Down Club Hurling & Football

[down0202]

From what I heard Harte done a sly move to Hilltown. Wee James be a great appointment

[SHEEDY]

Great win for the camogs today, into the all ireland intermediate final next week. Hopefully hurlers can also win tomorrow, good luck to players and management. Match Live on tg4 YouTube.

[SHEEDY]

Wasn't to be for the hurlers, 3 goals conceded were a killer in a closely fought match. Down just couldn't get level in 2nd half, kildare always managed to stay a couple of points ahead. Tough defeat but still a very good year.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Wasn't to be for the hurlers, 3 goals conceded were a killer in a closely fought match. Down just couldn't get level in 2nd half, kildare always managed to stay a couple of points ahead. Tough defeat but still a very good year.

Was a good game , but Kildare physically much stronger. I enjoyed game but pity Down didn't get win

[snoopdog]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .
 

[befair]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Considering we tore that Cavan team apart for 30 mins, and even in the second half had good chances to put them away, maybe we are turning a corner

[SHEEDY]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Considering we tore that Cavan team apart for 30 mins, and even in the second half had good chances to put them away, maybe we are turning a corner

definitely, it's not all negative, we had enough chances to kill of cavan last week. We left behind 2-4 at least in 2nd half which even if we'd only got the points would've been enough. The 1st half showed how what we can do, the 2nd showed what we badly need to improve on. Leaders needed when things turn against us, that's where Darren O'hagan was badly missed.

[snoopdog]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Considering we tore that Cavan team apart for 30 mins, and even in the second half had good chances to put them away, maybe we are turning a corner

Yes. Without doubt there is hope. A good div 2 campaign next year is the goal now.

[Johnnysboys]

This is almost schoolground stuff. We played well against Cavan and Cavan beat Donegal so we wudve beat Donegal - bollocks.. Cavan had the physicality to mark Michael Murphy (hardly seen him in the game) and they had the pace/doggedness to stay with mchugh (nowhere to be seen when the tide turned) they had a powerful fullback who limited mcbreaty to a couple and he was replaced late on - let’s be honest we don’t have those... putting a pacy player on mchugh robs us of that player in an attacking sense as it’s a disciplined job needed on mchugh. We are far enough away yet.. division 2 is massive for us next year to build something worthwhile.. we need to hit the ground running and beat at least 2 of the big teams in the section.. cork/Meath showed at weekend they can be got at so target them as well as Laois, Westmeath and Clare and that would be a great league..

[johnnycool]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Inability to win possession up the field an issue for the hurlers, one that in all fairness they worked reasonably well to negate. Kildare more direct and their half back line dominated most of the second half.

A good season for the hurlers all in but need some big ignorant forwards able to put their paw on a ball with two or three hanging off them, no one in the Ards as yet meets that criteria so need to look elsewhere.

[6th sam]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Inability to win possession up the field an issue for the hurlers, one that in all fairness they worked reasonably well to negate. Kildare more direct and their half back line dominated most of the second half.

A good season for the hurlers all in but need some big ignorant forwards able to put their paw on a ball with two or three hanging off them, no one in the Ards as yet meets that criteria so need to look elsewhere.

Is it just me JC , but the current senior squad seem to have a great attitude , and was this something missing in many Down hurlers in recent years. Rónán Sheehan seems intensely committed , and it seems to be rubbing off on the players.

[johnnycool]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Inability to win possession up the field an issue for the hurlers, one that in all fairness they worked reasonably well to negate. Kildare more direct and their half back line dominated most of the second half.

A good season for the hurlers all in but need some big ignorant forwards able to put their paw on a ball with two or three hanging off them, no one in the Ards as yet meets that criteria so need to look elsewhere.

Is it just me JC , but the current senior squad seem to have a great attitude , and was this something missing in many Down hurlers in recent years. Rónán Sheehan seems intensely committed , and it seems to be rubbing off on the players.

Fair play to Ronan, he does seem to build up a relationship with the players and a good few he'd have been involved with through the development squads and the likes but there was no club county divide due to Covid which probably helped him get some lads to commit to the shortened intercounty scene.
Normally you'd be playing a CR game on the Saturday and an Antrim League game on the Sunday and that's too much for some of the older lads.

[6th sam]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Inability to win possession up the field an issue for the hurlers, one that in all fairness they worked reasonably well to negate. Kildare more direct and their half back line dominated most of the second half.

A good season for the hurlers all in but need some big ignorant forwards able to put their paw on a ball with two or three hanging off them, no one in the Ards as yet meets that criteria so need to look elsewhere.

Is it just me JC , but the current senior squad seem to have a great attitude , and was this something missing in many Down hurlers in recent years. Rónán Sheehan seems intensely committed , and it seems to be rubbing off on the players.

Fair play to Ronan, he does seem to build up a relationship with the players and a good few he'd have been involved with through the development squads and the likes but there was no club county divide due to Covid which probably helped him get some lads to commit to the shortened intercounty scene.
Normally you'd be playing a CR game on the Saturday and an Antrim League game on the Sunday and that's too much for some of the older lads.

Tbf, Antrim will make fixtures suit their clubs and county teams. They’ll not go out of their way to suit Down county team fixtures which often don’t always coincide with Antrim county team . It seems to Me that Ulster GAA should step up to make a meaningful Ulster League , so that Foen clubs don’t have to play in Antrim leagues

[johnnycool]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Inability to win possession up the field an issue for the hurlers, one that in all fairness they worked reasonably well to negate. Kildare more direct and their half back line dominated most of the second half.

A good season for the hurlers all in but need some big ignorant forwards able to put their paw on a ball with two or three hanging off them, no one in the Ards as yet meets that criteria so need to look elsewhere.

Is it just me JC , but the current senior squad seem to have a great attitude , and was this something missing in many Down hurlers in recent years. Rónán Sheehan seems intensely committed , and it seems to be rubbing off on the players.

Fair play to Ronan, he does seem to build up a relationship with the players and a good few he'd have been involved with through the development squads and the likes but there was no club county divide due to Covid which probably helped him get some lads to commit to the shortened intercounty scene.
Normally you'd be playing a CR game on the Saturday and an Antrim League game on the Sunday and that's too much for some of the older lads.

Tbf, Antrim will make fixtures suit their clubs and county teams. They’ll not go out of their way to suit Down county team fixtures which often don’t always coincide with Antrim county team . It seems to Me that Ulster GAA should step up to make a meaningful Ulster League , so that Foen clubs don’t have to play in Antrim leagues

When in Rome and all that.

TBH if the Ulster Council were to come up with a league for everyone and Antrim decided they were still going it alone we'd probably stay with Antrim.
The main reason being is that you know when a fixture is set it won't be pulled for a football game, with the Ulster Council pulling the strings you can bet your bottom dollar that if a Derry dual club was having issues with fixtures the hurling ones will get the chop. We couldn't afford for that to happen.

[6th sam]

I thought Down played the better hurling with some great scoring. But kildare size proved the difference. Though the goals were a bit slack but onwards and upwards for the hurlers Joe McDonagh next year.
Might be a few sore footballers this evening after watching a cavan team we shouldve beaten last week win the ulster title today over a very fancied Donegal.  Although Cavan probably a more physical match for Donegal than Down wouldve been. But we will never know and congrats to Cavan and Tipp .

Inability to win possession up the field an issue for the hurlers, one that in all fairness they worked reasonably well to negate. Kildare more direct and their half back line dominated most of the second half.

A good season for the hurlers all in but need some big ignorant forwards able to put their paw on a ball with two or three hanging off them, no one in the Ards as yet meets that criteria so need to look elsewhere.

Is it just me JC , but the current senior squad seem to have a great attitude , and was this something missing in many Down hurlers in recent years. Rónán Sheehan seems intensely committed , and it seems to be rubbing off on the players.

Fair play to Ronan, he does seem to build up a relationship with the players and a good few he'd have been involved with through the development squads and the likes but there was no club county divide due to Covid which probably helped him get some lads to commit to the shortened intercounty scene.
Normally you'd be playing a CR game on the Saturday and an Antrim League game on the Sunday and that's too much for some of the older lads.

Tbf, Antrim will make fixtures suit their clubs and county teams. They’ll not go out of their way to suit Down county team fixtures which often don’t always coincide with Antrim county team . It seems to Me that Ulster GAA should step up to make a meaningful Ulster League , so that Foen clubs don’t have to play in Antrim leagues

When in Rome and all that.

TBH if the Ulster Council were to come up with a league for everyone and Antrim decided they were still going it alone we'd probably stay with Antrim.
The main reason being is that you know when a fixture is set it won't be pulled for a football game, with the Ulster Council pulling the strings you can bet your bottom dollar that if a Derry dual club was having issues with fixtures the hurling ones will get the chop. We couldn't afford for that to happen.

Fair point