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Haven't been on in ages but I see your still a w**ker hardstation

Great great player ! Just such a pity we didn't get him an all Ireland in 2010. Could have walked onto any county side in most positions but in full forward I don't think anyone was better at getting you a goal . Never forget the replay in Newry with Tyrone when he punched in a goal near the end , magical night some atmosphere . Thanks Benny ,legend .

But there has to be a reason for the demise of great teams - As AZ and a couple of others have said, it happened to a lot of different managers - Pete McGrath, Billy Morgan, Sean Boylan, even Micko in the late eighties.And the reason is, IMO, is how do you replace players that win All Irelands?How could Down ever hoped to have replaced the forwared line containing Carr, Blaney, Mason, Linden & McCartan?These players come along once in a lifetime - How do you replace Brian Dooher?I remember wee Pete getting a lot of stick regarding holding on too long to old hands and I agreed with it. In hindsight, who was going to come in and do a better job than, say, DJ or Barry Breen?! And I know for a fact the majority of them believed they had another AI in them.I would agree with the Tyrone followers that Mickey makes strange decisions, but, believe me, changing the man does not mean an upturn in fortunes! And as a Down man I would give anything to have 2 Ulster Championships since 2008.All teams go through it - Armagh can now breathe air as it cant get any worse for them, Down trundle along, in mediocrity, with Meath & Galway. Hopefully this is the year we win the Ulster we require!


Page after page of drivel and over analysis , Barry Breen in this post has hit the nail on the head 100 % correct

Feeling quiet confident about today , think Tyrone maybe underestimating us , we also have a lot more experience in our starting 15 . It's a joke that we are away again !! Bring on Monaghan at home next 

Did Clarke play at number 3 against Kildare in the league this year ?

Jupp heynckes or Felix mag ath

Def think Pete Turley , Maginn and poss O Hagan should start . With some of the players missing ( through Aussie rules , soccer , immigration , injury and non committal ) I was very worried at the prospect of this Down side travelling to Omagh looking for a result !
However , recent events show some of these Tyrone men perhaps have a preference for using the back door and it maybe presents faint hope for a victory .   

Spot on aristo , I was talking about players already on panel some of whom you mentioned but also mc parland , o hagan etc . It's generally a young enough outfit now also mc kernan , Garvey , Fitzpatrick , mc comiskey and others all have years ahead of them !
I think some people on here just can't wait to stick the boot in wee James , given players missing over the last few seasons through injuries , soccer , Aussie rules or immigration I think he has seriously over achieved . It takes a golden generation of players coming through at the same time to really challenge  ie Armagh , Tyrone or Donegal so lets not knock our young lads too much ,they give a serious amount of effort and time and I'm sure we ll have plenty of good days out thanks to this over the next few years

Look the lad missed a few chances down in Galway alright but he's young and situations like that will only improve him , we ve plenty of good youth coming through but we need to give them time

Conor Clarke ?
Bodybuilder maybe , fullback I think not

As flat as Louth looked as a down man I was very impressed with our tackling intensity and even more so with the lads fitness levels , that's the third game now and in each nearing the end we have looked the fitter side which is an area in which had room for improvement . Hopefully we can carry this through the league into the Tyrone match .
On a side note , someone should start a thread on this topic , has there been a more clinical goal scorer in the last 20 years in our sport as Benny Coulter . I was at that end of the ground and when his second sailed in you could see young Jerome J glance over , nearly in awe . Great example for his young team mates coming through .

We seem to have been hit harder than most from the 2010 final through injuries , emigration and fellas playing professional sports , can anyone list players who would be on the panel but for the above .

Hughes
Gordon
Rogers
Doyle
M Clarke
C Mooney
J Colgan
S Mc Cartan ?
T Hanna ?
K Duffin
J Ireland ?
Mc Comiskey
O Hagan
Mc Conville
C Maginn
P Fitzpatrick
To name a few , I'm sure there is another 8/10 at least

He got away with blue murder , ah sure it's only big "clumsy" francie he didn't really mean it . I was in casement watching and he took Mickey linden clean out no ifs or buts , it was a terrible challenge ! He was a great player for Armagh but I'm sorry that was no accident . It's a pity linden was nt in his prime , Francie would nt have got anywere near him

Ask Mickey Linden what he thinks of big Francie 

Gaaboardmod 3

# also united fan !!@