Down v Derry 1994

[5 Sams]

the best ref i have ever been refereed by is a man called frank mcdonald from newry, he was very good, we need more like him.

I think Frank lives in Cross now and is on the Armagh referees committee. He was a fairly good ref alright and was a top class soccer ref as well. He tells a good yarn about doing linesman at a Linfield V Cliftonville game. The ball was kicked out of play by a Linfield player and Frank stuck his flag up and shouted "Our ball Ref!!"

[downredblack]

If anyone was going early doors it was Murtagh , I really think he will do a good job for us at wing back but he will have to keep the head even when provoked .

[5 Sams]

Wrong thread DownRedBlack....

[An Ciotoig]

As a Mayo man who was in his late teens at the time, I have a distinct recollection of coming from a club league match that day and my late father saying that it was the game of the decade. A man not prone to hyperbole, for me it was the ultimate compliment to both teams. There was a real manliness about those teams, hard physical footballers blessed with sublime skill. Henry Downey, Greg Blaney, Mickey Linden, Anthony Tohill amongst others, I don't think Ulster football or anywhere else has seen so many great players all playing at their peak since.
 

[downredblack]

"As for the ref, some very strange decisions, if he had sent someone off eearly on, he may have kept control of the game. We could do with a few referees like Tommy Sugrue. "

Sorry I was replying to the above , should of put the quote in my last post .

[tbrick18]

Better get the dvd recorder geared up the night. Even though we got beat and I'll still be heart broke watching it, you have to admire the talent on show in that game. Probably half a dozen of the best footballers to have played the game all on the one pitch.
Cant wait!!!!

[Brick Tamlin]

watch that game and really appreciate all that was good about football before it was dragged down in the last 8 years.
compare some of those men that were playin to some of the toerags posing as footballers today

[saffron sam2]

As a Mayo man who was in his late teens at the time, I have a distinct recollection of coming from a club league match that day and my late father saying that it was the game of the decade. A man not prone to hyperbole, for me it was the ultimate compliment to both teams. There was a real manliness about those teams, hard physical footballers blessed with sublime skill. Henry Downey, Greg Blaney, Mickey Linden, Anthony Tohill amongst others, I don't think Ulster football or anywhere else has seen so many great players all playing at their peak since.

Agree with a lot of what you say here, but this game, more than any other is the reason why I wouldn't put Downey in the same bracket asthe other three you mention.  If my memory serves me correctly, Blaney destroyed the balding Lavey man that day and the Andersonstown dentist was pivotal to the Down victory. Even  more so than either Linden or Sugrue.

still very sore at losing this one
the display you will watch is a fantastic game of football
but the performance of the day to watch is that of the referee ! 
(still bitter after all these years  )

Agian, I agree with the Lynchbhoy.  I remember Liam Hayes writing in the Sunday Press the following week, stating that the Mourne men got every single fift-fifty call from Sugrue during the game.  He wasn't sure if this was sub-conscious, incompetence or skullduggery, but I have always felt the in-bred boys have a valid point re. Sugrue's performance.  As, I believe, do the Dubs after the 1993 All-ireland semi-final.

[lynchbhoy]

still very sore at losing this one
the display you will watch is a fantastic game of football
but the performance of the day to watch is that of the referee ! 
(still bitter after all these years  )

Agian, I agree with the Lynchbhoy.  I remember Liam Hayes writing in the Sunday Press the following week, stating that the Mourne men got every single fift-fifty call from Sugrue during the game.  He wasn't sure if this was sub-conscious, incompetence or skullduggery, but I have always felt the in-bred boys have a valid point re. Sugrue's performance.  As, I believe, do the Dubs after the 1993 All-ireland semi-final.

A few of the Derry lads are also to blame for the loss as well- not hanging it all on the ref(though a large part imo can be attributed to him)
Eamonn coleman helped lose it on the line and while Brian McGilligan had one of his worst days in a Derry Jersey, Anthony Tohill hid and then huffed like a spoilt wee girl!

The one positive from that year , is that Down went on to win the AI after this.

[lynchbhoy]

In that game of football it was obv so very close that some players won their battles and others lost - thats sport for you.
On any given day , you will hardly ever (prob never)get the entire team playing at their optimum best and bettering their direct opponents!

just watch the game again and see what you think of the ref this time.
Either way it doesnt matter. Happy enough that Down went on to win it at least.

[ross matt]

I remember it as one of the best matches I ever watched but will be interested to see if it stands the test of time. I grew up hearing that the 77 AI semi was the ultimate classic but having watched it in recent times it was poor in terms of skill and full of stoppages.

I think the Derry/Down match will compare well with today though. It was all out attacking football from both sides with ferocious hits, high fielding, weaving solo runs and classic scores. Linden was a joy to watch and McCartan's solo run up the sideline with Derry players hopping of him was amazing. The two Deegans were a savage midfield. The quality of the contest was borne out with the 93 AI champs defeated by the side that went on to claim the '94 title.

[thejuice]

In our house its generally regarded as the best football game of the 90's.

[Uladh]

Nonsense.

The best game of the nineties was Down Vs Armagh, Ulster Championship first round, 1991 in the marshes.

[realredhandfan]

Was that Cathal O Rourkes debut and did he miss a helluvalotta frees.
edit I realise it wasnt.

[behind the wire]

were you one of the 4000 hardy souls who watched down v armagh 1991 uladh? i wasnt allowed to go, but can remeber everyone saying how dire it was, how u couldnt have made a team out of the two teams on show!!