Offaly v Down 19/20 July

[corn02]

Rover would you not consider Cole suitable?

[miss mess]

Totally agree with dan mccartans ommisson.  he's abit slow.  anyone think mccomiskey will feature?  was it definite he wouldnt play a part?

[Our Nail Loney]

I wouldn't like to think McComiskey would play if the injury is anywhere near as serious as first mentioned. Why risk such a young talent and seriously put in jeopardy his future for one match? Let him rehabilitate. The lad has been playing flat out the last couple years with club, county, u21s and uni...

Glad to have monk cole back in hopefully settling the defence, and dan is there to come on if needed, a good tenacious defender who will work his socks off.

[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.

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

I wouldnt be a fan of McCartans, but he stopped Cavanagh from playing in Newry and as already mentioned was marking the best full forward in Ireland a the minute in Ronan Clarke. He has done all that has been asked of him, so he can feel a little aggrieved at being dropped in my opinion.

[Our Nail Loney]

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!!

I wouldnt be a fan of McCartans, but he stopped Cavanagh from playing in Newry and as already mentioned was marking the best full forward in Ireland a the minute in Ronan Clarke. He has done all that has been asked of him, so he can feel a little aggrieved at being dropped in my opinion.

Most people would feel aggrieved at getting dropped anyway, but the full back line knew monk was gonna come back, one of them would have to go

Anyway, I think down will shade a competitive contesrt by two

[Mourne Rover]

Corn02, Cole is by some distance the best defender in the Down squad but he is a specialist corner back who is also a useful wing half. He can play at full back, but he does not look particularly comfortable there. While I would have been inclined to keep McCartan at no 3, and played Cole instead of Rafferty in the corner, I'm sure Ross had a good look at the tapes of Offaly before picking the team. However, a couple of changes before the throw-in would be no real surprise.

This is a big game for Down, as, if we win, it will be viewed as a season of progress regardless of what happens in the rest of the qualifiers. If we slip up against a division four side, coming after a fairly flat display against Armagh, questions will be asked. This is precisely the kind of fixture we have messed up since the start of the back door in 2001. However, if Dan the man does what he has been doing at midfield, we are capable of coming through.

[AZOffaly]

I'm sure Ross had a good look at the tapes of Offaly before picking the team.

I hope he did, because I have a feeling this Offaly team will bear no resemblence in set up, or style, to anything he's seen yet this year. I sense a 'f**k it, let's go back to what we're good at' about this selection. Ross might be setting up to combat a threat that doesn't exist.

[bridgegael]

sorry if this has been asked before lads,  but what i my best way to tullamore from newry-how long will it take-  and where is the ground when i get to tullamore?  thanks in advance

[Down Gael]

From Newry. Dundalk, Ardee, Kells, Mullingar, Tullamore. Its about 95 miles and should take you roughly 2 and a half hours, its not a great road. You can also go via Dublin, your route would be Newry, M1 Dublin, M50 to M4, M4 to N52, N6 to Tullamore, much better roads, but its about 125 miles.
The pitch is in Tullamore town, http://www.squareball.com/club-county/pitch-finder/oconnor-park/

[Mourne Rover]

Regular readers please note that the Rovermobile is now leaving for Tullamore. No further posts will be possible until we return, which may be some time.

[AZOffaly]

Hi lads, just seeing this now.

You've probably already left at this stage , but if not:

Whether you're coming from Mullingar (kells etc) or Dublin (via M50/M4 etc) you will hit Kilbeggan at some stage. From Kilbeggan, head for Tullamore, and as you come into the town, the Hospital is on the left, and the pitch is immediately after it. (You'll see the 'Uibh Fhaili' stand from the road). It's not half as complicated as that squareballs map makes it look.

Parking can be a bitch there if there's a crowd, so if you are late enough, I'd just abandon vehicle when you start seeing cars. If you have more time, you can go past the pitch, over the canal bridge and take a sharp right down by the Distillery. There's parking in there that I always use.

Enjoy your trip to Tullamore, but I hope it's drowning sorrows you'll be doing!

[No1]

  Lads, I am in Europe at the minute.  Is there any chance someone could post a link so I could listen to the match over the internet?

[Down Gael]

http://www.fivefm.co.uk/  ususally cover Down games, the Offaly posters will probably be able to post a link to a local station as the Five FM online player can be difficult at the best of times.

[AZOffaly]

http://www.midlandsradio.ie is Midlands Radio 3 (The voice of the midlands!!). They'll have some action there I'd say, but they'll be stretched thin with Westmeath, Laois and Offaly x 2 all in action.

[Down Gael]

Five FM seem to have sorted their online service out and are now using Windows Media Player so you will be able to listen to that. Pretty good commentary as well.

http://www.fivefm.co.uk/