Down v Westmeath

[Croí na hÉireann]

boys whats this blanket defence shite

I know we were very deep in defence

I think you've answered your own question there. At one stage in the first half I counted 13 (THIRTEEN) Down players in their own half.

[Brick Tamlin]

my point is that we have never consciously played a blanket defence-style game ala Tyrone or ar Armagh, but rather we just seemed to naturally end up defending extremely deep, because of the sending off.If it was 15 v 15 then you would have seen a better game and a non-defensive Down team.

[downredblack]

Jaysus , Down and blanket defence mentioned in the same sentence !! Maybe this is not such a bad thing either . We know the team under POR could get scores (especially goals ) If Ross can get the balance right we could be onto something . Now that's what you call optimism 

[Croí na hÉireann]

my point is that we have never consciously played a blanket defence-style game ala Tyrone or ar Armagh

Only talking about yesterday, don't see enough of Down to offer any comment on their other games. Number 9 was sweeping between the full back and half back lines before your man got the line and the half forwards were dropping back as well when Westmeath had the ball. It could have been the tactics to counter the wind in the first half and they probably went out the window when your man got the line. You wouldn't have to go far to see a better game than that yesterday.

[amallon]

I thought Paddy O'Rourke lost the plot when he was on the line for Down, well you aint see nothing yet.  DJ was practically foaming at the mouth, the both linesmen got serious bollicking from him. He was up and down the line in a perma-rage.  Unreal, I had to laugh.

[downredblack]

It said on the radio that he called all the backs around him when someone was down injured , for a "time out " . Wouldn't like to go in to him after making a ballix of something . At least the passion is there .

[amallon]

Yeah he had the 6 defenders and the mid field pair in a huddle on our 21. 

[Croí na hÉireann]

Yeah he had the 6 defenders and the mid field pair in a huddle on our 21. 

Seen that, thought for a minute we were gonna have a "Frankie incident" when Budda went over for an eavesdrop.

[goldenyears]

If management is working on our defence then great, we badly need that! if that means 8 or 9 defenders then even better, cos if there was one team in ireland that needs to tighten up at the back then its down. in previous years we were wide open, think cavan in casement and donegal last year. if we make ourselves hard to beat ie dont concede goals, keep teams to 9 or 10 scores a game, then we have a chance....

we have 3 or 4 v good scoring forwards that might be able to feed off counter attacks and scraps.....if we go through the rest of the year and the defence is sorted and we get the balance right inwhat we do going forward then i am happy. bear in mind, derry beat tyrone last year in a brutal game where they just sat deep with a heap of men in defence and relied on the bradley's to kick points....i would take that tactic right now....we have benny and dan hughes to do a similar job...

[Pangurban]

The best form of defence is attack, Gaelic football is not a game which allows for defensive tactics. While we may talk about Tyrone or Armaghs blanket defence lets not overlook the fact that they also the highest scoring teams in the Country

[lfdown2]

what was the story with the goalkeeping switch at half time do ye's know?

[amallon]

No sure ifdown2, i assume he wanted to give McVeigh some game time.  Connell didn't look like he was injured.

[Brick Tamlin]

connells kicking distance wouldnt be what would have been needed especially when down to 14 men. Mc Veighs distance would have kept the ball further away from goal as possible.

[downredblack]

Ross didn't take any prisoners in one of the papers I saw , said it was never  a sending off and a home town decision . What happened to McGuigan he didn't play thought he did rightly against Kildare ? and how did Murtagh do ?