Down Club Hurling & Football

[Brick Tamlin]

Lets be honest here. That was as shite a performance at home under lights as I can remember in recent times. Some boys in here like to sugar coat and spin oul crap about returning players coming back and saving the day. A lot of fellas standing watching or at home on the couch surely make a big difference but they aren't available for whatever reasons. It just isn't going to happen. Forget about it. Roscommon are a decent side and would have designs on their own provincial championship so not taking too much away from a good win for them.

But from a Down perspective there were a lot of areas for improvement and one would hope that management will identify these pretty soon and remedy them for next day out. In our next game if the same mistakes or traits remain then you would be asking serious questions.

Kane is an able Goalkeeper and its between him and Cunningham for the jersey, but one thing that drives me crazy is the amount of times we hit re-starts high and down the middle of the field for a possession lottery. Can we not ping the ball 50yrds to a man's chest or into 10yrds space for him to run onto rather than the hoof down the middle. Not pointing finger totally at keepers here as there is a shared responsibility for players to make runs too and management to introduce a system that works. Possession is key more than ever, moreso when we have a makeshift midfield a team of midgets. Possession from kickouts is definitely an area for improvement.

The amount of times that we were brushed off in the contact was again astounding. And this wasn't just from the smaller guys. Only when we had numbers surrounding a man in possession did we look like creating turnovers but when a man came off the shoulder with any sort of pace it was clear to see how easy they could break the lines through defence.
In terms of our Lineup or shape - Devlin is no defender and never will be. Likewise for Madine and midfield.

We have a serious lack of physicality and height in the squad to compete and this is worrying. In this case id be expecting the bigger and more experienced men to be showing up and leading the way and to be frank they aren't stepping up and aren't leading. The last time McKernan played any in a Down jersey was couple years ago in Celtic Park. His black card was inexcusable. Id be expecting him to lead by example in how he plays and the same for few others. Players that are booked, ticked or even on the ref's radar that get themselves involved in anything silly have only themselves to blame if they walk. The risk is too much in todays game especially with incompetent refs. Donal O'Hare kicking a free kick from less than 30yrds into keepers hands is inexcusable. Not to be totally anti-Burren either, but these are just instances that stick out in the game. If anything id have doubted that Dan McCartan or Decky Rooney would have been bullied as much by Shine or Senan Kilbride. They would been tailor made for them in fact.

We cant carry a team of midgets especially in forward division. A good big one will always be better than a good wee one. We have a legion of good wee ones.

[A man from Down]

To be honest, Saturday night was the type of performance I was expecting going into this league. I'm not being negative but the new management will need time to see what their best team, game plan etc is. We have a small squad and our best footballers in club football by and large (excuse the pun) are hardly giants. There's no point in mentioning players who aren't committing now for whatever reason, the league has started and the preparations for Derry in the championship have started now. There will of course be one or two who will return but don't be holding your breath.

Back to Saturday, the early departures of Mooney and McKernan were significant. They are two of our most powerful runners and had they stayed on the game would have taken a different slant, of that I have no doubt. Also when Mooney came off Lavery went into half forward in his place and for me its a total waste. Even in the first 10 mins Lavery looked dangerous in around the full forward line and when he comes out around the middle not nearly as effective. For me he's one of the very best corner forwards in Ulster yet we don't see him in there nearly enough. As people said, Kane looks a good addition and the influence of Fitzpatrick as the game wore on is another positive. Another note in regards to our lack of size, height etc is Peter Turley. In the last couple of years he has been more than decent and has given us a bit of strength around the middle. I remember thinking in 2013 against Donegal in Breffni (when he was immense) that we had at last found a natural Number 6.  Anyway this very much is a transition period and if you can't experiment against Roscommon at home in February, when can you? I hope the management do give everyone who is committed to them a chance and come June they will know their best 15 and game plan because as long as we beat Derry in June nobody will give a toss about Saturday nights result.

[PAULD123]

There is a lot for Jim to sort out. But first he has to sort out his own selections. Most strange for me was playing PD and half back when he has only ever played him in the forwards for his club.

The fullbacks are never in front of their men, never get a hand in to prevent the forward gathering the ball. Ok some of their covering was good by mostly not allowing their man to turn but seriously surely they should win some balls? The half back line hardly defended at all. Wouldn't Garvey and Ryan Johnston have improved it?

The ball in to the forwards was terrible, but then again the half forwards will probably say their forwards were not showing, and the really weren't. Donal O'Hare again went a bit AWOL. Crilly and Savage showed nothing really. Only Jerome Johnston and Laverty were able to make themselves available for passes.

And on that point why choose not to play PD as a forward when we had no passing half forward there?

Why big Arthur isn't in there are a target man is beyond me. After two goals in two games I would expect he will start next time out.

In fairness the loss of McKernan and Mooney took a huge amount of athleticism out of the team.

I think we need to see Garvey and Ryan Johnston, in for Turley and Devlin, PD at half forward (or Poland), Mooney back fit, Laverty to move forward for Crilly, Arthur in for Savage and Mallon in at midfield. Personally I'd also put Jerome in for O'Hare but I don't see him getting dropped as he has scored 1-09 in two games with 1-04 from play

[gaaboard]

Folks, take it easy with the personal attacks on players.

[rosskarr]

  Order is now restored. 

[Aristo 60]

  Order is now restored. 

Good job and all - I thought we were going to have a serious falling out amongst the common Down men (and/or wemen).

No doubt we will have had our fill of 'the Kilcoo question' come the end of the championship be it in June or September!

[RadioGAAGAA]

No doubt we will have had our fill of 'the Kilcoo question'

Jealousy will get them nowhere. 

[supersub]

Who's that?

[Courtney]

Any lads going to McRory game tonight ? Abbey could be dark horses this year .

[Shamrocks Gaelp]

Good luck to the four shamrocks men on the college macrory and the three on the St pauls team!

[alba2]

The Ulster Coaching conference was a fantastic success on Saturday past.  A great day for all coaching enthusiasts.  The information i got from the Burnout seminar ran by Marty Loughran and the coaching session by Donie Buckley was first class.  Its just a pity this type of masssive conference is only ran once per year.  More of the same needed please!!

[Aristo 60]

Many travelling to breffni on Saturday night?

Low key build up - anybody any news before we hear the team later tonight hopefully.

[NP 76]

Down team to face Cavan
Kieran Gordon
Darren o hagan
Luke Howard
Damien Turley
Paul Devlin
Niall Madine
Conal Mc Govern
Benny Mc Ardle
Peter Fitzpatrick
Jerome Johnson
Kevin Mc Kernan
Daragh o Hanlon
Mark Poland
Conor Laverty
Donal o hare

[Mourne Rover]

It is a team with plenty of pace but very much on the light side. McCorry seems determined to give Devlin an extended run at wing half back, and he may find a bit more space there with a packed Cavan defence in the other half. Madine and McArdle have effectively swapped roles, and both are in fairly unnatural positions. Breffni is a tough place to go but we will probably find out more about ourselves as a result.

[Shamrocks Gaelp]

Some players picked due to injurjes but it's good to see some new faces prove themselves. As terry Hyland said recently, he expects every county player to play anywhere for his county and be versatile, however Id say most of our men will end up switching in and out all over the field, however this team could be a tactically oriented.