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No excuses in Armagh other than rain and lots of it unfortunately :(
Jeff
I have great sympathy for Dundrum's position as I know exactly what it's like struggling at the bottom.
Although I no longer play for Lurgan I feel it is a sad day for the club. But it was inevitable it was going to happen. I spoke at the AGM about the need to play Sunday cricket having been at the sharp end of trying to get a team out Friday after Friday.
One thing I can refute is the suggestion they would get a team out if they had a chance of promotion or to avoid relegation. Not true. They couldn't get a decent team out on a Friday this time last year or the year before in a dire situation in Section 1 so they will hardly get one in a meaningless match (to them at least)in Section 2. I'm not even sure if they had 11 players last week to play Downpatrick and those that lost a days wages to watch it rain weren't going to do the same again.
One player told me that when you ask for the first Friday afternoon off you get it. The second you get it off but your boss is really cheesed off. By the third Friday you don't even ask.
Playing Sunday after Sunday isn't the answer either as players have families and social lives as well outside cricket and the NCU have to recognise that it is an amateur sport.
Jeff it may have been a tongue in cheek remark of yours but golf is becoming a more attractive option by the day. No points for anyone because of the rain it NOT working and it is driving people from the game.
Match today - D'aghy V Carrick
Unless i am totally wrong, North Down have yet again accommodated a match that would not otherwise have been played. North Down not even playing!!! Both grounds of the Clubs involved were obviously not playable, and for North Down to then provide The Green for the game is going well beyond the norm, particularly with the Senior title still up for grabs. Great example of the spirit of cricket, and well done to all at North Down (especially I suspect Raymond Moreland!).
Re Paul Stafford
Interesting response from a columnist on the other channel ! Questioning the idea of Lurgan being docked points for not fulfilling a fixture - if I remember right you were wanting to do away with Section Four as teams there weren't fulfilling fixtures. Your idea also that Lurgan are just putting out teams in September for other clubs' benefit is just about what I would expect from you, thats very kind of Lurgan to do that but when Lurgan entered the league at the beginning of the season was it not their objective to fulfil all fixtures with a view to winning them. With that type of attitude Lurgan could certainly be looking down the barrel of Section 3/4. On reflection Mr Stafford I believe if you were to reflect on your 'column' and own personal postings then it would be quite apparent how negative and bitter those posts were.
We at Armagh for several years travelled away with weakened teams on Sundays very rarely picking up results, luckily we are now able to play a number of Sundays at home after many years of campaigning to play.
I feel when a club registers to play in the Union they should in kind be committing to playing when and where required to complete games. Time to ban the non playing on Sundays regardless of who it will hurt
I think 90% of the clubs have already decided they don't want to play on Fridays. Count the matches and the number of clubs involved in Friday cricket. They are mostly anti Sunday clubs.
Is the tail wagging the dog?
Will the AGM be as lively as this forum on the topic?
It's good to hear the different views.
Didn't North/CSNI fail to put out a 1st XI either last season or the year before?
I seem to remember there were all sorts of dire warnings as to what would happen the 'next' time that happened!
As has been said by others - Friday is Lurgan's day of choice - How have Ballymena managed to get through their programme with a similar stance - maybe someone at Lurgan should ask rather than moaning about the weather.
Just like too inform people Dundrum DID NOT HIDE BEHIND THE RULES ! The team (not me) took the (brave or risky) decision not too give up home advantage ,yes we still hope too play at home next sat (maybe TOP GROUNDSMAN) PHILIP MCCORMICK will do us the same priveledge as lurgan & prepare STORMONT in case we cant???I can assure everyone that Dundrum will try & get the rest off the games played.I personally have sympathy with lurgan trying too get team out on fridays but even paul stafford will surely admit if his beloved lurgan were in with a chance of PROMOTION or RELEGATION they would have got a team & won or lost on the pitch!ps its never over till that fat lady sings & theirs more too life that CRICKET.pps armagh v dundrum off sat.
I suspect Ballymena will be the only team not playing Sunday cricket next year.
As for the North West the rearrangements works by playing a 20 over match irrespective of the weather usually within 8 days. This is possible because the region is so much smaller and most clubs are within a short travelling distance of one another.
Yes James I agree with you, but why should we have to take a day of work to play on a Friday, just because 5% of clubs don't want to play on Sundays, what if clubs decide they don't want to play Friday cricket!! Whats the difference!!
Neal - Acadamy are in a different boat from others in the non-fulfillment of fixtures argument in that they sold their ground for housing, with no plan to re-invest and purchase a new ground. No doubt it would be hard given the land prices about here, but it is, like Lurgan, thier own doing. If they hadnt sold their ground they would have a pitch! They are in the position of being second class citizens at New Forge as it isnt their ground. They will always have to work around the PSNI teams (multi-sport), IFA training / coaching etc.
Stephen, 95% of clubs do play Sunday's and 95% of players can get Friday afternoons off if they really want, and this is key to the argument.
Ok, no replays at junior level
But at Premier league level if players don't want to commit to the odd day off work then they should stop playing!
That is the sort of commitment that is required at the top level, and rightly so...
James, perhaps a dozen games a year isnt too bad! I see there are teams this year who have only played 5 or 6 games. They pay the same fees as those players from the same clubs who play 18+ games.
From my recollection, Dundrums ground was flooded last year as well. Armagh, Waringstown, Downpatrick and several other clubs suffered the same problem this season. Perhaps with a no result, 2 points each should be awarded - I think this should be open for debate instead of being dismissed outright. If this was trialled next season, there will be problems and clubs will take bend the rules but if nothing changes we are going to have the same problem year after year. It is very easy for those clubs who have the money for ground improvements including drainage, etc to push this idea to the side because they have a nice dry ground to look at with rose tinted glasses. But at the moment, the structure of the Leagues favours those clubs who have the money to spend on improvements, whilst others have 'no option' other than travel to opposing teams and lose their home advantage, or incase of Dundrum, get criticised for not doing so.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion on this forum including Stephen from Downpatrick and Michael, who was unfairly criticised by Paul Stafford. Maybe those people within the NCU will see the debates here, and realise there is a strong feeling about the way we govern our game.
Re James
Well if teams aren't forced to play on Sundays and people cant get of work to play on Fridays, that only leaves about 20 Saturdays to get the season played, if you have 18 league games not to mention numerious cup games, what is the solution?
Still don't think sharing points is feasible, umpires can only decide on the morning of a match. The cant be their on a Thursday night to ensure that the covers are being put on a quickly as possible, we need rules which encourage both captains to play the game. Sharing of points does exactly the opposite and in my view it will lead to only bad blood between teams and more conspiracy stories
To be honest I think there is alot to be said for the North West way of doing things. They seem to get all there games played no problem - why dont we adopt some of their rules
