Down Club Hurling & Football

[Mourne Rover]

Today was a thrilling contest with an incredible number of defensive mistakes on both sides. McCabe started but seemed to take a knock and was replaced by Millar early on. We are running out of midfielders as Donnelly, Poland and McParland all struggled and Murdock had a rare off day. D3 is going to the wire and we could easily lose out on scoring difference. A win on Saturday night is essential if we are to stay in contention.

[downtothecore]

Yeah agree defence is a problem. When we has our noses in front in the second half I would have expected us to see it out but a bad goal to give away...

[upandwin]

Earlier poster mentioned O'hare was injured but he has been on the bench the last two games so can't be too bad. The people questioning Kane's inclusion in the team are the same ones calling Laverty a god send. Can't have it both ways, either he's making the right calls or he's not. Heard that O'Hare struggled massively in training games and friendlies before McKenna Cup, then put some decent performances in after that. If Rory Burns has been asked back after leaving the panel, it tells you all you need to know about the headache for CL in terms of his no1. Expect Kane to bounce back after that, every keeper makes mistakes. Didn't deserve to win last game or win today, so 2pts from those games is a bonus.

[thewobbler]

It's easy to criticise the defence, but here's the thing. Same defence were one unfortunate goalkeeping mistake away from giving the forwards platform enough to win the match.

There's definitely a change ongoing in the county game, which has been building for a couple of years and is becoming clearer now. After Jimmy ruined football it was inevitable that forward play and movement would have to get better and (thankfully) kind of inevitable that mostly everyone involved would get bored shitless with endless ball retention before trying to snatch the game late.

More and more county teams are now playing like Mayo have the past decade, ie if a smell of a counter attack arises, then go hell and leather for it. And when a team moves it at speed and has their shooting boots on, it's bloody difficult to defend against.

Put two teams playing this way on the same field and for the first time in a generation, winning midfield is of genuine importance. That's got to be Down's focus. I fancy we would already go toe to toe with most of D2. But only if we go to toe to toe or better at midfield.

[An Astrail]

The defence looked to me as though they are still in the process of adapting to new structures. The deeper defence in the first half worked well for a while until Fermanagh were able to work out where the spare man was once the man on the ball got swamped. I think there's a fair bit of upside if they can get better at spotting and eliminating the options for the ball to be moved out in the way it was. That run of 4 or 5 points in the back end of the first half was the killer in the end.

Entertaining game all the same.

[Truth hurts]

Poor defensively, I would like to see a few Brannigan's in there for Saturday. I would also put in O'Hare or even give Smyth a chance, he played a good sweeper keeper role for St Marys in the Sigerson this year and is good on the ball.

Disappointing to hear the u20 were beaten, I was raging when I heard it was on as i would have went to it. We need coverage of all our county teams and not just the county senior footballers.

[Smurfy123]

Goalkeeper and defence needs looked at. Arguably our best 2 performances came from when O Hare was in nets. He was stripped and kicking yesterday

Team v Westmeath

1 O Hare
2 Magill
3 Collins
4 Laverty
5 Brannigan Clond
6 McEvoy
7 McCormack
8 Annett
9 Murdock
10 Doherty
11 Donnacha
12 Kerr
13 Gilmore
14 Havern
15 Rooney

16 Burns
17 McCarthy
18 Walshe
19 Millar
20 McParland
21 Donnelly
22 Johnstone
23 Johnstone
24 Johnstone

McParland and Donnelly no longer have the legs for county football. They went well in the McKenna cup as other teams were not at our level. Good men to come on to see out the game. That goal maybe doesn't happen if both are on the field.

[Truth hurts]

Goalkeeper and defence needs looked at. Arguably our best 2 performances came from when O Hare was in nets. He was stripped and kicking yesterday

Team v Westmeath

1 O Hare
2 Magill
3 Collins
4 Laverty
5 Brannigan Clond
6 McEvoy
7 McCormack
8 Annett
9 Murdock
10 Doherty
11 Donnacha
12 Kerr
13 Gilmore
14 Havern
15 Rooney

16 Burns
17 McCarthy
18 Walshe
19 Millar
20 McParland
21 Donnelly
22 Johnstone
23 Johnstone
24 Johnstone

McParland and Donnelly no longer have the legs for county football. They went well in the McKenna cup as other teams were not at our level. Good men to come on to see out the game. That goal maybe doesn't happen if both are on the field.

Not a bad team but mcAleenan is in Austrailia and Burns is not on the panel. If Dabs and Eugene are on the squad I would start them.

[Mourne Rover]

Smurfy, Francis got his third goal in five games from wing back yesterday - are you suggesting he should be dropped from the matchday squad ?

[Ed Hardy]

Goalkeeper and defence needs looked at. Arguably our best 2 performances came from when O Hare was in nets. He was stripped and kicking yesterday

Team v Westmeath

1 O Hare
2 Magill
3 Collins
4 Laverty
5 Brannigan Clond
6 McEvoy
7 McCormack
8 Annett
9 Murdock
10 Doherty
11 Donnacha
12 Kerr
13 Gilmore
14 Havern
15 Rooney

16 Burns
17 McCarthy
18 Walshe
19 Millar
20 McParland
21 Donnelly
22 Johnstone
23 Johnstone
24 Johnstone

McParland and Donnelly no longer have the legs for county football. They went well in the McKenna cup as other teams were not at our level. Good men to come on to see out the game. That goal maybe doesn't happen if both are on the field.

Not a bad team but mcAleenan is in Austrailia and Burns is not on the panel. If Dabs and Eugene are on the squad I would start them.

Are they even training with the county?

[Hard2Listen2]

Goalkeeper and defence needs looked at. Arguably our best 2 performances came from when O Hare was in nets. He was stripped and kicking yesterday

Team v Westmeath

1 O Hare
2 Magill
3 Collins
4 Laverty
5 Brannigan Clond
6 McEvoy
7 McCormack
8 Annett
9 Murdock
10 Doherty
11 Donnacha
12 Kerr
13 Gilmore
14 Havern
15 Rooney

16 Burns
17 McCarthy
18 Walshe
19 Millar
20 McParland
21 Donnelly
22 Johnstone
23 Johnstone
24 Johnstone

McParland and Donnelly no longer have the legs for county football. They went well in the McKenna cup as other teams were not at our level. Good men to come on to see out the game. That goal maybe doesn't happen if both are on the field.

Not a bad team but mcAleenan is in Austrailia and Burns is not on the panel. If Dabs and Eugene are on the squad I would start them.

Are they even training with the county?

No but don't let the truth ruin a good story!!!
#spoofer
#bs

[Truth hurts]

Goalkeeper and defence needs looked at. Arguably our best 2 performances came from when O Hare was in nets. He was stripped and kicking yesterday

Team v Westmeath

1 O Hare
2 Magill
3 Collins
4 Laverty
5 Brannigan Clond
6 McEvoy
7 McCormack
8 Annett
9 Murdock
10 Doherty
11 Donnacha
12 Kerr
13 Gilmore
14 Havern
15 Rooney

16 Burns
17 McCarthy
18 Walshe
19 Millar
20 McParland
21 Donnelly
22 Johnstone
23 Johnstone
24 Johnstone

McParland and Donnelly no longer have the legs for county football. They went well in the McKenna cup as other teams were not at our level. Good men to come on to see out the game. That goal maybe doesn't happen if both are on the field.

Not a bad team but mcAleenan is in Austrailia and Burns is not on the panel. If Dabs and Eugene are on the squad I would start them.

Are they even training with the county?

No but don't let the truth ruin a good story!!!
#spoofer
#bs

Apologies I was told that the 3 Johnston's and 2 Brannigan's were in.
I know now  that the 3 Johnston's are training ,

[Smurfy123]

The 3 Johnstones are training hard2listen2

Time to get them in

Yes Francis would start that's an oversight

Big game

[Truth hurts]

My weekend team for this must win game :

1. Charlie Smyth
2. Gerard Collins
3. Ryan McAvoy
4. Pierce laverty
5. Miceal Rooney
6. Ryan Magill
7. Conor Francis
8. Odhran Murdock
9. Shane Annett
10. Shealan J
11. Ryan J
12. Liam Kerr
13. Jerome J
14. Big Pat
15. Gilly

[Truth hurts]

I am trying to devise a list of all the GAA council pitches in The Newry council area.

Dunleath
Rosconnor
Dundrum
Annsborough
Derryleckagh
St Colmans
Jack Mackin
Gerry Brown
Milltown
Drumgath ?


Am I missing any other grounds?
As rate payers in the North we are being shafted by the councils in comparisons to soccer and more needs to be done about it.

Also is there really no GAA pitches in the ards area, if not then this needs to be raised more.