Messages

Good performance today from the lads. Lots of encouraging signs. Now the real stuff kicks in that's preseason over with. If Down can get promotion and win a championship game we've made progress. But the season won't be judged on a couple of decent McKenna cup games. Is there much change to the team do ye reckon come national league? I think Kane will play ahead of O'hare in goals, he's better from the restarts I think. Also I'd love Barry to half forward in place of Millar to start Gilmore. Other than that the team looks strong.

Ryan McEvoy and Ward would be good additions but both need their attitudes readjusted a bit. Aggression is great when channelled properly, they can hopefully both be moulded in to serious county players in the coming years. Ward has a bad track record of getting red cards and black cards at silly times which the Ulster counties would target. Daryl deserves a run too but think he won't commit at this stage. Jerome is done and dusted but ryan and Shealan definitely options. Wonder will Eugene be asked or would he accept the call after his outrageous slabbering last year. Would love him try and back up his loose tongue in that panel but I fear he'll be too afraid to go because he knows he isn't up to county football. Miceal Rooney also deserves a run I think. Been very good for a couple of seasons now. Niall Kane also will start for down, can't see anyone taking his place

Burren patrons leaving the game last night were disgusted at the way Burren have been playing football this year. It's not the Burren way and McCorry really needed to have a good showing in the SFC to win over a lot of the aristocrats. McCorry has been so focused on how Burren need to play to beat Kilcoo, they forgot there are other teams who can catch them out. Bridge should have beaten them also this year don't forget, last night wasn't a one off.

From last nights game, who should be on the Down squad? Not even sure who on that pitch last night was on Wee James' panel tbh

Would have to argue that isn't a good Carryduff team on todays evidence. Like W'Point, Clonduff and a few others they blow very hot and very very cold. Very cagey affair with not much quality on show today apart from Shane Annett who absolutely has to be part of the county squad going forward. You wouldn't think Carryduff had 5/6 county men based off todays performance but that's as far as the Bridge will get now. I think Loughinisland would beat them from what I've seen so far. It's Kilcoo and the Rest as always in down. Magpies will hammer yellas and Burren do the same to the point on Monday and we'll have the usual Kilcoo And Burren split in the semis then meet for the final we all want to see.

Two big draws tonight for the next round. Point v Burren and Clonduff v Kilcoo. Two massive derbies but only two teams that will win those games. Kilcoo will cakewalk past the yellas and Burren the same against W'Point. Burren will fancy their chances this year they just need one big day against the reigning all Ireland champs. I think it'll be a Burren Bridge and Kilcoo Loughinisland semi final. Sets up lovely for a grand stand final. Burren by 10, Kilcoo by 6, Island by 4 and Bridge by 1

Harps might fancy their chances against Clonduff you know. I think that will be very very close. Mayobridge should have enough to beat RGU while Glenn will also believe they have a good chance to get to another quarter final. Warrenpoint Saul should be a game that's easy to call but stranger things have happened and Saul won't be as bad the next day out against W'point. Looks set for a great bunch of quarter finals whatever the draw will be.

Kilcoo are a class apart atm. Hopefully Burren Kilcoo final. Jim will have the men in green flying cone final day, massive strength and depth in their squad this year.

Point's management team hadn't a clue what to do when the game started to get away from them. Looks like another early championship exit is in its way for them. Hard to believe they were so close to toppling Kilcoo 3-4 years ago compared to the standard they are playing at now with nearly the same squad.

Nearly the same squad...obviously you don't follow the club scene too closely. No McGarry (their best forward by a mile) for the last two championship seasons. No McAleenan, No Aaron Magee, Paddy Murdock, Ryan Mallon, Ciaran McCartan, Ryan Magee or (Cormac McCartan most of last 2yrs). Point need every single man fit all the tim if they are going to compete but that's not realistic with the amount of games in a season for clubs now. Don't have the strength of squad to trouble the big guns.

Bridge don't have the stones to beat Burren simple as that. Should've could've would've the last few years and fall short when it matters. Even if they snuck a win last night Burren would hammer them when it matters. It's between Burren and Kilcoo, the rest are a sideshow. Point have far too many men missing, I hardly knew any of their players on Sunday and Kilcoo look as hungry as ever. Clonduff are a spent force and Carryduff are nowhere near Burren. Burren still win the lot for me, clean sweep pending

Burren v Bridge- Burren to win by 8
Kilcoo v Clonduff- Kilcoo by 2
CPN v Saul- CPN by 2
Ballyholland v Stone- Stone by 1
An Riocht v RGU- RGU by 8
Carryduff v Ford- Carryduff by 4
Loughinisland v Castlewellan- Island by 4
Glenn v Bredagh- Glenn by 6

Burren will win Ulster this year. Up in Ballybofey getting a training camp that Jim McGuinness was attending. With the talent at their disposal this year it would be a massive underachievement if they don't at least win another Ulster title. The money and preparation they've put in this year to keep men in the country and sort other lads with jobs etc I would be shocked if they're beaten again in 2022. Great to see the kingpins of Down finally back where they belong.

Someone in PP sniffing glue again. How can Barps be 14/1 and Loughinisland 40/1?

Burren 9/2 is some price. Overheard in Busy Bees today that a prominent Burren Bald figure from Burren saying that team won't be beaten this year. They've already planned a training weekend for the 3rd week of the championship as they are that confident of winning first two rounds. Hope they can do it, great club showing they are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest in terms of talent.

Well what a great finish to the second division tonight. Excitement right to the end. An Riocht will feel absolutely disgusted that they've gone down on score difference after what transpired at the start of the season against Darragh Cross. The DC manager won't be allowed in Mourne for the foreseeable I'd imagine. Have to feel sorry for them. I was at that game early in the season, the county board should have a better way of managing those situations. Only slight consolation is that DC have gone down as well, the least they deserve. Great to see that much 😃

Serious question, what has happened Ballyholland this season? I know they've a couple of lads away to the states but they've had some really good runs in the championship this last few years and been very competitive in D1 for a while now. It's not just that they've been relegated but they haven't won a game in about 10 weeks which is unheard of for them. Any Harps people here have an insight? Know the management were  pushed out, was it because of the fallout?

Think it's rough on whoever goes down because so many team have equipped themselves really well in Division 1. I would've liked to have seen a 4th bottom v 2nd in D2 play off to make sure we get the strongest D1 possible in 2023. You just never know what Ford team will turn up but they seem to have won the important games around them. Beating Island was massive and they will fancy beating a struggling Rostrevor side on the last day of the season. If they can get one win between CPN and Carryduff they'll stay up-some season for them to be fair. Loughinisland play Warrenpoint on the last day of the season too, the game was originally down for Moygannon and now it's in Loughinisland. Anyone know what's happening there? Loughinisland need 2/3 wins to finish the season

Any decent reports from Kilcoo Burren game on Friday?

Was talking to a few older Burren patrons and they were very impressed with how the team is going. Don't know where all the reports are coming from for the discontent. According to a couple of prominent Burren men in Grounded, they see themselves as favourites for the championship. Apparently the bad blood over the last few weeks with the magpies has been the perfect motivation to take them to the next level. Are Burren worth a few pound in the bookmakers?

Who is most likely to go down from Div 1B? Starting to think RGU will go down as it looks like a straight shootout when they play Loughinisland in two weeks time!