Messages

Happy Christmas everyone.

I really cant agree with you on that one, Wobbler.  Having seen alot of him for club and county I still feel he can do so much more.  When he 'takes the notion' to play football he really exerts himself, for his club anyway.  I have rarely seen this quality in the Down jersey recently and thats what disappoints me most. 

Wobbler, we'll soon be talking about him and his team mates who have done nothing since '99.  How depressing is that?

Wobbler, I feel you are being kind to Doyle be saying he was not reached his potential yet.  Managers have persevered with him yet, continually, his performances have been well below standard.  In regards to the drink, I have never advocated a 'monks life' for any county players but some do have issues and I believe that Doyle's performances on the field may be directly related to his lifestyle off it.

The Emperor must be cold in this weather, Pangurban, without any clothes!

Two things

Surely football is about outscoring your opponents.  You score more than the opposition, you win the game.  Whats the sense then in putting you most dangerous forward at full back.  He puts the shit up some many defences that most have to put two men on him.  I could see them doing this with Packy or Danny Hughes.

Secondly, Liam Doyle peaked when he was 18 years of age.  He has done nothing since.  He is totally overrated and to put him at CHB would be a major mistake.  Based on his performances in the red and black, he doesn't deserve a place on the team.  Surely if he was fit, and stayed of the sauce, he would be an addition to the team.  He has been a passenger and was picked because of his reputation and potential.  Not good enough

8. Who was the first ever All Star - Andy Phillips (Wicklow) Goalkeeper on the 1st ever All Star team in 1963

Go for it Lone Star, I'm totally behind you.  I made a post last week about the work clubmen do, which was laughed at by some people.  These are the type of people we have to support. 

St Mary's beat Down 3-11 to 2-10 last night in Burren. This was the Down starting 15.

1. B.Connell (Drumgath)
2. C.McGovern (Burren)
3. D.McMeel (Warrenpoint)
4. D.McCartan (Burren)
5. J.McCarthy (Darragh Cross born and bred, Loughinisland signing)
6. P.Turley (Downpatrick)
7. E.McGuinness (Shamrocks)
8. D.Gordon (Loughinisland)
9. J.Lynch (Drumgath)
10. J.Fegan (Clonduff)
11. C.Gribben (Bryansford)
12. R.Sexton (Mayobridge)
13. R.Stranney (Loughinisland)
14. C.Magee (Mayobridge)
15. B.Sweeney (St M******s)

Sub: G.McArdle (Annaclone)

Like a similar post I made earlier in the week, how many of these guys will be about in the Summer?  I agree with the idea that its good to experiment now but this is where it should end.  The Mc Kenna Cup isn't far away with the National League shortly after that.  We need to be getting our best team on the field at every opportunity from now on.  We have to build for Tyrone and it starts now.

Must agree about the quality of O' Neills gear.  I wouldn't class it as being any more expensive than Nike, Addidas etc.  At least when you put it into the washing machine you know its going to come out the same size and the same colour.  O' Neills also have some brilliant sales when you can buy slightly outdated gear at very reasonable prices.  Still think they are hard to beat.

2 Absolute class.  Bring on 3

Where has all this crap about the vote against the GPA strike come from?  Seany obviously.  But it shows how closely the HS follow our site here that they even pick up our threads and use them as their own.  

Went to the game last night. Queens won by about 6 or 7. Both teams fielded experimental lineups. The game was played in torrential rain and it made the match a bit of a lottery. Nevertheless Id say Ross has learned a good bit about his new recruits.

Here is the Down starting 15:

1. D.Alder (Carryduff)
2. M.Rooney (Carrickcruppen)
3. P.Turley (Downpatrick)
4. D.Turley (Downpatrick)
5. D.O'Hanlon (Ballymartin)
6. C.Murney (Rostrevor)
7. J.Hurley (Dundrum)
8. J.Lynch (Drumgath)
9. D.Rooney (Burren)
10. K.McKernan (Burren)
11. C.Gribben (Bryansford)
12. J.Fegan (Clonduff)
13. R.Stranney (Loughinisland)
14. C.Magee (Mayobridge)
15. P.Downey (Drumgath)

Dan Gordon (Loughinisland), Ronan Sexton (Mayobridge) and John McAreavey (Tullylish) came on at halftime while a further two subs came on midway through. I didnt recognise them.

Not the sort of team that would strike fear into an opposing team.  How many of these lads will even figure in the panel after Christmas never mind make the team for the first round of the championship?  While I have no problem with the management trying different options at this time of the year, I hope they don't continue this into the National League like they did last year.  If they do - its the Tommy Murphy Cup for us!!!

O' Hanlon's Poyntzpass

My perception of a Clubman of the Year would not be a player.  What is the exact title of the award?

I believe we need a change to 'freshen up' the leagues we have.  The playoffs were initiated in the mid 90's to facilitate the club player who was left 'kicking his heels' with little football, as there were no club league games while Down were doing well in Ulster.  There were even Supplementary Leagues put in place to keep club football going then. 

Yet in the last 10+ years the Down Senior team has done nothing.  I remember in the late 90's that the County players would have trained quite often with their clubs - now, their rarely train until Down are knocked out of the Championship (as early as this might be).  As the former County players of the great Burren team how many times they trained with Down and how many with Burren, at this time.  There were quite a number of them involved with Down at the time but I guarantee they never shirked their responsibilities with their club.

We have too many 'stars' who would rather play with Down than give their clubs a fair go.  Putting less emphasis on training for Down, like it used to be, and making County players train and play with their clubs, like it used to be, might be a start.  Since these changes have been put in place we have won nothing - is there any coincidence in this?

66. Since this is the only book he is likely to write (or get someone else to write on his behalf like this one) this is another one-in-a-row just like the the other one-in-a-row All-Ireland Senior title Armagh have managed to win.