Down Club Hurling & Football

[thewobbler]

Woobler I think you will find that the fact Derrygonelly hadn't 1 decent forward was the reason as to why that midfield dominance didn't show on the scoreboard. At that level I have never seen a worse forward unit. 7 scorable frees all missed along with those 2 goal chances.

These are the same forwards that won an SFC and saw off the champions of Tyrone.

[elk]

"There's nothing to do in Kilcoo except going to mass, having a few sheep and playing football " Aaron Brannigan

All the praying is working

[OgraAnDun]

"There's nothing to do in Kilcoo except going to mass, having a few sheep and playing football " Aaron Brannigan

All the praying is working

There must be a team confession after each game.

[Last Caress]

Fecking begrudgers . Kilcoo are in an Ulster Final on merit. Get over it.

Trust me they CANT and WONT get over it. Its hate any club but your own for these people.

[Sandstorm]

How refreshing to hear any young man emphasise the importance of mass to him in an era when most don't go or would be loath to announce that they did go on national TV. Great interview.

[supersub]

While it is a good sound bite 'nothing else to do in Kilcoo...etc' in my opinion they are doing themselves a disservice. Surely 15 years ago there was also nothing else to do in Kilcoo? But they weren't winning anything. It's the serious hard yards the club have put in to get them to where they are today. Regardless of what else goes on. Success breads success and they have built something to keep working on. Maybe now yes it is good that there is nothing else to do as such, so there are no distractions, but it all had to change at some point.

[Nanderson]

While it is a good sound bite 'nothing else to do in Kilcoo...etc' in my opinion they are doing themselves a disservice. Surely 15 years ago there was also nothing else to do in Kilcoo? But they weren't winning anything. It's the serious hard yards the club have put in to get them to where they are today. Regardless of what else goes on. Success breads success and they have built something to keep working on. Maybe now yes it is good that there is nothing else to do as such, so there are no distractions, but it all had to change at some point.

Always reminds me of a Joe Brolly quote about Jim McGuinness bringing in a lot of the U21 Donegal team that won Ulster and were runners up in AI in 2010. 'You can't breed winners with losers'. Kilcoo had a great set of underage teams in the late 00's and they managed to mix it perfectly with the more experianced players like Laverty, Greenan, McEvoys, etc

[RadioGAAGAA]

While it is a good sound bite 'nothing else to do in Kilcoo...etc' in my opinion they are doing themselves a disservice. Surely 15 years ago there was also nothing else to do in Kilcoo? But they weren't winning anything. It's the serious hard yards the club have put in to get them to where they are today. Regardless of what else goes on. Success breads success and they have built something to keep working on. Maybe now yes it is good that there is nothing else to do as such, so there are no distractions, but it all had to change at some point.

Always reminds me of a Joe Brolly quote about Jim McGuinness bringing in a lot of the U21 Donegal team that won Ulster and were runners up in AI in 2010. 'You can't breed winners with losers'. Kilcoo had a great set of underage teams in the late 00's and they managed to mix it perfectly with the more experianced players like Laverty, Greenan, McEvoys, etc

Rewind another 15+ years on that.

The start of it all was the early to mid 90s, going from Div3 to Div1 in 2 years in the mid to late 90s was off the back of the initial push - and beating Burren first time out in Div 1 (in Burren) was a massive confidence boost that had everyone not just believing, but knowing they were of a standard good enough to win in senior football.

But the bulk of that generation had a long hard slog and didn't quite make it in the SFC. Mayobridge frequently being the dastardly culprits. Many (even of the 1998 minor team) were gone by 2009 before eventually the Frank O'Hare was won. The subsequent SFC winning teams 2012- has been back boned by the U-14 AI Feile winning squad of 2006.

But without the work done in the early and mid-90s, nothing of what came after would have been possible. Even in the 80s getting the pitch. That was the foundations everything else was built on. There is a helluva lot owed to a lot of men (some now sadly gone) that put in serious hours on and off the pitch to get the club to where it is today.

[Mourne Rover]

Snoopdog asks whether any Kilcoo players would be available for Down if they are involved in the All Ireland series. However, the club final is due to be played at Croke Park on January 19, 2020. Even if they take a break for some weeks, they would only miss the first couple of NFL fixtures. Getting out of D3 this season is vital for Down, and we need the strongest possible squad for the main games. A case can be made for several Kilcoo representatives so hopefully a diplomatic initiative is under way.

[befair]

While it is a good sound bite 'nothing else to do in Kilcoo...etc' in my opinion they are doing themselves a disservice. Surely 15 years ago there was also nothing else to do in Kilcoo? But they weren't winning anything. It's the serious hard yards the club have put in to get them to where they are today. Regardless of what else goes on. Success breads success and they have built something to keep working on. Maybe now yes it is good that there is nothing else to do as such, so there are no distractions, but it all had to change at some point.

Always reminds me of a Joe Brolly quote about Jim McGuinness bringing in a lot of the U21 Donegal team that won Ulster and were runners up in AI in 2010. 'You can't breed winners with losers'. Kilcoo had a great set of underage teams in the late 00's and they managed to mix it perfectly with the more experianced players like Laverty, Greenan, McEvoys, etc

Rewind another 15+ years on that.

The start of it all was the early to mid 90s, going from Div3 to Div1 in 2 years in the mid to late 90s was off the back of the initial push - and beating Burren first time out in Div 1 (in Burren) was a massive confidence boost that had everyone not just believing, but knowing they were of a standard good enough to win in senior football.

But the bulk of that generation had a long hard slog and didn't quite make it in the SFC. Mayobridge frequently being the dastardly culprits. Many (even of the 1998 minor team) were gone by 2009 before eventually the Frank O'Hare was won. The subsequent SFC winning teams 2012- has been back boned by the U-14 AI Feile winning squad of 2006.

But without the work done in the early and mid-90s, nothing of what came after would have been possible. Even in the 80s getting the pitch. That was the foundations everything else was built on. There is a helluva lot owed to a lot of men (some now sadly gone) that put in serious hours on and off the pitch to get the club to where it is today.

I was at the game in Hilltown, in an almost unplayable downpour, when the changing of the guard happened. Mayobridge were champions and huge favourites, and were cruising, 5 pts ahead with a few minutes to go. Kilcoo were awarded a 21 yd free, Lavery took it quickly and set up a goal. Suddenly the gap was only 2 pts, the Bridge panicked and Kilcoo won out.
I was reminded of it yesterday, all these years later; Lavery's speed of thought with the quick free, was the crucial goal. He really is a one-off.

[Maurice Moss]

While it is a good sound bite 'nothing else to do in Kilcoo...etc' in my opinion they are doing themselves a disservice. Surely 15 years ago there was also nothing else to do in Kilcoo? But they weren't winning anything. It's the serious hard yards the club have put in to get them to where they are today. Regardless of what else goes on. Success breads success and they have built something to keep working on. Maybe now yes it is good that there is nothing else to do as such, so there are no distractions, but it all had to change at some point.

Always reminds me of a Joe Brolly quote about Jim McGuinness bringing in a lot of the U21 Donegal team that won Ulster and were runners up in AI in 2010. 'You can't breed winners with losers'. Kilcoo had a great set of underage teams in the late 00's and they managed to mix it perfectly with the more experianced players like Laverty, Greenan, McEvoys, etc

Rewind another 15+ years on that.

The start of it all was the early to mid 90s, going from Div3 to Div1 in 2 years in the mid to late 90s was off the back of the initial push - and beating Burren first time out in Div 1 (in Burren) was a massive confidence boost that had everyone not just believing, but knowing they were of a standard good enough to win in senior football.

But the bulk of that generation had a long hard slog and didn't quite make it in the SFC. Mayobridge frequently being the dastardly culprits. Many (even of the 1998 minor team) were gone by 2009 before eventually the Frank O'Hare was won. The subsequent SFC winning teams 2012- has been back boned by the U-14 AI Feile winning squad of 2006.

But without the work done in the early and mid-90s, nothing of what came after would have been possible. Even in the 80s getting the pitch. That was the foundations everything else was built on. There is a helluva lot owed to a lot of men (some now sadly gone) that put in serious hours on and off the pitch to get the club to where it is today.

Goosebumps reading that. Great post.

[Last Caress]

While it is a good sound bite 'nothing else to do in Kilcoo...etc' in my opinion they are doing themselves a disservice. Surely 15 years ago there was also nothing else to do in Kilcoo? But they weren't winning anything. It's the serious hard yards the club have put in to get them to where they are today. Regardless of what else goes on. Success breads success and they have built something to keep working on. Maybe now yes it is good that there is nothing else to do as such, so there are no distractions, but it all had to change at some point.

Always reminds me of a Joe Brolly quote about Jim McGuinness bringing in a lot of the U21 Donegal team that won Ulster and were runners up in AI in 2010. 'You can't breed winners with losers'. Kilcoo had a great set of underage teams in the late 00's and they managed to mix it perfectly with the more experianced players like Laverty, Greenan, McEvoys, etc

Rewind another 15+ years on that.

The start of it all was the early to mid 90s, going from Div3 to Div1 in 2 years in the mid to late 90s was off the back of the initial push - and beating Burren first time out in Div 1 (in Burren) was a massive confidence boost that had everyone not just believing, but knowing they were of a standard good enough to win in senior football.

But the bulk of that generation had a long hard slog and didn't quite make it in the SFC. Mayobridge frequently being the dastardly culprits. Many (even of the 1998 minor team) were gone by 2009 before eventually the Frank O'Hare was won. The subsequent SFC winning teams 2012- has been back boned by the U-14 AI Feile winning squad of 2006.

But without the work done in the early and mid-90s, nothing of what came after would have been possible. Even in the 80s getting the pitch. That was the foundations everything else was built on. There is a helluva lot owed to a lot of men (some now sadly gone) that put in serious hours on and off the pitch to get the club to where it is today.

I was at the game in Hilltown, in an almost unplayable downpour, when the changing of the guard happened. Mayobridge were champions and huge favourites, and were cruising, 5 pts ahead with a few minutes to go. Kilcoo were awarded a 21 yd free, Lavery took it quickly and set up a goal. Suddenly the gap was only 2 pts, the Bridge panicked and Kilcoo won out.
I was reminded of it yesterday, all these years later; Lavery's speed of thought with the quick free, was the crucial goal. He really is a one-off.

You conveniently forget that not long after this this same individual was apparently told to get the f**k out of Kilcoo, people have very short memories of what he did among his own people.

[befair]

I don't know the lad, only watched him over many years, and I appreciate what a wonderful player he is.

[yewtree]

Not long now to Christmas and season of goodwill.That club from The East are in Ulster Final but as an act of goodwill and taking into account they are near border of South I feel we should take them in as our own as there are more like us in their outlook on football and commitment than those deep in The East.So good luck to Kilcoo in the final and let the whole county get behind them.
We mightn't always like getting beat by them but you gotta admire them.But 2020 it will back to the usual and they will not win Championship.This is the end of this period of profile for them.
Any word on Senior County Squad , any new faces in?

[SamFever]

Not long now to Christmas and season of goodwill.That club from The East are in Ulster Final but as an act of goodwill and taking into account they are near border of South I feel we should take them in as our own as there are more like us in their outlook on football and commitment than those deep in The East.So good luck to Kilcoo in the final and let the whole county get behind them.
We mightn't always like getting beat by them but you gotta admire them.But 2020 it will back to the usual and they will not win Championship.This is the end of this period of profile for them.
Any word on Senior County Squad , any new faces in?

Spewtree,Any chance of a spot of hibernation for you for a few months?