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40 COUNTY FOCUS
August 3, 2007 | Gaelic Life
DownView » THE COUNTY LINE
» I HEARD THAT...
St Malachy's GAC in
Castlewellan is currently making
final preparations for its annual
9 a-sides juvenile football
tournaments. This year's boys
and girl's nine a-sides will take
place on Saturday August 4 and
this year marks the 12th annual
juvenile tournament, which
consists of two nine a-side
competitions at U12 level run
concurrently at St Malachy's
Park.
Following the Ulster Elite Camogie
trial was held in Castledawson
Camogie Club on Saturday July
21, 45 players have been selected
to go forward to the Ulster Elite
Camp in Jordanstown from the
August 20 to 22, including the
following players from Down:
Suzelle Johnson, Amy McCarthy,
Sileen McDonald, Caislin Hynes,
Sara Finnegan, Nicole O'Connor
and Laura Keith.
Down ladies nearly caused an
upset in the All-Ireland Senior
Championship Group match
against Kildare last Sunday in
Saval. After losing to Meath the
previous week, the Down ladies
upped their game and it took a
late, late point from the
Lilywhites to deny the Mourne
side a deserved win. Roll on
Armagh this Sunday in Killeavy!!
Bright’s
Fireplaces
Unit 4, Down Business Centre
Down Business Park
46 Belfast Road
Downpatrick, Co. Down BT30 9UP
It’s tight at the top as
league battles hot up
WITH two rounds of the league played last weekend
things are a bit congested at the top of Division 1.
Kilcoo are still out in front with Mayobridge now
in second but there are three teams tied for third
and all on 20 points; Clonduff, Rostrevor and Bryansford.
Burren are slowly making their way up the table
and sit on 19 points thanks to a draw and a win
against Clonduff and Longstone, who are also on 19
points.
Castlewellan have moved out of the bottom two,
past Liatroim who weren't in action last Monday, after
their win against Loughinisland and join An Riocht
on 16 points.
Such were the results over last weekend that there
are now only four points separating the bottom four
from the top four.
Things are as tight at the top of Division 2 where
Saval remain out in front on 30 points, despite losing,
somewhat surprisingly, at home to Darragh Cross.
Second placed Ballymartin also lost out, going
down 3-9 to 1-10 at Downpatrick.
They are now in joint second place on 26 points
with Annaclone, who drew with Clann NaBanna,
and Ballyholland, whose season has been revived after
convincing victories over Carryduff and Glassdrumman.
Downpatrick's win
keeps them in contention for a
play-off place too.
At the bottom, Shamrocks’
HANDS DOWN...Action from the game between An Riocht II and Bryansford II
victory over Warrenpoint
sees them move out of the bottom
four at the expense of
Clann na Banna.
Possibly the most competitive
league all season has
been Division 3 where anyone
of the top eight sides is capable
of making the play-off.
Tullylish look a safe bet
though for one of the top four
places as they head the division
on 30 points. Next come
Saul on 27 points. They have
only lost one of their last 14
games and had an important
victory away to Bredagh last
Monday.
That result was the third
loss in four games in July for
the Belfast side and Paddy
Heaney's men can ill afford
another slip up if they are to
remain in contention for a
play-off place. Bredagh now
sit fourth in the league, behind
Dundrum who saw off the challenge of St Paul's
last Monday, winning 0-12 to 0-5.
Only four points separate Bredagh from eighth
placed Ardglass, who after an easy win against
Glenn at the start of the week, will fancy their, outside,
chances of making the top four.
In Division 4, there were wins for leaders Drumaness
and second placed St Michael's against
Aghaderg and Ballykinlar respectively. And both
look favourites to go up at the end of the season.
There's another full round of fixtures tomorrow
(Friday). In Division 1, the top six sides are all in action
against each other; leaders Kilcoo face joint
third placed Clonduff, second placed Mayobridge entertain
joint third placed Bryansford while the other
joint third placed side, Rostrevor, are at home to
sixth placed Longstone.
In the remaining games, there are crucial ties for
the teams at the other end of the table; Liatroim face
Burren, Atticall are at home to Castlewellan (see
game of the week) and An Riocht play Loughinisland.
In Division 2, it's a similar situation with the
top four teams facing each other. Saval face Annaclone
while it's second versus third when Ballymartin
play host to Ballyholland.
In Division 3, Tullylish travel to Drumgath, Saul
entertain Mitchels, Dundrum travel to Bright while
Bredagh are at home to Bosco.
In the first round of the Intermediate hurling
championship last Sunday, there were convincing
wins for Ballycran, Ballygalget and Liatroim who
now join Portaferry in the semi-finals. They will be
played on August 18 with Liatroim facing Ballygalget
and Portaferry up against Ballycran.
This weekend, the Down Junior Hurling Championship
gets under way.
On Saturday at Ballycran (6pm), Portaferry play
Ballygalget while on Sunday at 2pm in Kilclief,
Castlewellan play Bredagh while Ballycran and Warrenpoint
go head-to-head at the same time in Downpatrick.
» CLUB FOCUS DUNDRUM GAC
www.first-floor.co.uk
63A Castlewellan Road,
Newcastle BT33 0JX
Tel. 028 4372 7676
Sells Carpets, Woods
& Vinyls
So where is it then
This is possibly the easiest
pitch to get to in Ulster
since you drive right
past it on one of the
North’s busiest roads.
Just a few miles outside
of Newcastle, on the road
to Belfast is the village of
Dundrum. Just at the
edge of the village, on
the Belfast side you find
the pitch, opposite the
chapel. You really can't
miss it...honest!
Has anything happened
of note
Dundrum have had three
spells in existence; 1932
to 1941, 1950 to 1966 and
from 1972 to the present
day.
There's not much known
about the very early
days but during the second
period the club captured
the Down Junior
Championship in 1957
and were promoted to
the senior league in 1958.
That was short-lived and
they were relegated in
1959. The club struggled
to fulfil senior fixtures
during the 1960's and duly
folded in '66.
It was reformed in 1972
and a second Down Junior
Championship was
won in 1976.
In 1987 Dundrum won
promotion to Division 3.
Twelve months later
they'd made it to Division
2.
The club was starved of
any real success until
2005 when a third Junior
Championship title was
won along with promotion
back to Division 3.
What about players we
may have heard of
Eddie McKay who was
goalkeeper on the all
conquering Down teams
of 1960 and '61. He also
picked up two National
League medals in 1960
and 1962.
In 1987, three players
from Dundrum were on
the successful Down All
Ireland minor winning
panel of 1987. Patrick
Kielty (he of TV fame),
John Kielty and Martin
Carey.
Latterly, Paul Mc-
Comiskey won an All Ireland
Minor medal in 2005
with Down while John
Morgan coached the
side.
In 2006, the club's U21's
won the East Down 'B'
Championship, losing
narrowly to An Riocht in
the Down final.
What are the facilities
like
Having once played at
four difference 'home'
venues during the late
1950's, Dundrum present
home was first played
on in 1985. The club
has just one
pitch, which is
fully floodlit.
There are two
changing
rooms, a
referee's
room and a
kitchen.