Ulster championsip 1st... Donegal v Down

[Down South]

Thats great to hear on Luke as i do think we still need to strengthen our back's even thou they played ok today

What game were you watching? Down conceeded two of the softest goals you will ever see. Luke Howard if fully fit would be a great addition to the full back line, Dan McCartan will miss the semi as his ban runs out at midnight that night. I think we have to stop dropping Colgan back to cover the full back line.
Still a win is a win and thankfully I wont have to stay at home for the next one.

[Any craic]

http://www.youtube.com/user/UlsterGAA// - Benny 'black eye' talking after the game about his goal and stuff.

[Highlander3]

Thats great to hear on Luke as i do think we still need to strengthen our back's even thou they played ok today

What game were you watching? Down conceeded two of the softest goals you will ever see. Luke Howard if fully fit would be a great addition to the full back line, Dan McCartan will miss the semi as his ban runs out at midnight that night. I think we have to stop dropping Colgan back to cover the full back line.
Still a win is a win and thankfully I wont have to stay at home for the next one.

Yea the goals were bad and goals win games, but in normal time Donegal only got 9 scores, coming from we have been defensively the last few years i thought that was not to bad. But totally agree on it would be great to have Luke back, i thought that D McCartan would be back but forgot it was a Sat game. The Colgan strategy does not system to have worked as well the last few games and better teams know how to us the extra men, but i am just not sure if i would trust our FB line being isolated

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Yet again I wasn't impressed with Clarke.
He's terribly one-sided.

Have to agree...the 45 near the end of normal time was a beaut but otherwise didn't stand out.

[RMDrive]

Yet again I wasn't impressed with Clarke.
He's terribly one-sided.

Have to agree...the 45 near the end of normal time was a beaut but otherwise didn't stand out.

A good portion of his quietness was down an excellent marking job by Barry Dunnion who was giving up a good 4-5 inches in height to Clarke.

[borderfox]

Down were the easily the better team and only for the goals would of been out of sight with 20 minutes left. I thought Donegal were very poor and one dimensional in their play and look like a team bereft of confidence.
Down made hard work of it though but the ability to win a tight match (for a change) will stand to them for the rest of the summer. They have nothing to lose against Tyrone next time out as most people think its a foregone conclusion and I can see that game being another tight affair with Down maybe edging it 

[RMDrive]

Well done to Down. A deserved win. The goals allowed us to stay in it for longer than our overall play deserved. The most disappointing thing for me is that amount of times that we gave the ball away cheaply which led directly to Down scores. I'd conservatively say that 4-5 of Down's points came as a direct result of Donegal turnovers.
One positive was that a good few younger lads played today and did well (McHugh, Brick).

[mackers]

Donegal seem to have a habit of doing EXACTLY the wrong thing when faced by a blanket defence. It's not a new fad in football, they really should've caught on it after umpteen defeats to Armagh, very frustrating to watch, feel sorry for their fans watching that crap. Coulter was superb, you have to have sympathy for Martin Clarke, large sections of the Down support and the media are heaping way too much pressure on him.
Finally fair play to the ref, while the quality of play at times was poor, the match not the whistle fest we've had to endure for the past few weeks. Very watchable.

[J70]

Not trying to annoy either set of supporters but both teams are shite.

And before the 'What about Antrim' posts come in - I know.

Doubt you're going to get much argument about any of that, at least not from our end!

[Orior]

I thought Down won the game because the subs they brought on were better than the guys they replaced. Or maybe it was cause their markers had tired.

[Orior]

Apparently Down warmed up on the field before the match in their club colours. What was that about?

[ExiledGael]

Martin Clarke was not the best player on the field today but he scored three points from half-forward, improved as the match was really in the balance, scored the '45 to put them ahead for the first time and set up the goal that won it.
What do people expect?
No doubt he has more to offer but he's probably coming into a very different game than the one he left at minor level with no room to breathe in his section of the field anymore.
I don't buy the whole he's too left sided thing either, Maradona hardly used his right foot during his whole career and it didn't hamper him a whole pile.

[gorm agus bui]

Martin Clarke was not the best player on the field today but he scored three points from half-forward, improved as the match was really in the balance, scored the '45 to put them ahead for the first time and set up the goal that won it.
What do people expect?
No doubt he has more to offer but he's probably coming into a very different game than the one he left at minor level with no room to breathe in his section of the field anymore.
I don't buy the whole he's too left sided thing either, Maradona hardly used his right foot during his whole career and it didn't hamper him a whole pile.

But Maradonna never played in the Ulster Championship

[Mourne Rover]

It might not have been a great game, but it was a great occasion and it had a truly great player on show. McVeigh had little chance with the goals and his kick-outs were generally OK. Rafferty was excellent as usual, and is as brave as they come. McArdle did exceptionally well on Murphy, and not many other full backs have kept him scoreless from play. Rooney was reasonable, having not played county football for over a year but the half back line was our main concern. They all had their moments, but they all made individual mistakes which might have cost us dearly. Colgan suits our style of play, but is not looking a natural CHB,  Garvey had a mixed day and McKernan competed well but will need to watch his discipline.

Gordon was poor until he moved to FF, but King was immense from start to finish. Hughes had possibly his best ever championship game, and scored some glorious points apart from missing an easy chance at a crucial stage. Poland is a fine player, and did well throughout, but McComiskey was out of position and it showed.

Marty Clarke is capable of much more, but he still kicked two great points from play, put over a pressure 45 and set up the winning goal. That will do for a USC debut. John Clarke will have better days, but what can we say about the main man. It is hard to believe that he could rise in the estimation of Down supporters, but he does it again and again.

Fair play to the management, who improved the side with each substitution. Fitzpatrick was the pick of them, but O'Hagan is a very confident and capable teenager and Maginn give us great balance. With Ambrose, who loves playing against Tyrone, to return, anything is possible in the semi.

[Dubh driocht]

Just in, reading some of the posts here reminds me why people are leaving this board.
The ref was fair, Down management was excellent and , in complete contrast to 2006, every decision ( positional/tactics/substitutes) worked. Donegal are a good side but are too focussed on Murphy ( just like Down were on Benny for years) and avoided taking responsibility so went sideways waiting for him to be free. The reason they didn't find him ?Mc Ardles's pace and Colgan's reading.Both were exposed for the first goal but, unbelievably, Murphy did not score from play.So fair play to them, although it seems like a fatima secret on here.Garvey and Mc Kernan will play better, Dan needs much more game time in the new structure whereas Pete Fitz fitted in straight away. King was King.Mc Comiskey didn't do a lot wrong but didn't do a lot and Maginn may hold his pace with an intelligent performance. Credit to Daniel- he was all pace and balls and needs to build in consistency.Poland was like Maginn- almost always takes the right option and his point was majestic.JC was mostly good, no need to talk about Benny but his leadership is exceptional.
And so to Marty. His championship debut. His very presence takes serious pressure off Benny and while some passes went astray, form is temporary and class is permanent.
O'Hagan was outstanding, great day out and bring on Tyrone.
The minors just about made it- with that panel they should have won by a cricket score.