Not all matches at weekends. Looking at latest fixtures, 2 on Sundays, 1 on a Monday Night, 2 on a Wednesday night, and 6 on a Saturday. The night specfied for Hurling in Down is a Monday, which has not changed.

Pulltheball (Down) - Posts: 56 - 21/02/2014 14:35:31    1549662

You will need have the hurling protected somehow, if its monday nights its going to be the same old, depleted ards going to get a rough game with half a team and a few boys trailed out of retirement the odd time to fill a jersey away, then an absolute tanking / the odd tight game for the south down teams going over to the ards with either a good team or a team there to fulfil a fixture and try not to make a complete farce of the whole thing.

Ards teams away will have players playing in the antrim reserves the day before and a few lads pushing for senior places who are always going to be fatigued from that too.

Monday nights just dont work for developing hurling, weekends would help. However now theyve the ulster league in the mix god knows whats gonna happen. Maybe theyll pull everyone out and make them play in an all county league instead of the 2 divisions. Which has been touted for AGES. If thats ran on a weekend fixture list you could be onto a winner.

Knowing down though,they will do the opposite.

DownAndOut (Down) - Posts: 344 - 24/02/2014 13:34:30    1550636

Its a joke fixing hurling league matches on Mondays.. It de-values the league.. Granted if they needed to run off a few mid week games in the summer to fulfill some fixtures sure that would not be an issue.. I wonder is there any other county in Ireland that don't allow hurling matches to be played at weekends.. Working on Sunday's was once frowned upon, but even them have moved with the times! An idea if a Down hurling league will actually be run-off??

dingle82 (Down) - Posts: 231 - 24/02/2014 14:12:36    1550653

Any updates on leagues?

guest123 (Down) - Posts: 39 - 13/03/2014 13:13:26    1559186

Heard no confirmation on any Down leagues, no suprises there.. Presume at this stage, no Down league will be arranged/run off other than a few cup competitions.. What will the non Ulster League and Non Antrim league teams do for competitive games before the Championship??
The Ulster league starts next Sat 22nd, 1st match is Derrynoose V Warrenpoint.. Think there are 5 or 6 clubs clubs representing Down in Ulster League as follows
Division 2:Clonduff, Liatriom & Newry
Division 3: Warrenpoint, Bredagh & Ballela (Heard that they were thinking of pulling out and playing in Antrim league instead)

dingle82 (Down) - Posts: 231 - 13/03/2014 14:59:54    1559250

Could be a blessing in disguise, antrim league improved the ards, so in essence why cant it work for south down clubs if they have the commitment to do it

DownAndOut (Down) - Posts: 344 - 19/03/2014 13:21:26    1562037

ACHL fixtures for Monday 7th April @ 6:45pm

Portaferry III V Ballygalget III
Castlewellan V Carryduff
Bredagh II V Kilclief
Ballycran III V Ballyvarley

Turns out only 1 division this year, only think everyone plays each other once, this will run alongside the Ulster & Antrim leagues and strictly Monday nights

Means hurling for Ards 3rds & Bredagh 2nds as well as extra hurling for Kilclief, Carryduff & Castlewellan as they are in the new Ulster League. I think this is the only league Ballyvarley are in, rumour was they were playing in Antrim? And no sign of Clonduff, Liatroim, Ballela, Newry Shamrocks or Warrenpoint who are just in Ulster

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 25/03/2014 18:13:46    1564976

barrack
where are the ards 2nd teams playing

Christy4Down (Down) - Posts: 177 - 26/03/2014 09:44:33    1565117

if you got all the teams into this division 1 i believe hurling would be well served alongside the matches in ulster league, more games the better, shame it has to be shoe-horned into a monday night fixture but sure as long as participation is kept alive hurling can keep going in the county.

DownAndOut (Down) - Posts: 344 - 26/03/2014 10:57:20    1565154

Barrack, I don't think Kilclief, Castlewellan or Carryduff are in the Ulster league this year. This will be there only hurling, other than the championship and possible the McCrickard Cup (if it happens!!), so hopefully it will be a two round league and not one...

Gaelforce1 (Down) - Posts: 36 - 26/03/2014 13:51:20    1565286

Ards 2nds are playing in Antrim Div 1 reserve league like last year with the 2nds teams from Loughgiel, Cushendall, Johnnies etc.

Carryduff, Castlewellan & Kilclief have pulled out of Ulster, not sure why though. Anyone shed light?

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 26/03/2014 16:43:59    1565408

Barrack I fink ur rang there the Ards clubs will be fielding 2nd string.

cahill (None) - Posts: 2567 - 27/03/2014 13:50:07    1565740

Carryduff, Kilclief, Bredagh IIs and Castlewellan all pulled out of Ulster league due to the long distances involved. When they were given the option of a Down league they all went for it. Ballyvarley are in the Down league and Antrim Div 4.

If the Ards teams play proper 3rds teams this could be a good enough league except for the involvement of Kilclief. Kilclief are far too strong to be in this league. It will do them no good at all for the championship meeting with Bredagh who are playing Antrim Div 2 against the likes of Rossa & Cushendun. Could Kilclief not have entered Antrim? They did before, many years ago.

On top of the Down league there will be at least 7 games in the Betsy Gray Cup so this worked out a far better option for Castlewellan than playing teams from Cavan at a half way house. At least we get some home matches.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 28/03/2014 14:32:26    1566253

Fixtures for Monday 7th April @ 6:45pm

Portaferry III V Kilclief
Castlewellan V Bredagh II
Ballyvarley V Carryduff
Ballygalget III V Ballycran III

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 31/03/2014 12:17:42    1567619

Results:

Portaferry III 2-12 3-10 Kilclief
Castlewellan 1-6 3-20 Bredagh II
Ballyvarley 3-9 3-14 Carryduff
Ballygalget III V Ballycran III (no score yet)

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 07/04/2014 21:36:06    1572049

Joe McCrickard & Betsy Gray cup fixtures released

Monday 28th April @ 7:30
Joe McCrickard

Warrenpoint V Ballygalget II
Portaferry II V Liatroim
Kilclief V Newry Shamrocks
Ballycran V Clonduff

Betsy Gray

Portaferry III V Ballygalget III
Ballygalget III V Bredagh II
Ballyvarley V Castlewellan
Ballela V Carryduff

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 12/04/2014 12:31:26    1574131

League fixtures for Easter Monday 21st

Kilclief V Castlewellan
Carryduff V Ballycran III
Ballyvarley V Portaferry III
Ballygalget III V Bredagh II

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 16/04/2014 18:30:42    1576113

It will be interesting to see how the clubs involved in the Ulster league get on in the 2 cups.. Are the same Ards teams involved in the two cups?

dingle82 (Down) - Posts: 231 - 17/04/2014 14:41:55    1576351

Results:

Kilclief 5-9 7-14 Castlewellan
Carryduff 1-10 2-7 Ballycran III
Ballyvarley P-P Portaferry III

Ballygalget III V Bredagh II (Thur @ 7:15pm)

BarrackBuster (Down) - Posts: 525 - 21/04/2014 21:48:25    1578246

Looks like Portaferry couldn't get enough players for their 3rd's?

portavogielad (Down) - Posts: 446 - 22/04/2014 13:30:27    1578440