Wicklow v Down. Aughrim 3pm Saturday. Live on RTE

[Hardy]

TV3 at it now. "What a result for Mick O'Dwyer" is Cooper's comment on Wicklow's win. The media would give you a f'n headache sometimes.

[Pangurban]

Congrats to Wicklow, overall probably deserved it, despite being aided by some dodgy refereeing, and loose time-keeping. The  substitaition of Hanna and the failure to deploy Fitzpatrick when Dan was clearly struggling following injury, were mistakes, by Down management, hopefully now the last they will be in position to make

[Hardy]

Timekeeping is a joke, though, with referees afraid to blow the whistle during play, even after time is up. But giving a 45 to the home team a minute and a half after time up is a new low. I'm amazed the Down people are not sitting on the pitch. Maybe they are - there's only about fifteen of them there, by the sound ofit.

Had 4 chances to win it Hardy though. Down lost that game themselves. They struggle badly in the backs- especially in the half backs today. Gordon has no real partner. they have good forwards though and they just short passed the ball playing with the wind.
Root and branch analysis required in Down football.

Couple of very soft draws in the quarter finals for the big guns.

No argument with that.  I wasn't commetning on the game or who should have won, just the farce of creative timekeeping that allows refs to f*** about with the laws of space and time as they feel like it.

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Timekeeping is a joke, though, with referees afraid to blow the whistle during play, even after time is up. But giving a 45 to the home team a minute and a half after time up is a new low. I'm amazed the Down people are not sitting on the pitch. Maybe they are - there's only about fifteen of them there, by the sound ofit.

In fairness, the 45 was taken a minute-and-a-half after the three minutes injury time--it was awarded about a minute before it was taken.

[brokencrossbar1]

Lads give the Wicklow team credit.  For what it is worth I actually think that 3 minutes was too short and that the ref probably played the correct injury time.  The ref formerly known as Kinneavey is not the greatest ref but he is not the worst either.  Wicklow are a decnt side and will give any team they meet next week a decent game.  Imagine a draw between Wicklow and Antrim, at least 1 minnow guaranteed in the quarters.

The two lads in th middle got through huge amounts of work as did the number 12.  Odlum in the corner is a tasty fecker, I wonder did he do some boxing in his days?  The half forward line in general played well and Seanie Furlong is my kind of full forward

[Hardy]

Jello - Still shouldn't have been given, though, if I'm not wrong about the rules.

BC - not taking anything away from Wicklow (otherwise known as Micko). They deserved the win. Just commenting on timekeeping. Whatever was the right anount of injury time, he announced 3 minutes and played 4.5, with no delays during injury time.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Absolutely delighted for Wicklow football to see them winning again...First time in their history they have won 3 championship games, first time in the last 12 - absolutely brilliant and considering he had to beat 3 Northern counties to do so considering how appalling Leinster football is and how his tactics and abilities are lightyears behind the scientific game up North is a bonus.....

To play 3 games in 3 weeks without making a subsitition and still come through to win it at the end says it all...

If they get Limerick or Antrim they have a decent chance of making the qtr-finals....

Re timekeeping - the 45 was awarded after 3 mins 15 seconds of extra-time (extra-time being a MINIMUM of 3 mins)....

[dodgy umpire]

if the game had have been in newry that 45 would not have been awarded

[pintsofguinness]

Timekeeping is a joke, though, with referees afraid to blow the whistle during play, even after time is up. But giving a 45 to the home team a minute and a half after time up is a new low. I'm amazed the Down people are not sitting on the pitch. Maybe they are - there's only about fifteen of them there, by the sound ofit.

The rest are at home getting ready for the lynching.  

[Hardy]

Absolutely delighted for Wicklow football to see them winning again...First time in their history they have won 3 championship games, first time in the last 12 - absolutely brilliant and considering he had to beat 3 Northern counties to do so considering how appalling Leinster football is and how his tactics and abilities are lightyears behind the scientific game up North is a bonus.....

To play 3 games in 3 weeks without making a subsitition and still come through to win it at the end says it all...

If they get Limerick or Antrim they have a decent chance of making the qtr-finals....

Re timekeeping - the 45 was awarded after 3 mins 15 seconds of extra-time (extra-time being a MINIMUM of 3 mins)....

I made it about 4 minutes.  The "minimum" proviso is to account for any delays within injury time. There were none.

[DownFanatic]

Any suggestions where Down go from here?

Thats 15 barren years we have endured now.

[Jinxy]

Should Wicklow be renamed Micklow?

[dodgy umpire]

Any suggestions where Down go from here?

Thats 15 barren years we have endured now.

fresh approach needed. no matter what anyone says the talent is there. look at the effect liam bradley has had on antrim

[buglebhoy]

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.

[heffo]

TV3 at it now. "What a result for Mick O'Dwyer" is Cooper's comment on Wicklow's win. The media would give you a f'n headache sometimes.

How many championship games did they win under Hugh Kenny/John O'Leary/Dave Foran et al??