Forum

Mr. Catterson raises a well-made point and it hasn't only been in the past 3 years that the situation existed although the weather has highlighted the problem. There was always the scenario that the league was decided after the pros left in early September and the vital games were "us against them". Slightly changed now by the number of friends of friends of etc. who stay a wee while longer. (Of course they don't leave!) The 8 team league is the answer but a turkey isn't gonna vote for Christmas. On a separate issue Mr. Hiles - listening to Daniel O' Doodle? And Jimmy Boyce -I am reliably informed by Flossie - & Hazel spotted at the Cliff Richard concert! I always thought you guys were older than me - now I know! And Boyce is a closet Engelbert fan as well. By the way, if this is the same Mr. Catterson I was really pleased to see Bob at Gibson Park last Sunday and looking so well.

The recent comments about docking points off teams that do not fulfill fixtures is, I believe, trying to treat the symptom and not the cause of the problem.

Some clubs including my own ,Cregagh, are trying to play one quarter or more of their season in 3 weeks in September which is a challenge for any club (at any time of the year).The number of forfeits ,including an increasing number of 2nd XIs in both 2/1 and 2/2, is a concern and has lead to some promotion and relegation issues being settled because of them. This cannot be right.

I believe that it highlights two issues.First that we do not have enough senior players in the NCU for the number of teams/games that we are trying to play hence the number of players who have to double up across more than one team each weekend to get a side out.Take a look at the increasing number of scheduled Sunday games in the fixture book as clubs try to choreograph their resources. This manifests itself in September when players move to school/winter sports.Second,the number of scheduled league games and current re-arrangement rules below Divsion 1 Section 1 need to change. My and my clubs view ,in our recent response to the NCU questionaire, is that we need to move to 8 team leagues as a means of dealing with these problems.With the weather over the past three seasons and the social changes over the past 20 years (where career and family commitments mean that some players will not commit to c 20 games per season)the reduced number of games will hopefully remove this end of season mess, retain/attract senior players and increase the chance of scheduled games and re-arrangements being completed by early September.

Hi folks,
I was listening to Daniel O'Donnell and reading through some old press cuttings about the senior cup 100 years ago and thought I'd breeze into the UC website before I went to bed. I wish I hadn't!
Let's end the forum baiting if that's what is happening. "Crossing the line' obviously means different things to different people but we don't want postings to be personal. Forums generate open debate and some straight talking and believe it or not quite often some of the anonymous postings are accurate even if the information is not palatable in some quarters.
Time to go to bed for the winter.

roger etc. i am not sure of final league table in junior one. the main point i make is that teams should be docked points for not turning out. i know it is hard at the end of the season with football, rugby, hockey, schools and uni back and interest maybe gone but with the season we have had there are a lot of fixtures to be played and teams should make the effort to play. if there was a 4 point deduction could carrick have got relegated by not fielding a team based on last years performance? i know that is hypothetical as lurgan would have been docked 4 the week before but i think if there was a risk like that then just perhaps a few people might have kept the whites out of the roofspace for one weekend longer?

first transfer news dundrum have been tapping up CIYMS j hewitt & before hughsey gets cross its JUDITH NOT JOHNNY we after as the word is shes retiring from marking the book .she bound be cheaper than ted as he is sponsored by BUSHMILLS .

Vic

A Paul Stafford return would be more popular with opposing Premier league batsmen than with me.

Lurgan couldn't win at the Mallusk Oval this year against our poor shawdow of Cliftonville's past,so unless they start a major recruitment drive we'll be seeing them again pretty soon.

The gulf between the top two sections is widening year on year. Some clubs need two or three good Pros just to survive.

I'll will confidantly predict that the bold England won't win the ICC trophy, Gerry the boy-o'. Thats all!!

Yes well done to Dungannon,topping the group & Millpark for their 2nd spot. At least we will still come up against their 2nd teams next season.

And of course we will get a rattle at the 'Ports.' now their 1st's are back down with us.
Oh happy-days are here again!!

Would like to say Congratulations to Dungannon on winning section 3

Don,t shy away Vic put your neck on the block make a predication who is going to win ???? don,t be a squawker ???

Michael, Ivan, Andy,

Given that Lurgan II lost to CSNI II on Saturday, it indeed did not matter that Carrick could not field a team against Ballymena.

If Carrick had not condeded, both Ballymena and Lurgan both would have finished on 20 points, but Ballymena would have survived anyway - providing nothing extraordinary happened in the last few days of September - courtesy of finishing higher than Lurgan in 2007. (Both sides had 28 points in 2008).

Ah Gerry the boy-o'
Enjoy it for now, it can't last remember it is England your talking about!!

If its true,thats a poor look-out if a team as big and illustrious as Lurgan could'nt forfill a second team fixture,
Especially as a relagation spot seems to have been on the table!

Maybe Paul Stafford should return and renew aquaintences with his old pals now that their 1st team is back in the Premier league? Heck,maybe he should put himself forward for the Captainacy and try again!!!!

What do you reckon Big Davey???

Ivan/Wayne etc - I agree with your sentiment, and I am no way vindicating Carrick, but I think (I may be wrong) that as is turned out, Ballymena would have stayed up anyway even if Carrick had fielded a team and won. I understand that Lurgan had 5 wins, Ballymena had 5 coming into the weekend, and as Ballymena finished ahead of them last year, would have survived anyway.

But it may not have worked out like that.....

I am not atempting to justify Carrick II not being able to field a team on Saturday, I was very disappointed, but I also do know for a fact our skipper made every effort to get some sort of a team together. It's not easy this time of the year when you have nothing to play for and players have gone back to winter sports.

However, I would just like to point out that Lurgan II were themselves unable to field a team v Woodvale the previous Saturday.

Andy K - Carrick II conceded to Ballymena II, so you will have a local derby to look forward to next season.

Well done England !!! against all the odds 1st team into the semi-finals & the honorary "englishman" playing a blinder so much for the wooden spoon any more predications ???? i,ll give you one England to win !!!