship, was never going to be fair on them. I'm sure if they won a championship or got promoted from the league they would have approached it differently as they would have felt like they deserved it and were ready to compete at that level.

Ah lads come on. Criticism of drumsurn is unfair. The above describes their situation.
They won an intermediate league and got to a championship semi final but have they even been in a final recently? Senior was always going to be a huge step up