DOWN hope to halt the decline in the county’s footballing fortunes by launching a new fundraising initiative geared towards delivering a conveyor belt of young talent in years to come.
Two-time All-Ireland winner and former Down manager Ross Carr is to head up the new Club Down, which will be officially launched at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on January 20.
According to county chairman Sean Rooney, the main aim is to raise money for the Mourne Academy – established in 2015 and overseen by All-Ireland winning captain Paddy O’Rourke – as well as a possible centre of excellence.
Although they reached the All-Ireland final in 2010, Down supporters have been starved of senior success since achieving provincial and national glory 23 years ago.
And while other counties have turned their focus to nurturing young talent, Down have fallen behind, failing to win a game in National League or Championship since April 2015.
Rooney believes the formation of the new Club Down, spearheaded by some of the county’s past greats, can provide a platform for the Mourne County to build a bright future.
“The main reason is to provide footballers for the future. We need to have that focus,” he said.
“A successful club starts off with a good underage policy so our underage structures need to be right to provide county footballers.
“We can do better than we have been doing.”
Success off the field, particularly if Down can attract financial backers, can only benefit the team on the field says Rooney.
He continued: “It’s something I needed to do when I became county chairman, I needed to get Club Down working because finances are certainly an issue not just in our county, but in every county.
“The players are committing to the county, we look after the players as well as every other county, we’ve no issue doing that. But funding is a major issue for counties and a major worry for county treasurers.
“You look at our expenditure, county teams from hurling to football right from bottom to top would cost half a million pounds a year and the GAA centrally would be supplying very little of that.
“The GAA itself would probably need to be looking at it but, initially, we can’t be going there cap in hand all the time, we have to try and help ourselves.
“Ultimately, we’re in a results game and results have a bearing on it too and that’s where everybody needs to be working together to achieve success.
“A rising tide will lift all ships.”
Carr, who will be Club Down’s chairman, has examined successful models in other counties as Down attempt to improve their fortunes.
Indeed, the county board – in conjunction with the fundraising body – will have a “2020 vision” that targets an Ulster minor title within the next four years.
Considering this is a competition where the Mournemen have failed to make any impression in recent times, huge strides must be made.
Rooney said: “In Down you’re always looking for success at senior level and that could happen at any particular time on any given year, but for this to be seen to be successful they will need minors to compete and an Ulster title by 2020 would be a big starting point.”
