Down are far from a disgrace.

[onefaircounty]

In todays Irish news, Off the fence carried articles on readers opinons of how Down have fallen from grace. This was a total over reaction and one reader even labelled them a disgrace! The lads who give up their free time for training, matches, pr events etc.. certainly don't need to be lifting the paper to read this. Instead they should be commended for the fine work they do on and off the field promoting the GAA to young and old. Down have come from Div3 in 3 years, reached an all ireland final and were only undone by the smallest of margins. Along the way they have lifted supporters, gave a huge lift to the county, and got people coming out to support their county again. Some peoples expectations are now to a point that a defeat away to Cork is a castrophe!!... Come on lads lets get behind the county this year. We have alot to look forward too, I for one believe we will stay comfortably  in Div 1 and reach an Ulster final.....

The people who give up their saturday and sunday, took their children to the game, probably spent about the guts of 400 euro between, petrol, accom, food, gate, are fully entitled to have their say, as long as its not the armchair fan doing the moaning in the irish news then the criticism is well within their rights.

Entitled to have their say, doesn't stop it from being utter nonsense though.

[red n black]

In response to red and black are back, I am well aware of the amount of finance and time it takes supporting Down. However my original post was not to discredit any supporter from putting forward a just argument on the positives and negatives which is what following a team is all about.

The point I was trying to make was that a so called supporter landed them a disgrace with most of the telephone message unprintable for a daily newspaper. Others gave no just argument only to let off steam. It caused me to register and post on here I was that pived off!  I think not just in Down but in all county's that these amateur players come in for far too much abuse from people hiding behind desks, phones and terraces.

Defeat is part and parcel of sport and to be beaten away to Cork(Prob the best team in the land) is no disgrace. One swallow doesn't make a summer and one defeat doesn't turn to a crisis.
On a brighter note we'll get enough points at Pairc Eslier to stay up.

[Leo]

Sad to say, I think I am now a doubter ...
Three hammerings in succession from Cork can do that to even the most positive thinkers among us.
The coffee does not smell great at the moment.