Well, then if armagh is a mare, then hows travelling to fermanagh and tyrone gonna fare? considering we already play antrim div1 and antrim reserve?
Seems we are a victim of our own success and of our location.
It still baffles me how south down is so underdeveloped as regards hurling. Especially downpatrick not having a club in it for the size of it.
Suppose you cant force the people to play but theres a decent base for hurling throughout down yet it will never get the chance to fully flourish.

DownAndOut (Down) - Posts: 344 - 19/12/2013 11:35:09    1525213

D and O that is why it wont happen. Ards clubs will no give up the Antrim league an people will no travel te Tyrone nor Fermanagh on a Monday nite. There lies the problem. It just reinforces the idea that the current co boord couldny be bothered with a down hurlin league.

cahill (None) - Posts: 2567 - 19/12/2013 12:04:13    1525228

Why, prey tell me would be gained for hurling in Down for the Ards clubs to pull out of the Antrim leagues? If you're going to do it, do it for a valid reason, I don't see one as yet..

Down CB would be abdicating their responsibility to hurling by allowing this Ulster league thing to run without having a contingency of their own as lord knows how this is going to pan out over the summer!!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 19/12/2013 14:40:43    1525312

The way I understand it the Ulster league only covers 7 counties. Antrim aren't in so the Antrim league will carry on unchanged and the Ards teams & Bredagh will stay in it.

All the South Down teams will enter the Ulster league and be grouped according to strenght with Armagh and Louth. Donedal/Derry/Tyrone clubs will be grouped together.

All games will be at weekends.

The ards IIs and IIIs can enter if they want. I don't think they will because of the distance. Ballygalget already said they won't.

The journey from The Point or Ballyvarley to Dundalk or Lurgan is easier than the journey to the Ards so it makes sence for South Down clubs.

South Down could be well looked after for once.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 19/12/2013 15:40:05    1525339

Frank if all these games r at the weekend then none o the Ards teams will be entering as the senior Antrim league is played on a Sunday. Basically wot ur sayin is the co boord is looking to shift the responsibility te someone else for hurlin in the county.
Aye merry Christmas to you too.

cahill (None) - Posts: 2567 - 20/12/2013 11:06:47    1525535

North Antrim teams are already making their own provisions for a preseason competition to fill the void of the Ulster league, not sure how that leaves the Ards clubs, but TBH the current situation of playing Antrim league senior and reserves on a sunday and then the Down leagues on a monday night was hardly good in terms of development. Yes it was a game, but not after a game the day before..

I hope the South Down clubs are happy with the new set up, they'll get games of an inferior standard closer to home and as winning is all important, then thats good irrespective if you're playing the beer bellied brigade, good forbid you pitted yourself against better opposition once in a while..

I'll make a bet now that if the Ulster league as it outlined goes ahead, only half the games will ever see the light of day due to the looming big ball causing one team or another to cancel the game..

Also,
how can Ballygalget say they won't be taking part as last I heard they hadn't got a chairman or secretary in place???

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 06/01/2014 12:04:34    1528102

Well it looks like this new league is a done deal. Starts end of March.

Div 1Cuchullains
Ballinascreen
Banagher
Dungannon
Keady
Dungiven
Lavey
Middletown
Slaughtneil
Swatragh

Div 2Burt
Carrickmore
Kilclief
Liatroim
Lisbellaw
Naomh Colm Cille
Steanta
Coleraine
Clonduff
Warrenpoint

Div 3Camlough
Ballela
Bredagh
Ballyvarley
Derrynoose
Na Magha
MacCumhaills
St Eunans
Strabane Shamrocks
Newry Shamrocks

Div 4Carryduff
Aodh Rua, Ballyshannon
Ballymachugh
Buncrana
Cootehill
Killeavy
Mullahoran
Sean Tracey's
Lisnaskea
Castlewellan

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 08/01/2014 09:08:34    1528800

Wow. There will be some serious travelling done to get this fixture list completed. Any idea if clubs get financial assistance with this Frank?

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 08/01/2014 09:44:33    1528811

Looks even enough but like every new league it will take a few years for each team to find their level.
Travelling will be an issue, neutral venues possibly an idea.

martinprince (Tyrone) - Posts: 187 - 08/01/2014 11:43:55    1528860

This is a joke!

The Down CCC have washed their hands off hurling. Once they start fixing football on Monday nights there will be no going back.

Why was there no meeting of hurling clubs to discuss this major change?

Seannie Og (Down) - Posts: 952 - 08/01/2014 12:34:31    1528898

This is crazy, massive amount of travelling.

Seems the chairmans idea of promoting hurling is to hand it over to ulster to run it, dear oh dear.

This again does give priority to football as well and kills competitive hurling for ards 2nds and 3rds, which are routinely used to blood players for the senior teams from underage and to give lads who just want to play, a game.

DownAndOut (Down) - Posts: 344 - 08/01/2014 12:45:08    1528913

If this is the way forward that the Down County Board are taking hurling......they should be ashamed of themselves! It does seem that the Down hierarchy have finally got their way and have washed their hands of hurling in Down, well done lads!
Would it be a suggestion that all the Ards clubs have their players boycott the county senior team in a show of solidarity with the remaining club players who will not be able to play county league hurling, division 1 and 2.

I think winning the Christy Ring was a hindrance to some of those in the county office instead of a great achievement.

swan song (None) - Posts: 451 - 08/01/2014 13:20:58    1528935

Crazy crazy stuff there from the powers that be in Armagh ably assisted by the loons in Castlewellan, its the death knell of hurling in Down for sure, a handful of games a year is not enough to sustain any interest.

Are the club leagues in Derry and Armagh biting the dust as well or is this a Down decision??

There'll be some red diesel burned in the coming months....

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 08/01/2014 13:21:27    1528938

This league is only one round of fixtures so a maximum of 9 league games assumming they are all played.

Go out in the first round of the championship and youve had ten games for the whole season.

This needs more serious discussion IMO.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 08/01/2014 13:46:54    1528958

If they honestly wanted to do this the ards 3rds and 2nds couldve by rights played in antrim and south down amalgamated their lot with armagh to have a combined league structure, if they wanted some form of "reform" from the current league structure.

I honestly cant see this new system working as the likes of carryduff are away to cavan for example,or the cavan would have to travel to carryduff...either way them lads arent getting enough hurling.

The league structure in down anyway could work if you scheduled it properly, games could be played on a night whereby they shoved the football out of the way for once.

The monday night thing isnt working either as south down teams routinely travel with half a side, get a hammering in the ards and pack up and go home as per usual with nothing to show for their travels, so it doesnt benefit them either.

The ards usually travel light too, with the madness of playing the two leagues on the one night when they know fine rightly the ards will be stretched the limit and could end up forcing a fixture cancellation due to not enough players being available, therefore the leagues arent finished on time, if at all.

If they force this through without further consultation with clubs surely someone must highlight this to the media or to croke park.

DownAndOut (Down) - Posts: 344 - 09/01/2014 10:00:43    1529343

Totally disgusted with our county board,at long last they have shifted the burden of hurling onto someone else,the south down clubs may think this will be good for them but the standard that they have entered into is no better than what we have here in our own county,after the christy ring win this is what they do,SHAMEFULL.Ards clubs have been sold out,now they should start to think about pulling all their teams towards antrim.

THE.SHAFT (Down) - Posts: 198 - 09/01/2014 18:43:33    1529732

Apparently the CCC are calling a meeting of all hurling clubs to discuss competitions for the coming year. Meeting is next week.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 10/01/2014 09:47:56    1529855

Do they not think they should of had a meeting before they draw up the 4 divisions, if this is all going to happen, it isnt the best of starts.

would love the know these people who come up with these ideas whether it be the county board? or the ulster board or other influential county boards or whether its coming from HQ

there is no itinerary by the looks of things which i find ridiculous, ie. having a meeting after the proposed divisions (ie.4), but who knows 'it could all change by tomorrow'

Christy4Down (Down) - Posts: 177 - 10/01/2014 11:59:40    1529936

This is an absolute joke and tragedy for Down hurling. How can teams be expected to give up their weekends to travel to places like Donegal and Fermanagh when some struggle to travel from South down to the Ards for matches!! Seems the restructuring of hurling in the county board was a pre-cursor to this, and those in power should be utterly ashamed of themselves. Was this debated at county board meetings and agreed by our clubs? If so, I will certainly be asking serious questions from our own club reps. #farce

Gaelforce1 (Down) - Posts: 36 - 11/01/2014 08:49:22    1530300

Co board rep has called a meeting for tue night to discuss this proposed league,i hope most clubs will be present to vent their anger.

THE.SHAFT (Down) - Posts: 198 - 11/01/2014 16:09:51    1530417