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What is going on in this proud county of ours? Ronan McCartan & Frank Dawson added to our U20 set-up and no club consulted. The McCartan appointment is most bemusing considering Laverty did everything in his power to get rid of the poor fella last year. Devenney and McAteer seem to have fallen under the same magic spell as the panel of 50 players we still carry. It will not be long before our good clubs start asking hard questions.

Have the 2 Johnstons and OHare retired??

What O'Hare are you talking about? The Johnston's won't be involved there is animosity between their family and Laverty. We are better without them anyway terrible attitude. 

Curious to see how many changes we make today especially with so many lads involved in Sigerson action in two days time. Have heard we will see at least 5 changes from Wednesdays team. Donegal are in a very similar predicament to ourselves this time last year with a late appointment and a late start. Our 3 month head start should see us win comfortably and into our first McKenna Cup semi final in a few years. Also, "Wee Doc" is in line for the captaincy for the year ahead.

Good win and good to get the monkey off the back of not having won last year but don't fall for that old chestnut of "oh look at what we have inherited, poor us." This is a group who have been training and playing games long before any county in Ireland, Down have the current all Ireland club champions, and the standard of club footballer is very very high, unfortunately last year we were 2 months behind. I expect nothing less than a straight forward promotion out of a very poor division three. Also remember, it's the most expensive management team we have assembled in a long time, 120k wouldn't cover it so with that comes expectations and fair dues the team looked fit but they should be having been training 5 nights a week since the start of October.
Kilcoo players only returned on Monday night past so it was surprising to see Docherty and McEvoy play when others have been training hard since October but it will be hard to hide the Kilcoo loyalty as we heard him say on the Niblock podcast back in February, they are number one always for him. Wing back Rooney and goalkeeper Kane the only other two involved presently, no sign of any Brannigans, no Ward, no Anthony Morgan and really surprised the Johnston's arent back.

Narrow defeat to Mayo yesterday
Good signs
Roll on Wednesday
Can't wait

Roll on tonight is right Smurfy! Longstone manager Declan Morgan quoted in the papers last week, it's the hardest any Down team has ever trained and a better buzz than any previous Down set up!

Step aside the late great Barney Carr, Gerry Brown, double all Ireland winner Peter McGrath, Paddy O Rourke, Ross Carr, James McCartan, Jim McCrory, Eamon Burns (RIP), and current All Ireland winner Paddy Tally, the true messiah has arrived!

See you all in Castleblaney tonight!
Down for SAM 2023

As bad as the 20s were today what is going on with the 17s
We are at the minute a laughing stock
Laverty looked lost today
Monaghan looked lost when he was over them
We looked lost against Roscommon in the semi final

The 20s had a dream route last year
Fermanagh
Cavan
Monaghan

No Donegal
No Tyrone
No Derry

Smurfy no need for personal insults, Brick is actually spot on with all of that and you would agree with him based on your post last year. Lavertys time with Monaghan was a failure, couldn't win a home match v Cavan in the championship and was roaded. The following season the same Monaghan got to within a point of an all Ireland final without him. He hasn't won one championship match as a manager with a club or county at senior level. His Kilcoo pal O'Hanlon in to manage the U20s is another disgrace and our county board should be stepping in. People are well within they're rights to have doubts but we should have enough talent to get out of Division 3. 

God help Laverty with a load of jealous begrudgers trying to set him up for a fall. Do you forget that your County did not win a game this year, not even a challenge game including the might of London. Lotto let's know all these counties who have not played a challenge game yet. You'll have a problem  getting to 5 I can tell you. Redandblackon management's back, you don't want your county to succeed, you want your management to fail.  God help them and save them from the snipers and snakes.

For someone who originally claimed not to be from Down Sandstorm you seem very passionate about the county. The constant pro Kilcoo posts are a bit of a giveaway.

As regards setting him up for a fall?? Explain?? We have been training 5 days a week since the start of October with KN and EOS pumping thousands into the set up, there are no excuses for not beating those sides mentioned above! As Smurfy mentioned, we have been hammering teams even without your kilcoo men. James & Co didn't get going until December last year and were doomed to fail from day one.

If you go back to last summer and beyond you will see from my posts I don't believe anyone within Down is good enough to manage us, we should have fired the 120k + our current management team is getting at Malachy O'Rourke.

He had a good of success with club so if that's what it takes to get us competitive then keep ere lit.

Why what club did he manage?

As for getting us competitive... I would like to think in a division that consists of Antrim, Fermanagh, Longford, Offaly and a poor Tipp team who have lost 4 of the best players we would be aiming for something a little more than competitive.

Strong performance today in a challenge game v Roscommon in Dublin. We won by 15 points scoring 5 goals in the process and we were moving very well all over the field which is obviously down to the two months head start we have had on most teams. We should walk out of what is a very poor division three on paper with the players we have.

What club in Down looses players to soccer because they train to much?

The most high profile player is surely Mc Govern of Ballyholland??

Any word on the Down panel?  If they've been training from Oct (which seems unlikely) they should be getting into good shape.  Who has departed the panel and what new faces are in?

That's not unlikely, it's a matter of fact, they were one of the first counties in the country back in collective training, Ballykinlar for the pitch based sessions, Tullymore on a Sunday for a while and Aron Brannigans gym for the S&C. Panel of 47 before Kilcoo players return, a lot of trialists that won't feature even Attical have a representative. UUJ man said to me last week he was so impressed with Downs fitness levels so early in the year. Good signs

Looks like we're getting off to a 0-2 start... Monaghan & Donegal

What makes you say that? Donegal are in turmoil and Monaghan couldn't get a manager and are well over the hill. We have on the other hand been training since the start of October 5 nights a week, I'll be shocked if we don't hit the ground flying. By the time we play in the McKenna Cup we will have been training for over 3 months. Good win last week against UUJ in a challenge game, ran them off the park late on.

After encouraging Kilcoo lads not to play this last few years he now has the task of convincing them all to play. Interesting to see who actually makes the committment, I only believe two of them would make a real difference RMcE and DW. Both have the size and also the age profile to succeed.

The NFL D3 fixtures should be officially released shortly but, barring some unexpected review, we are due to be away to Tipperary on the first weekend. Although it's a long journey to a county which has been getting better results than us over recent seasons, we need to target a win if we are serious about promotion.

Away to Tipp and home to Antrim... first two games we really should win comfortably. Panel is set to be cut next week and challenge games have been organised for this side of Christmas including a tasty one v Mayo.

Kilcoo look like All Ireland champions and I think they will do back to back - who will actually stop them?

On the school debate, rather than talk about St Marks or St Malachy's let's look at a town close to my heart, Downpatrick, one of the largest towns in our county and yet we have two all boys schools who are certainly underachievers. Red High have been a disgrace of a school in recent years, and since Brady and Adams have left De La Salle they are another school who should be ashamed of their efforts in GAA. It's very concerning the downward spiral of our schools in general. Hopefully the addition of new staff in the Red High can give them the kick start needed