Down v Armagh - Newry - 20 March 2010

[Mid Down Gael]

I hope the Armagh management take stock of last night. A seven point defeat at the hands of a team that couldn't even win the third division last year, and was defeated by Wicklow in the Championship is truly shameful and is right up there with the defeat by Fermanagh in the AI Quarter Final (thats the last 8 of the Championship for all Down supporters by the way), in terms of shame and disgrace.

Its better a lesson was learn't against a lesser side in the league than against a big side oin the Championship without scope for rectification.

As for young Clarke, well at least he has a full set of teeth to-day which is more than can be said of other so called Down legendary forwards after being marked by teak tough Armagh defenders.

Consider with Amazement all the events that have occurred since Down last defeated Armagh prior to last night... 9/11, Katie Price lost her virginity, Simon Cowell and X Factor, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern's premierships, George W Bush, Take That split and reform etc etc

Get over it. Yous are a very average side and are on the road to know where. You continue to bring up the past, if Down fans where to bring up and compare things off the past we could go on all night. Id much rather be in Downs position than that off Armaghs at present.

[DennistheMenace]

As a neutral at the game last night I couldn't believe how poor Armagh were whilst Down looked a well drilled outfit under McCartan who to date hasn't exactly been thriving in management. I know Armagh have went backwards in the last few years but your reliance on Stevie is nearly on par with Derry and Paddy Bradley and there isn't a plan B. Ronan saviour Clarke and McDonnell aren't going to win games on their own and in comparison to Armagh squads in the past decade this one is pretty poor.

Down on the otherhand are going in the other direction with some excellent forwards and if they can keep Coulter fit, Clarke injury free (yes it was a dirty dig on him) and McComiskey to hit form then they have ample scoring forwards.

If I were a betting man and I am, I'd wager Down to go further than Armagh in this years championship.

[T Fearon]

That may well be the case, none of us are expecting too much from Armagh for a year or two, but Stevie and Ronan Clarke have something Benny Coulter will never have, an All Ireland Senior medal.

At the end of the day this

[T Fearon]

Down side is vastly more experienced than the current Armagh side, yet where it not for terrible start and Moriarity's ridiculous dismissal I believe Armagh would have gone close to winning.

I would credit Mc Ivor more than Mc Cartan with Down's current good form, though it will undoubtedly prove a false dawn as the win against Tyrone proved in 2008.

[norabeag]

Down side is vastly more experienced than the current Armagh side, yet where it not for terrible start and Moriarity's ridiculous dismissal I believe Armagh would have gone close to winning.

I would credit Mc Ivor more than Mc Cartan with Down's current good form, though it will undoubtedly prove a false dawn as the win against Tyrone proved in 2008.

And if my granny had had a set of b***s  yawn yawn yawn
You're a very bitter man.
For the record though it wasn't a terrible start. The vast majority of people in Pairc Esler thought it was a wonderful start

[lawnseed]

didn't get to the match had to resort to the radio {bbc} the whole second half the was only one team in it. but I've been reading this thread from the beginning and there has been definite smugness on the orange side of the fence from the very start. there has never been more than the kick of a ball between the two sides, sure we've had success and so have down. so i don't know where the massive confidence was coming from. listening to the match there was one glaring fact none of the kernans are county players! Arron was the pick of them and hes dissappeared up his own you know what. I've know doubt that at training they work hard but their inability to move the ball QUICKLY AND ACCURATLY is starving our forwards of ball winning opportunities, think back to the days when Andy mccann, geezer and keiran hughes and how they raced up the wings and gave good diagonal ball to the forwards or even kicked a point or two. these lads are getting caught in possession or are messing about til all the oppositions defenders have set up. all our forwards can score but they need quality ball. its not happening if we had things like playercam these guys wouldn't get on. as for mckeever hes a good player but he loves the rough stuff the rest of the armagh simply aren't up for it and are obviously getting sidetracked by his misplaced aggression. if he wants to impress anyone keep his man scoreless and limit his influence thats his job but do it clean- thats impressive 

[Mid Down Gael]

Down side is vastly more experienced than the current Armagh side, yet where it not for terrible start and Moriarity's ridiculous dismissal I believe Armagh would have gone close to winning.

I would credit Mc Ivor more than Mc Cartan with Down's current good form, though it will undoubtedly prove a false dawn as the win against Tyrone proved in 2008.

And if my granny had had a set of b***s  yawn yawn yawn
You're a very bitter man.
For the record though it wasn't a terrible start. The vast majority of people in Pairc Esler thought it was a wonderful start

Let him rant on. And the rest off Armagh too and their one all ireland. 

[lawnseed]

your a busy guy Trev, hope this stuff doesn't come back to bite you in the ASS

[bigpaul]

Was it yourself sitting behind me last night Trevor,or maybe just a few in front, or ?? By the tone of your posts you would fit the bill,some distasteful stuff there,it is still only a game!

[Orior]

didn't get to the match had to resort to the radio {bbc} the whole second half the was only one team in it. but I've been reading this thread from the beginning and there has been definite smugness on the orange side of the fence from the very start. there has never been more than the kick of a ball between the two sides, sure we've had success and so have down. so i don't know where the massive confidence was coming from. listening to the match there was one glaring fact none of the kernans are county players! Arron was the pick of them and hes dissappeared up his own you know what. I've know doubt that at training they work hard but their inability to move the ball QUICKLY AND ACCURATLY is starving our forwards of ball winning opportunities, think back to the days when Andy mccann, geezer and keiran hughes and how they raced up the wings and gave good diagonal ball to the forwards or even kicked a point or two. these lads are getting caught in possession or are messing about til all the oppositions defenders have set up. all our forwards can score but they need quality ball. its not happening if we had things like playercam these guys wouldn't get on. as for mckeever hes a good player but he loves the rough stuff the rest of the armagh simply aren't up for it and are obviously getting sidetracked by his misplaced aggression. if he wants to impress anyone keep his man scoreless and limit his influence thats his job but do it clean- thats impressive

Good post. Mckeever should forget about waving to the fans/opposition fans and get on with playing football.

[T Fearon]

Do not be too despondent. In spite of turning in our worst performance since a hammering in Cavan in the league around the mid noughties (which did us feck all harm or Cavan feck all good the same summer), consider the fact that we outscored Down from the tenth minute to the end of the game (which unbelievably included only 2 points in the entire second half), and for the best part of that period we only had 14 men.

I also think that the delayed start (when Down couldn't even produce a properly inflated ball in two attemps,and someone had to run across to the O'Neills shop to buy one) disrupted our concentration and led to the nightmare opening.

Blips like these happen so I wouldn't get overly concerned, though still the players should be hurting at a seven point defeat by a team just up from Division 3 as runners up and exited the Championship to Wicklow last summer

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Do not be too despondent. In spite of turning in our worst performance since a hammering in Cavan in the league around the mid noughties (which did us feck all harm or Cavan feck all good the same summer), consider the fact that we outscored Down from the tenth minute to the end of the game (which unbelievably included only 2 points in the entire second half), and for the best part of that period we only had 14 men.

I also think that the delayed start (when Down couldn't even produce a properly inflated ball in two attemps,and someone had to run across to the O'Neills shop to buy one) disrupted our concentration and led to the nightmare opening.

Blips like these happen so I wouldn't get overly concerned, though still the players should be hurting at a seven point defeat by a team just up from Division 3 as runners up and exited the Championship to Wicklow last summer

The match started dead on 7 30pm. The bad start was due to individual errors; goalkeeping and some ridiculous frees including lifting the ball off the ground with nobody challenging whatsoever.

[T Fearon]

TAM, but the amateurish failure to produce a proper ball could have disrupted concentration. FFS you wouldn't see that in an Armagh ACL 4th Division game. Third rate preparation, for their biggst home game in years, by a third rate county.

[illdecide]

TAM, but the amateurish failure to produce a proper ball could have disrupted concentration. FFS you wouldn't see that in an Armagh ACL 4th Division game. Third rate preparation, for their biggst home game in years, by a third rate county.

FFS Tony i know you're a wind up merchant but FFS just say the truth...we were stuffed by a better Down team in every department incluing the line. Who gives a F**k who beat Down last year in the championship or what division they WERE in the fact of the matter is their a 2nd division team and soon to be div 1 team who played us off the park. I know we didn't perform to the best of our abilities and started slow but that's not Downs fault it's Armaghs.

The only thing i don't agree with is the personal abuse of players but sometimes it's hard to defend it

[norabeag]

TAM, but the amateurish failure to produce a proper ball could have disrupted concentration. FFS you wouldn't see that in an Armagh ACL 4th Division game. Third rate preparation, for their biggst home game in years, by a third rate county.

Was only the biggest game since the Tipp game and at this moment our biggest home game coming up is the Laois game. All a work in progress but going nicely all the same
with regard to proper balls, Tony, thats exactly what you are continually talking