Knowing plenty of the lads on both panels if both teams amalgamated the strength and depth of the newly formed team would be immense and would certainly help to raise the profile of the GAA in Newry. People from outside the town claim that Newry has such a huge catchment area and the talk of amalgamation is ridiculous - which in theory is correct. However the simple fact of the matter is that with so many alternative activities available in the town the GAA is neglected unless the correct infrastructure is in place. Memebers of both the Bosco and Mitchels clubs would be the first to agree that the infrastructure of both clubs is ridiculous. Any young aspiring footballer is going to look at the glamour clubs in the town i.e. Shamrocks/Ballyholland. If both the Bosco and Mitchels pooled their resources the side effect would be another successful town team which can only help to preserve the GAA in the Newry area and should surely be encouraged. Time for both clubs to swallow their pride and accept that a joint team is the future. Just to get the debate running... if both teams amalgamated and a squad of twenty was to be named who would be in the squad? My thoughts would be the following players; From Bosco - Andy Coleman, Neil Tumility, Neil Conlon, Ryan Lynch, Gavy Moan, Conor Larkin, Young Duggan, Collie Keenan, Danial Forde, Neil Mullan From Mitchels - Cillian McLogan, Ciaran Conlon, Shane Cooney, Conor Murphy, Darragh Dobbins, Joe Price, Neil Manley, Nigel Allen, Eamon Pollock, Martin Boyle Would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on this team selection

John365 (Down) - Posts: 19 - 11/02/2009 13:19:03    204142

a pretty good selection john 365, but i would also have Francie Downey on my team. has preform well this past 2-3 years for us and is still a quality footballer.

newryview (Down) - Posts: 748 - 17/02/2009 12:48:41    209371

Your right Newryview, Francie Downey would be an automatic name on the starting 15! The lad is definately an exceptional footballer and deserves to be playing at a higher standard than present. Surely there is something wrong with Newry football when you have guys the calibre of Francie Downey playing in Div 4!!

I don't know too much about the Mitchels lads but from what i hear they have 2/3 very tidy footballers and are a relatively young team also. Any Mitchels Gaels care to add their thoughts to this?

John365 (Down) - Posts: 19 - 17/02/2009 13:39:25    209445

i wonder newryview if you are any of those players named in john365 post....... lol

glenn_abu (Down) - Posts: 515 - 17/02/2009 14:27:21    209519

nice question Glenn abu! lol what can i say

newryview (Down) - Posts: 748 - 17/02/2009 14:57:32    209569

Why doesn't Poucher still play for Mitchels?Sure he cant be that old?

the-gah (Down) - Posts: 24 - 17/02/2009 15:36:47    209650

lol we'll never know!

glenn_abu (Down) - Posts: 515 - 17/02/2009 15:41:46    209661

john 365 i didnt see jeff mc crink in your team, is he still playin football, i seen him the other day, lookin pretty lean on it, must be trainin away is he

ciaran08 (Down) - Posts: 171 - 17/02/2009 16:24:02    209733

Reply to John365 I see you believe that the list of players you named would form a good side - 1 question why have these 2 groups of players especially the mitchels guys named been involved in numerous relegations over the past 4/5 years? Mitchels n Bosco shud have amalgamated when carr was in charge of the mitchels he wud have got the best out of our great minor side - combine that with the quinns, mcmurrys, larkins, mccrinks, mclogans, cooneys, troops, kearneys, fitzpatricks, prices that wud have been a good side. Truth is even if these 2 clubs joined it wouldnt be this current crop of players who wud lift the club - the focus would have to be on the underage teams and ensuring they choose gaa and not soccer.

gael2200 (UK) - Posts: 195 - 17/02/2009 21:56:28    210155

Story on the back of Newry Reporter this morning with Bosco's Maurice Rooney stating that there are no plans for a merger. I'm not involved with the Mitchels or Bosco so its not for me to say that they should or they shouldn't, after all so many people have given up their time to each club. I would like to see the overall strength of the GAA in Newry improved and a merger could be one way of doing this.

punchdrunk (Down) - Posts: 3 - 18/02/2009 11:21:54    210535

Punchdrunk dont believe everything you read in the papers, Maurice is hardly going to come out and yep we are merging. its all being done behind closed doors at the moment and its the main topic at our training and seems to be what alot of the players want within our club anyhow, and by talking to a few of the Mitchels committee members its being talked about at their meeting also. I think that it wont be long until one or either both clubs call a EAGM to see or try to work out the best way forward

newryview (Down) - Posts: 748 - 18/02/2009 11:41:05    210557

Newryview - I thought as much. Saying that there are some huge barriers to overcome. What would the team be called? Where would they be based? What colour would they wear and perhaps crucially who gets to sit on what committees. Peoples egos are often the biggest stumbling block to progress

punchdrunk (Down) - Posts: 3 - 18/02/2009 12:46:50    210646

yep your correct, alot of issues to be sorted, all your points need to be dealt with. our club at the moment seems to be going nowhere, its seems like for a long time there we had the players that were on the Down teams of the 90s carring the club then the new young lads came up through, but the younger lads dont seem to have the same heart in it, which of course is an awful shame as for years alot of hard work was put in

newryview (Down) - Posts: 748 - 18/02/2009 13:03:06    210663

Just got my first look at this weeks Newry Reporter and i see the talk of Bosco/Mitchels amalgamation is very much in the headlines! Have to agree with some of the comments made already with regards to issues over team names/colours etc... these will be contentious issues but surely its about give and take in these situations. As regards the view expressed by the Bosco gaels regarding our great under age structure and the Mitchels so call lack of structure, perhaps we should not lose sight of the fact that Newry Mitchels have a more colourful history than ourselves. Newry Mitchels have a number of senior championships to their name and lay claim to one of the greatest GAA players to grace the game i.e Sean O'Neill (who was part of the GAA's centinery team). So whilst we will be somewhat comprimising our promising future, the Mitchels would also be surrendering their history. However this debate is less about past glories and what is best for future generations. I think both clubs would be best advised to access their current season and see how that goes and following that call a general meeting at the end of the season and allow members of both clubs to decide on their future. We may learn that the majority of club memeber do not want an amalgamation and if that is the case then this debate cn be put to bed once and for all!!

John365 (Down) - Posts: 19 - 19/02/2009 18:59:56    212337

i beleive they should no join up as the have a small as pick as some off the other clubs, although i do think alot off younger players will now be attracted to shamrocks as bosco have slipped up recently but they will come good again

BlackanBlue (Down) - Posts: 31 - 20/02/2009 14:45:09    213226

newryview u are tlking like u are a bosco player, if so u wud no in the very little tlk about it at training at the minute there is alot of the players not happy at the tlk of this and wud not play for a new team / club!!!!!! as they have said its bosco are nothing,

boscolad08 (Down) - Posts: 2 - 20/02/2009 19:17:22    213848

Guys i am reading this board with interest, and one word which keeps coming up is turmoil, a word which i find hard to believe coming from a Bosco Point of view, and someone said in turmoil financially, what a load of rubbish. Yes the Bosco struggled on the field last year but with a new senior management team in place and big numbers at all training sessions things are looking bright, at underage level our teams are continuing to grow and develop, fielding at under 8s,10s,12,14s,16s and minors not to mention reserve and senior and at girls at 12,s14,s and 16s, we have also competed in the South Down Scor this year and have a very sucsessful social club running for the past 15 years, i would love to see a club that is struggling.
As far as amalgamtion is concerned that i guess would be a matter for both clubs committees to discuss and no one else.
Both clubs have long and proud histories in the city of Newry and in County Down and what ever the future holds may it be a bright one.

thebossofbosco (Down) - Posts: 3 - 22/02/2009 13:22:08    214724

Mournelad i wish as a bosco man we could have a shorter walk for you between the changing room and the pitch, we as a club do not own our pitch and are dependent on Newry and Mourne District Council to provide us us both playing and changing facilites, if indeed we had the land in newry available for us to purchase do you not think that we would be doing so and developing our own facilities which no doubt would match any in the county. Not only have we soccer, and now rugby and boxing to contend with but we also have a council to do constant battle with, so mournman if we had the ample space that you mountain men had we would be very happy.

thebossofbosco (Down) - Posts: 3 - 22/02/2009 13:28:25    214729

well while running round kilbroney this morning i got chatting to my team mate next to me and he understands that there has been contact between the two clubs and for the time being the matter is just going to be left to roast to see how things develop in the coming year.

Boss of Bosco would it not be a better situation if the two clubs between got together and sought ground and built a state of the art facitily for both the clubs rather than having to go on council rules on a wet night weather we can play on the field or not

newryview (Down) - Posts: 748 - 22/02/2009 14:25:11    214744

I have been reading this message board with interest and a little disbelief at times. As an active member of Bosco I read in particular Newryview's comments as someone who claims to be a Bosco man. I had my doubts about his 'Bosconess' before now but today has confirmed that he's obviously not a Bosco man. Before now a number of his facts were inaccurate, which alerted me to him. However today he has proved this as he stated 'as I ran around Kilbroney Park this morning I talked to my te mate' (bout a possible merger with Mitchels) Well as one who knows what goes on at all levels within our club I can confirm that our senior team did not train in Kilbroney Park this morning but were on Jack Mackin Park! Newryview come clean I think you are a non Bosco man trying to stir it! On a possible amalgamation I can assure you all that Bosco do not need Mitchels. BossofBosco has stated how well our club is going at present and I would echo his sentiments on this. The fact that the senior team went badly last year was due to bad management over a number of years which culminated in last years situation but I can assure you that before long Bosco will be back were we belong! Watch this space.

Number10 (Down) - Posts: 2 - 22/02/2009 21:39:38    215017