Messages

Castlewellan 0-04 Burren 2-11
Ciaran Brannigan is an awful ref- sent off Aidan Brogan after 15 minutes for back chat but bottled several striking incidents. Does Damien Barton spend the enitre game on the pitch every week or was it just tonight? He was never on the sideline at all- looked a runner from Aussie rules- again Brannigan let this go.  Castlewellan will never play as poorly again, at least I hope they don't!!

The Town lost 3 on the trot but should have won at least 2 of them- hit 9 wides in the first half against Saval and 11 wides in the first half against the Stone, you can't win games with stats like that

I haven't heard that the Town game is off

What's the full story with Ross- I thought the meeting last week simply asked him to re-apply?

was lookin some help about reserve championship.

if u didn't play last year in senior championship but did 2 years ago, can you play in this years reserve championship?

You can play this year as long as you didn't play last year.

Longstone vs Castlewellan.
Longstone showed a certian nastiness to their play which I had rarely witnessed before. However ref Gabriel Tumelty was a true home town referee and gave them so many decisions even the Mourne supporters were embarrassed- how he only sent off their full forward for 2 yellows is a mystery ( He got his second yellow for striking- since when was striking a yellow offence?)!
It was a decent game- Castlewellan hit 11 wides in the first half alone. Longstone played well against the wind though got an opportunist penalty towards the end of the first half when a dive pulled the wool over the refs eyes. However the penalty itself was expertly placed in the top right had corner and no keeper would have had a chance of saving it.
The second half was an even affair with few scores with both teams wasting chances.

Aidan Carr was not up to standard this year- end of story. Take his free taking out of his game and his performances throughout the entire 2009 league and Fermanagh game and you were left with a passanger who could not mark his man. All players on the pitch, ESPECIALLY DEFENDERS must stop their markers playing their game and Carr doesn't do this so to say "his loose marking from half-back was more than compensated by his playmaking ability" is a nonsense as in games his man done a lot of damage. His performances this year did not merit the chance to play championship football.

They certainly gave players form lower clubs a chance- last season there were 7 Shamrocks players on the initial Down panel !! 7 players they thought were county standard yet weren't good enough to get out of Division 2!!!

Thewobbler, I have to disagree with you on Walsh and Clarke. Walsh is proving himself on the club scene at the minute to be worthy a starting place for Down while for  Clarke has always done a job for the county when asked- he may not have been a stood out but not many playing his role stand out like a free scoring corner forward does.
At the end of the day everyone seems to agree Ross is not the man for the jon

The Minors lost

Ross has proved to be tactically inept, I've no idea what was going on in his mind yesterday. Kevin Duffin sitting on the line cost us as we had 3 scoreable frees that would been chipped over by Duffins left foot. Why take off Hanna as well?  Aidan Carr was awful against Fermanagh and just as bad yesterday.
The ref too was a disgrace- he shouldn't even be allowed to take charge of an u-8 game

Time for Ross to go. Bringing on hs son afetr 19 minutes for a player who was doing OK is a travesty. Ross, you were a great player but as a manager you are clueless, slan!

Does anyone know whatthe attendance was at the Down- Laois game?

It's Stevie Trainor form Castlewellan not Shane Treanor. Good work

[Longstone]

Some good ties in the first round but Bryansford v Kilcoo is the pick of them.  My championship contenders are Bryansford/Kilcoo, Castlewellan, Mayobridge and Burren.  There are signs of improvement in the Stone but its two early to say if they are back to the form they were in the season before last.

My Predictions in bold
Liatroim    V    Longstone
Bryansford    V    Kilcoo    
Clann Na Banna    V    An Riocht    
Loughinisland    V    Warrenpoint  
Castlewellan     V    Saval    
Mayobridge    V    Annaclone
Clonduff    V    Rostrevor    
Ballyholand    V    Burren    

I reckon you have it spot on