Former Down goalkeeper Noel Keith believes that the county hurlers must return to the Ards for games.

Down suffered relegation to the fourth tier of the NHL following their defeat to Wicklow in the division 2A relegation play off at Trim last weekend.

It was a dismal campaign for the Ulster side as their squad has been depleted by retirements, emigration and injury, while there has also been some consternation over the fact that their games have been moved to Newry, instead of being played on the Ards, the county's home of hurling.

"They took hurling across the water to Newry and a lot of people aren't travelling over there because of the expense," Keith explained to Gaelic Life.

"I feel the hurling should be kept in the Ards as it is the hurling base in Down. If the matches were over here, Down could beat any of those teams in division 2A, the pitches are very good and they aren't getting the support in Newry. I don't think they should have taken the hurling out of the Ards." Tweet

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