AIL FIXTURES

[Tighty]

Ballynahinch have a Sugar Daddy on the go.

Evidence to back up this assertion please

PS I am not a memeber of Hinch , indeed the first Senior club I regularly watched was 'Gannon and that was prior to them moving to Stevenson Park

I too watched Dungannon in the old park back in the late '60's with a backline that included Mick McSwiggan, George Spotswood, Derek McKeen, the late Alan Jackson and IIRC a winger called Brian Nelson. Also remember Sammy Walker (BBC radio reporter) doing his commentary into the tape recorder! Those were the days.

It would have been very late 60s/early 70s . I remember McSwiggan - ex Rainey??- the late Alan Jackson - and possibly Davy Cromie in the Centre. I can't recall any other names

[ColinM]

Ballynahinch have a Sugar Daddy on the go.

Evidence to back up this assertion please

PS I am not a member of Hinch , indeed the first Senior club I regularly watched was 'Gannon and that was prior to them moving to Stevenson Park

Who's this sugar daddy?

[Kofi Annan]

Some people have their price Colin , i know thats had to believe, some even turned down 5K to join Belfasts Biggest Club to choose the green green fields of the country side. (allegedly )

Players taking money to play the amateur game is ruining club rugby at all levels,even affecting 2nd XV fixtures as the club ethos is get a 1st XV on the park at all costs. Several Snr Clubs have already cried games off their 2nd XVs games this year, In my opinion for what its worth thats because they have no real will to develop players, when they can go and buy a position. AIL allow a match fee i am all for that ,but the cash payments have to stop, someday soon i suspect the HMRC will take an interest and then we will see the strong from the weak

Malone have taken the long road, taken some heavy defeats, but now will be challanging for honours come March/April, Benarde has down a good job to be honest, just its a pity they are all binmen

Anyone who thinks some Snr Clubs are not paying some players crazy money should really wise up

Ballynahinch, the Milwall of Ulster Rugby

[Tighty]

Some people have their price Colin , i know thats had to believe, some even turned down 5K to join Belfasts Biggest Club to choose the green green fields of the country side. (allegedly )

Players taking money to play the amateur game is ruining club rugby at all levels,even affecting 2nd XV fixtures as the club ethos is get a 1st XV on the park at all costs. Several Snr Clubs have already cried games off their 2nd XVs games this year, In my opinion for what its worth thats because they have no real will to develop players, when they can go and buy a position. AIL allow a match fee i am all for that ,but the cash payments have to stop, someday soon i suspect the HMRC will take an interest and then we will see the strong from the weak

Malone have taken the long road, taken some heavy defeats, but now will be challanging for honours come March/April, Benarde has down a good job to be honest, just its a pity they are all binmen

Anyone who thinks some Snr Clubs are not paying some players crazy money should really wise up

Ballynahinch, the Milwall of Ulster Rugby

Kofi. Not all players are chasing the fast buck ; I know of a schoolboy who was approached by 7 Senior clubs - 4 of whom offerring bursary type payments, but he decided to go to a club paying nothing, but where he thouight he could develop his game best.

As far as Senior Clubs developing players is concerned , I'm not sure too many do this well , posssibly with the exception of Banbridge and Hinch who have thriving Youth Sections. Malone had a long history of doing so as well - as a schoolboy I well remember playing Malone Colts at Cherry Vale - but I'm not sure how many of the current much lauded Malone team learnt their rugby down Daddy Winker's Lane ???

[RuPi]

Malone's youth section would be up there with Hinch and Banbridge whilst Dromore have also got a good youth system but players tend to leave for senior rugby at other clubs namely the 3 previously mentioned. Malone's 2nd XV I think has a good contingent of last year's U19's whom where a good side and they have also been well represented in recent years in the Ulster Youth squads. They will also begin to get more MCB schoolboys now due to Benade's son playing on the 1st XV there, as has been said they are doing things the right way although I have been told by players that Malone had approached them offering accomadation and jobs to try and entice them to the club as well as university fee's being paid. Whether that is true or not is another matter but they are a progressive club and have done it the right way through producing their own players and developing the club from there. They have also renovated part of the club house to have a great gym in it for the players.

[Kofi Annan]

Just watched an average but clinical Malone destroy Ballymena 60 odd points to 3, time for change I say, any other results out there.

[ColinM]

Hinch beat the hqueens by a couple of points. 13-11 i think

[Kofi Annan]

Hinch beat the hqueens by a couple of points. 13-11 i think

i expected Hinch to run away with that game especially at home,

[RuPi]

Dungannon lost to Trinity, Dungannon had Ali Birch back in the team with Sean Doyle, Nelson and Cochrane. Banbridge got another bonus point win and are top of 2a, Rainey, City of Derry and Armagh all won as well. Shocked at that Ballymena score line.

[ColinM]

Dungannon lost to Trinity, Dungannon had Ali Birch back in the team with Sean Doyle, Nelson and Cochrane. Banbridge got another bonus point win and are top of 2a, Rainey, City of Derry and Armagh all won as well. Shocked at that Ballymena score line.

Which fekin mastermind assigned Doyle to the same tean as Birch???

[Moiraman]

Just watched an average but clinical Malone destroy Ballymena 60 odd points to 3, time for change I say, any other results out there.

If Malone were average what were Ballymena? Was at Stevenson Park to see Dungannon well beaten by Dublin University. Injuries and departures from last season are killing Dungannon - they're really missing the 'departed to other pastures' Lawton, McKenzie and Halsall as well as the injured Jason Bloomfield. In this game Sean Doyle went off very early and they lost Mark Jenkinson in the second half. Paul Magee had to come back on having left the field earlier. They were dominated in the second half by a superior pack and were lucky in the end to snatch a late losing BP.

[RuPi]

Where did Halsall go too?

[Kofi Annan]

Just watched an average but clinical Malone destroy Ballymena 60 odd points to 3, time for change I say, any other results out there.

If Malone were average what were Ballymena? Was at Stevenson Park to see Dungannon well beaten by Dublin University. Injuries and departures from last season are killing Dungannon - they're really missing the 'departed to other pastures' Lawton, McKenzie and Halsall as well as the injured Jason Bloomfield. In this game Sean Doyle went off very early and they lost Mark Jenkinson in the second half. Paul Magee had to come back on having left the field earlier. They were dominated in the second half by a superior pack and were lucky in the end to snatch a late losing BP.

Er Ballymena were absolutely pants worse rugby I have ever seen them play in years

[Moiraman]

Where did Halsall go too?

AFAIK to Rotherham.

[rocky]

FFS, Kofi, I don't care how bad Ballymena were, Malone must have played very well to run that score up on another Division 1B side. Catch a grip!