Down Club Hurling & Football

[No hoper]

Brilliant win for down the night! Great to get the bragging rights over the neigbours for once. Looking a certanty for division 1 and a trip to croker.

[goldenyears]

Superb win - v impressed with Down; you would never have called that before the game.
Such an anti climax to finish but so long since a win v Armagh in lge/champ'ship (15 yrs I believe)

Anyway a few random thoughts:

Superb start for Down, still dodgy in FB line under high ball but reacted superbly
Didn't think sending off had huge effect cos Down game plan never altered
McKeever is a tool and deserves as little comment as possible - shame on Armagh supporters if that's what they call a legend/cult hero

Down team:

Keeper - great kick out but dodgy enough in gen play:wud prefer mcveigh
D Raff - class performance, heart like a lion
McArdle - not the answer + roasted by McDonnell
Dan - not good - struggles for height + pace v top class players
McKernan - played well, composed on ball + seems to have grown set of balls
Colgan - did well, hardly put a foot wrong
King - 3 excellent catches - looked sound despite recent performances
Ambrose - just ok - didn't get those surging runs going but kicked a glorious free at end
Kearney - seems to lack confidence to be positive; def a worker - little contribution
Clarke - absolute class act; hurt hip I hear and will be ok
McGinn - love this fellas range of passing + vision
Hughes - my MOM - carried ball superbly - serious turbo boost pace
Benny - looked like a leader - class all over + trademark catch!
Clarke - poor tonight, handling bad which is not like him - Donaghy def had better
Poland - not great, mixed bag
Laverty - excellent when came on, never lost a ball + used well. Wee hoor lol

All in, v good performance, looks like Div1 which is badly what we need I.e. Playing top class opp
Delighted to see Down with defensive game plan - been crying out for this since latter years of Pete!
Good to be a Down supporter right now but let's not get carried away!

[Dubh driocht]

GY you left out Garvey, who I thought was composed and decisive. The influence of Colgan on the defence cannot be overstated. Even when he was not on the ball , he was directing and organising.We have Mournemen all over the pitch calling the shots- happy days.

[goldenyears]

Sorry DD on the phone here! Garvey was v solid and love fact he seems to have a wee bit of dirt about him!

[Leo]

Dan Gordon. Liam Dolyle and Michael Walsh to come .....

Doesn't loko too bad James does it?

[Mourne Rover]

Don't forget Luke Howard, Paul Murphy and Timmy Hanna -  we may have some options at the back at last

[batman]

Think Garvey will have to play full back or we will need monk cole back on the sqaud

[Trevor Hill]

Lets not be too hard on Brendan McArdle, he was marking one of the best forwards in the country last night. Luke Howard will be a great addition to the team when he is fit again. He didn't give McDonnell a sniff in their last meeting.

I dont know if we will see Dan back in a Down jersey.

[Highlander3]

Trevor i hope that you are wrong about Dan, as i still think we need him if we are going to continue to improve.

What is the story with Luke Howard when is he expected back?

I still think even if we get Luke back we still need some more height in that fullback line, maybe Doyle, or Garvey, dont want to change Colgan as i think he will be a great CHB.

I notice some people thought Maginn played well, i must admit i thought he was quite, we really need M Clarke back as soon as possible, i really thought he was brilliant in the short time he was on, amazing passer of the ball, strong, great fee taker, and scored one amazing point from play

[dodgy umpire]

Trevor i hope that you are wrong about Dan, as i still think we need him if we are going to continue to improve.

What is the story with Luke Howard when is he expected back?

I still think even if we get Luke back we still need some more height in that fullback line, maybe Doyle, or Garvey, dont want to change Colgan as i think he will be a great CHB.

I notice some people thought Maginn played well, i must admit i thought he was quite, we really need M Clarke back as soon as possible, i really thought he was brilliant in the short time he was on, amazing passer of the ball, strong, great fee taker, and scored one amazing point from play

Doyle at full back? And because of his height?

[Highlander3]

I meant more for his feilding, always thought he was a great feilder of the ball, and not sure if he has the pace for HF any longer

[ballela-angel]

I already put this into Death Notices as a lot of Galway folks would be interested, but thought the Down faithful would want to know this right off.
Just was told that Patsy O'Hagan died this morning - He was on the Down 1960 and 1961 AI teams and captain of Down in 1962 - Patsy played in every position in the red and black over the years except for goalkeepr - He hasn't been well for a while and made it to Dublin for the recent 1960 Down team return to Croke Park for an upcoming TV show, but wasn't well enough to actually go from the hotel to the pitch - RIP

[mournerambler]

Another Down great has departed this life, RIP Patsy O'Hagan.

[Lecale2]

Rest in peace.

[5 Sams]

Sad news RIP Patsy