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One simply question how many medals do the Brannigan brothers have between them? Would it be a record for the one family of brothers

Good luck St Endas in your All Ireland  final tomorrow

It will be the 7th of September before the new Down manger will be announced , and he is the only man job

Well said wobbler. £24 into a first round game. Why wouldn't you go to the pub and watch it? That would get ya 12 bottles of coors in the Harps club. The pricing is far to much. 2 adults and 1 kid £55 before any food is bought
I'm estimating 7000

there was 9000 in ballybofey and 8000 in enniskillen, i'd say crowd in newry won't be much above 5k.

Well said wobbler. £24 into a first round game. Why wouldn't you go to the pub and watch it? That would get ya 12 bottles of coors in the Harps club. The pricing is far to much. 2 adults and 1 kid £55 before any food is bought
I'm estimating 7000

there was 9000 in ballybofey and 8000 in enniskillen, i'd say crowd in newry won't be much above 5k.

After reading today's Irish News about the Loughinisland massacre would any body in there right mind want to join the P.S.N.I.

Good luck To Mayobridge under 21 on Saturday , Brendan Grant has done a good job with this group of players

 The easy way out for next year is the team that finished top wins the league

Down, even by normal standards, are under performing, as are a lot of counties in Ireland. This cannot be the fault of one or two individuals. There was a segment on Newstalk over the weekend on Down, and taking in the religious split, we should have a population of over 200,000 to support the GAA.
In my opinion the issues are the following:

1. Most of the towns/cities have fallen behind in bringing through support and players. Newry Shamrocks, Bosco, Mitchels, Clann na Banna, Bredagh, Carryduff, Downpatrick all play outside the top division. This is not a criticism of these clubs and their hard working members (see below), just a fact. Some of these clubs have 30-40 kids turning up for U12 football - there has to be a focus on how to keep the numbers interested in Gaelic as their primary sport.
2. Co. Down schools have the same problem at present. The cream of talent of both Down and Armagh attend these schools and there is fleeting success in the older age groups.
3. Lack of volunteers - talk to anybody in the county board setup, and the lack of support is a major issue, from fundraising to scheduling, referees etc. As it is sometimes in the club setup, the work is divided by the relative few and I have never known it to be any different. Maybe the county setup is the same? Maybe a few doing too much and spreading themselves thin?
4. I don't believe that we have a lack of players, I think we lack something for the players to believe in. What joy or pride is there in pulling on a red and black jersey now? All that awaits is abuse.
5.  The sooner someone realises that Down football's strength was never defence, or short hand passing, or chasing a game, or sticking rigidly to tactics, the better.
6. Aggression to get the ball, using fitness levels properly, basic skills, winning break ball all comes with confidence.

Short term we need someone to restore the confidence in this group of players, give each chosen player a decent chance and start with a realistic goal. If that is Burns then he must have time to develop the team.

With regards to the county board, again, realistic targets. Whether individuals stay or go, a plan to sort finances has to be put in place and reviewed after a year with goals to be achieved - some great suggestions on this board to start! This plan should then be circulated to all clubs, and asking for assistance, where required.

It wasn't too long ago that we were visiting Croke Park and were within a point of winning an All Ireland. We are a long way off that day, but small steps with a bit of reason and conviction from the members of the wider GAA circles in Down and I have no doubt it can be turned around.

Great post , well said

I was highly impressed watching the Gaelic games today, the skill of the Kerry players - all comfortable two footed players.  Then there was the hurling match between Kilkenny & Galway - Kilkenny came out for the warm up before the match without a cone in sight, unlike at most GAA pitches throughout the county - you would think some of them were an airport runway!

It is my honest belief that too many of our young players are programmed by their coaches, the game is all about tactics and if the tactics are not working the players don't know how to think for themselves and make their own decisions on the pitch, how often have we seen players looking to the side lines for answers?  I believe because players are not being encouraged to use their own initiative at underage level, this is carrying through into our senior levels. 

So this takes me back to the question I have asked before what are all the underage coaches within our clubs teaching the young players?  Are they being coached to improve their skills and ability to a read a game or is it all about winning matches?  If we took in a rule to award players on a skills basis rather than winners and losers, this could maybe lead to an improvement in the standard of our game.

I often ask the question who coached the likes of Tom O'Hare and Paddy Doherty?  As I said before these men are two of the greatest and most skilled players I have ever witnessed playing our great game.

As for the individuals who appear to be having a problem with our county board - be a man and take off your mask, go as your club representative to the next County Convention and air your problems, concerns and all the answers to them in the proper forum.

The old  reminiscing about the past and it's players.

It is hard not to look at the past when the future is not to bright and I have been lucky to have witnessed the good years

I was highly impressed watching the Gaelic games today, the skill of the Kerry players - all comfortable two footed players.  Then there was the hurling match between Kilkenny & Galway - Kilkenny came out for the warm up before the match without a cone in sight, unlike at most GAA pitches throughout the county - you would think some of them were an airport runway!

It is my honest belief that too many of our young players are programmed by their coaches, the game is all about tactics and if the tactics are not working the players don't know how to think for themselves and make their own decisions on the pitch, how often have we seen players looking to the side lines for answers?  I believe because players are not being encouraged to use their own initiative at underage level, this is carrying through into our senior levels. 

So this takes me back to the question I have asked before what are all the underage coaches within our clubs teaching the young players?  Are they being coached to improve their skills and ability to a read a game or is it all about winning matches?  If we took in a rule to award players on a skills basis rather than winners and losers, this could maybe lead to an improvement in the standard of our game.

I often ask the question who coached the likes of Tom O'Hare and Paddy Doherty?  As I said before these men are two of the greatest and most skilled players I have ever witnessed playing our great game.

As for the individuals who appear to be having a problem with our county board - be a man and take off your mask, go as your club representative to the next County Convention and air your problems, concerns and all the answers to them in the proper forum.

Well said PaudieSull1 , a lot of things very true in that post

Thomas when I refer to underage, I am emphasising u8/10/12 and the number of tournaments played throughout the session.  Also u12/14/16 & minors are training and playing for schools and clubs.  With all this training & playing I can't see were we are benefitting at senior level with all this underage participation. 

It is my opinion that when we were only playing u16 football, we were producting much better quality footballers but that is only my opinion!

Sure it has got now that you would get a trophy for being the best supporter in some clubs!

Here here johnny in response to the first part of your comments. However as for not having a good minor since 2009 I think you will get a load of names thT old be classed as good minors

Maybe so Leftmidfield, but where are all of these great players today, does it go back to what I say there is too much underage football & too much emphasis on winning at underage?

There is a lot of criticism within Down football blaming everyone from the county secretary to the bus driver - some of this is justified and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

This September I will attend my 40th All Ireland in a row plus the '73 and '68 finals plus numerous hurling finals - I have seen a lot of great players over the years & over this time there has been a massive change in the standard of both football and players.

In years gone by the lifestyle of players was different to the present, take for instance Tom O'Hare the best left corner back I have witnessed playing - he was a labourer attending brickys and plasterer - carrying out his gym work during the day, were he was fit to stand beside an empty 40 gallon drum and jump in and out several times, an act I have not witnessed since.

Take another player Paddy Doherty the best left half forward I have seen, a bricky out on site 5 or 6 days a week.  He was as dangerous 40 yards out with his back to the goals, as most of todays players are on the 14 yard line facing the goals.

A lot of todays players are now attending the gym, is it to improve their performance on the field or to improve their appearance among their social circle?

I just wonder if all the players that are not making themselves available for the county, if we had a chance of winning an Ulster title would they make themselves available?

Maybe one of the problems in todays game is there is too much underage football too young.  By the time the players turn 18 they have had a sickener of our great game!!  At one club within our county the under 8 teams parents were sent a text message from their manager detailing what they were to eat, what they were to drink and at what time they should be going to bed!!

Is part of the problem the under age coaching methods?  Cause many of these coaches will tell you how many levels of coaching they have but I have never heard of anyone not pass these coaching courses.

Maybe the clubs should change their juvenile awards  - no winner medals, for medals are too easily got. 

If they want to improve the standard of skills within the game maybe they should award players at the end of each game for some of the following abilities e.g. the best / most improved catcher, the best / most improved two footed player, the player who caught the most ball, the player that blocked the most balls, the best passer, the players who best listen to instructions from management, the best leader on the field.
 
A new rule should be introduced at underage level that they are only allowed a toe tap & a bounce and this would encourage them to play with their head up - an ability lacking at all levels.

I have one final point about the state of Down football, from '09 can anyone name a good minor player, never mind a good minor team?

Could this be one of the reasons we are not producing them at senior level?

P.S. It is Tom O'Hare senior I have refered to not Thomas junior.