Down Club Hurling & Football

Started by Lecale2, November 10, 2006, 12:06:55 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

A man from Down

Lots of ifs and buts and possibilities fellas but the simple reality is that Down are as good as the league position of the division they are in.
Sure theres probably very little between the teams of both divison 2 and 3 but that does'nt matter a dam if you are stuck in either division. Only the teams in divison one are really good enough these days to win an Ulster title let alone anything else.

Our biggest issue seems to be the inability to produce midfielders. Since the days of Ambrose, Dan, Callum King (almost 10years ago!) only Peter Turley was a consistant proper midfielder. Why is this?

Nearly every county seem to have the standard 6ft 2 plus midfielders that can field a ball and use their physicality around the middle. We simply will not race up through the divisions or win anything continuing to bypass midfield.

And btw I'm not having a go at those who have played there in recent years. Donnelly is a decent midfielder but has had his injury problems and similarly Flynn has'nt played enough. The likes of McKernan, Mooney and Poland are all very good footballers but not tall enough and would probably be the first to say themeselves that they aren't midfielders.

CornUladh

Quote from: yewtree on February 14, 2020, 07:45:03 PM
Quote from: A man from Down on February 13, 2020, 01:51:43 PM
Lots of ifs and buts and possibilities fellas but the simple reality is that Down are as good as the league position of the division they are in.
Sure theres probably very little between the teams of both divison 2 and 3 but that does'nt matter a dam if you are stuck in either division. Only the teams in divison one are really good enough these days to win an Ulster title let alone anything else.

Our biggest issue seems to be the inability to produce midfielders. Since the days of Ambrose, Dan, Callum King (almost 10years ago!) only Peter Turley was a consistant proper midfielder. Why is this?

Nearly every county seem to have the standard 6ft 2 plus midfielders that can field a ball and use their physicality around the middle. We simply will not race up through the divisions or win anything continuing to bypass midfield.

And btw I'm not having a go at those who have played there in recent years. Donnelly is a decent midfielder but has had his injury problems and similarly Flynn has'nt played enough. The likes of McKernan, Mooney and Poland are all very good footballers but not tall enough and would probably be the first to say themeselves that they aren't midfielders.


Very valid points regarding midfield ,our current midfield isn't up to it.Big McKay from Burren could be an option if he was back.

Mooney best spot is wing half back ,Kevin McK as sweeper.

Poland has missed too much football over the years.He was a good talent as a minor but hasn't came through.I feel he is at best a squad player and I have been told by guys who know him that his fitness isn't there as an inter-county midfielder - he has missed the boat .He has close to 30 now I'd say 28 / 29.Why Paddy is persisting with him is strange to say the least.He seems like a guy that spends too much time in the gym and has missed out on the vital years as a developing footballer.Football has no place for sediment.

Time Paddy looked out for bigger younger men as midfielders. McCabe possibly.

Still early days but the hardest 3 games over and promotion is within our grasp and Paddy taking us in the right direction overall.
Do you contradict yourself often? You mention Mark McKay who last played for Down in 2016 being an option for midfield. Maybe or maybe not. Im unsure if he has played mich for his club lately.  Then you go onto to say time Paddy looked for younger men as midfielders. Go figure.

Smurfy123

Mark McKay for the Down squad? Maybe 6 years ago no longer an option and would be surprised if he starts for Burren next year.
Very tight at the top of division 3 now 4 teams now on 3 points after Offaly defeated Louth today.
The Longford game looks like a winner takes all. It is a game that we can win with confidence. Any word on Harrison and Haveron?

Ulsterman09

Loughinisland beat the county today ? Albeit a B side but fair play. Shows maybe club players prefer to play where they are...

Ed Hardy

Quote from: Ulsterman09 on February 16, 2020, 10:21:14 PM
Loughinisland beat the county today ? Albeit a B side but fair play. Shows maybe club players prefer to play where they are...

Any idea of the Down line up?

Mike Tyson

Quote from: Ed Hardy on February 17, 2020, 09:12:23 AM
Quote from: Ulsterman09 on February 16, 2020, 10:21:14 PM
Loughinisland beat the county today ? Albeit a B side but fair play. Shows maybe club players prefer to play where they are...

Any idea of the Down line up?

O'Hare from Glenn in nets, Collins, McArdle, McAleenan full back line, Daniel Guinness & Aaron Morgan in midfield, Corey Quinn & Harrison in full forward line. Apart from that not many of the other lads who will see time come championship. The rest of the team were either not getting game time or coming back from injury - Ceilum Doherty, Ciaran Harney, Conor Cox, Peter Fegan, Benny Gallen a few of the others playing.

Smurfy123

Some rain will the match go ahead on Saturday?
Big game could go either way
Not as easy as many think
Down by 2/3

Truth hurts

I see St Colmans are into semi final and have a great chance in getting to a final. A question for the south Down members. Is the abbey a smaller school and do the college get the first pick in players. It seems as if the college always get better teams, why is this?

Too many steps

Quote from: Truth hurts on February 20, 2020, 11:35:54 AM
I see St Colmans are into semi final and have a great chance in getting to a final. A question for the south Down members. Is the abbey a smaller school and do the college get the first pick in players. It seems as if the college always get better teams, why is this?

Numbers wise they're roughly the same.

Reasons why St Colmans do better - probably a few.

St Colmans have a larger and more rural catchment (this probably comes from the fact it was a boarding school in the past) - the decline of football in Newry can't help Abbey.

St Colmans have the tradition - even when Newry football was strong St Colmans did better than Abbey.

With that St Colmans have the coaches who have been there and have the know how to win McRory.

St Colmans will keep good footballers even if they academically under achieve @ GCSE whereas Abbey would not - although I'm not sure if this is still the case - definitely was throughout 80s 90s and 2000s.

This year has definitely opened up with Omagh getting knocked out - Omagh thrashed St Colmans in the McCormack they'll be glad to see them out. Very open McRory now.

thewobbler

Quote from: Too many steps on February 20, 2020, 06:05:08 PM
Quote from: Truth hurts on February 20, 2020, 11:35:54 AM
I see St Colmans are into semi final and have a great chance in getting to a final. A question for the south Down members. Is the abbey a smaller school and do the college get the first pick in players. It seems as if the college always get better teams, why is this?

Numbers wise they're roughly the same.

Reasons why St Colmans do better - probably a few.

St Colmans have a larger and more rural catchment (this probably comes from the fact it was a boarding school in the past) - the decline of football in Newry can't help Abbey.

St Colmans have the tradition - even when Newry football was strong St Colmans did better than Abbey.

With that St Colmans have the coaches who have been there and have the know how to win McRory.

St Colmans will keep good footballers even if they academically under achieve @ GCSE whereas Abbey would not - although I'm not sure if this is still the case - definitely was throughout 80s 90s and 2000s.

This year has definitely opened up with Omagh getting knocked out - Omagh thrashed St Colmans in the McCormack they'll be glad to see them out. Very open McRory now.


The only comment I'll make here is that the bit on bold couldn't be any further off the mark if an Abbey forward needed to kick it to win a MacRory knockout match.

Too many steps

Quote from: thewobbler on February 20, 2020, 06:24:00 PM
Quote from: Too many steps on February 20, 2020, 06:05:08 PM
Quote from: Truth hurts on February 20, 2020, 11:35:54 AM
I see St Colmans are into semi final and have a great chance in getting to a final. A question for the south Down members. Is the abbey a smaller school and do the college get the first pick in players. It seems as if the college always get better teams, why is this?

Numbers wise they're roughly the same.

Reasons why St Colmans do better - probably a few.

St Colmans have a larger and more rural catchment (this probably comes from the fact it was a boarding school in the past) - the decline of football in Newry can't help Abbey.

St Colmans have the tradition - even when Newry football was strong St Colmans did better than Abbey.

With that St Colmans have the coaches who have been there and have the know how to win McRory.

St Colmans will keep good footballers even if they academically under achieve @ GCSE whereas Abbey would not - although I'm not sure if this is still the case - definitely was throughout 80s 90s and 2000s.

This year has definitely opened up with Omagh getting knocked out - Omagh thrashed St Colmans in the McCormack they'll be glad to see them out. Very open McRory now.


The only comment I'll make here is that the bit on bold couldn't be any further off the mark if an Abbey forward needed to kick it to win a MacRory knockout match.

Nice retort had a chuckle at Abbey forward line.

But have to say I went to Abbey. My brothers went to college. So think  I have a good insight to what was going on in both establishments around that time.

Everyone knew round Newry that the college would try their best to keep footballers. And the abbey let a lot of good footballers go.

I'm not saying the college never got rid of a good footballer but they would try their best to keep them.

As I said I don't believe that is the case more recently.

The coaching was a bigger factor I think though. A lot of potentially good Abbey teams were managed very poorly.

Smurfy123

Colman's managed better Abbey very poorly managed
The teams the abbey had and won nothing is mind boggling
McEntee
McConville
O Rourkes
Walsh
Sexton
McGeeney
Kearney
McNultys
Mulholland

And many many more

Leonardo

Was at St Colman in 80s - you didn't get to do A levels if grades were low. Probably cost us 1 MacRory at least.

Truth hurts

Any word how Pairc Esler is? There has been some amount of rain. Is there any alternative to host the game in a different venue?

In all honestly the whole post primary set up in Down needs improved, that is where i would be pushing coaches. Look at St Pats Downpatrick, a massive school with over 800 boys, surely it should be McRory cup team . St Marks Warrenpoint used to be a powerhouse in the county and I never hear of them playing at top level anymore.
Its great to see the College and Abbey competing but half their footballers are Armagh so it would be better if all Down schools were improving. Maybe teachers don't have the time anymore but kids are being sent to these schools  from excellent clubs from county Down who provide excellent coaching.

elk

Quote from: Truth hurts on February 21, 2020, 02:09:06 PM
Any word how Pairc Esler is? There has been some amount of rain. Is there any alternative to host the game in a different venue?

In all honestly the whole post primary set up in Down needs improved, that is where i would be pushing coaches. Look at St Pats Downpatrick, a massive school with over 800 boys, surely it should be McRory cup team . St Marks Warrenpoint used to be a powerhouse in the county and I never hear of them playing at top level anymore.
Its great to see the College and Abbey competing but half their footballers are Armagh so it would be better if all Down schools were improving. Maybe teachers don't have the time anymore but kids are being sent to these schools  from excellent clubs from county Down who provide excellent coaching.
When did St Marks play at the top level?