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Hi there folks. We're looking for a person to manage our senior team in London. If interested or if you know of someone interested please PM me. Thanks

I hear they are re-releasing the boys in red and black are back and doing a cover of 'Ireland's Call' in the form of 'Down's Call'.

Bit of a buzz gathering now for this big game!!

C'mon Down!!!!!   

Great win for the Harps last night. It was a similar performance to that of Down's on Saturday were by the underdog showed more hunger and desire to turn their opponents over and come out on top.

Mayobridge's new field looking pretty good. When's it opening? Car park could do with a bit of maintenance. 

I don't really know what to say about that result....Dissappointed obviously but Down had the chances to win this. Took them a long time to get over the goal. Dee Raff was unfornuate to be dispossessed but as Tohill quite rightly stated; it was a foul on him. You can't tackle with a closed fist.

Down Team Ratings

McVeigh- 5- Thought he was caught flat footed for the goal and kickouts and general play was dodgey

McGovern-6/7 Solid enough display in corner back- scored a great point too

McKernan- 5 Nowhere near his performance of last week- gave his man too much space in 2nd half and only for dee raffs blocking would have got roasted altogether

Rafferty-7- Unforntuate to be the cause of the goal- gave a good honest display though with vital blocks and good tackling.

Garvey-6- not as good as we've seen from garvey, couldn't keep up with his man. Chipped in with a great score

Murphy-5- Not the most commanding presence we've seen of murf this year. Gave away a few frees and was generally dissappointing. Would prefer to see him at wing half back where you're sure of 2 scores a game.

Hanna- 7- Don't know why he was taken off- was doing nothing wrong and chipped in with a great score. Clearly the management wanted aidan on from the start at the sacrifice of timmy hanna.

Dan- 8 Some excellent fielding and a great opening score- Was hurt and faded gradually before giving a burst in the final 10

Kearney 8- Best i've seen kearney all year. Some great work from him and great tackling with some good ball in. No fielding from him though and the switch between him and ambrose was inevitable

McCardle 6- Great opening 20 mins and then made a few mistakes and like Hanna i personally feel Ross hasn't the faith in him to keep him on for the full 70 when things aren't going well

Maginn 7- Super first half but faded in the second. A super prospect for the future

Ambrose 6- I personally feel he should have started midfield but ambrose worked hard and chipped in with 2 great scores.

Benny 5- Couldn't get going at all today and really if he had have been in it Down would have been playing next saturday. A dissappointing day for Benny

McCommiskey 7- Out infront and a real handful for his man- just unlucky at times with the goal chances.

Danny 7- was playing a blinder throughout but went into old habits by trying to point from 55-60 yards that became very frustrating.

Subs

Carr 5- not a massive impact from aidan and will be dissappointed with his performance.
Sexton 7- scored a great point and really should have scored a goal
murtagh6- personally would have had him starting but i'm not the manager- brilliant for break ball and gives his all for the jersey.
Boyle- not on long enough

Management- I imagine this would have been their last game in charge so no point in sticking the knife in. They're as biga down men as you'll find and have put in tremendous effort but really fell short when it came to picking our strongest team and coming up with the tactics that are required to progress in provincial and all ireland championships. A change from outside the county is required and like the england side are doing with stuart pearce under capello bring in a potential long term manager who will deliver the success that this county is desperatley seeking. Best of luck to Wicklow.

Who's favorites for the Toronto Championship this year Gaby??

The Down team for Sunday is really anyones guess and i'm sure ross is still chopping and changing. I imagine he'll announce it tonight though! I think Down will have this team out.

McVeigh
Howard
Peter Turley
Monk
Carr
Conor Garvey
Rooney
Dan
Kearney
Carr
Benny
Fegan
Danny
Murtagh
McComiskey

sorry didn't state the obvious there bitta-banter, Play him as extra defender!! I'll spell it out for you clearer the next time. obviously not gonna be the team but we're all allowed an opinion!!

1. B. Mc Veigh
2. Luke Howard
3. Conor Garvey
4. Monk Cole
5. Paul Murphy
6. Declan Rooney
7. Aidan Carr
8. Ambrose Rogers
9. Dan Gordan
10. Ronan Murtagh
11. Benny Coulter
12. Fegan
13. Danny Hughes
14. Paul Mc Comiskey
15. D Rafferty

Thats my starting 15. Not sure if Ambrose is injured or not?? but if he's fit he has to start! He was awesome in last years championship. Full back line is grand, good man markers in there. Half back is a bit dodgey with very attacking minded footballers. Murphy can foul quite a bit but then again Fermanagh didn't really have a free taker last year. Will always rise to the big occassion though! Aidan Carr has to start also, plays well in big games. Murtagh at 12 because he loves winning break ball. Benny is a nightmare for any team bombing down their throats and we all know what mccomiskey and danny can do on their day with decent ball in. Not sure about D rafferty. Put him in there because no one else. John Clarke if available but he's obviously not going to be putting on a jersey this summer.

Really think ross should swallow a bit of pride. Colgan, Clarke and Mickey Walsh are 3 quality quality players that Down could do with and it's obviously a personal issue with all 3.

Down to win by 4 points

[Murtagh is unlikely to return]

Kilcoo is not a long way from the south/east Down dividing line (about a mile ?), and it's pretty surprising that yet again none of their players have made the cut even for an experimental squad. Conor Lavery is their main man, but sadly, although he is an exceptional talent, he is almost certainly too small to make it at county level. However, they have some of the best underage prospects in Down who are bound to come through the system over the next couple of years. The indications are that some starting places for the championship are up for grabs anyway. Murtagh is unlikely to return, among others, and Benny is probably the only forward sure of his jersey for the summer at this stage.

Can't see why murtagh is unlikely to return, he's only 27 and there's a few seasons left in him yet!!

Is Mickey Walsh not going to receive another chance for Down? what about Peter Turley, L Howard, Murney, Murtagh?? these boys injured or something??

how do you get these el??

One thing i really can't believe is how that sc**bag Gerry Kelly is a Junior Minister in Leadership of this Country. Thugs in Suits!! 

Was just wondering what age is Share O Hare from Mayobridge? have been impressed with him the few games ive seen the bridge play this year? would he not be worth a look at for the county? cry out for backs in Down, bound to be a better option than trying to turn forwards in to defenders, murtagh and carr spring to mind!

Shane's 23 coming 24

bridgegeal, if that's a good game for lively i'd hate to see his worst!! Seen him few times during year and i thought klittle of his performances. Seamy wasn't bad by any means, Feargal mcconville was kept out of game completely so how can you say he had a bad game?? conor garvey was excellent as was brendan rodgers! maybe kickouts don't suit micheal lively???lol

[the bridge need get a midfield if they make ulster they will fall short.good forward line decent defence but mf not good enough[/quote]]

the bridge need get a midfield if they make ulster they will fall short.good forward line decent defence but mf not good enough
[/quote]

Thought Eoighn Woods had an awesome game last night, best i've seen in a while from the big man. Think Caldwell is a better option than Lively. Don't know what Lively's role is in the Bridge team?? He doesn't field or contribute with scores where as caldwell has done both in the past and in ulster also.

For Saval though, i felt they'd 6-7 good minutes at the end of 1st half when danny was unstoppable. Johnny Hughes and Paddy Donnelly performed worst for Saval. Johnny was on the ball loads but slowed everything down instead of using his pace to brush past ppl. he came back on himself all the time and ran into trouble time after time. I just don't know how Paddy Donnelly stayed on the field for so long.

Stevey Kearney didnt get going at all, too many times he decided not to take shane ohare on when he was well fit to with his strngth and speed.

Best players on the night were:


Seamy Grant
Eoin Woods
Ronan Sexton
Benny
Noel Sexton

Danny
Darren Cunningham
Ronan Digney

An Rioct Beat Ballyholland by 3 points in a poor enough game. Harps went a goal up after a minute from R. Murtagh and then threw it away with 15mins remaining. James Colgan and John Clarke were excellcent.