Down Club Hurling & Football

[southdown]

Cheers.  Im going to Dublin though, so that's the one weekend I'm trying to avoid, lads will be playing in Kilmacud also so it will not work.

Are there full fixtures weekend 30th August?

[thewobbler]

Cheers.  Im going to Dublin though, so that's the one weekend I'm trying to avoid, lads will be playing in Kilmacud also so it will not work.

Are there full fixtures weekend 30th August?

Nobody can possibly know that at this stage SouthDown. The club championship dates are subject to county team progress. At that time of year it could be hell for leather club time, or (hopefully) Down's involvement in an AI semi-final weekend wreaking havoc with the club game.

[outinfront]

Aye and with championship games falling on any day of thurs-monday its very hard to plan - as I found out last year. HOPEFULY find out some dates soon!

[PAULD123]

Can't help on the scheduling points but Good luck with the stag, good luck with the wedding

Congratulations

[DaddyLongLegs]

Why is anyone surprised by the decision club football is a necessary evil for our county board at this time of year if they could postpone all club games until the county team were beat they would no common sense not a thought for the hundreds of honest club footballers and their families who have planned around a Friday night fixture bank holidays are a rare chance to plan things if you are a gaa family weddings ect and how many will benefit from this 6 or 7 players but remember folks its THE DOWN WAY

Its always worth remembering that the County Board aren't some mythical body up in the sky - its made up of the Clubs of Down with all Clubs having a representation. So instead of sitting on the sidelines slagging off the "County Board, why not speak with your county rep  - if you know who that is?

[gaamann]

Yes Daddylonglegs your correct we all have a county rep and I know ours really well but are you telling me county reps have any input into the major decisions that are made do you think Sean Og phoned them on sunday night to ask their option on the re-fixing of games the main decisions are made by 4 or 5 of the inner circle and then justified with the comments done for the good of club and county I cant see how it will benefit all the club players who have had there bank holiday plans turned upsidedown

[washed_up]

clearly from the wording around the re-fixing of the games not everybody was in agreement and  thank goodness have got away from that bland statement "The Down Way" of a little while ago,however the matches are on and we will have to get on with it bank holiday or not

[Leonardo]

Any one hear that the Club Championship might start in June?

[SHEEDY]

james has named the same team that started the last day in omagh. how many changes do we reckon before throw in? I reckon 2 at least, don't think benny will start though. hopefully pairc esler will be packed to the rafters to cheer on a narrow down victory.

[washed_up]

Good luck to the seniors tomorrow and i too hope the ground is packed with a great vocal support for the men in red and black--UP DOWN!!

[Mourne Rover]

A disappointing night for us tonight but we probably knew that Tyrone were never going to throw away a big lead for the second game running. The big difference was Morgan returning in goals, as not only does he land his kick-outs on a sixpence but he puts over his 45s with the minimum of fuss. Our defence, sadly, is not quite up to this level, and it requires surgery if we are going to have any sort of a run in the qualifiers. Big Dan was excellent at midfield but we probably need him more at the back. Of the six defenders who started, only Garvey looked the part. The other five struggled to cope with what is fairness is a fine Tyrone attack.

It might have been different if we had got the lift from the first minute penalty, but it was a poor effort from Carr and he did not really recover for the rest of the evening. The first Tyrone goal was a bit of a mess and the second caught us cold after the restart. Their penalty seemed harsh, but it did not make much difference by then.

Maginn had a brilliant first half, but faded noticably toward the end and Poland was very tightly marked. McKernan had his moments but never really got going, and Madine is a great ball-winner who might be more effective further forward. Our front three frequently looked impressive, with the main problem being that we insisted on firing in high balls to Laverty. Every time we played it low down the wings, he looked much more dangerous. Jerome Johnston was always a threat, and very unlucky when his shot came back from the inside of the post, while O'Hare, apart from one missed free, did really well.

Benny got an excellent point as soon as he came on, but he could have been straight off again for his follow-through after Johnston hit the post. Ryan Johnston definitely made a difference and deserves to start the next one, possibly at half back, while hopefully Ambrose is getting closer to full fitness. It is frustrating that another Doyle injury set-back presumably ruled him out, as we could really be doing with him. If he is available the next day, and both Turleys also return, perhaps our summer can stretch out for a while.

[washed_up]

We are once again clutching at straws despite some spirited efforts we are avery long way short of contesting at even middle level and we clearly if it was not already apparent do not have the team never mind the squad to mount a serious challenge in Ulster-do we continue with the same or is it time for change-i think the latter should be reasonably considered

[Line Ball]

Mourne Rover, are you for real? Placing all our future hopes on the players you have mentioned really wouldn't inspire any confidence in making any progress this Summer.  Tonight was an embarrassment. From the penalty where, like last week, Carr hit it with all he had (does he not think that keepers might actually know what he is going to do)  to missing easy chances again, O'Hare and Gordon to name two, we were just awful.  At one stage in the first half we must have made 20 fist passes between the 65's only for Sean Cavanagh to turn the ball over and set up a Tyrone attack.  We were continually ponderous in playing the ball forward and it was worse that Johnston and Laverty were winning every direct ball played in but we just would put it in early enough.  With Carr not marking Mc Ginley it was no wonder that he scored two goals, at this level you cannot expect to get away with this but Carr cannot be blamed as he was only doing as he was told, dropping off to protect the full back line.  Our half forward line was a major disappointment, Maginn couldn't handle Harte, our captain Poland should have been taken off as he posed no threat and a number of times slowed up rather than attacking the ball and was no threat whatsoever.  Only to give Ryan Johnston 15 minutes was a joke.  We were crying out for a player to be direct and run at Tyrone like he did last week but he didn't get long enough (it also doesn't help when your Da runs onto the field to give out to his marker for giving him loads all the same).
I reckon it is the end for a lot of players and also the management. I'm not saying they should go but I think they will go. Changes are needed. Like 2010 we might get a handy run in the qualifiers but if we do, it is only delaying the inevitable.

[Mourne Rover]

Line Ball, the main suggestion put forward was that five of our six starting defenders did not perform to the standard required and changes were needed. It would be a little surprising if you disagreed.  I think we should revert to big Dan at full back with the two Turleys and Ryan Johnston also coming in at the back. If you have some better ideas, let us hear them.

It is also wrong to claim that Morgan knew what Carr was going to do with the penalty. In Omagh, Carr put it firmly to the keeper's left. In Newry, he did not connect properly and struck it down the middle. Unless Morgan had dived out of the way, he could hardly have failed to save it.

As a division two side, we probably surprised ourselves with our second half display last week and reality set in in the replay. The time to assess our management is at the end of the season, not before we have kicked a ball in the qualifiers.

[Line Ball]

So you are putting Dan Gordon, the only man who made any clean catches between the two teams in the middle of the field, to full back.  Why?  He is not and never was a full back, and to suggest putting him back there is ludicrous.  (Dont mention 2010 or the likes because it has never worked) Ok, if we go with your new defence with four new players who do you drop?

As for Carrs penalty, he hammered it last week.  It swerved a bit then but there was no attempt to change his style tonight and it cost us.  Getting off to a sharp start was totally necessary, taking up where we left off was vital but due to the penalty miss it didn't happen.

To describe our display tonight as "reality setting in" would assume that you hadn't much faith in he team or didn't think we could win.  I, like you, do not have faith in the current selection both on and off the field.