Down v Armagh - Newry - 20 March 2010

[behind the wire]

Did the TV coverage show any incidents involving McKeever and Clarke, I've it Sky+ed but haven't faced up to watching it yet? I'm assuming comments like these, from those not in attendance on Saturday night, are inspired by video evidence rather than some of the hysterical hearsay by overprotective partisan supporters here and elsewhere.

I think hysterical hearsay is the stock-in-trade of most of the posters on this thread. Caught the highlights last night and the only bit of violent behaviour shown was an attempted elbow by a Down man.

thats ok, if a down man swung an elbow thats unacceptable and cannot be condoned. that sort of thing happens regularly in games (mckeever swinging his boot wrecklessly in the first half would also fall into that bracket). although unacceptable we cannot say that such instances are uncommon.

what is uncommon is for a player to stand over an opponent and watch him receive treatment for an obviously painful injury and then hit him as soon as he gets to his feet. that is what the uproar is about and in my view is justified.

such behaviour is unacceptable anywhere.

attempts by armagh supporters to somehow excuse his behaviour by stating that it is hysterical hearsay is pathetic.

the sad thing is very few armagh supporters have come out and said that their captain was well out of order, in fact some of the rubbish posted here by some of the armagh posters would make you wonder if they were at the same game.

[Brick Tamlin]

Completely unprovoked of course. Stephen Kearney just thought he would swing the arm a few times just for the sake of it, no other reason. Moriarity was wrongly sent off of course.

[T Fearon]

Bullshit. When Mc Keever was being substituted, the Armagh fans in the main stand (including myself) rose in unison, and he simply acknowledged the applause with a wave, whats wrong with that? I saw Pat Jennings do it at Anfield once in front of the old kop. Sports star receives and acknowledges applause, big deal. Now if he'd been blowing kisses to the crowd etc light some other well known GAA egotists, of the not too distant past, then you could criticise him.

At least Clarke lasted longer against the Cullyhanna Pirannah, than Peter Canavan did back in 2005. Remember he was gone in 60 seconds!

[rionach 4]

I try not to deal in hysterical hearsay as some of my posts on other sites such as Armaghgaa forum or the former Orchard county can testify.  gar is my username on those sites.I watched the match twice on Sky plus(yes I know glutton for punishment) but once you watch it again the following summary came to mind. Apart from the last 15 minutes armagh were definetly in the game. It was here that Armagh became visiibly tired . The extra man for Down was well deployed and was starting to count. One thing that no Armagh supporter picked up on but i spotted a few times at the match and it was more clear on the T V was how well wee james counteracted K toner after the initial ten minutes. Ambrose Rodgers on more than a few occasions spoiled K toner in the act of jumping Quite legally I may add. He climbed all over him and left the other guy King to field the ball. Twice he blocked his run . .
Down won it simply because they were able to crowd the defence . They got a lot more men behind the ball and when they broke they broke at speed.  They moved the ball much quicker than we did . When we were awarded frees we held the ball pondered on decisions and by that time Down had all our tracks covered. On the other hand Down moved it at speed and had their men running all the time.
It's not rocket science it's good work on the training ground. Down havent suddenly arrived with a whole new team of great players from last year. They have admittedly Martin Clarke who may or may not prove to be the vital cog but it's their style of play that has changed.
i see paddy tally  and McIvosr stamp all over that team . Their style should see them progress quite well this year. How far I don't know
Will Down keep it at that level or Tempo for the rest of the season . I am sure the mourne faithful on here hope so. For me I genuinely think that this is Downs top level . Armagh cant get much worse in some areas.
Down for me might not play much better all season.(and I am sure you would settle for that level every time )   Armagh can and most definetly will have to if we are to make any impact at all
In short we are missing three forwards and a midfielder thats the bottom line ..

[Brick Tamlin]

yes tony your right Mc Keever is exempt from criticism. If only he had blown kisses to the crowd then and only then we could justify the abuse.

Explain to me what exactly he got the ovation for?

By the way he was waving to the crowd in response to the jeering and booing he got, was nothing to do with rmagh fans cheering him off and giving a standing ovation.

[Final Whistle]

Bullshit. When Mc Keever was being substituted, the Armagh fans in the main stand (including myself) rose in unison, and he simply acknowledged the applause with a wave, whats wrong with that? I saw Pat Jennings do it at Anfield once in front of the old kop. Sports star receives and acknowledges applause, big deal. Now if he'd been blowing kisses to the crowd etc light some other well known GAA egotists, of the not too distant past, then you could criticise him.

At least Clarke lasted longer against the Cullyhanna Pirannah, than Peter Canavan did back in 2005. Remember he was gone in 60 seconds!

And remind me Tony-What medal did McKeever end up with that year? McKeever, a one trick pony for all the world to see and completely outdated when compared to the great half backs of the last decade.

[behind the wire]

Bullshit. When Mc Keever was being substituted, the Armagh fans in the main stand (including myself) rose in unison, and he simply acknowledged the applause with a wave, whats wrong with that? I saw Pat Jennings do it at Anfield once in front of the old kop. Sports star receives and acknowledges applause, big deal. Now if he'd been blowing kisses to the crowd etc light some other well known GAA egotists, of the not too distant past, then you could criticise him.

At least Clarke lasted longer against the Cullyhanna Pirannah, than Peter Canavan did back in 2005. Remember he was gone in 60 seconds!

you sir are an embarrassment to your county.

[Brick Tamlin]

Rionach, id like to think that Down can perform a lot better than on saturday night. Considering the amount of wides we had it could have been a proper hiding. Down definitely didnt play at their optimum, then again they didnt have to in order to beat this Armagh side.

[behind the wire]

I try not to deal in hysterical hearsay as some of my posts on other sites such as Armaghgaa forum or the former Orchard county can testify.  gar is my username on those sites.I watched the match twice on Sky plus(yes I know glutton for punishment) but once you watch it again the following summary came to mind. Apart from the last 15 minutes armagh were definetly in the game. It was here that Armagh became visiibly tired . The extra man for Down was well deployed and was starting to count. One thing that no Armagh supporter picked up on but i spotted a few times at the match and it was more clear on the T V was how well wee james counteracted K toner after the initial ten minutes. Ambrose Rodgers on more than a few occasions spoiled K toner in the act of jumping Quite legally I may add. He climbed all over him and left the other guy King to field the ball. Twice he blocked his run . .
Down won it simply because they were able to crowd the defence . They got a lot more men behind the ball and when they broke they broke at speed.  They moved the ball much quicker than we did . When we were awarded frees we held the ball pondered on decisions and by that time Down had all our tracks covered. On the other hand Down moved it at speed and had their men running all the time.
It's not rocket science it's good work on the training ground. Down havent suddenly arrived with a whole new team of great players from last year. They have admittedly Martin Clarke who may or may not prove to be the vital cog but it's their style of play that has changed.
i see paddy tally  and McIvosr stamp all over that team . Their style should see them progress quite well this year. How far I don't know
Will Down keep it at that level or Tempo for the rest of the season . I am sure the mourne faithful on here hope so. For me I genuinely think that this is Downs top level . Armagh cant get much worse in some areas.
Down for me might not play much better all season.(and I am sure you would settle for that level every time )   Armagh can and most definetly will have to if we are to make any impact at all
In short we are missing three forwards and a midfielder thats the bottom line ..

Good post. definitely thought james did well to counteract big Toner as you stated.

Would also agree with you that armagh won't be as bad as that again all season. Would also agree that that is the best we have seen down play for quite a while, however i would hope that this isnt their peak. hopefully they will be able to push on. i also think that had armagh came out and tried to attack in the second half down would have won by more, it appeared to be a damage limitation exercise for the final 20 minutes.

[T Fearon]

Mc Keever, as captain, lifted the AI U21 Championship trophy (you know the one Down tried hard to lift but failed throughout the noughties), also he has pocketed 3 Ulster SFC medals, thats 3 more than the combined total found in the current Down squad!

He is already half way to becoming a legend

[Brick Tamlin]

Tony, answer me this if you will. What did Mc Keever do in Saturday night's match to deserve a standing ovation.

This should be interesting.

Your take on what makes a legend is amusing to say the least.

[T Fearon]

He did what he always does, showed 100% commitment and fight (qualities missing in many of his colleagues on Saturday night), that's why he is so admired and appreciated, and he wouldn't have been subbed but for the risk of that tool Sludden sending him off.

Thats what motivated me to applaud, not for any particular incident he was involved in on Saturday night. Its the first time he has been taken off also, during a game, as far as I can recall.

He can be as big a cult hero as Francie, imho

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

He did what he always does, showed 100% commitment and fight (qualities missing in many of his colleagues on Saturday night), that's why he is so admired and appreciated, and he wouldn't have been subbed but for the risk of that tool Sludden sending him off.

Thats what motivated me to applaud, not for any particular incident he was involved in on Saturday night. Its the first time he has been taken off also, during a game, as far as I can recall.

He can be as big a cult hero as Francie, imho

He was taken off because he's injured his hamstring.

He was applauded because people were sick of listening to the constant foul-mouthed abuse meted out to him by Down fans from before the first whistle.

[behind the wire]

He did what he always does, showed 100% commitment and fight (qualities missing in many of his colleagues on Saturday night), that's why he is so admired and appreciated, and he wouldn't have been subbed but for the risk of that tool Sludden sending him off.

Thats what motivated me to applaud, not for any particular incident he was involved in on Saturday night. Its the first time he has been taken off also, during a game, as far as I can recall.

He can be as big a cult hero as Francie, imho

He was taken off because he's injured his hamstring.

He was applauded because people were sick of listening to the constant foul-mouthed abuse meted out to him by Down fans from before the first whistle.

and going on the evidence before us on saturday night entirely justified.

[illdecide]

Ya wanna hear some of ya talking here about cult hero's FFS, it is embarassing the way people looked on Francie Bellew and now Ciaran. Grown men (acting like 10 year olds) giving guys like that a standing ovation . They're not even in the top 20 of all time great Armagh footballers (i'd rate them even below top 50) but it's fools like you Fearon worshiping Ciaran and giving him the big head he has FFS. Skill wise very limited but heart 100% but as for Legends...take a red neck saan