Down Club Hurling & Football

[DownFanatic]

I see the CCC have 'apologised' for their latest c**k up. From the county meeting minutes:

'In the absence of John Devaney, the Runai dealt with any matters regarding County Football Teams. Hugh Morgan, Liatroim and Sean O Rourke, An Riocht were both critical of the effect that the starred games system was having on their particular Clubs. It was accepted that the County Bye Laws had not been properly applied in relation to a series of fixtures after the Donegal game and this had been accepted as a mistake by CCC.'

[Mourne Rover]

Brick, you say of our senior squad that `the majority have been around county teams quite a white and are yet to really deliver', but the individual you single out for criticism is Peter Fitpatrick. He is 22 and has started just one championship game for Down, when he was played out of position at full forward. You may be tired of references to potential, but until he has completed at least a handful of matches at midfield or possibly wing half forward, we cannot judge him on anything else. Fitzpatrick did well when he came on in Ballybofey, but was not introduced until the dying stages at Casement when we were already a well beaten side, so the argument is that, while unproven and still inconsistent, he is worth at least a couple of starts.

You say that we should unearth more players who are like Joe McMahon, and are solid in all positions, can play off both feet, are comfortable on the ball, and can takle and take scores. That would be brilliant. Can you name a few who have been mysteriously excluded from the county squad to date ?

[In the Onion Bag]

McVeigh did not have a great time with his kick-outs against Tyrone, but on balances deserves to stay in nets. Dan McCartan can be expected to return at corner back, and he deserves his chance on his league form. Rafferty is a certainty in the other corner, and it would be premature to drop McArdle when he is still learning the ropes at full back.

Rooney might make the switch to wing half, with Garvey worth a look at centre half, and Carr, assuming he is fit, coming in as the other wing half, where he would give us a useful option with his free-taking.

Big Dan has been poor since his return, but he must come good at some stage and would be worth another try at midfield with King.

Placing Ambrose and Fitzpatrick as wing half forwards would give us a solid platform, and both are capable of taking a score or moving back to midfield. Marty Clarke should really have been replaced at Casement, but it was still only his second championship match and he might benefit from having two ball winners outside him.

Maginn is one our our hardest workers, and gets back to cover the defence effectively, which leaves Benny and Hughes as a two man full forward line.

So it could be - McVeigh; McCartan, McArdle, Rafferty; Rooney, Garvey, Carr; King, Gordon; Rogers, M Clarke, Fitzpatrick; Hughes, Coulter, Maginn.

Mourne Rover, I think you should be advising the County selectors.  I always appreciate your considered analysis and again on thsi team selection although I remain to be convinced about Fitzpatrick.

I hope this blessing from the blacksheep ITOB doesn't com back on you.  If it does it reflects more on detractors than its will on you.  Keep  up the quality analysis.

[Brick Tamlin]

I merely used Peter Fitzpatrick as an example, wasnt having a dig or singling him out for criticism. Im not arguing that he doesnt deserve a couple of starts but talking of him and a few others in the same breath as Blayney, Mason & co is just ridiculous and unfair.
I stick to my point that not enough of these players are dominating or shining for their clubs week in week out. Maybe says more for the standard of our leagues and club games.
Players like Joe Mc Mahon dont exist in Down as far as i can see, that kind of player needs to be  be grown, nurtured and brought along from a very young age with adequate coaching from decent mentors.
I wont even go into the minors and their management.

[Mourne Rover]

Fair enough Brick, but I never mentioned Fitzpatrick as comparable to Blaney or Mason. The point Leo was making was that switching Carr and Mason, who were ball winners and fine footballers,  from defence to wing half forwards was the making of the 1991 side, which is difficult to dispute.

I think you may be writing off some of our younger players as potential midfielders far too quickly. If you look at the 91 team, Burns was a late developer and did not get into the county set-up until his mid-20s while Breen made his name as a defender before he was switched to midfield when around 23. Most midfielders do not mature until their mid-20s anyway, so there is plenty of time to decide whether or not Fitzpatrick is good enough for the position.

[guevara]

I think its wrong to get carried away with the likes of Joe McMahon! He hast been Tyrones free man in their past 2 games & has played well given that. But when he was actually asked to mark players he has struggled. He got a bit of a roasting off CJ McGourty when on him in the Antrim game & had to be moved & Benny was torturing him before he was moved out the field on Saturday so its wrong to potry him as the mould of the modern footballer! Give me a Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sulliavn or Gooch anyday!

I think if we hadve actually played someone on Joe McMahon & forced him to defend then we mightve had a better chance of winning. He is very good as the free man in the sense that he uses the ball well, is capable of carrying it & commiting opponents when needed & as evident kick scores. Unfortunately Colgan cant do very any these as effectively & I genuinely think Saturday showed that we arent as good or composed at playing counter attacking football as the likes of Tyrone. Armagh etc.
To be honest Tyrone were toying with Down at the end retaining posseion & awaiting their openings. Only way we were gonna put them under serious pressure was by going man for man & taking the game to them , not sitting with 12 men behind the ball putting balls into Paul McComiskey & expecting him to get scores.

[Out in Front]

Didn't see the Irish News today, were there any underage hurling fixtures for the week ahead?

Yes there were a few. I can't for the life of me understand why these underage hurling fixtures can't find their way to the local papers for publishing.

[Lecale2]

Any results from the Hurling league? Nothing on the web site.

[Whitehair]

Bredagh beat Portaferry; Crans beat Liatroim handy enough; Point beat Ballyvarley by 2 and our match is back to monday evening.

[off the laces]

"Rodgers, Maginn, Fitzpatrick begins to look like Carr, Blaney, Mason"
Im gobsmacked.
i always thought we were a little short sighted us Down folk, but not fuckin blind.
Im failing to see the comparison.
For me Fitzpatrick isnt up to it YET.
Doesnt dominate club games the way an intercounty standard midfielder should.
If your not doing it week in week out for your club ie Murtagh, Hughes, Coulter, Rafferty then i dont know how your going to cope at intercounty senior.

ha ha! You got it spot on! Blaney was a legend and the other 2 were pivitol to us winning 2 All-Irelands. Ambrose may have pushed for a place on that line but not the other 2, not yet anyway

Spot on assesment!! When he played against my own Club only a few weeks ago Fitzpatrick got cleaned out around the middle by a young fella who wouldnt have started last year!!
You have to be dominating in club games otherwise you arent going to dominate your opponent in County games. Fitzpatrick has fantastic potential but like the majority of players that come through from U-21, he has found it a lot tougher at Senior level & I dont think he warrants a place. He is a bit like McComiskey in the sense that aas soon as a fella has a poor game he is mentioned as a replacement without ever backing it up with performances.

My team would be:

McVeigh
Rafferty
McArdle
McCartan (Or another)
Garvey
Carr
Rooney
King
Rodgers
Hughes
Maginn
Murtagh
Clarke
Coulter
Brown

Think i would set them up like this:
McVeigh
McCartan
Mccardle
Rafferty
Carr
M Clarke
Garvey
Rogers
King
Hughes
Gordon
Maginn
J Clarke
Coulter
McComisky
Have Dan drop into midfield, Clarke drop to half forward and Marty Clarke spreading passes setting up attacks from Half back/Midfield
Rodgers able to push forward as we would have cover around the middle.

[batman]

Mc Veigh
Howard
Cole
Rafferty
Garvey
Murphy
Hanna
King
Rodgers
Hughes
Clarke
Maginn
McComiskey
Clarke/Fitzpatrick/Gordon
Coulter

[EagleLord]

Mc Veigh
Howard
Cole
Rafferty
Garvey
Murphy
Hanna
King
Rodgers
Hughes
Clarke
Maginn
McComiskey
Clarke/Fitzpatrick/Gordon
Coulter

Playing Fitzpatrick or Gordon at 14 is not the way to go at all. Did you not watch the match last week? Having a big man in there only leads to pumping balls in high. Ye know rightly its just goin to lead to thumping them in high and mighty in the hope that they might get on it, aimless. Down played really well for 20mins when the ball was in fast, low, early and to the men in front. When they moced Gordon into the full forward line, I knew the game was over, that was so infuriating. The only team and I mean only team that can play the whole long high ball in, is kerry. And that is because they have someone exceptional in there like Donaghy, no other team are as effective. Any other team that tries it is just kicking the ball away.

[dundrumite]

Mc Veigh
Howard
Cole
Rafferty
Garvey
Murphy
Hanna
King
Rodgers
Hughes
Clarke
Maginn
McComiskey
Clarke/Fitzpatrick/Gordon
Coulter

Playing Fitzpatrick or Gordon at 14 is not the way to go at all. Did you not watch the match last week? Having a big man in there only leads to pumping balls in high. Ye know rightly its just goin to lead to thumping them in high and mighty in the hope that they might get on it, aimless. Down played really well for 20mins when the ball was in fast, low, early and to the men in front. When they moced Gordon into the full forward line, I knew the game was over, that was so infuriating. The only team and I mean only team that can play the whole long high ball in, is kerry. And that is because they have someone exceptional in there like Donaghy, no other team are as effective. Any other team that tries it is just kicking the ball away.

100% agree. If Tyrone can deal with Donaghy and Walsh 2008 then they can pretty much deal with anyone playing that tactic.

[T O Hare]

Fair play to Conor Laverty for sending that young lad home in Kilcoo.. He helped save his life!!!

[Mid Down Gael]

Fair play to Conor Laverty for sending that young lad home in Kilcoo.. He helped save his life!!!

+1. Laverty is a great young coach and always has the childrens health and welfare as priority. It was gr8 work off him to firstly realise the situation and in getting the lad to hospital.