Down Club Hurling & Football

[Gabriel]

If Rooney is fully fit then I would have him on the team, along with Garvey I feel he's one of our best natural defenders - does the unspectacular hard work and I would have a lot more confidence in him than the likes of Brannigan. One of the things I would fear for on Saturday is the fact that Mayo seem to have developed an effective defensive system (exemplified by the Cork game last year) whereas there's been little evidence this year of the defensive solidity we had in 2010 for example. We have the forwards to trouble any team - Hughes, Poland, Laverty, Coulter et al - but our defence has been a serious weak point this year. On another point, I can't help but wish Paul McComiskey was available for this game, a serious player who should have blossomed after 2010 but for various reasons, hasn't.

[supersub]

McVeigh
O'Hagan
Gordon
Garvey
McParland
McKernan
McArdle
Rodgers
King
Carr
Poland
Maginn
Coulter
Laverty
McCartan

The named team anyhow, probably be at least one change as per usual!

[southdown]

I would like to see Doyle feature and hopefully he will.

[whitegoodman]

Pretty much as expected, only changes could be doyle for mccartan or brannigan for mcparland but that is mere speculation on my part.

[alba2]

McVeigh
O'Hagan
Gordon
Garvey
McParland
McKernan
McArdle
Rodgers
King
Carr
Poland
Maginn
Coulter
Laverty
McCartan

The named team anyhow, probably be at least one change as per usual!

No major surprises in the team this week..... Mc Kernan back in half back is a good call - he is big player for the big day.... Surprised that Brannigan aint included tho. But as already stated - he may start yet!!!
Big game tonight in Bridge v Bryansford.  Should be a good indicator how both panels will cope with upcoming championship.  Both Missing key players but should be good enough game.

[amallon]

Bridge 2.14 Bryansford 1.11.  Micheal Lively and Chris Brannigan got straight reds.
Clonduff 1.11 Downpatrick 1.8
Stone and Kilcoo drew 13 points each.

[amallon]

Cathal Magee is playing some stuff for the Bridge.  He has improved greatly since he was with the county for the McKenna cup a few years back.  He is worth a shot for next season.

[BRIDGE LAD]

Cathal Magee is playing some stuff for the Bridge.  He has improved greatly since he was with the county for the McKenna cup a few years back.  He is worth a shot for next season.

Just like to echo a mallon, big geezer is by far one of the best performers for the bridge this season if not the best! Great target man that can score.

Ciaran Brannagan had another one of his usual stinkers tonight, dont know how he was appointed tonight with the Ford playing Clonduff next week. He couldnt wait to send Chris brannigan off never mind Micheal! Total tosspot!!!!

Good luck to Down tomorrow!

[DaisyCutter]

I agree that Cathal Magee is having a great year after viewing him on a number of occasions this year.

Was at the Stone and Magpies game, where Brendan Rice was again the top performer on view tonight as some of the decisions he gave against both sides were nothing short of a disgrace! Why are our supposedly top referees always trying to steal the limelight from our games??? The last 10 minutes of the game he gave the stone very handy frees to give them a chance to level up the game with the magpies a goal up. Minute into injury time a free was kicked into the box and was deflected into the net via a deflaction. Before the keeper set the next ball up, he blew for full time??
He must be back at the betting office again. Good odds on a drawn game tonight.

In term of general play, both sides were very committed in a hard game where no quarter was given. Stone got 12+ bodies behind the ball and broke at speed to cause the magpies problems. Kilcoo couldn't break down the blanket defense and depended on long range points. Stone got three handy enough goals via a dubious penalty decision for the first.
Possession was dominated by Kilcoo but they couldn't convert to scores.
Best for the stone were per usual Ryan Kelly and Mark Doran. Best for Kilcoo were Niall McEvoy and Donal Kane.

Good luck to Down for tomorrow.

[Mourne Rover]

According to downgaa.net, Ardglass lost at home tonight to Darragh Cross, who were only three points ahead of them in the league before the game, by 0-5 to no score. Ardtole is always a difficult venue for visiting teams, even if Ardglass have been hit by economic factors, and it is hard to remember a senior fixture when they did not trouble the umpires. Is this result correct ?

[Statto-Gael]

According to downgaa.net, Ardglass lost at home tonight to Darragh Cross, who were only three points ahead of them in the league before the game, by 0-5 to no score. Ardtole is always a difficult venue for visiting teams, even if Ardglass have been hit by economic factors, and it is hard to remember a senior fixture when they did not trouble the umpires. Is this result correct ?

Its the standard way of reflecting a 'Did-Not-Field' - surprising tbh and not good at all for Ardglass but I understand that Darragh got the points without a ball being kicked

[Crossman]

Yes,strange as it may seem Ardglass did not field tonight at home to Darragh!! Ardglass festival was on apparently and they couldn't get 15 to fulfill fixture....

[DownFanatic]

Yes,strange as it may seem Ardglass did not field tonight at home to Darragh!! Ardglass festival was on apparently and they couldn't get 15 to fulfill fixture....

I think it is in the By-Laws when a team doesn't field for an adult fixture in Down it is given as 0-05 to 0-00 against the team that fails to fulfil the fixture.

I have always maintained that over the past decade or so Ardglass have had the most talented players in the 3rd tier of Down football. Back around the mid noughties they made the Div 3 promotion playoffs for about 4 years on the trot but could never get to Div 2. Soccer always seemed to get in the way in one shape or another.

[Mid Down Gael]

I agree that Cathal Magee is having a great year after viewing him on a number of occasions this year.

Was at the Stone and Magpies game, where Brendan Rice was again the top performer on view tonight as some of the decisions he gave against both sides were nothing short of a disgrace! Why are our supposedly top referees always trying to steal the limelight from our games??? The last 10 minutes of the game he gave the stone very handy frees to give them a chance to level up the game with the magpies a goal up. Minute into injury time a free was kicked into the box and was deflected into the net via a deflaction. Before the keeper set the next ball up, he blew for full time??
He must be back at the betting office again. Good odds on a drawn game tonight.

In term of general play, both sides were very committed in a hard game where no quarter was given. Stone got 12+ bodies behind the ball and broke at speed to cause the magpies problems. Kilcoo couldn't break down the blanket defense and depended on long range points. Stone got three handy enough goals via a dubious penalty decision for the first.
Possession was dominated by Kilcoo but they couldn't convert to scores.
Best for the stone were per usual Ryan Kelly and Mark Doran. Best for Kilcoo were Niall McEvoy and Donal Kane.

Good luck to Down for tomorrow.

On the night I believe you got it wrong in terms of top performers. Darragh OHanlon was by far the outstanding player on view while Mark Doran was involved in all the stones good play. Michael Hughes won 5 kick outs from right half back and was very impressive against Donal IMO.

[DaisyCutter]

what balanced my decision MDG was the amount of times O'Hanlon fumbled the ball in open play and he also played a lot of the magpies players into trouble, particularly in the second half. He is still young but he will learn in time to come.
What did you think of the referring display MDG?