Messages

No, bcb1 is obviously biased. I reckon he would back his club mates to the hilt.

I was at the game as a neutral, I was directly in line with the incident. I spoke about in the thread the day after the game. If I was called as a witness in court my recall would be exactly the same. Even if it had been bcb1 who carried out the tackle, then I don't see how his evidence would be anymore reliable than that of an independent, neutral witness.

Would you shut up man and take it that BC1 knows alot more about the incident and was alot closer to the incident than you! Maybe he is being biased but it is first hand detailed information no matter what you saw! 

See in the Irish News this morning the Donegal Club Stars of the year or whatever they call it!

Some poor calls.  Why the hell doesn't he just name the Donegal starting 15?  It should be about up and coming players in the county who have shown potential all year!

Couple of dodgy calls, particularly in the forward line and boys getting picked on their so called "county reputation"  Jesus I seen a brave few games this year and these boys wouldn't be next nor near my team!

Takes the bait!! 

In all fainess Corn, Ngog wouldnt get a sniff and Man United Arsenal Villa etc, the list goes on. Looking at him everyday or not looking at him every day in Melwood, poor to say the least!!

Someone got out of bed on the wrong side this morning!

Kuyt?? Wouldnt exactly call that a strike partner now would you Corn??

[Keane was taken off last night because he was as poor as he has been all season. Play well and hyou wont be taken off.]

To be fair Corn, I don't think the fans booed the team, they seemed to be supporting them all through the game, but when the final whistle went they booed. I think they were booing Rafa's strange, strange substitutions and selection.

I've said it many times, but Liverpool will not win the title while Dirk Kuyt is one of the creative players. I've been surprised, pleasantly, at some of the goals he's got, but I still believe he is the epitome of a hard working lad who will do a job for you. He should not be an automatic starter every week. He's just not good enough, and if he was at United or Chelsea he'd be playing the role that Park does for United.

Liverpool were completely bereft of ideas last night, and for Rafa to bring off Keane and Reira beggered belief.

Yes, Liverpool are top of the league, and yes it's been a vast improvement this season, but I'm very much afraid that when we reach February or March it'll be a case of what might have been. United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all losing games, and Liverpool with a bit more craft would be at least 6 points clear. I'm not saying Liverpool have a right to beat all these teams, but when the chances are there to gain ground on the other teams, you must take it.

When we look at the table in May, we'll be doing the old 'If we had beaten Fulham, Stoke and West Ham at Anfield, we'd have been a point ahead of United' routine again.

These are the same people that booed Lucas form the off  against Fulham. They are the people who sung for Alonso after 20 minutes instead of getting behind Lucas. They booed when Mascherano was taken off ahead of him, even though the Argentinian was as bad and had travelled from South America the previous week. They sapped all his confidence.

Keane was taken off last night because he was as poor as he has been all season. Play well and hyou wont be taken off.

Two things Corn,  Keane cannot play up front by himself.  Needs someone to work off.  Second thing, bringing that useless little fcuker on, he should have left Keane on and brought on Babbel for that other useless fcuker Benayoun.  It's bad when you can deliberately notice Gerrard not passing the ball to NGog.  Noticed it against Athletic but more so last night!

Rafa is slowly but surely losing the title.  Being top of the league or not top of the League, if you have aspirations to win the League you should be disposing of teams like West Ham when you are at home!

Hope to fcuk he doesnt play yon Ngog of whatever you call him!

Liverpool have some big games coming up where they need to pick up all 3 points..

Could be in trouble

[Of course, when it was supposed to be our 'home' ground we played a whole season of under 16 football away from 'home' until the county final!! First 'home' game of the year a county final!!]

Cross have only themselves to blame they have failed to accomodate the county board on numerous occasions. The most obvious examples being when they threatened to pull all their players out of county teams if the board didnt lie down to them and when they refuse to participate in underage development squads. (I personally dont entirely disagree with them on that one) There is now a division between them and a, 'Why should we accomodate you' attitude on both sides.

Grudge here at all?

Haven't been on the board in while but just on 'the use of the Atheltic Grounds' issue, there has been more than one team training there. Definitely seen another team there before the Ulster Club started. Seen the lights on one mid week night when I was driving over the ring road and went down for a nosy (not long after the reopening, so there was still the novelty factor of seeing teams on it). A team, don't know who it was though, was jogging down in front of the Ceanarus and there was cones on the pitch. noticed at least one other team on it after that

Of course, when it was supposed to be our 'home' ground we played a whole season of under 16 football away from 'home' until the county final!! First 'home' game of the year a county final!!

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but is Pearse Og Park now not the Og's "home" ground as you call it??

[It is easy to see the eleven plus is over and these people have alot of times on their hands.]

There used to be a Down discussion thread over here.

Who are you having a pop at here?

It is easy to see the eleven plus is over and these people have alot of times on their hands.

From reading todays Irish News it appears that the County Minor Management has been reinstated for 2009 - was it not siad that they had quit after the Omagh debacle?

Who is the minor management??

any word on who the celebrity is for the new series of celebrity banisiteor for our county?

Derek Davis

[Floodlight row sparks fury ahead of Ulster showdown]

From Todays Indo..........

Floodlight row sparks fury ahead of Ulster showdown


By Cliona Foley


Tuesday November 25 2008

DEFENDING Ulster football champions Crossmaglen Rangers have been forced to go to the Down County Board for a suitable floodlit training pitch after being refused permission to use their own county ground ahead of Sunday's provincial decider.

Furious Rangers manager Donal Murtagh has revealed that, in a bid to practise under floodlights in preparation for the Ulster final, his side sought permission to use the Athletics Grounds but were refused by their county board.

"They refused point blank but, to be honest, I am not surprised," Murtagh said. "It is bad form, we are representing our county as county champions after all."

But the Armagh board have insisted that they are allowing no one to train in the revamped Athletics Grounds, not even teams who have had matches there recently.

"It is 'matches only' in the Athletics Grounds at the moment, with no exceptions," said Armagh PRO Joe Jordan.

Elite

"Teams who are coming in there to play games are allowed to use the county's elite training centre at Shannonbridge to train on, but there is a fairly hefty programme of matches at the county ground at the moment and the same rule is being applied across the board."

With a 3.45 throw-in for Sunday's Ulster final against Ballinderry in Enniskillen, the Ulster Council have indicated that full floodlights will be used for the match.

Murtagh wanted to practise in the Athletic Grounds as their lights will most replicate those match conditions.

And he is far from impressed with such a late throw-in, especially as most fixtures at this time of year have a 2pm or 2.30 throw-in because of the fading light.

"From the start we were disappointed by the fact that game will be under lights," said Murtagh.



"At first the Ulster Council said the second-half would be under lights but with the weather and the time of year it is getting dark at 3pm and 4pm.

"It is only a minor thing but some of my players aren't that fussed on playing the whole game under lights and, at this stage of the Ulster club championship, you can leave little to chance," he added.

It remains to be seen whether Down County Board will give them the go-ahead to train at Pairc Esler in Newry which also has a busy schedule of matches at present.

- Cliona Foley

Hear Clonduff won it!

Killeavy Second

Folks-  Need to get a couple of hundred euro changed into Dollars before Christmas.

Should I just bide my time or get it changed now? I'm in two minds!

[it doesn't seem to be affecting their development]

I don't know the ins and outs but I do know that they don't agree with them.  it doesn't seem to be affecting their development either not being involved, so why should they change the policy.

How do you assess it?? Almighty hammering in Co Minor Championship final, followed hot on the heels by another trimming by Keady in the ACML U16 final. 

I've seen players come back from these squads as better players as the coaching is generally of a higher standard available at most clubs, the down side is that young lads do tend to bring back inflated egos etc... with them too.

I think what BC is trying to say is that Gregory doesnt believe telling ANY lad at 14 or 15 that they are not good enough to make Development squads, the lad will then probably say well f**k you and turn on his heel and not play football!  I can see Gregorys point but I suppose looking at Tyrone more than anyone else, there is something to be said for Development Squads if carried out in the right process.

And if there are two juristictions and so two anthems, how come only one gets played on away games - surely that is an insult to the majority juristiction.

For what its worth, I turn off the volume when that pathetic excuse of an anthem Irelands Call is played. It turns my stomach and does not represent me. I'd rather have no anthem than that.

You may as well play God Save the Queen as this pathetic excuse of an anthem!

Great Try!!!

Stringer was crunched for the try!.. Warwicks kicking is unreal!  Ronan is dominating!

Atmosphere is lethal!