Messages

Is it just my imagination or do the media really have a begrudgery towards Down? Spillane said we were lucky. He says we were lucky cos if Bradley had scored the goal we would have been dead and buried, but doesn't seem to notice that if O'Hare had got the second then Derry could have been annihilated. So this is the way it seems to me:

• If we lose then it is because we are no good
• If we win then it is because the other team underperfromed or we were lucky
• If we recover from a deficit then we are lucky that we weren't dead and buried already.
  When Donegal power to a final quarter lead it is their superior fitness, and playing their best when it counts. When we did it it we were supposedly fortunate to be in the game and it is dismissed as something that shouldn't have happened anyway.
• If Donegal outscore the opposition 2-05 to 0-01 then it is a period where Donegal tuned up the pressure and showed their class, if we do it then it is just because the opposition played beneath "turned off", not because we were any good.
• Kildare struggle against a mid-table division 4 side it's because they are just "finding their feet" in this year's championship, but when we struggle for 25 minutes against the champions of division 2, we are showing our true form!
• Despite us only ever going out to Cork and Mayo since James took over we are no-where near a top 8 side, but Kildare are "probably top 4"

Look I know we are not in the top consideration for All-Ireland honours and fair enough. But we are a top 8 side, we are a genuine quarter finalist standard and I feel we are continually disrespected. Yesterday showed a team that has played in Divsion 1 for three years against a team that has played in Divsion 2 for three years. When it really mattered the lads opened Derry up. We beat them in their own ground by five points and deserve respect for that. Only 2-3 teams in Ireland deserve to be confident when playing against us.

Some of this is a lazy critique from commentators/summarisers. The same happens in all sports - golf- Tiger wins because he is superior; anyone else wins it's because Tiger was having a bad day; Man Utd win it's because they are great and Ferguson is great; Man City or Chelsea win its because Utd had a poor season etc etc.

What I was encouraged with on Sunday is that they had a plan b for the 2nd half. Both teams had great footballers on show but Down looked the hungrier and the fittest.

1-13 - 0-11 Down won

[Is his brother Connaire not worth a shout for his scoring exploits alone??]

There are a few strange choices in the championship squad for the year ahead.... IS that lad Shane Harrisson from Glasdrumman in as a keeper or an outfield player? Is his brother Connaire not worth a shout for his scoring exploits alone?? Costello? Anton Mc Ardle - is he not injured long term??  All the rave reviews about Gough at the start of the season and his transfer causing ruffled feathers among Armagh people - why has he not made it??

Great talent but I fear his discipline/temperament holds him back

Welcome Line Ball

Staying on the subject of refs did anyone hear of the U16 game recently in Warrenpoint (v Downpatrick)?

It was abandoned after a parent of one of the Downpatrick lads assaulted the ref at half time. I hear the man got a 96 week ban.

[Was it hand signals or talking to them?]

Even though he appears to have put in the wrong result I must compliment the display of the referee Gavin Finnegan, one of the best displays I have seen from a man in black in a long time. He handled the game very well, always talking to the players letting them know exactly why a free was given as opposed to some of the so called better refs who talk to adult players like children.

Believe it or not i actually agree with you one this one referee. Pity the rest of the referees in the county aren't up to his standard.

Gavin Finnegan was absolutely brilliant tonight. A common sense referee who actually informs players why he has given a free against them. He also smartly allowed advantage when it was needed. No showman antics, no ball licking the players and no ego. Exactly the type of referee we need coming into our games in Down.

Good to see positive comments about referees; however, what was the ref doing to tell the players why the free was given? Was it hand signals or talking to them? Is this the guy from An Riocht?

Does it really make that big of difference?? He did both. Yes An Riocht.

It does.

Finnegan is an OK referee but he is a bit of a showboat from the occasions I have seen him

Even though he appears to have put in the wrong result I must compliment the display of the referee Gavin Finnegan, one of the best displays I have seen from a man in black in a long time. He handled the game very well, always talking to the players letting them know exactly why a free was given as opposed to some of the so called better refs who talk to adult players like children.

Believe it or not i actually agree with you one this one referee. Pity the rest of the referees in the county aren't up to his standard.

Gavin Finnegan was absolutely brilliant tonight. A common sense referee who actually informs players why he has given a free against them. He also smartly allowed advantage when it was needed. No showman antics, no ball licking the players and no ego. Exactly the type of referee we need coming into our games in Down.

Good to see positive comments about referees; however, what was the ref doing to tell the players why the free was given? Was it hand signals or talking to them? Is this the guy from An Riocht?

April 19th
Down club football and hurling Championship's draw

Is the First round to played on 2nd week of June??

Championships are round robin this year

Anyone know the team that lined out for the minor footballers?

A great win by Down on Sunday and must be congratulated on a superb all-round performance. From what I hear the basics were executed well- passing, catching, shooting - which helped the team execute their plans and system.

Couldnt make the game as I had club duties on Sunday but according to some that means I am not a 'True Down Supporter'

On the pitch: Can't pass, can't catch, can't score. These things are taught at under 6 level. No point in trying 'fancy' systems when they are unable to do the basics. Dan Gordon was the only Down player who would have got on the Kerry team today and that Kerry team were average at best.
But what I was disappointed in the most was the lack of discipline from the players.

Off the pitch: A Down official running the width of the pitch to tell the referee to get on with it when a Kerry player was injured then coming back to the dugout and calling him a 'w**ker' in front of subs and spectators, disgraceful. Also disrespectful to players in the way he spoke to them.

A serious lack of discipline on the sidelines which filtered on to the pitch today. Not good enough

Forget about all these fancy tactics, positional changes, Down players are unable to do the basics- kicking, catching, scoring. when we get the basics sorted we will be Ok.

Some members on this board have posted in excess of 1500 posts but you all come up with the same rubbish. Unless you are able to provide solutions to the problems you should all keep quiet

What surprises me is the shock and surprise at this result. My only surprise was the score wasn't worse. Folks, Down are not good enough at this level. We don't have enough exceptional players.

I've been there when Down last won national league and last 2 AIs. It will be a while before I see it again

All these match reports suggest to me that Down do not have enough match winners. we play a system depending on the opposition. Hughes, Gordon, Coulter, Turley are great platers but they are not exceptional players. We will never win an all-ireland again until we have exceptional players

What's the Down U21 panel like this year?