Your opinion is allowed to change. i hear the county seniors have called up a number of the minor ladies for the championship in June. Not so sure about their selection process though. Quite a few are good enough - but the seniors need the correct players if they are to make progress this season. relegation to intermediate football looks a certainty at the minute.

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 04/05/2011 11:51:46    923256

Great open start to the Senior League this year with it all to play for after 4 games..... Bredagh & Carryduff leading the way as expected, but great to see Annaclone & Downpatrick causing them some difficulties.
With just one win between the top two and the chasing 4, it'll be interesting to see if the next few games throw up any upsets!
I'm totally bored with the County carry on.... Club football is where it's at now!! ;)

leg_end (Down) - Posts: 62 - 04/05/2011 12:57:09    923327

Does anyone have the updated league positions in the senior/inter leagues, some of these games have been played but the down website doesn't have the results.?

KeepItClean (Down) - Posts: 18 - 04/05/2011 13:25:14    923360

Singers right the girls who are called up need to be good enough, but Mark has been to league matches every week from the start of the club leagues, so hopefully the girls he is watching are good enough and being called up to the panel. Should have been regraded this year, but looks like being in Division 3 for another year could see them regraded to the intermideiate if the county board decide to attend the meeting this year.........

vocational (Down) - Posts: 26 - 04/05/2011 13:39:13    923373

Keep it Clean - i'm not sure of all the details, but i know for the last round Bredagh beat Bryansford (By about 9). Annaclone beat Carryduff (by about 10) and Downpatrick beat Castlewellan (by about 19).
I havent heard about the outstanding Castlewellan, Clonduff or Saval games....

leg_end (Down) - Posts: 62 - 04/05/2011 14:02:30    923394

Being in the intermediate championship may be suitable for where we are as a county at the minute with such a young team - but its near impossible to get upgraded out of it then. Winning the title with other strong teams in it could be trouble. I really hope Mark has attended plenty of games and picks the correct girls. I also hope he is looking outside the senior league for talent as the intermediate league is a good standard this year again and there are some very promising players in that division. The junior league has had a few representatives in the past and hopefully they will again in the not too distant future. the minor girls are decent players but the club leagues is where you will find out who ois real quality. Between Mark, Frank and Garvin they should have plenty of eyes at all league games.

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 04/05/2011 14:39:31    923445

Who are these players in the leagues that should be looked at singer?? Some minors are in real good form at present and should be ready to step up. Brannigan from Ballymartin is a prime example and mary from shamrocks is an excellent player who has pace to burn.

raffles (Down) - Posts: 8 - 04/05/2011 14:54:35    923463

Regardless of how good some of the minors or other girls in the oounty are playing at the moment, you have to complete the season with those girls that have committed to the team from the start of the year. Its as simple as that. How can you expect girls to commit early next year and bond as a team if you cast them aside now and make major changes. Whoever we put out will not beat Monaghan who will breeze past an Armagh side with their own probkems. make it a learning experience for those girls that have committed and start over next year.

ladiesman (Down) - Posts: 20 - 04/05/2011 21:51:16    923946

Who exactly are these girls who have committed and i mean really committed all year. If we are to put them on the pitch against Armagh/Monaghan - it will be 15 players v about 6 for down. the committment has been a disaster this year and it needs tobe addressed before next year when these minors become available - they are used to good quality coaching, discipline to turn up all the time and plenty of numbers at training. they will quit the county seniors if it stays the same as this year leaving us in the lurch looking for another wave of talent in a few years. We dont have time for that.

raffles (Down) - Posts: 8 - 05/05/2011 10:00:11    924013

Any idea when the County girls have their Championship game??

leg_end (Down) - Posts: 62 - 11/05/2011 13:35:59    928341

Delighted to hear Sinead Fegan of the Down Ladies Team won a Bord Gois Team of the National League Award this
week at the awards in Croke Park for her efforts in League-- WELL DONE !

SILVERWARE (Down) - Posts: 24 - 27/05/2011 14:08:31    941523

Ladies have big championship game this weekend..... How will they fare?? Monaghan are prob in top four teams in country so its gonna be big mountain to climb for our girls.....

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 13/06/2011 12:27:26    954773

We have the talent in the county to compete at this level but not the regime in place to bring it all together. Its not a game we can win this time around but players can learn from the experience.

ladiesman (Down) - Posts: 20 - 13/06/2011 20:14:26    955587

"We have the talent in the county to compete at this level but not the regime in place to bring it all together. Its not a game we can win this time around but players can learn from the experience. "

Where is this talent and why wont they play for the county?? Also you mentioned the regime - apart form the minor thing earlier in the year - what else is wrong with it?? The lads seem to be doing a great job and the grils are enjoying their football - which is more than can be said from a while back....

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 14/06/2011 11:58:33    955946

Not sure many would agree with you Singer- but you are entitled to your opinion.

On a differant note -Can you explain to me the logic of FMcM calling off all club games last weekend to rest co players and prevent injury and then playing a challange game on Tuesday night v an Armagh club - which they lost BTW ?

ladiesman (Down) - Posts: 20 - 16/06/2011 19:36:36    958329

Totally agree ladiesman, no call for county games to be called off last week, no wonder club teams are struggling when girls can't get a game!

jaffa5 (Down) - Posts: 13 - 17/06/2011 08:59:34    958492

Jaffa5 and Ladiesman if you check out the rules of ladies county football - there is a 13 day period before county provincial championship games where the county management are entitled to their players not having club games. This has alwoys been the case and is the exact same in mens football for provincial football. In down mens case of the back door - they are only entitled to a 7 day break with their players. the county management are only exercising their right for the players. if clubs would play their games when they are due to be played and stop calling them off for the silly reasons they do - the league would be nearly completed at this stage or at least at the half way point. The junior league are the only ones with consistent games played. The intermediate league has some teams on 6 games and others on 8 - how does this happen. Oh thats right - call it off because there is communion in the parish or confirmation, one club got a game called off for a hen night - how ridiculous is that. If a club cant field for simple reasons then they should be deducted the points. Legitimate reasons like a death of a players relative is fine but some excuses that are used are stupid and shouldnt be allowed.

duff (Down) - Posts: 145 - 17/06/2011 09:30:58    958507

Interesting post Duff... The fact that the management have the girls for 13 days is a good thing and despite what they do or whom they play its good to have them together as a group for that time anyhow. the Cork players start thier club leagues in Feb so that when this time of year comes around they take time out to concentrate on the county. last year at one stage they went 13 weeks without playing club football.. Imagine the yapping from the club coaches up here if that happened. I totally agree with the calling of club matches for silly reasons statement - i agree that the games being on a saturday night is tough as its traditionally a going out night but its been this way for ages now so deal with it... Calling off games for silly reasons or other codes is not on. they do us no favours so why should we do it for them. Anyhow - good luck to the girls on sat and the management team of Frank, Mark and Garvin. Do us proud lads...

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 17/06/2011 14:46:23    958899

Best of luck to the County Girls tomorrow in Armagh!

leg_end (Down) - Posts: 62 - 17/06/2011 14:50:38    958907

Duff and singer - some games are called off for reasons that may seem silly or unfair. However my understanding is that most footballers (ladies or men) want to play football as often as possible, but it is a fact of life that some things occur that prevent football being played. Down as a county has a long history of clubs calling games off. When you refer to a club having a game called off for a hen night you need to check the facts. The hen night was planned the week the fixtures came out, the county board had alloacted a free weekend - thus the girls planned a hen night as not to disrupt the football - the county board then changed/cancelled the free weekend a few days before hand - what to the girls do - lose deposits for hotels, buses etc - I dont think so.

bannside (Down) - Posts: 20 - 17/06/2011 16:06:02    959004