Down Club Hurling & Football

[6th sam]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1327658562420690944

Winning penalty in the hurling. The keeper too.

What a story, won't be easy v Kildare , but Beating Offaly is a massive achievement, well done all and good luck in final

[downjim]

Can someone explain what happened in training during the week instead of talking in riddles ?

The first half we were excellent but had chances to kill the game off but did not and Cavan were buoyed by a few early scores.We were devoid of leaders to grab the game by the scruff of the neckin the second period.

We have the basis of a good team and if we can strengthen in a few areas, we could improve. We need to improve in nets and I do think Niall Kane would be a better option here especially from the kick out. Murdock got a cleaning in the second half but he will learn from it and he is the best full-back in the county. We are badly stuck for tall athletic midfielders and to be honest there was not much on show in the club championships. Middleton from Liatriom and Charlie Smyth from the Bridge have potential but physically would not be strong enough yet. It will be a few years to Oran Murdock is ready but he is a hell of a player. Forwards wise we have so many talented fast speedy players but we finally missed the raw strength of Harrsion who gives you the option of kicking it long.
In a strange season we cant judge Tally and the players on one freak 30 minutes, our aim this season was to go up and we done that. The pick of Cavan, Down and Armagh would not beat Donegal anyway so maybe we are better off away from the final.
Lets build for next years league and to try and cement a place in the division.

[johnnycool]

What did ya reckon about that result today? I didn't see it. Boys must have performed well? Glad to see the Viper learned something about penalties from his Ballycam days!! 

ha ha, I think everyone at some stage or other has had a go at playing floor ball with Ballycam, they've folded now as Da John Convery took the pension..

The wee bollox is good at saving penalties as we've found to our cost this year and last year in the club championships.

great win for the lads, Joe Mcdonagh beckons next year irrespective of the final as both teams go up, and with also being promoted to 2A it'll be a huge step up.

The Covid blessing is that with the club campaign over before the county scene more players are able to commit to the county team.

[Milltown Row2]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1327658562420690944

Winning penalty in the hurling. The keeper too.

Was he using a outfield regulation hurl? 

[johnnycool]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1327658562420690944

Winning penalty in the hurling. The keeper too.

Was he using a outfield regulation hurl? 

Is there such a thing? Thought all hurls had to be less that 5 1/2 inches at its widest point..

big Speedy on the Mic not knowing his left from his right......

[Sandstorm]

That's the way to do it Smurfy and 5times, get behind your keyboard and let them have it. Don't worry about letting the facts get in the way. What happens on the training field should stay on the training field. Strangely in my own county the club that gets all the criticism is the one that is most successful. Jealousy? Anyway lads, in these strange and difficult times let them have both barrels. champion1981, your post naming players was a disgrace. Whatever you boys do, don't let anyone's mental health get in the way of your vitrial.

[urbangael]

Tough one to take yesterday. Tally and the players must be sick this morning. I think it's lazy analysis to say Down had no kick out strategy. Like Tally isn't some young green manager. He's been around and I'm sure kos are discussed in depth. What Down wouldn't give for  Greg mccartan in his prime! They obviously had a strategy in the first half.... Break everything! Cavan just upped their performance in the second half. PD and mooney drifted out of the game and Flynn was doing OK until the big girl from cavan with the pony tail got in his head. Momentum in football is massive. Another goal in the first half would probably have made the difference. Some of the subs was strange to say the least. Kerr coming off was especially weird as he didn't look like he was tired to me. Learning curve for all involved and if truth be told the lesson Donegal would serve them if they had of made final would be more severe.

[johnnycool]

Some game in the whole with Down playing some good stuff in the first half but decision making at the start of the second being the killer.
The lad who went for the diving fisted goal and took it off the toes of Johnson IIRC will rue that one as that would have wrestled momentum back for Down when they needed to kill off Cavan. Even then Down kicked some poor wides into that end but whatever way the wind was blowing seemed to cause problems up that end as Cavan did the same in the first half.

Once Cavan got on a roll Down lacked the game management, cuteness, wherewithall and bit of ignorance to put some manners on some of the Cavan lads, pony tail lad being one of them.

[Smurfy123]

Not keyboard warrior stuff
Stating facts
What happen on the training pitch stays on the training pitch is right don't publicise it back to your club
A young lad saying to tally that he thinks he should be on instead on Kevin McKernan. And tally let's him go. Whatever you have to say about McKernan he gives his all and for a young lad just into the squad to come out with crap like that. Fair play to tally for sending him packing
For sure go to the management and ask why you can't get on but to try dish one of our greats. And this on the back of a roasting against Louth

[Johnnysboys]

Who are the club players that should have been asked in?? Those that produced it in club championship were all there (those that want to be there I mean)
U mention Dylan Ward - what exactly did he do when introduced? Nothing and if he had been on earlier I feel it would have been the same. It's ok sledging ur opponent in club games but when they don't bite at county level - poor Dylan looks ordinary..
someone in previous post mentioned - what happens on a training pitch stays on it - what sort of 70s attitude is that?? Physically yes - if u clip me and later on I clip you then we move on - but that's not what's happening and people don't have to put up with verbal abuse anymore when it's personal. Why should they??
Kevin has been a fantastic servant I agree but his legs are gone at this level and at times this year for his club too. I feel Ryan Johnston into this position at half time and would've offered a serious threat with his pace and ball carrying ability out of defence, keep Kerr on (if not injured) and Mooney - we now have 3 pacy threats running at the opposition.
But it's all ifs Butts and maybes now - the burning question I have is - will Tally stay on?? If an opportunity came to manage or coach ur own county would he not go for that?

[BarryBreensBandage]

Still can't my head around yesterday.
10 point lead and a manager with this reputation as being defensive.
This is an all time low.
Let's start from goalkeeper - one dimensional kick outs and no presence under a high ball - look at the penalty incident. Far better keepers in the county than the ex St Marys keeper.
The defence - Kevin McKiernan a great servant to Down but not up to it anymore and especially in key role as 'sweeper'. The ex St Marys player's better days are behind him. Others like Paddy Murdock , Peter Fagan and Daniel Guinness part of the great QUB defence that lost to DCU in Sigerson by about 30 points. Seems to be only interested in these college players and if you look at the squad there are guys there can't even get starting places on their college teams and they are very poor Sigerson teams compared to the past. On kick outs these guys made little movement to give us options as opposed to going long  literally all the time.
Midfield in second half was non existent - Johnny Flynn was bullied out of it.Dylan Ward should have started full stop.Caolan Mooney outstanding and then went quiet.
Up front Jerome Johnston was fantastic in first half and his leg seemed to bother him in second. Liam Kerr was great too but then to be taken off has to be a mystery. Barry O'Hagan the great 'kicker' should have been called off at half time but the biggest mystery is Conor 'never out of the gym' staying on. He wouldn't get on a decent club side.Donal O'Hare just not at this level anymore.
The substitutions I couldn't get my head around ,Corey Quinn needed on yes as did Dylan Ward but the other two they offered nothing, James Guinness an average at best club player (don't think he even starts automatically for his club) and Sheelin Johnston young and not even an established starter for his club.. How Ryan Johnston was not on early is inexplicable.
I think Tally needs help on the side-line as what he has there at the minute is limited. I'd hope to see him be a bit ruthless with his managerial assistants and get a football man in not a gym guy.
There were players in Club Championship who should have been asked in to join the squad.
Yesterday was a dark day for county.

Ah catch yourself on.

I am no fan of Tally and would be very critical of his playing style. I think most of the points you have made above are way off the mark. You have put the boot in there to a group of lads who had to:

Play a completely different brand of football that they have been playing for the last few years - who would have thought - kick passing and playing in the opponents half. And changing to this at a late stage in the championship;

They excelled and gave us the best half of football in this years championship, in the worst conditions;

Deal with a referee who played Cavan back into the match;

Deal with a situation where they had to defend a big lead, in an Ulster SF, against a very hungry and more experienced Cavan team. How many of them would have experience of that?

Play on with some serious questions over substitution decisions, and a serious amount of responsibility placed on relatively inexperienced shoulders;

All of the above, and if they had have taken their goal chances, they would have beat Cavan off the park.

And lost by just a point.

I feel sorry for the players more than I am disappointed. I also feel sorry for Tally, as I believe he set up to win by going for it.

I can't see how your dissection above adds to the discussion.

It is not an all time low. 2019 vs Louth in Pairc Esler was a lot worse.

Dark days if you focus on the bad.

[thewobbler]

Sadly, it probably doesn't even rank in our top 10 worst defeats in the past 20 years.

I'd think throwing away a 7 point lead around 2005 when McCabe came in for the second half, without one of his legs, was probably worse than this weekend.

I'm not totally disheartened though. In Kerr, Guinness, Mooney, Laverty, Annett, there's some exceptional pace around the set up, and things could get very exciting if allowed off the leash. Hopefully Conor McCrickard has the desire to add to this too. Obviously we need to dig out midfielders from somewhere. How do we start a petition to keep Liatroim lads focused on the bigger ball?

[downjim]

I agree Wobbler, we were very unlucky not to win but this young side should learn. Some people need to realise that we were not leaving the Gooch and Maurice Fitzergald on the bench.

But a petition for Liatroim  They are in division 3 and leagues do not lie but young Middelton has something but is raw.

[down0202]

In regards to the midfield line. The two midfielders had a great first half. Flynn was roasting McKiernan and Mooney was making great runs.
The problem is the actual fielding of the ball.
During championship, I seen many great midfielders in the air which Down could seriously use for that position.

Kilcoo: Dylan Ward should be starting in midfield and not coming on in the last ten minutes of the game.
Clonduff: Tom Close and Ross Carr were brilliant in the air during championship.
Warrenpoint: Cormac and Ciaran McCartan also had a great championship in midfield.
Leitrim have big McCrickard and Middleton
There are many more that can be looked at but that is what I feel the problem is

[downjim]

If we can unearth midfielders of the calibre of Ambrose and Dan then I definitely think we could win at least an Ulster title in the next few years. Kilcoo have been the benchmark fr a number of years now but they never seem to have the same midfield pairing. They rarely play two traditional midfielders in the sense. Paul Murphy is near 40 and still a good club midfielder. I thought Owen Mccabe would push on but I was disappointed in his performances in the championship.