Down Club Hurling & Football

[Line Ball]

WTF. This panel has been together for months now and that is the best we can put together. I know everyone has to take responsibility and ultimately if the players do the business then they stand a good chance of winning, we never looked like winning. Marking was very slack, the team played as individuals, we continually gave simple possession away, there was little movement up front and tackling non existent all over the field. The management must shoulder blame as well.  There were no evident tactics, the team did not look fit, there were absolutely no positional changes made during the whole game just substitutions coming in, they looked out of their depth along the line. We needed a sweeper or defensively set up team once Armagh were scoring goals in the first half and getting easy ball into the full forward line and all the do is drop a half fit half forward back to fill space and he hadn't a clue what he was at. We are in a very low place at the minute and I don't see it getting any better in the near future unless the minors can do something. Depressing or what?

[sdg]

This team has been together from last April, u would swear they met at 7 last nite, no system, no team play all individuals. Midfield was a wiped out, cj Barr and big Aaron Magee from the point the best player by a mile I seen in the recent Down u21 championship cudnt even make the 24. Donal Mc keever on the senior panel not even picked for u21s!!!!!!!!

[Mourne Rover]

SDG, McKeever was unavailable through injury, but that does not change the fact that our performance last night was a shambles. If there was a game plan, then it was either a complete failure or the players did not understand it in the first place. There did not appear to be any attempt to counteract Armagh's well known strengths at centre half back and midfield, and they were able to pick out all the members of their excellent full forward line without being placed under any form of pressure. The changes we introduced were totally ineffective, and it was the worst overall display by a Down side at any grade for a very long time. There should be an investigation at county board level into our preparations for the fixture, not to point fingers but to learn lessons.

[cut the crap]

I have to agree with Sam, but I would go one step further in saying we have a business which currently turns over in excess of 1 million pds per annum ,and the performance on the field at all levels is not acceptable, we now should be taking steps to remove the executive.I am calling on the county board to call for an EGM , supported by the club chairmen and vote in a new executive.If our board reps and club chairmen don't do this we will see a repeat of the u21s performance time and time again.
I know my club and the majority of east down clubs would support such a call. Enough is enough.

[Brick Tamlin]

We're all behind you CTC, now just you lead the way and we will all follow.
A visionary and revolutionary figure like you is whats needed.
Im in.

[TheClutch]

Did anyone happen to watch the MacRory final yesterday? There were a few Down men on the St Pauls team according to commentary. Couple of men from An Riocht and a corner forward from Burren.

Why are these lads not playing for Down schools? St Colmans or the Abbey. Even one of the high schools like St Marks or St Malachys in Castlewellan.

[Samforever]

We're all behind you CTC, now just you lead the way and we will all follow.
A visionary and revolutionary figure like you is whats needed.
Im in.

Easy rhetoric from behind a keyboard. A tad more difficult to organise in real world. Perhaps we need assistance from Antrim guys who organised their "coup "' st end of last year .

[PAULD123]

...We can blame the management all we want but ultimately the players do the playing. If that is the best 20 we have, it confirms Down football is in a bad state. We can blame all but we must focus in on the root problem , the county executive who appoint and fire at will.Now is the time for a change at the top,Sean og McAteer must go...

I am confused, Why Sean Og? I mean how would replacing him help?

My understanding is that his role is administrative and has no real influence on team selection or tactics. Ok he is one of several people who ratify the choice of manager but I can't see how replacing him improves our performances on the field. I know a couple of former county secretaries pretty well and they had no involvement in the playing choices of the manager.

[spirit0f91and94]

I have to agree with Sam, but I would go one step further in saying we have a business which currently turns over in excess of 1 million pds per annum ,and the performance on the field at all levels is not acceptable, we now should be taking steps to remove the executive.I am calling on the county board to call for an EGM , supported by the club chairmen and vote in a new executive.If our board reps and club chairmen don't do this we will see a repeat of the u21s performance time and time again.
I know my club and the majority of east down clubs would support such a call. Enough is enough.

WTF are you drinking?
Name your club and the clubs to follow you...
Is it any wonder we are doomed....🍩🍩

[Leftmidfield]

Did anyone happen to watch the MacRory final yesterday? There were a few Down men on the St Pauls team according to commentary. Couple of men from An Riocht and a corner forward from Burren.

Why are these lads not playing for Down schools? St Colmans or the Abbey. Even one of the high schools like St Marks or St Malachys in Castlewellan.

I was at the game. Liam Kerr, Burren, (right corner forward) was St Pauls best player by some distance. Conor Clarke (An Rioct) LHB had a fair game. I was told at the match yesterday that St Pauls send a taxi to pick him up every morning fron Kilkeel and leave him home in the evening.

[Captain barnacles]

Yes I suppose all St Colmans and Abbbey lads are all from Down, not. In any case the way things are maybe they are better off playing with an Armagh school, they might actually learn how to play a bit of football. This is a nonsense statement anyway, it's not as if Bessbrook is a million miles from Newry and in any case because it's a comprehensive it draws on players of all levels of academic ability, not just the elite few. Funny enough when you think about it is St Pats Maghera not a comprehensive as well, and is St Ronans not the same? Maybe the lack of success of Down football is related to the demise of the elite academic institutions as football elite. Time for new thinking to replace what were the nurseries of the great teams of the past.

[OgraAnDun]

Academic requirements are usually waived if you're a good enough player at the age of 16.

[Captain barnacles]

Fair enough but I'd suggest neither the Abbey or St Colmans benefit hugely at post 16 from new blood and anyway when did secondary school education start at 16? The fact is schools like St Paul's are now making an impact because they don't see themselves as elite. Down football can't depend on the old establishment any more. Times have changed and if the u21 result v Armagh is anything to go by Down football really does need to have a good look at itself.

[OgraAnDun]

Fair enough but I'd suggest neither the Abbey or St Colmans benefit hugely at post 16 from new blood and anyway when did secondary school education start at 16? The fact is schools like St Paul's are now making an impact because they don't see themselves as elite. Down football can't depend on the old establishment any more. Times have changed and if the u21 result v Armagh is anything to go by Down football really does need to have a good look at itself.

I'm not disagreeing with those points and I think effectively 'buying' a MacRory (or as close as a college can come to it) is not the right approach. Schools should be developing players from first year through to when they leave rather than trying to attract the likes of Mooney in at 16. I know virtually nothing about the College but I think the management at the Abbey needs a looking at also.

[clowry13]

Down football is a complete shambles at the minute. No point denying it... We are 10 years behind every other decent county. Underage structure is pathetic ,the development are a complete waste of space. Boys at 15-18 say that development squads meet up once a month for a kick around in the abbey or college. Whereas donegal/Tyrone/Derry development squads meet up once or twice a week and actually have proper structures such as top class coaches and gym programs to work on etc.
Down expect clubs to do all the work to produce the players.... Results from the last few minor and under 21 championship results show this... Beaten in first round

Worrying times ahead for this county.