Down Club Hurling & Football

[snoopdog]

Someone mentioned Liam Kerr is back playing with Burren, no idea if it's true or not. But there is a man I'd love to see involved on Sunday.

He has been about Burren this good while, no interest in playing with Down according to rumour.

I wonder being on the bench for a few key games last year, particularly the Armagh game, have an influence on his decision.

I've heard Kerr is off to the states for the summer.

[Nanderson]

A lot of work to get this team up to the standards required to compete in the Sam Maguire. Our ability to finish really cost us the chance to make a game of it today. A few players coming on didn't really get into the game at all. Seems like Laverty has a set list of about 20 players that he wants to use this year. I wish McCrickard got more game time across the two games.

[snoopdog]

We don't have the players to compete. While we started the game we'll we weren't able to get the shots in. The breakaway goal was a killer when Down should've had a goal beforehand but they made a balls of it. Down did OK in midfield with kickouts. They had a game plan but Donegal were just better.
But I'm not sure how good Donegal are on yesterday's showing.
How good a shotstoppee is young Burns, 2 fantastic stops yesterday in the 2nd half.
Group draw will be interesting. Not sure of all the seedings etc. I'd imagine we are bottom seeds.
Down is a work in progress and Laverty obviously needs the same amount of time mcgeeney had at Armagh. It's a build from the very bottom up. Our underage has been poor for a longtime.
Being competitive is as best as we can hope for.

[johnnycool]

Well done to the hurlers today.  League titles are thin on the ground up here.

They responded well in both halfs when Kildare got their goals, in particular at the start of the second half.

CT was good for the whole game, my motm, no doubt Tom McGrattan is in with a shout and took his goals well will always grab the headlines.

Roll on Div1B.

The hurlers have taken two big beatings so for in the Joe McDonagh and the mood within the camp isn't good by all accounts..

We could well be looking at relegation to the Christy Ring if the whole group don't start pulling together and soon.

[downtothecore]

We don't have the players to compete. While we started the game we'll we weren't able to get the shots in. The breakaway goal was a killer when Down should've had a goal beforehand but they made a balls of it. Down did OK in midfield with kickouts. They had a game plan but Donegal were just better.
But I'm not sure how good Donegal are on yesterday's showing.
How good a shotstoppee is young Burns, 2 fantastic stops yesterday in the 2nd half.
Group draw will be interesting. Not sure of all the seedings etc. I'd imagine we are bottom seeds.
Down is a work in progress and Laverty obviously needs the same amount of time mcgeeney had at Armagh. It's a build from the very bottom up. Our underage has been poor for a longtime.
Being competitive is as best as we can hope for.

Fully agree with this as our current status. TBH I expected a worse outcome than yesterday's showing but we the supporters all seem to be realistic of were we are at and I still think our current management team are best option for progressing...

[Mourne Red]

Not the worst draw for AI groups

[Mournenan82]

I'd say it's the best draw we could have got from a qualifying perspective. Maybe would have liked to get one of the big teams to newry but definitely should be looking at qualification to at least the last 12 and maybe compete for the automatic quarter final spot

[Truth hurts]

Its a great draw and we should be making the last 12 at least which would be progress but the squad should be confident of top spot.

[snoopdog]

Great draw. Not sure on dates and fixtures I think we are away to Clare 1st?

[AnDúnAbú94]

Great draw. Not sure on dates and fixtures I think we are away to Clare 1st?

It'll be away to Clare (presuming there's no upset) 17th/18th May
At home to the Leinster winners 1st/2nd June
Neutral (probably Armagh?) vs Monaghan 14th/15th June

I think its a great draw, best we could have hoped for. Might have been nice to get a Kerry or Galway to Newry but this gives us our best chance of going through and outside chance at topping the group.

[DownFanatic]

Well done to the hurlers today.  League titles are thin on the ground up here.

They responded well in both halfs when Kildare got their goals, in particular at the start of the second half.

CT was good for the whole game, my motm, no doubt Tom McGrattan is in with a shout and took his goals well will always grab the headlines.

Roll on Div1B.

The hurlers have taken two big beatings so for in the Joe McDonagh and the mood within the camp isn't good by all accounts..

We could well be looking at relegation to the Christy Ring if the whole group don't start pulling together and soon.

Where did this implosion from the hurlers come from in these two games? Especially after such a good league campaign. Carlow and Laois obviously 1B League teams but are we going to be massively out of our depth in the higher league tier next year?

[johnnycool]

Well done to the hurlers today.  League titles are thin on the ground up here.

They responded well in both halfs when Kildare got their goals, in particular at the start of the second half.

CT was good for the whole game, my motm, no doubt Tom McGrattan is in with a shout and took his goals well will always grab the headlines.

Roll on Div1B.

The hurlers have taken two big beatings so for in the Joe McDonagh and the mood within the camp isn't good by all accounts..

We could well be looking at relegation to the Christy Ring if the whole group don't start pulling together and soon.

Where did this implosion from the hurlers come from in these two games? Especially after such a good league campaign. Carlow and Laois obviously 1B League teams but are we going to massively out of our depth in the higher league tier next year?

Yes, Carlow and Laois are a step above anything Down have faced in a competitive game this year (they did play Laois in a friendly earlier in the year) and it's not unexpected to be beat by both teams, the manner of the defeats is another thing, and the players response to the defeats isn't good either.


There may have been a clearing of the air this week and hopefully they can all refocus to face Westmeath in Mullingar on the 10th, another Div1B team even if they were relegated, they'll be used to playing at a higher standard than Down so everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction.

[snoopdog]

Hurling has massive gaps.between the different leagues/levels.
Down will learn alot from this and next seasons league. A massive learning curve.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Why has McGovern gone? He was given plenty of oppurtunity last year to get up to speed. Pity if he jas walked away.
Would Mooney be an option as one of the 3 left up?
I think Doherty is too important to leave up there. The lad covers some amount of ground.
Looking fwd to going to the Hyde. Roscommon a decent team and would expect them to win but we need to get to the level of div2 quickly as we only have 1 home game remaining after game 3.

I presume he wont be playing, because of the soccer. Pity because he's very talented

I assume the move to full time soccer ends his GAA career

[Splash]

Well done to the hurlers today.  League titles are thin on the ground up here.

They responded well in both halfs when Kildare got their goals, in particular at the start of the second half.

CT was good for the whole game, my motm, no doubt Tom McGrattan is in with a shout and took his goals well will always grab the headlines.

Roll on Div1B.

The hurlers have taken two big beatings so for in the Joe McDonagh and the mood within the camp isn't good by all accounts..

We could well be looking at relegation to the Christy Ring if the whole group don't start pulling together and soon.

Where did this implosion from the hurlers come from in these two games? Especially after such a good league campaign. Carlow and Laois obviously 1B League teams but are we going to massively out of our depth in the higher league tier next year?

Yes, Carlow and Laois are a step above anything Down have faced in a competitive game this year (they did play Laois in a friendly earlier in the year) and it's not unexpected to be beat by both teams, the manner of the defeats is another thing, and the players response to the defeats isn't good either.


There may have been a clearing of the air this week and hopefully they can all refocus to face Westmeath in Mullingar on the 10th, another Div1B team even if they were relegated, they'll be used to playing at a higher standard than Down so everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction.

What's been the craic in the hurlers? Is the mood in the camp poor? I haven't had the chance to follow the championship this year.

I haven't been to any of the games, but they have been bad score lines. To be honest though, I wasn't totally surprised. They went very hard at the league, and there's only so much you can do before you burn out.

Beating Westmeath is essential after they lost to Kildare. Returning to the Christy Ring would be massively disappointing, although if it gives Down the chance to try new players, new tactics, new game plans, etc., and play more competitive games, it will not be all bad. But let's hope it doesn't come to that.

I was told there's been a bad run of injuries to some key players.

What has been the response from the players to the defeats?

Well done to the U20s on winning another All Ireland B, beating Tyrone at the weekend. Things seem to be on the up domestically, within the county.

Too early to even worry about Div 1 next year, but it's where we want, and need, to be.