Down Club Hurling & Football

[upandwin]

What a terrible game of football...Ballyholland kicked a few scorable chances wide and coughed the ball up so often to the Bridge. They leave one man up on his own, felt sorry for young Murtagh as he was isolated with little or no service...

Harps never looked like they believed they could win that game and were just trying to keep the score down...which they didn't. Also, the young McGovern lad wasn't playing and that's a huge miss for them, wonder will he be available for championship? Massive loss if he's not...

Mayobridge won by 10 in second gear...they will fancy themselves for a big year ahead. I think they are maybe one forward short of really troubling Kilcoo...very reliant on Cory Quinn. Big and strong around the middle 8, Kilcoo will need a real plan for the kickouts as that's the Bridge's main threat IMO

Burren will no doubt put out a seconds team tonight as they've two games in three days...They'll rest a lot of their big hitters but they have the strength and depth to do that and comfortably beat Rostrevor tonight...The Reds are a shadow of former teams in that club, wonder when the last time was they beat Burren...

Any word on candidates for new Down Manager? Would be great if they were appointed and able to see plenty of football in Down over the next two months as things start to ramp up...

[Truth hurts]

Yes, I think there should be an appointment before the club championship so the management can get a look at the players.
Laverty and co really did give everyone a chance in the u20s whereby for years ceratin management teams failed to acknowledge the lower East Down players. I have seen a lot of football in the low leagues and there are certainly players in these divisions capable of playing for Down if giving the right program. The tops teams in Down are away ahead in strength and conditioning and have their own gyms.
I personally would like to see the u20 set up given a chance, either that or Moran/Gilligan who would have a good understanding of Down football.

I don't want us throwing money at a McEntee or the likes of those who have no affinity to Down football. We are not going to win an All-Ireland next year but we could in the next 10 if we get the right structures in place.

[Johnnysboys]

Yes, I think there should be an appointment before the club championship so the management can get a look at the players.
Laverty and co really did give everyone a chance in the u20s whereby for years ceratin management teams failed to acknowledge the lower East Down players. I have seen a lot of football in the low leagues and there are certainly players in these divisions capable of playing for Down if giving the right program. The tops teams in Down are away ahead in strength and conditioning and have their own gyms.
I personally would like to see the u20 set up given a chance, either that or Moran/Gilligan who would have a good understanding of Down football.

I don't want us throwing money at a McEntee or the likes of those who have no affinity to Down football. We are not going to win an All-Ireland next year but we could in the next 10 if we get the right structures in place.

Who are these players from "lower East Down" that got such a chance this year???

[Johnnysboys]

Took in the Burren v Rostrevor game tonight. My god the reds are in a poor place. Burren were shown up in their last two games but the reds failed to capitalise on this. McKernan was playing like a 22 year old on the inside line whereas he didn't get an inch against the bigger teams this year. It's a hood job there is no relegation this year or the reds would be certs.

[ardtole]

Yes, I think there should be an appointment before the club championship so the management can get a look at the players.
Laverty and co really did give everyone a chance in the u20s whereby for years ceratin management teams failed to acknowledge the lower East Down players. I have seen a lot of football in the low leagues and there are certainly players in these divisions capable of playing for Down if giving the right program. The tops teams in Down are away ahead in strength and conditioning and have their own gyms.
I personally would like to see the u20 set up given a chance, either that or Moran/Gilligan who would have a good understanding of Down football.

I don't want us throwing money at a McEntee or the likes of those who have no affinity to Down football. We are not going to win an All-Ireland next year but we could in the next 10 if we get the right structures in place.

Who are these players from "lower East Down" that got such a chance this year???

There were lads from Saul, St Johns Drumnaquoile and Auglishnafin playing for the u20s this year. And all contributed signifigantly too.

[upandwin]

Rostrevor hammered, as expected. They really are a poor team this year. Does anyone know the reason behind the demise? I know Mooney transferred but surely there is more to it than that? Can't remember the last time Rostrevor beat Burren in a competitive game...

Has anyone seen Carryduff this year? Could they build on a big year in 2020 and push for another good championship run or Div1 title? They got a good trimming by the Bridge at the start of the year but have gone well since, winning 4 on the trot...

[Smurfy123]

Those lads all played minor for Down and have not just started to represent Down. They are stand out players for the clubs
Don't get this about lower league players. If they are good enough to play for Down whoever the manager is will pick them
Who are these other players that should get the opportunity?
Saul and St John's both division 2
O hare and Gilmore were always great underage players for both Red High and St Colman's

[Johnnysboys]

There were lads from Saul, St Johns Drumnaquoile and Auglishnafin playing for the u20s this year. And all contributed signifigantly too.
[/quote]

Did Pearse Laverty and the Harney's not all get game time on the recent past? Andrew Gilmore was on the county Minors a couple of years ago and Croskery played a combined total of about 40 mins over 4 games - hardly significant.. I think your gripe is with senior management not looking at these and other lads of their elk in the past. But if Croskery for example scores 2.05 against a team bottom of division 3 or 4 - but is held scoreless v Liatroim or Saval do you honestly think he is then fit for senior intercounty football??

[Smurfy123]

Well said Johny

The top 4 teams in the Premier Reserve league would compete in division 3 and 1 of those would win the league.

It's like Liatrom shooting the lights out in division 3 but struggle in 2.
Wasn't the last team to get promoted from 3 Annaclone? Unbeaten too and struggle in 2

My point is a few stand out players in 3 should get you up


Down have always picked the players that are they best if they make themselves available and not what club they are from.

[Truth hurts]

Those lads all played minor for Down and have not just started to represent Down. They are stand out players for the clubs
Don't get this about lower league players. If they are good enough to play for Down whoever the manager is will pick them
Who are these other players that should get the opportunity?
Saul and St John's both division 2
O hare and Gilmore were always great underage players for both Red High and St Colman's

All of a sudden you become smug at the lower leagues, it was not so long ago that Warrenpoint was playing lower league football. What I am saying is that the county could give the best players in the lower leagues a chance to develop physically as most clubs don't have the finances or infrastructure to compete with Burren, Kilcoo, Mayobridge, Carryduff etc

St Pauls is an up-and-coming club, players like Eastwood and Tucker are really strong footballers. I would love to see players like that put into a development junior setup to see if they could push on.

Burren beating Rostrevor last night was inevitable, but Rostrevor has four points on the board. So seeing Bryansford sitting at the bottom of the league is really sad for a club that I loved following for their swashbuckling style. They always epitomized all that is good about East Down football, especially in the 70s and 80s.

[Truth hurts]

Well said Johny

The top 4 teams in the Premier Reserve league would compete in division 3 and 1 of those would win the league.

It's like Liatrom shooting the lights out in division 3 but struggle in 2.
Wasn't the last team to get promoted from 3 Annaclone? Unbeaten too and struggle in 2

My point is a few stand out players in 3 should get you up


Down have always picked the players that are the best if they make themselves available and not what club they are from.

Give me the four clubs who would compete in division 3 and remember these games are being played at the same time as the senior games so teams cannot play 4/5 or 10 from the senior panel. Crossmaglen seconds are second in Armagh junior league, they do it right over there. So think about that before you talk about a reserve team winning Division 3. If Top 13s did not include past players who have emigrated 5 years ago then things would be different.

[upandwin]

Don't get what your point is there Truth? He isn't saying anything negative about lower league football but it raises the question now that you've brought up that point...

Take CPN as an example, they were an average (even poor) Division 2 team about 6yrs ago...hardly any representation at county level except for Ryan Boyle and Ryan Mallon....yet when they get promoted and started being more competitive then players like McAleenan and McGarry start getting their chance even though they've been playing for the last ten years...they didn't suddenly start being county material as soon as we get promoted but you aren't operating at the level needed to be considered in the lower leagues sometimes...

You need to be an absolutely exceptional talent to get plucked from lower divisions because whether you like it or not, the standard of football and pace of games is much less intense than county training never mind inter-county football. Mentally it's a big step up. Players get picked if they are massively standing out, likes of Paul McComiskey and Connaire Harrison etc.

But I'm sorry, kicking 3/4pts in a Div3/4 league game isn't going to get you called up to the Down panel. I don't think there's a bias towards players in any particular part of the county and every single manager that comes in can't be wrong all the time...

Genuine question here as I honestly don't know enough about it but Who else should there be on the 2022 panel that can be called on? I can't think of any obvious additions tbh...maybe another keeper but I don't think there's a better option than Burns or Charlie Smyth, not that I've seen anyway...

[bigarsedkeeper]

What he means is that if Kilcoo, Clonduff and Mayobridge say entered a 2nd team in div 3 or 4 and the games had to be played at the same time as the 1st team it would be a completely different team than the Saturday premier reserve team. Some people can't get that. Paid senior manager would be looking 25 to 30 players togged out for him in the senior game so possibly 10 - 15 players not available for the 2nd team.

[Truth hurts]

Don't get what your point is there Truth? He isn't saying anything negative about lower league football but it raises the question now that you've brought up that point...

Take CPN as an example, they were an average (even poor) Division 2 team about 6yrs ago...hardly any representation at county level except for Ryan Boyle and Ryan Mallon....yet when they get promoted and started being more competitive then players like McAleenan and McGarry start getting their chance even though they've been playing for the last ten years...they didn't suddenly start being county material as soon as we get promoted but you aren't operating at the level needed to be considered in the lower leagues sometimes...

You need to be an absolutely exceptional talent to get plucked from lower divisions because whether you like it or not, the standard of football and pace of games is much less intense than county training never mind inter-county football. Mentally it's a big step up. Players get picked if they are massively standing out, likes of Paul McComiskey and Connaire Harrison etc.

But I'm sorry, kicking 3/4pts in a Div3/4 league game isn't going to get you called up to the Down panel. I don't think there's a bias towards players in any particular part of the county and every single manager that comes in can't be wrong all the time...

Genuine question here as I honestly don't know enough about it but Who else should there be on the 2022 panel that can be called on? I can't think of any obvious additions tbh...maybe another keeper but I don't think there's a better option than Burns or Charlie Smyth, not that I've seen anyway...

Smurf said that one of the top 4 teams in premier reserve would win division 3 and I have asked the question of which team would be able to do that without their top 24 or so players every Friday night. Which of these teams would beat Saval, Shackrocks, Liatroim, Drumgath, etc etc
I think he was being very negative to the lower leagues. 

[Mourne Red]

Played one of the top 4 teams in the premier reserve (mayobridge) in a pre-season friendly when I was playing with a division 4 team.. We beat them by 6 points, also Finn played Kilcoo reserves in friendlies last year or the year before and beat them.. Bit of a half-arsed uninformed comment from Smurfy there.

I don't think there are any players south of Division 2 worth looking at for the County team but if there is then let them show it when Championship comes. Croskery for example for how good he's been Finn have lost two JFC in a row.