doghouse (Down) - Posts: 1 - 08/02/2014 09:42:45    1543031

Bricktop your dreaming if you think Carryduff is a small pitch! Have you honestly played on it? - I have and it's massive one be one of the biggest in the county.

THEBAR (Down) - Posts: 30 - 09/02/2014 13:06:39    1543417

TheDownMan has put forward a very weak case on behalf of Carryduff. There are certainly trees within five metres of the back pitch at Cherryvale, but, like many other grounds, Carryduff has a wire and concrete fence within five metres of its main pitch. A tree is not likely to cause any more problems than a fence.

The back pitch at Cherryvale was the only one available to Bredagh because the council had insisted on taking down the posts for the winter at the two other pitches there. It is on the small side, but it is obviously going to be the same for both teams.

At the end of the day, this was an under 20 tournament in November. Carryduff could simply have played the fixture against their neighbours in the true spirit of the GAA and accepted the result. Instead, an appeal was entered all the way to Croke Park and the consequences for a range of other clubs across Down could be serious.

The joke of this is that Carryduff are much stronger than Bredagh at u20 level and were likely to win the game no matter where it was played, which they duly did when it was switched to Saul.

The appeal was not what would have been expected from a neighbouring club, and it will also be remembered that Carryduff had no hesitation moving their own home games to Cherryvale when their new pitch was under construction.

It is known that many Carryduff members are completely embarrassed by the actions of the couple of officials who pushed through the appeal, but the damage has been done now.

MourneRising (Down) - Posts: 238 - 09/02/2014 14:23:42    1543439

This is an absolute joke. I never heard this story before. This is a very shameful episode for Carryduff. What happened in the end ??

Bigsheep (Down) - Posts: 290 - 09/02/2014 20:38:39    1543836

Damage has been done to Carryduff reputation without a doubt.

What were they thinking?

Seannie Og (Down) - Posts: 944 - 09/02/2014 21:11:19    1543880

I was talking to former KIllyleagh Secretary who is very unhappy about this whole episode. Killyleagh pitch has been measured and is not the required size.

What's upsetting for them is that Killyleagh let Carryduff play all their home games in Killyleagh for over 20 years when they couldn't play in Carryduff because of the Troubles.

A nice way to repay them!

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1071 - 10/02/2014 09:44:32    1543978

notice how there is a breakdown in the communication line from croke park to the county board right through to the clubs themselves. not necessarily carryduff's fault.

people jumping on the band wagon from clubs of who's pitch does not measure up

some people not doing their job.

this would have only been brought up when there would of been a major incident on a pitch deemed too small for insurance purposes
sort it out lads

Christy4Down (Down) - Posts: 177 - 10/02/2014 10:19:10    1544010

if a clubs pitch is below the minimum size then its against the rules to play on it! this would have happened somewhere down the line anyway

down95 (Down) - Posts: 14 - 10/02/2014 10:46:11    1544027

Since its against the rules to play on these pitch's should we void all results ever played on these pitch's? In the sense of fairness and all

theladd (Down) - Posts: 43 - 10/02/2014 12:15:13    1544094

This is a pretty unfortunate story about a completely unnecessary intervention which has opened the proverbial can of worms. In Down, like every other county, the big, well-resourced clubs tend to have excellent facilities including at least one and sometimes two full-size pitches. The smaller clubs, who may have financial or planning issues, sometimes have to make do with a pitch which may come in at slightly less than the officially required dimensions. Everybody gets on with life, and the GAA is kept alive in areas where it might otherwise struggle.

Carryduff were drawn to play a group stage tie in an u20 tournament in November away to Bredagh, and the match was fixed for Cherryvale. The council had taken down the posts for the winter period on the two full-size pitches there, so the only option was the smaller back pitch. Under age games are played there all the time, and there has never been any problem.

Carryduff, or more accurately one of their officials, took an objection to the county board, which was rejected, and it was then appealed all the way to Croke Park. The result was that the match was switched to a neutral venue, where Carryduff as expected won easily, but more significantly every club in the county was also asked to check the measurements of its pitches.

Inevitably, some came up a little short, and the clubs face big problems as a result. The poster above, Christy4Down, who suggested this is somehow not Carryduff's fault, is displaying seriously confused thinking.

It needs to be stressed that big games at senior level will always be allocated to appropriate venues, but underage matches, particularly at the early stages of an end of season tournament, may need to be slotted in elsewhere. We have been left with an outcome which may be strictly within the rules of the association but is against the entire ethos of the GAA.

MourneRising (Down) - Posts: 238 - 10/02/2014 12:17:18    1544096

That's a fair post MourneRising.
We all know where the tight or small pitches are in the county and generally the pitches are like that for reasons fairly much beyond the respective clubs control or finances. These pitches wouldn't have got Adult Championship matches in the past but were allowed to be used for all other fixtures.

A pitch being a little short or narrow is no real difference to the pitch with a bit of a slope or bare goalmouths, not ideal but the same for both teams and teams adapt the odd tactic accordingly.

It is unfortunate that one of the "Haves" or bigger clubs in the county is rubbing the noses of a few of the "Have Nots" or smaller clubs by raising that old GAA fall back of can't do it because of insurance issues.
Live and let live lads surely we want as many clubs in the county as possible giving a sporting outlet to as many folks as possible

downredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 556 - 10/02/2014 12:41:07    1544116

Bredagh posters are being particularly silent on this issue, well the ones I know are Bredagh ones!

outandabout (Down) - Posts: 26 - 11/02/2014 13:31:24    1544691

Bredagh at home to Carryduff in the first match of Division 2 this year, can someone send the appropriate measurements to the Council please. We wouldnt want a few inches stopping a game of football.

bigqueenie (Down) - Posts: 66 - 13/02/2014 13:54:42    1545591

Lads I've never been too concerned or bothered to jump on here an air my thoughts this one caught my attention.

While i agree that this isn't in line with the ethos of our game especially how it was handled by Carryduff. If one of these young lads suffers a nasty injury, which I'm sure we all know can happen (especially in bad conditions and on heavy pitches). Then there is a serious issue we're all missing, not all u-20's are students of one kind or another, many are out in the world working, some self-employed. If they get hurt coming into the mouth of christmas and the insurance companies refuse to cover the claim then we have a real problem, who is going to step up and look after these lads financially. We are all amateurs after all and compete for the love of the game, but real world considerations are a priority.

I think the issue lies with the insurance companies/regulations, surely there must be an exemption for some pitches that have natural restrictions on space. Unfortunately this would require common sense to be used and therein lies the problem.

AreThoseMyFeet (Down) - Posts: 1 - 25/02/2014 13:31:22    1551112

Wow!!! Hang your heads in shame Carryduff GAC. In all my many many years of playing and managing teams I have NEVER came across an action that is so despicable.
As one poster says, this has opened up a HUGE can of worms in Down that has the potential for serious financial implications for a number of clubs. To take an issue like this to the Co Board and then to HQ, I simply find astonishing. Carryduff GAC are a great club with a lot of superb work done at underage level in both hurling, gaelic and ladies football. I am amazed that their committee approved this course of action as they are no doubt now frowned upon by the majority of other clubs in the area.....totally shocked by their antics.

THEMOLE2 (Down) - Posts: 1606 - 25/02/2014 14:36:45    1551151

Lads I've never been too concerned or bothered to jump on here an air my thoughts this one caught my attention.

While i agree that this isn't in line with the ethos of our game especially how it was handled by Carryduff. If one of these young lads suffers a nasty injury, which I'm sure we all know can happen (especially in bad conditions and on heavy pitches). Then there is a serious issue we're all missing, not all u-20's are students of one kind or another, many are out in the world working, some self-employed. If they get hurt coming into the mouth of christmas and the insurance companies refuse to cover the claim then we have a real problem, who is going to step up and look after these lads financially. We are all amateurs after all and compete for the love of the game, but real world considerations are a priority.

This is a nonsense statement! In the case of Breadgh/Cheeryvale, the council will have Public Liability Insurance. The pitch IS deemed suitable to play gaelic games, regardless of its size, so it therefore IS covered by insurance criteria.

THEMOLE2 (Down) - Posts: 1606 - 25/02/2014 14:40:09    1551153

a great point by arethosemyfeet to back up my point to mournerising catch a grip of yourself

the mole
wot about the other pitches in the county, fair enough bredagh but in all respect do councils give a **** about gaelic football, hurling womens and handball, dont ___ think so

http://www.hoganstand.com/Down/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=210087
wot is this about???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Christy4Down (Down) - Posts: 177 - 25/02/2014 17:19:52    1551248

Insurance is not an issue with the pitches. Yes the council will have insurance which would cover any incident regarding the condition of the pitch but the club will also have insurance which would cover players in an official match or training.

It looked like it was about winning at all costs.......

Bigsheep (Down) - Posts: 290 - 25/02/2014 20:54:55    1551375