Down versus Mayo

[Mourne Rover]

A very frustrating night for Down supporters as Mayo were clearly vunerable but we managed to miss four great goal chances in the second half as well as a string of straightforward frees. While Mayo always kept three or four in front, and may have had a little in hand, a second goal would have changed everything. Mooney shot just over the bar when it looked easier to hit the net, Francis and Quinn went very close and O'Hare's effort was stopped at full stretch by Clarke. Luck was not on our side but getting nothing from six or seven kickable frees and 45s finished us off.

Burns was confident with the ball in his hands but his kick outs were a huge problem and ultimately cost us a killer goal.We had good defensive displays from O'Hagan, McAleenan and particularly Collins but McKernan sadly looked like his time was up. McCabe will be a great prospect at midfield in a year or two and Mooney was a regular threat. Our forwards were patchy, although Harrison frequently made an impact before he tired. The big plus is that our younger players have pace and potential, and, if we can get a fully fit Donnelly back at midfield, we may have better days ahead.

Good luck to Mayo who brought a massive support and deserved their win but, on the evidence of tonight, they are some distance away from the team they used to be. While they have deserved at least two All Irelands, even the eventual return of O'Connor and Ruane is pretty unlikely to get them anywhere close to Dublin.

[highorlow]

"Bap" McCabe is some player alright, he went off injured so hope it's nothing serious.

Burns looks like he would be better deployed at half back rather than goals.

It was a strange second half, apart from the early goal we defended ok in the 1st half but in the 2nd half Down should've got a goal, particularly the one v one chance that was ballooned over. Down also had 3 other decent goal chances, I don't know if it was a case of the game been more open in the second half or is it just we don't have a domineering full back. Probably the latter.

[Captain Obvious]

A very frustrating night for Down supporters as Mayo were clearly vunerable but we managed to miss four great goal chances in the second half as well as a string of straightforward frees. While Mayo always kept three or four in front, and may have had a little in hand, a second goal would have changed everything. Mooney shot just over the bar when it looked easier to hit the net, Francis and Quinn went very close and O'Hare's effort was stopped at full stretch by Clarke. Luck was not on our side but getting nothing from six or seven kickable frees and 45s finished us off.

Burns was confident with the ball in his hands but his kick outs were a huge problem and ultimately cost us a killer goal.We had good defensive displays from O'Hagan, McAleenan and particularly Collins but McKernan sadly looked like his time was up. McCabe will be a great prospect at midfield in a year or two and Mooney was a regular threat. Our forwards were patchy, although Harrison frequently made an impact before he tired. The big plus is that our younger players have pace and potential, and, if we can get a fully fit Donnelly back at midfield, we may have better days ahead.

Good luck to Mayo who brought a massive support and deserved their win but, on the evidence of tonight, they are some distance away from the team they used to be. While they have deserved at least two All Irelands, even the eventual return of O'Connor and Ruane is pretty unlikely to get them anywhere close to Dublin.

12 wides and another 3 or 4 shots kicked short or into the keeper hands for Down tonight I hear. Vulnerable is nothing new for Mayo in these qualifiers. Fermanagh,Derry,Cork to name but a few had the opportunity to beat Mayo in recent years and like Down tonight were left frustrated.

[Farrandeelin]

Mayo keep going, Mourne Rover is probably correct on how Down supporters feel today. A cudda, shudda type night for them.

As for ourselves, if it was another night or another team it'd be curtains for us. It's frightening how the pace has gone from our defence. Down's direct running as I mentioned could've been a lot different for us. Finished the first half well despite going down early on to a goal, that was well taken. Harrison, as good and all as he is has struggled twice in a row. Barrett and Higgins both have lost a good bit of pace. I thought Keegan was quiet by his own standards. Durcan did well going forward and had a reasonably good defensive shift too. Boyle should concentrate on playing football and not acting the hard man because when he does, he's good at it. Too much niggling with his opposite number all through the game for my liking.

Aiden O'Shea was good, but we expect nothing less from him. Diarmuid O'Connor not so. If anything happens O'Shea we're rightly frigged in midfield. Seamie, while good hasn't got a full 70 mins in him. Vaughan might be able to give some pace even though he can have nightmares at centre field too.

Loftus had his best game in a while. Scored the goal and kicked a few points too. Fionn McDonagh started well but faded as the game went on. Another frustrating night for Jason Doherty who should be fearful of his place next weekend. McLoughlin should be in the half forwards or nowhere at all imo. Gave some nice passes when he moved out. Regan kept slowing the game down too often for my liking. Andy gave a lot of nice passes and linked well too.

A good team will beat us whenever we face them.

[highorlow]

Loftus had his best game in a while. Scored the goal and kicked a few points too. Fionn McDonagh started well but faded as the game went on. Another frustrating night for Jason Doherty who should be fearful of his place next weekend. McLoughlin should be in the half forwards or nowhere at all imo. Gave some nice passes when he moved out. Regan kept slowing the game down too often for my liking. Andy gave a lot of nice passes and linked well too.

A good team will beat us whenever we face them.

McDonagh got a fair deal of battering in the match and with 20 minutes left was knackered and limping a bit. After last night he has to be a starter. We are playing McLoughlin inside and Doherty further outfield, both players look lost. McLoughlins best strength is dispossession of opponents and winning dirty breaking ball in the middle, why have him in the corner?

Regan is a great trier and gives 100% every time.

No sign of David Drake coming on as s sub,  based on his club form at the backend of the year I'd have thought he would get a try in the FB line at some stage, anyhow I'm sure Horan knows best.

In relation to a "good team" beating us, I'm not sure if there are any and the football standards have dropped again this year. Have Cork improved so much this year to push Kerry so close or are Kerry gone backwards?

[MayoBuck]

Good to get over the line yesterday, Pairc Esler is a great place to watch a game. Horan has got a lot of stick the last month, a lot of it deserved, but the 5 changes he made to the team were justified as they all did well.

McDonagh was very good in the 1st half and it's great to see him back. Loftus did well too. None of the frees were straight forward as they all seemed to be on his wrong side. Aidan was solid in midfield though maybe not as spectacular as recent games. Keegan had a brilliant 2nd half and we finally got a bit of a handle on Mooney when Lee switched on to him.

Paddy Durcan made a few good interceptions and breaks upfield but he had a mare with the shooting. Think he had 4 shots - 2 wides, 1 blocked down and 1 dropped short. Overall our shooting return was miles better however. I thought Higgins was all over the place at times and he was probably marking the weakest member of the Down full forward line. Doherty and McLoughlin weren't great either. I'd consider dropping Doherty and moving McLoughlin back to to the half forward line.

Caolan Mooney was class for Down. He's as quick as any player I've seen the last few years. A brilliant finish for his goal as well. Reminded me of Con O'Callaghan's against us in the 2017 final.

We've a lot to work on so hopefully a favourable draw on Monday morning.

[SHEEDY]

It was one of those what could've been nights for down. If we had a reliable free taker and a decent kick out strategy we could've been a lot closer to mayo in the final moments. Added to that we had numerous goal chances and balls dropped short into the keepers hands.
But in saying all that mayo were the better team with better individual footballers who are more street wise and physically stronger than down.
Mayo I feel will need to tighten up at the back if they are to progress because donegal, kerry or the dubs wont miss the chances down missed.
Great to see a big crowd in pairc esler and met some great mayo supporters before and during the game who had travelled big distances to be there. Good luck to mayo for the rest of the year.

[Square Ball]

McCabe has a broken jaw, broken in three places I understand, and underwent surgery this afternoon, a totally accidental collision with a team mate.

[Targetman]

That's very unfortunate for the lad, played well yesterday and definitely one for the future

[larryin89]

Before anything about the match have to say it was one of the most enjoyable away trips I was ever on , absolutely fantastic bunch the down supporters , we ended up staying after a long session of drink , put up in a house of a down player , all Ireland winning medal in the house too , can't praise their hospitality enough , classy bunch .

Thought we just did enough to win and didn't seem to have any interest as usual in doing any more than was required. Our defensive frailties showed again , just have to hope they are going to be working on it . Even when we deployed a sweeper sometimes it was poorly done ie Barrett running to the ball leaving the space he was supposed to be covering open and ff line was then man to man .

[joemamas]

Before anything about the match have to say it was one of the most enjoyable away trips I was ever on , absolutely fantastic bunch the down supporters , we ended up staying after a long session of drink , put up in a house of a down player , all Ireland winning medal in the house too , can't praise their hospitality enough , classy bunch .

Thought we just did enough to win and didn't seem to have any interest as usual in doing any more than was required. Our defensive frailties showed again , just have to hope they are going to be working on it . Even when we deployed a sweeper sometimes it was poorly done ie Barrett running to the ball leaving the space he was supposed to be covering open and ff line was then man to man .

Just to give a shoutout to Mayogaablog , an excellent podcast on review of game.
I think Billie joe Padden is an excellent analyst.

[guy crouchback]

Before anything about the match have to say it was one of the most enjoyable away trips I was ever on , absolutely fantastic bunch the down supporters , we ended up staying after a long session of drink , put up in a house of a down player , all Ireland winning medal in the house too , can't praise their hospitality enough , classy bunch .

Thought we just did enough to win and didn't seem to have any interest as usual in doing any more than was required. Our defensive frailties showed again , just have to hope they are going to be working on it . Even when we deployed a sweeper sometimes it was poorly done ie Barrett running to the ball leaving the space he was supposed to be covering open and ff line was then man to man .

i came on to same the exact same thing. without a doubt the the nicest bunch of supporters and people i have  ever met at football game in Ireland in 30 years of going to games, and out from a club game against a Clare outfit years ago i have never had a bad word with anyone at a football game.
lovely ground, well organized, everyone so friendly, chatty and nice and really knowledgeable football people.

[stephenite]

Before anything about the match have to say it was one of the most enjoyable away trips I was ever on , absolutely fantastic bunch the down supporters , we ended up staying after a long session of drink , put up in a house of a down player , all Ireland winning medal in the house too , can't praise their hospitality enough , classy bunch .

Thought we just did enough to win and didn't seem to have any interest as usual in doing any more than was required. Our defensive frailties showed again , just have to hope they are going to be working on it . Even when we deployed a sweeper sometimes it was poorly done ie Barrett running to the ball leaving the space he was supposed to be covering open and ff line was then man to man .

i came on to same the exact same thing. without a doubt the the nicest bunch of supporters and people i have  ever met at football game in Ireland in 30 years of going to games, and out from a club game against a Clare outfit years ago i have never had a bad word with anyone at a football game.
lovely ground, well organized, everyone so friendly, chatty and nice and really knowledgeable football people.

They were a bunch of animals that day alright

[rosnarun]

Before anything about the match have to say it was one of the most enjoyable away trips I was ever on , absolutely fantastic bunch the down supporters , we ended up staying after a long session of drink , put up in a house of a down player , all Ireland winning medal in the house too , can’t praise their hospitality enough , classy bunch .

Thought we just did enough to win and didn’t seem to have any interest as usual in doing any more than was required. Our defensive frailties showed again , just have to hope they are going to be working on it . Even when we deployed a sweeper sometimes it was poorly done ie Barrett running to the ball leaving the space he was supposed to be covering open and ff line was then man to man .

i came on to same the exact same thing. without a doubt the the nicest bunch of supporters and people i have  ever met at football game in Ireland in 30 years of going to games, and out from a club game against a Clare outfit years ago i have never had a bad word with anyone at a football game.
lovely ground, well organized, everyone so friendly, chatty and nice and really knowledgeable football people.

+1

[highorlow]

McCabe has a broken jaw, broken in three places I understand, and underwent surgery this afternoon, a totally accidental collision with a team mate.

Not good, hopefully his recovery is quick and the injury won't effect his play going forward.

p.s. Have to add to the other Mayo posters in relation to the Down supporters and Newry in general, great supporters and lovely venue.