Offaly v Down 19/20 July

[miss mess]

oh true, i posted the wrong no. 00353579353099

[5 Sams]

Down manager Ross Carr has named three changes to the side that will faces Offaly in the first round of the All Ireland Qualifiers this Saturday from the side that took the field against Armagh in the Ulster Championship semi final.

Martin Cole returns to the side after serving a one month suspension and is joined in the defence by Burren man Kevin McKernan who will be making his first championship start, while Clonduff man John Fegan has been names in the full forward line.

Daniel McCartan, Ronan Sexton and the injured Liam Doyle all make way.

Full Down team:

1. Brendan McVeigh (An Ríocht),
2. Luke Howard (Ath Bhriain),
3. Martin Cole (Caisleán Ruairi),
4. Damien Rafferty (Seamrogai An Iuir),
5. Aidan Carr (Cluain Daimh),
6. Kevin McKernan (Boireann),
7. Paul Murphy (Baile Cholmain),
8. Dan Gordon (Captain) (Loch An Oilean),
9. James Colgan (An Ríocht),
10. Ambrose Rodgers (An Cloch Fhada),
11. Brendan Coulter (Droichead Mhaigh Eo),
12. Danny Hughes (Sabhall),
13. John Clarke (An Ríocht),
14. Ronan Murtagh (Baile Cholmain),
15. John Fegan (Cluain Daimh)


For what it's worth my thoughts.....good to have Monk back...I'd say Dan Mc is disappointed....big step up for McKernan making his first Champo start...but I think he's fit for it....half forward line is f**king deadly but you..... me ....and the dogs in the street know that it wont pan out like that...McManus will have serious trouble chasing the best midfielder in Ireland at the moment....


Aristocrats by 5

[western exile]

...
I'd say MArty Clarke may have featured for ye if he wasn't otherwise distracted

Too true. I am only after watching him on Setanta have a great game at Centre Half Back for Collingwood v. Adelaide. He even got forward and kicked a goal at one stage.   Maybe on Saturday night big brother John will put in a championship performance like he showed in the league earlier in the year 

[Mourne Rover]

The Down team will have surprised a few people, including me. The big talking point is the return of Fegan, who did reasonably well in the league but seemed to freeze on his championship debut in Omagh and was gone by half-time. He works hard and has no difficulty in dropping back to defend, but it is hard to understand what more Kearney has to do for a starting spot. He has pace, strength and can take a score from play. Fegan must have been selected for his free-taking ability, which is excellent, although he is right-sided like Carr, and it looks as though Colgan will take the kicks on the other side.

Our half-forward line looks good on paper, but will hardly line up that way. Murtagh is very fortunate to hold his place, as he was pretty dreadful in the second half against Armagh. It is possible that there will be a late switch or two up front, which could involve either Sexton or Kearney.

Cole was obviously going to come straight back in the defence, but the expectation was that it would be for Rafferty, who is a decent player, but struggled from start to finish against Armagh. McCartan gave everything against probably the best full forward in the country, and probably deserved another chance. McKernan looks more of a natural centre forward than a centre half, but a good player can fit in anywhere.

Offaly will know that they were very ordinary against Westmeath, which was fully six weeks ago. We were also poor against Armagh, and both teams have a dismal record in the qualifiers, so it is a hard one to call.

The main stand at Tullamore runs the full length of the pitch and apparently has a 7,000 capacity. Does any know if there are tickets, or if it is first come first served ?

[Down Gael]

Tickets are available at ticketmaster outlets for the main stand, they are no longer available on line as they wont have a kiosk at the game for collection of tickets.

The only surprise in the line up is the omission of Daniel McCartan, who did well in the replay against Tyrone and did fairly well against Ronan Clarke. I would expect some positional changes on Saturday.

[buglebhoy]

Tickets are available at ticketmaster outlets for the main stand, they are no longer available on line as they wont have a kiosk at the game for collection of tickets.

The only surprise in the line up is the omission of Daniel McCartan, who did well in the replay against Tyrone and did fairly well against Ronan Clarke. I would expect some positional changes on Saturday.

Are you serious? Don't think he done well at all, infact he's allowed Ronan Clarke 1 hand on an allstar for 2008!!

[Lecale2]

I'd say MArty Clarke may have featured for ye if he wasn't otherwise distracted

[Croí na hÉireann]

The main stand at Tullamore runs the full length of the pitch and apparently has a 7,000 capacity. Does any know if there are tickets, or if it is first come first served ?

The tickets were unreserved for the Westmeath game and would imagine it will be similar for this, get there early for the halfway line but you'll have a great view from anywhere in that stand...

[AZOffaly]

The main stand at Tullamore runs the full length of the pitch and apparently has a 7,000 capacity. Does any know if there are tickets, or if it is first come first served ?

The tickets were unreserved for the Westmeath game and would imagine it will be similar for this, get there early for the halfway line but you'll have a great view from anywhere in that stand...

Hopefully the great view will be worth looking at this time though. I thought that Westmeath game was a battle scene from a new Gladiatorial epic.

[corn02]

The only surprise in the line up is the omission of Daniel McCartan, who did well in the replay against Tyrone and did fairly well against Ronan Clarke. I would expect some positional changes on Saturday.

One of the craziest statements I have ever heard on this board.

[Croí na hÉireann]

The main stand at Tullamore runs the full length of the pitch and apparently has a 7,000 capacity. Does any know if there are tickets, or if it is first come first served ?

The tickets were unreserved for the Westmeath game and would imagine it will be similar for this, get there early for the halfway line but you'll have a great view from anywhere in that stand...

Hopefully the great view will be worth looking at this time though. I thought that Westmeath game was a battle scene from a new Gladiatorial epic.

U been reading the Indo AZ??? http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/circus-days-are-over-1435082.html 

[AZOffaly]

No. I was going to say great minds think alike, but maybe the second half of the saying would be more appropriate

[upthehoops]

Tickets are available at ticketmaster outlets for the main stand, they are no longer available on line as they wont have a kiosk at the game for collection of tickets.

The only surprise in the line up is the omission of Daniel McCartan, who did well in the replay against Tyrone and did fairly well against Ronan Clarke. I would expect some positional changes on Saturday.

to quote my mate john McEnroe
" You cannot be serious" Good club/college player, but never was nor will he be county standard

[Mourne Rover]

The simple fact that Down do not have a natual, experienced, fullback on our present squad, and so we have to mix and match. Dan McCartan lacks height, as we all know, but his efforts against Sean Cavanagh at the Marshes were little short of heroic. Cavanagh was able to win possession, and kick a couple of points, but McCartan prevented him from either scoring or setting up the goal which would have cost us a fully deserved win on the night.

It is generally accepted that Ronan Clarke is the best full forward in Ireland at the moment, and McCartan, while he gave everything for the team, could not cope with him. There was no shame in that, and the vast majority of full backs across the country would be in a similar position with Clarke.

No one is suggesting that McCartan is all-star material, but total commitment and determination can take a player a long way. He would be in my squad every time on this year's form. Whether he starts is a judgment call for the management, but he has displayed beyond doubt that he is capable of playing at inter-county level.

[buglebhoy]

fair point mourne rover but i was simply replying to someone saying that mccartan done fairly well on clarke which in my opinion he did not and i'd say most ppl would agree. i'd have him on my squad too though.