NFL Division 2 2010

[Trevor Hill]

Downs first score came from a McComiskey free on 6 minutes after Meath had scored early on. A Martin Clarke free 10 minutes later put Down 2-1 ahead, a lead that they would not relinquish. John Clarke added his first of the game on 17 minutes before Marty added another. Ambrose then got on the end of a move that he started to leave the score at 5-1  after 23 minutes and it look ed like it was going to be all one way traffic from then. But Down lost their way after that and wasted chance after chance. Meath pulled a point back after Kevin McKernan had been replaced by Aidan Brannigan on 25 minutes. McKernan took a knock after playing the ball out of defence. One of many incidents that the referee decided to ignore. A McComiskey free on 28 minutes left it 6-2 in favour of Down, before Meath enjoyed their best spell of the game adding on 3 points before half time to leave the minimum between the sides, 6-5 at the break.
The second half started as badly as the first finished. It took 11 minutes before John Clarke opened the scoring.  Ambrose added another 3 minutes later and a McComiskey free on 55 minutes put Down 3 ahead 9-6. Meath pulled one back before John Clarke and a well taken score by Maginn made it 11-7. The teams swapped points in the closing stages. McComiskey getting Downs last point 3 minutes from the end.
Meath controlled this game at midfield, Mark Ward was the stand out player on the pitch. Down simply had no answer to him.  Up front it was a very different story from last week, they just didn't click. At times taking too much out of the ball, going for goal when a simple point would have pt more daylight between the sides. At least half a dozen balls were dropped into the Meath keepers hands from very scoreable positions. Strangely for Down, it is the defence that is the talking point these days and not in a negative way for a change. Down are now playing with a defensive strategy, everyone has a job to do from corner forward back. The 6 defenders are playing well together, with James Colgan being the pick of the bunch. He is mopping up a lot of ball in front of the full back line and can carry the ball out of defence with ease. How he had been ignored over the last 3 years is anyones guess.
This wasn't a perfect performance, but they dug deep and got the 2 points which is all that matters, sometimes its better to win ugly. Down haven't been able to win these tight scrappy games for a generation. James and co have brought a tenacity back to the team. We always knew we could score, but we knew we were weak at the back. Personally I would prefer to see McKernan at full back, but McArdle hasn't really put a foot wrong. McVeigh had a slightly busier 70 minutes and probably should have been beaten, but the Meath forward blasted the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Relegation is a word you wont hear in Down this year. Full time score 12-8.

Down scorers. P. McComiskey 4 (3f), M. Clarke 2 (1f), J. Clarke 3, A. Rodgers 2, Maginn 1. 

[Trevor Hill]

Down 0-12 Meath 0-8
Tipperary 0-8 Kildare 1-17

[drici]

Irish Examiner

Saturday

Tipperary 0-8 Kildare 1-16

NFL DIVISION 2

A depleted Kildare put last weekend's chastening defeat to Down behind
them with a comfortable victory over 14-man Tipperary at a sparsely
attended Semple Stadium tonight. Kieran McGeeney was without seven front
line players through suspension and injury, and will be worried about
further knocks picked up by Hugh McGrillen and Anthony Rainbow that
necessitated their substitutions during the game. The evergreen Rainbow
impressed in an unusual role at centre-forward, while Ken Donnelly did
his cause no harm for a more regular starting role and James Kavanagh
finished with an eight-point haul. Midfielder Daryl Flynn was the most
influential figure on the field however, displaying tremendous fielding
skills to go with a keen work ethic. Donnelly struck the net in the
sixth minute, having been placed expertly by Mark Scanlon, to give
Kildare an early four-point lead and it was an advantage they held until
half time. Conor Sweeney and Barry Grogan did get on the score sheet for
the home side but Kavanagh tagged on three points of his own to give
Kildare a 1-5 to 0-4 interval lead.

Kavanagh, Karl Ennis and Padraig O'Neill kept the scoreboard ticking
over after the resumption and when Tipp midfielder Hugh Coghlan was sent
off in the 50th minute after an off-the-ball incident involving Flynn,
it was curtains for the home side. Both sides emptied their benches as
the result became inevitable. Tipp replacement, Stephen Hahessy did kick
two fine points from play but it was all Kildare, with Flynn covering
every blade of grass on the field. O'Neill brought his tally to three
with a beauty with the outside of his right boot and Dermot Earley
produced the loudest cheer of the night courtesy of a wonderful point on
the run from 40m. The defeat leaves Tipperary facing a tough battle to
retain their newfound Division 2 status already, while Kildare will hope
to build on this morale-boosting win to make a stab at promotion to the
top tier.

Kildare: S McCormack; A Mac Lochlainn, H McGrillen, E Bolton; M Foley, B
Flanagan, M Scanlon; D Flynn, D Earley 0-1; D Whyte, A Rainbow, P
O'Neill 0-3; K Ennis 0-4(3fs), J Kavanagh 0-8(5fs), K Donnelly 1-0.
Subs: D Hendy for McGrillen inj (32); R Sweeney for Rainbow inj (46); H
Lynch for White (60); D Lyons for Bolton (65)

Tipperary: M O'Donnell; C Morrissey, P Codd, C McDonald; R Costigan, N
Curran, C Aylward; G Hannigan, H Coghlan; J Cagney 0-1, S Grogan P
Acheson; C Sweeney 0-3(2fs), P Austin, B Grogan 0-2(1f). Subs: B
Mulvhill for Cagney (40); B Coen for S Grogan (47); A Rockett for Austin
(53); S Hahessy 0-2 for B Grogan (61); C McGrath for Codd (66)

Referee: A Mangan (Kerry)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDJrt7unKUI&feature=related


The Snake with Eyes of Garnet
By Shane MacGowan (1994)
Last night as I lay dreaming
My way across the sea
James Mangan brought me comfort
With laudnum and poitin
He flew me back to Dublin
In 1819
To a public execution
Being held on Stephen's Green
The young man on the platform
Held his head up and he did sing
Then he whispered hard into my ear
As he handed me this ring

"If you miss me on the harbour
For the boat, it leaves at three
Take this snake with eyes of garnet
My mother gave to me!

This snake cannot be captured
This snake cannot be tied
This snake cannot be tortured, or
Hung or crucified

It came down through the ages
It belongs to you and me
So pass it on and pass it on
'Till all mankind is free

If you miss me on the harbour
For the boat, it leaves at three
Take this snake with eyes of garnet
My mother gave to me"

He swung, his face went purple
A roar came from the crowd
But Mangan laughed and pushed me
And we got back on the cloud
He dropped me off in London
Back in this dying land
But my eyes were filled with wonder
At the ring still in my hand

If you miss me on the harbour
For the boat, it leaves at three
Take this snake with eyes of garnet
My mother gave to me!

And if you miss me on the harbour
For the boat, it leaves at three
Take this snake with eyes of garnet
My mother gave to me!


--

[drici]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdskdLV4MWY Cáitlín Maude


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzh5uq8rkN0 Matt Cunningham tin whistle

[stibhan]

Horrible poet. Faked translations of oriental poems for no apparent reason. Not in my name, James Clarence.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Much better effort from Kildare last night. Kavanagh led the line very well up front. Rainbow rolled back the years but it is a worry that he went off injured. Hugh McGrillen's injury looked particularly nasty. Hopefully they'll be ok for the next day out.

Darryl Flynn had a superb game alongside big Dermot. Best display I've seen from him since his u21 days.

[Dinny Breen]

Agree with DH there, thought Flynn was superb but I'd say his best moment was when he took the box in the face, stayed standing and didn't retaliate, a level of maturity he has never shown in club or county games especially as it didn't affect his game in the slightest.

JK took on the leadership role up front and apart from some loose passing which is normally a strenght of his he did very well, as did Ken Donnelly. Karl Ennis is starting to impress me, never hid last night and seemed to learn from last week and was getting out in front of his man, his work-rate was excellent as well. If Ennis is to feature in the championship it could be at the expense of Pauric O'Neill, looks slower than ever and just didn't show any hunger last night and only showed glimpses of his talent with some well taken long range points.

Having played football and rugby alongside Rainbow, it still amazes me how he can still do it at his age. One of our best performers, at centre half forward I wouldn't mind, up until his injury and well worth his place in the panel. Just in awe of the man.

Brian Flanagan is to the manner born and most of Kildare's best attacks were instigated by his foraging runs, reminded me Seamus Moynihan and Keith Barr last night albeit against limited opposition.

Still the full back line is an issue, I just can't understand why Kevin O'Neill isn't getting a run but that's for Geezer to decide I suppose. McLoughlin did wellish last night only to undo his good work with Hahessy coming and skinning him for 2 good points.

Referee Watch

I persume his awful first half peformance was due more to Kildare's reputation than his own ineptitude, showed no constistency he how treated certain fouls whereas the Tipp player got the benefit of the doubt Kildare player got no such leniency. Hopefully not a sign of things to come.

Overall happy with Kildare's response to the Down defeat but don't think they'll play a side that will play as poorly as that again this year. A win next day out against Donegal will set us up for a league challenge, the 3 week break should see us in better shape for that test.

[Onlooker]

Well Dinny your pessimism about Kildare's prospects was unfounded.  Tipp were well beaten and apart from the shot that hit the crossbar in the first half when we were 4 points behind, we could not even say if this or that had happened things might have been closer.  Coming from Division 4 to Division 2 in sucessive seasons looks to be a step too far for Tipp.  However, for the life of me I don't see how you can say that the ref. favoured Tipp and was hard on Kildare.  I accept that we all look at matches from our own team's point of view, but every Tipp person in Thurles last night was very unhappy with the referee.  Just think how many times Tipp were penalised for hand passing and Kildare were, to my best recollection, never penalised.  I know it is difficult to see the hand pass fouls, but I remember a Kildare score coming from a movement that had a throw rather than a handpass of any description.  I agree with you that Mangan is a really poor ref and the first yellow card that he gave to a Kildare player was a crazy decision.  Your player did nothing to deserve that card.  As for Anthony Rainbow, he was exceptional aand is some example for young players in every county. 

[Donnellys Hollow]

Still the full back line is an issue, I just can't understand why Kevin O'Neill isn't getting a run but that's for Geezer to decide I suppose. McLoughlin did wellish last night only to undo his good work with Hahessy coming and skinning him for 2 good points.

Very puzzling that KON isn't getting more of a go especially given the issues we've had in the full-back line. He was one of the first names on the team sheet up until the shoulder injury last year. Apart from getting a bit of a roasting from Stevie McDonnell in Newbridge, I can't recall him playing badly last year. He was excellent against Cork and up in Monaghan.

Got to trust McGeeney I suppose but Mac will cost us in the long run. You can't question his commitment but he is far too rash in his tackling. If we're to have any chance of competing against the Kerrys Corks and Tyrones of this world, you can't be giving them three or four kickable frees a half.

[Dinny Breen]

 

I know it is difficult to see the hand pass fouls, but I remember a Kildare score coming from a movement that had a throw rather than a handpass of any description

That was a terrible decision, it was Ronan Sweeney, he threw the ball in the air and then fisted it, don't know how he missed it.  My annoyance with the ref was how he seemed determined to lay the law down with Kildare players yet show leniency to the Tipp player for the same disgressions, I fear our reputation is hindering us, this all stems from his 1st half performance. Looking at the 2nd half in isolation he was very poor for both sides.

I was pessemistic going down but I have never seen Tipp in the flesh and physically they weren't able to match Kildare and I thought they should have moved the ball quicker into their full-forward line. 2 successive promotions is a steep learning curve and Kildare, Meath, Down, Donegal  and Armagh would have all big ambitions, it's a pity you didn't get something from the Laois game.

DH,

What did you think of Cribben's cameo? Will be interesting if he persists with that, I quite like the romantic idea of Cribben, Flanagan and Conway in the half-back line very swash buckling but would you want them to be defending a lead going into the last 10 mins against a Dublin or Tyrone?

[Donnellys Hollow]

DH,

What did you think of Cribben's cameo? Will be interesting if he persists with that, I quite like the romantic idea of Cribben, Flanagan and Conway in the half-back line very swash buckling but would you want them to be defending a lead going into the last 10 mins against a Dublin or Tyrone?

Very impressed with him. I was a bit disappointed with him in the O'Byrne Cup but he was lost inside in the full-forward line especially when we were raining garryowens down on top of him.

He has lightning pace and you could see him really coming into his own in the summer when the ground drys up a bit. I wouldn't be too sure about him in the backs. Flaherty is very solid dependable player and Conway will be straight back into the team when he comes back. I think wing-forward would be perfect for him. He'll push Paudie and Roli for that position I reckon. If Leper is back before the summer I'd put him back in at corner-back rather than in the forwards. Shame to waste such a natural footballer but he always did a good job there. We could line up with something like this in the forwards all going well:

Kavanagh      Kelly         Cribbin
Smith           Ennis        Doyle

[Onlooker]

I am surprised that you refer to "Kildare's reputation" in your posts on last night's game, Dinny.  I did not see any Kildare player do anything out of line and I would not have criticism to make of any aspect of you team's play last night.  Is it the fact that Kieran McGeeney is from Armagh that gives rise to this "reputation".  If so, this is most unfair, as I always saw that Armagh team as sound genuine team who played good hard football and played it fairly as well.  No Tipp supporter that I spoke to last night had any fault to find with Kildare and to me you must have a genuine chance of a Leinster Championship this year.

[Donnellys Hollow]

I am surprised that you refer to "Kildare's reputation" in your posts on last night's game, Dinny.  I did not see any Kildare player do anything out of line and I would not have criticism to make of any aspect of you team's play last night.  Is it the fact that Kieran McGeeney is from Armagh that gives rise to this "reputation".  If so, this is most unfair, as I always saw that Armagh team as sound genuine team who played good hard football and played it fairly as well.  No Tipp supporter that I spoke to last night had any fault to find with Kildare and to me you must have a genuine chance of a Leinster Championship this year.

A lot was made of the scrap in the Laois game and then we had a man sent off against Louth and two more last weekend against Down. I think rightly or wrongly, a lot of referees will be wary of Kildare because of our last few games. We have one or two hot heads in our team but I don't think we've any out and out dirty player in our ranks. We're certainly a lot more physical in the tackle than we were before McGeeney took over. I know a lot of the players and McGeeney himself are fustrated with the inconsistency of certain referees in their interpretation of the tackle.

[Dinny Breen]

We had 5 players sent off in the previous 3 games to last night and as DH states the likes of Flynn and Chalkie Whyte are hot heads and are easily provoked and are often targetted by the oppostion which why it was good to see Flynn not react to the thump he got.

McGeeney wants Kildare to be physical in the tackle but we're not getting the balance right still and I think the team aren't handling that frustration well. Referee intreprations are just too varied and the GAA seems to have no inclination to resolve that.

As for Cribben, he's one of our more natural footballers but still a little light although you can see his conditioning improving but you can't coach pace and I think you could be right the half-forward line could be his natural home, did well is his 15 minutes last night. Would be nice to see him and Rob Kelly force their way into the championship side.

[J70]

A few very weak looking teams in this division, at least going by Donegal's two games so far. How bad were Tipperary when they allowed Laois to build up a ten point lead? And Westmeath have been well beaten by Donegal and Armagh. We're no great shakes, so at this point, you would have to fancy Westmeath, Laois and Tipperary to be fighting it out for the drop. Still, there's only two games gone, so you never know, but I think another two points each should make Down and Donegal safe, at least.