I think it's only natural that those not directly involved in this fiasco will get fed up with it all. But don't judge the girls or the dismissed management just yet. You do extreme things when you are pushed to the limit. I expect the county will indeed try to put out an alternative team with an alternative management as all compromises have been rejected.
But there is no running away from this issue and how it has been handled; it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the next week?

ladiesman (Down) - Posts: 20 - 04/03/2011 12:02:50    881160

Good result for the ladies yesterday.. Was anyone at the game who can give an accurate report? Sounds like the minor debacle is put behind us and the seniors are keeping the flag flying.

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 07/03/2011 10:03:08    882722

Was a very open game yesterday, Down got out of the blocks flying and took some fine scores. Wicklow did battle back and got a penalty which left 2 in it at the break. Down started the 2nd half well and soon opened up a lead but Wicklow got back a few scores from their no.9 who had a great game. It really was a good game to watch, end to end, with some great scores particualry from Pyers, Trainor and Mc Clean. Good also to see Eliza Downey back in the team. Those standing beside me on the bank also made a good point that the minor issue must be resolved as there was minors playing, so hopefully things in the county can keep moving forward...

vocational (Down) - Posts: 26 - 07/03/2011 11:45:23    882788

The minor issue is being resolved tonight, so it is not over......The minor girls are playing for then seniors because they want to play for Down seniors and do not want to punish the senior manager for the county boards massive mistake.

down.sup. (Down) - Posts: 19 - 07/03/2011 13:58:59    882906

yes, good to see the senior team winning yesterday. Its time to move on and forget the petty squabbling that has been going on.

SILVERWARE (Down) - Posts: 24 - 07/03/2011 14:17:53    882927

Good to see a Down win and quality players returning to the fold. Yes the minor players turned out both for the senior and U16 squads at the weekend. They have left the door open for the ladies association to intervene if they can. If good sense prevails they will all be in Omagh next Saturday . Yes the issues are petty but nothing petty about ruining the reputation of 3 dedicated coaches.

soprano (Down) - Posts: 38 - 07/03/2011 14:32:25    882942

After a 5 hour meeting at Croke Park last night where both the President and the Cheif Executive of ladies football were presant the Down Minor management have been PUT BACK IN CHARGE. At least there was someone else in the country that had the girls interests at mind. This disruption surely can't be good but hopefully will spur the girls on to silverware and make those on the county board eat their humble pie.

Good luck to all involved.

weepats5 (Down) - Posts: 295 - 08/03/2011 08:40:53    883418

Heard there was a meeting in Croke Park last night and the minor management have been reinstated. Anyone know any detail or can anyone confirm this?

stray (Down) - Posts: 47 - 08/03/2011 09:36:46    883434

What has the management of county teams got to do with croke park?

gaaforall (Down) - Posts: 130 - 08/03/2011 10:02:59    883439

GAAforall, Idon't think Croke has anything to do with County managements but perhaps they act as arbitratots where there is conflict!!

stray (Down) - Posts: 47 - 08/03/2011 10:17:14    883448

Confirmed. County Board considering their positions.

Now move along. There's nothing more to see here.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 08/03/2011 10:38:03    883478

Can you really blame the county ex if they consider their positions, they sacked the management, Co Board backed it and yet the powers that be appear to be riding rough shod over the decision. As someone said when does Croke park have a say in county management affairs!!! If they do go i hope to see all the parents and club officals who slagged them coming forward to take their places otherwise no-one plays football if my understanding is correct!
Well done to the Minor propaganda media machine

KeepItClean (Down) - Posts: 18 - 08/03/2011 11:47:02    883555

It was the minor players who started this and they were just doing what they thought was right and obviously Croke Park agreed, if the executive comittee decision was correct in the first place then Croke Park would have agreed, but this shows their decision was irrational and wrong. However i know the executive commitee are volunteers, they should now just forget about this and work with the minor management! So DOWN can be successful which is surely the primary aim of the County Board

down.sup. (Down) - Posts: 19 - 08/03/2011 12:42:16    883602

down.sup not sure i agree, we haven't heard the reasons or what happened at the meeting but no doubt it will be the usual old chestnut trotted out...."In the interest of ladies football" and all that....I thought Ulster/Central Council were there as a support mechanism to county boards..looks like its either a case of who you know or once the media got involved the powers on high simply imploded! Anyway im sure its not over. i just hope the minor management haven't ruined football for the whole county!

KeepItClean (Down) - Posts: 18 - 08/03/2011 13:06:25    883623

Good to see the Minors back to their training and hopefully they will go on to achieve. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the County Board consider their positions; what they did was wrong, and found to be wrong by an experienced, independent group. It is also possible that a few of the County Board members have 'form' in pressing their self-interest and I wouldn't be surprised if the Croke Park arbitrators were able to identify the conflict of interests appearing once again this year - conflicts between club, county, personal ambition and personality jealousies - and then designing rules to 'guide' their actions/decisions. County Board Committee members should be there to manage and support the football, camogie etc, at all age-groups, all levels and at all geographic locations in County Down, not selectively on age group, geography or personality. If they are unable to provide these services on a fair and equitable basis, they should butt out and find some other organisation where such bullying may be more acceptable. This dispute has been resolved thus far by right triumphing over wrong. The player squad, parents and most club representatives saw it this way and supported the coaches and players. The coaches played no hand or part in the drive to redress the injustice, rather it was the players, parents and club reps. By threatening to resign en masse, when all the indications were that they had chosen the wrong fight, the Ladies' County Board inadvertently declared their self-interest and self-serving interests - that is why there was no vote - and that is bullying!

Finally, the Board seems to have lost this one and once again the players province and county-wide can teach them a lesson - and that is that winning or losing is not why we are all here. Losing is unfortunate, winning is a bonus but competing is the prize. Let's get back to competing and put the unedifying episode behind us.

Parent

solidair1 (Down) - Posts: 5 - 08/03/2011 14:40:16    883717

Can i point out again, that the minor management did not drive this campaign > it was all done by the players and parents!

down.sup. (Down) - Posts: 19 - 08/03/2011 15:12:26    883759

God forbid that the County Executive might resign !! Im HORRIFIED. What could be achieved if such sanity were allowed.?

monitor (Down) - Posts: 209 - 08/03/2011 15:16:59    883766

This is clearly a very emotive subject for a lot of people.... and to be honest it sounds like a total farce!!
I don't attend any of the county board meetings, nor do I have any inside knowledge on the County set up. However going off the messages here and the rumour mill, it sounds like both sides are at fault and neither are willing to make an appropriate compromise.
I may be wrong with my observations but....
Surely the minor management is being hypocritical if they are making U16s play up for minor, yet stating that the seniors don't play up any of the minors!!??
Personally I think that 3 training sessions a week at county level is far too much, especially at this age group.... girls play for club & school as well not to mention social, work & study commitments.
Whilst I appreciate that the minor management want to get the best out of their team & run it in a professional manner expecting 100% commitment to them (and them alone), we are not a professional organisation and we have a duty of care to our girls. The bigger scheme of things (the girls welfare) seems to have been forgotten here….. and I include the county board in this.
In saying the above, you can not fault the commitment of the Management and it seems that they have been poorly treated. The players clearly have a lot of respect for the management, which is a massive compliment!

In terms of the Executive Committee…. It's a dirty job and nobody wants to do it, which is proven year after year by the sparse nominations for positions. We fall back on the same names and faces to run our county, and it's not an easy job, it's very easy to call for resignations……. If you think you can do a better job, put yourself forward!!!
It looks as though this has been very poorly handled, and it does sound as though personal prejudices have played their role in this debacle.
I also think that there should be better communication from the county board on issues such as this. Not just with meetings which can get very heated, but with publications/statements where the reasons for a big decision like this are laid out, as are the action points to fix it.

This whole mess needs put to bed, it's incredibly embarrassing that we had to go to Croke Park with cap in hand and get them to sort out our internal issues.
These are just my personal views.

leg_end (Down) - Posts: 62 - 08/03/2011 15:48:52    883805

The minor players were allowed to play for seniors and train once a week with them and play with them on a sunday!

Im just letting you know that there was no probelm with players playing senior football

down.sup. (Down) - Posts: 19 - 08/03/2011 16:01:29    883831

Down.Supp.... Thanks, it sounds like I've heard/picked up the wrong information then.... not surprising in this county! I thought that the Minors Management not making players available for other county teams (seniors or U16) was a main part of the disagreement? Or does that just bring us back to the fact that nobody really knows what started all this!?
Just out of interest were girls playing Senior still expected to make every minor training session as well?

leg_end (Down) - Posts: 62 - 08/03/2011 16:39:43    883866