Down v Armagh - Newry - 20 March 2010

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

When is Armagh gonna realise that the time for big strapping lads throughout you're team is gone (10 years ago) the game is all about speed and great agility not big Ogre's...really disappointed with Armagh tonight and was impressed with Down, they have speed and smart footballers in their team. Coulter looked sharp tonight and looked like he's shed a few pounds

O'Rourke seems intent on fielding as big and as physical a side as he possibly can. We started the second half with 3 midfielders in the forward line while Brian mallon sat on the bench for the full match and Kevin O'Rourke, one of our better forwards last year has been deemed not good enough for the squad. Madness.

[ardmhaca08]

Load of shite.

Playing catch up from McEvoy's Heartyesque fcuk up. Can't afford to let any team run up an eight point lead, never mind a hyped up Down side on a roll. Did well to get back into it, but the sending off killed our chances and the game as a spectacle. What was it for, no one had a clue in the crowd? Ref definitely seemed like the officious sort who wasn't for letting anything go, maybe he was right to but it didn't help the game. In addition to their decent forwardline, Down have a good blanket defense defensive system and there are few teams that'll beat them easily. But we're no great barometer at this stage, so although they're moving in the right direction, talk of Ulster titles or anything else is a bit premature.

Even allowing for being a man down, we were very flat and unimaginative. Only McDonnell offered any scoring threat in the second half after the withdrawal of Henderson and Forker. The management did not come out well with these two changes. The introduction of Vernon stank of panic. Charlie wasn't fit to fart tonight and we were effectively playing with 13 men with him on the field. His move to midfield didn't help either as it took Austin, who'd been doing well, away from there. Although Mackin did alright, we needed Forker, or at least another forward on the pitch. We'd 5 or 6 midfielders and one FF after that change. It made no sense, we weren't doing too badly around the middle, but were struggling up front.

Still a solid shot at promotion, two wins should secure second spot, but a wee bit of a reality check for any that had allowed themselves to get carried away by the last three wins. We're still very much in the infancy of any revival.

But who gives a f**k about the league anyway.

[AFS]

Sarcasm lad, sarcasm.

[fitzroyalty]

Dunno maybe it was when mckeever stood on him? Had the kids with me tonight such a role model mckeever is.

Says on Down thread that it was his hip...so I wouldn't be jumping to conclusions about what McKeever may or may not have done

[illdecide]

When is Armagh gonna realise that the time for big strapping lads throughout you're team is gone (10 years ago) the game is all about speed and great agility not big Ogre's...really disappointed with Armagh tonight and was impressed with Down, they have speed and smart footballers in their team. Coulter looked sharp tonight and looked like he's shed a few pounds

O'Rourke seems intent on fielding as big and as physical a side as he possibly can. We started the second half with 3 midfielders in the forward line while Brian mallon sat on the bench for the full match and Kevin O'Rourke, one of our better forwards last year has been deemed not good enough for the squad. Madness.

You def need a couple of big men in your team (strong up the middle but these guys also need to be mobile and smart footballers...see Cork for examples) but all the rest of the team has to be set up for speed. I can only hope Stefan Forker was taken off for being injured and by the look on Ryan Henderson's face coming off at half time he was well f**ked off. Ronan Austin started off well and had 3 catches in the first 10 mins but afterwards was non existent, Feeney was not at the races either...O Rourke will have to have a long look in the mirror tonight and admit he got it wrong.

[Pangurban]

Great Down performance, in which every Man played his part. Mc Keever is an absolute disgrace, and should not be seen on any Football field for a long time, after his actions tonight. Armagh are a second rate outfit, reliant on too many old stalwarts whose best days are behind them. That along with a totally incompetent Manager, will ensure a short summer for them. As for Down, the future is Rosy, and the return of aristocratic football will be welcomed by all lovers of the game

[goldenyears]

Clarke hurt his hip!

BBC site:
Armagh boss Paddy O'Rourke did not make a happy return to Pairc Esler as Down moved close to securing NFL promotion by earning a comprehensive win.

Benny Coulter palmed to the net early on after a defensive mix-up and the Mournemen moved into a 1-5 to 0-0 lead.

Steven McDonnell's penalty got Armagh scoring and Down's lead was cut to 1-7 to 1-4 at the interval.

But Armagh's Finnian Moriarty had already been sent off and Down went on to totally dominate the second half.

Down got off to the perfect start as Coulter was gifted a goal in the opening minute after goalkeeper Philip McEvoy and Andy Mallon appeared to get in each other's way and allowed the Mayobridge man to palm into the empty net.

The goal sent Down confidence soaring and they were 1-5 to 0-0 ahead by the eighth minute as Martin Clarke pointed from frees and play and impressive midfielder Ambrose Rogers also got on the scoresheet.

However, Armagh replied with a goal of their own with McDonnell netting a penalty after Stefan Forker had been fouled.

Soon, there was a kick of the ball between the sides after McDonnell and Moriarty tagged on Armagh points.

Down were losing their way somewhat with the departure of the playmaking Martin Clarke causing their performance level to drop.

Clarke had been on the receiving end of a few uncompromising challenges both on and off the ball from Ciaran McKeever and was forced to depart with Conor Maginn coming on.

Armagh did cut the lead to 1-6 to 1-4 by the 32nd minute but the first half ended on a bad note for the Orchard men as Moriarty was dismissed after getting a second yellow card and John Clarke added a further Armagh point.

McDonnell's point at the start of the second period cut Down's lead to two but Armagh didn't score again until Gareth Swift's 68th-minute point.

With Rogers starting to dominate midfield, as Kieran Toner faded after a bright first half, Armagh wilted in the second half.

The introduction of Conor Laverty added further pep to the Down attack while Mark Poland, Daniel Hughes and Maginn were among the scorers.

One point from Down's final two games away to Westmeath and at home to Laois will be enough to guarantee promotion for James McCartan's side.

[balladmaker]

A good win for a Down team on an up curve, the steepness of that curve remains to be seen.  Down still have some limited players, in size in particular, that would make me fear for their potential come the white heat of the Championship.  One swallow does not make a summer.

[goldenyears]

Pangur that's the sort of post that gives genuine Down supporters a bad name!

McKeever is a nut on the field + clearly goes in for intimidation as part of his gameplan but what did he do that should have him banned for a long time?
Also what Armagh stalwarts are you talking about? I can only think of Stevie + McKeever

That's a really young Armagh team is it not

[rionach 4]

A huge dose of reality there boys. Down for me were well worth their 7 point victory and probably should have won it by a good deal more. They were much more organised in defence , had a good system of support play, knew how to funnell back and cut out the danger, marked very tight and were out in front for most of the balls in the forward line . Always had a player in support and played to a system. What chance McDonnell had when it was 15 aside evaporated when they were able to double mark him .  In general our play was laboured and build up slow . One or two first time balls to McDonnell were reaping huge dividends but not nearly enough. I have said this and I am tired saying it. With only McDonnell and Clarke up front we are going nowhere. In this modern game it's not enough. I thought last week Forker had maybe stepped up to the plate but tonight he was withdrawn when realistically anyone of ten could have been called ashore. I would rather suffer with Forker and see what he has, than look at Malachy Mackin knowing exactly what he has .
Ronan Austin is as honest as the day is long but when he was switched out of the middle he might as well have been sitting beside me. His fumble at the beginning of the second half was crucial . We had just scored a point, the goal was on and somehow the ball ended up behind him .It was our only realistic goal chance . After that it was one-way traffic. In the first half the movement was very poor . Time and time again we were forced across field . There was no direct penetration at all .
The referee was poor but in no way did he cost us the game . The linesman spotted Finn Mo and it was he who related the incident to the ref . Being already booked it was a no-brainer . IFinn's first booking was just so silly , He had actually won the free but kicked out albeit rather harmlessly and got booked for it.
I do feel sorry for Joe Feeney . He did try his best got on the ball and to be fair his handling is quite good. He has a good turn but there for me it ends . He has no strength on the ball . In Tight situations he is to easily knocked of the ball and on one occassion where he tried to break thorugh was just swallowed up by a horde of red and black. Gareth swift in the first half did look to be playing with a good deal of style and was coping quite well , scored a nice point and was involved, In the second however he just faded(the swtch to full forward didnt help) like so many of his colleagues. I thought Andy got a roasting at times tonight particularly in the first half.. So to did Brendy Donaghy . John Clarke was out in front for quite a few balls but Brendy settled and played quite well to the finish.
The defence were under quite a bit of pressure throughout the whole game . Paul McEvoy's kick-outs were good but no the rest was poor. to be fair I felt he lost confidence after the goal and that spread throughtout.
I know this might seem unfair to him but I did feel hearty would have been the man to put in goals tonight . Paul lacked that bit of big time experience  which the other paul has.. Horses for courses
I am and always have been a big fan of Ciaran mckeevers football ability but playing to the gallery aint his strong point. I do not condone some of his antics. enough said.
Did the match turn on the sending of? probably yes. We were making inroads into the Down defence slowly but surely but the sending of allowed them to cut of our scoring threat and so any chance of winning.
I thought K toner was immense and only for him we would have 1999 thrown back in our faces.. He needs a partner , most likely Charlie but tonight Charlie reminded me of  lines in a song by BIlly Joel ( the piano man)

"Now John at the bar is a friend of mine and he gets me my drinks for free
He's quick with a joke and he'd light up your smoke but theres some place that he'd rather be ".

Where Charlie'S place was I dont know but it wasnt at pairc Eisler.and then at corner forward to the bargain .
No lads we lost both of and on the field. How much different from last Sunday where I went home with a skip in my step. Tonight  that flat feeling whereby Cork Keery and Tyrone are as far away as a holiday for me in the seychelles .
Defeat by Down doesnt pain me that much as my rivalry is with another team in red but not black. It pains me though that we still havent come up with those forwards needed
Toner is going to be great . The defence will always be there and there abouts but it's scoring forwards that win matches. Down have those scoring forwards but not us . Our minor team last year had them . We need a few by May 16th or else I will be forced to take the big one on hols (to Warrenpoint .not the seychelles) for the summer as there may be feck all else to do

[Throw ball]

I feel many are getting carried away. Down started of very well and played the extra man superbly. However, for a large part of the first half they struggled. The sending off did them a huge favour. As the summer goes on teams will also become more aware of their blocking tactics and have a plan in place to play it. I counted four occasions when a Down man blocked the Armagh covering player. The ref did not see any. Mackin was ticked for a similar thing late on. Overall though I think Down are well on the way but doubt if that team tonight is good enough to go past an All Ireland quarter final. Would also say that, not going as far back as 2001, the two head high challenges under the stand on Brendan Donaghy were far worse than McKeevers 'punch' in Clarke's ribs. McKeever's fondness for the darker arts does not appeal I will agree.

Armagh are not as bad as they appeared tonight. Our defence is almost there and I thought Toner's workrate was immense. When on the half forward line Swift looked a player. Do not know if it was the case but Forker seemed to be limping when he walked to the bench after half time. As for management I think they have now used 28 players in the league. If they are using the league to see how players will do in the months, and even years, ahead then fair enough. If they thought the substitutions tonight would help win the match come summer then that is a bit more concerning.

Finally, if Croke Park think that the ref tonight had a good game then it really is the end of football. He wasn't as bad as Armagh though!

[fan01]

if as reported clarke hurt his hip how would the  so called punch in the ribs from mc keever hurt his hip 

[Throw ball]

if as reported clarke hurt his hip how would the  so called punch in the ribs from mc keever hurt his hip 

He has massive hands.

[Leo]

You know lads we are all entitled to our opinions and our prejudices but some times we have to face facts.
Marty Clake at senior inter-county level is really an unkown quantitiy but the hype and expectatatin is huge. But what we sa at Park Esler toight was a cynical exercise to take a potentionaly exciting player out of the game by every foul mean in the book.

How proud are Armagh folk tonight that Marty Clarke was taken to hospital with serious concerns about a spleen or kidney injury (thankfully all seems ok)? Is this what a young man with a serious professioal sporting career in Austtralian came back home for?

The fact of the matter is that he was assaulted (yes ASSAULTED) before the ball was thrown in, then assaulted agaian after receiving treatement for injury and, finally,  struck agian when he was being substituted as a result of thiose assaults.. Is thsi our national game of which we are so proud?

So proud that thsi young exciting footballer was taken to hospital as the game was still goin on?

A big win for Down but I am not celebrating.

[Mid Down Gael]

Marty Clarke has injured ribs due to that scum bag McKeever off the ball twice contary to other reports off a hip injury. Clarke was skinning him as was the whole Down attack in opening twenty minutes. I couldnt help but laugh at the stuipidy off the Cullyhanna so called hard man. Waving to the crowd after being subtituted in a game where his team where loosing heavily too. Childish behaviour and something you would never have seen Armagh greats like McGrane, McGeeney, Francie, the McEntees etc... at.

Another good win for us against a poor enough Orchard side. Apart from Brendy Donaghy, Stevie McDonnell, Kieran Toner and Gareth Swift no one else performed.
For Down i thought Rafferty was again outstanding with Colgan and Garvey also impressive in defence. Kallum King had his best game in a Down jersey while Ambrose had a bit off a mixed bag. Up front Danny Hughes was amazing and was my man off the match while Benny was brilliant at times. Marty Clarke was going well until he had to retire while Conor Laverty again made a telling impact when introduced.

Great league for us so far and the attendance at Pairc Esler was great to see. Fair play to wee James and co. With players like Paul McComiskey, Dan Gordon, Paul Murphy, Liam Doyle, Michael Walsh, Timmy Hanna, Declan Rooney and Aidan Carr to return we look to be in good shape.