Down Club Hurling & Football

[behind the wire]

great idea amallon. who videos the games for you and what sort of camera do they use? if its easy enough to set up/use i might look into it.

[TORGAEL]

Great stuff amallon

[amallon]

Paul Rooney does our video work.  He just uses a standard video camera and we download it to a laptop after the game using firewire. 

[Old Bill]

fantastic addition to the site.  great work by all.  just close it down round championship time as it would be good analysis tool for rival teams!

[amallon]

I don't think there are any secrets in the way the Bridge play at this stage. 

[Square Ball]

AM

who scored that cheeky little overhead kick point?

[superblues]

ronan sexton scored it

[Mourne Rover]

DownFanatic's team for Omagh is worth talking about but, even with an extra defender, the full back line is too small and none of the half back line are markers. Cole is a natural corner back and could only play at no 3 in an emergency. There has been talk about trying Murphy there, and, if he is fully fit, he is at the very least worth a look in a challenge game. McCartan is also on the small side, but, for a one-off game, has the experience to provide an option. I agree with Rafferty in the corner but McGovern is also probably not big enough.

The four halfbacks DF suggests are all fine going forward, but I suspect they would be taken apart by a decent half-forward line. McGuigan's man got four points from play in the Fermanagh game, and Murtagh is a natural attacker. I think we could get away with Doyle and Carr as wing backs but we would need someone physically stronger in the middle. Rooney had a couple of decent championship games last summer and might be the best bet.

Ambose has been struggling but did well against Fermanagh and might get the nod with Dan for midfield. The extra player I would try between the half backs and midfield is Sexton, as he can cover space, win breaking ball and push up for scores as well.

That would leave Murtagh and Hughes as wing forwards with possibly McKernan,who is capable of improving, in the middle and Benny and Clarke as the two-man full forward line. Starting McComiskey would be a risk against Tyrone, and he would have more impact coming off the bench when some gaps open up.

This gives a line-up of McVeigh; Rafferty, Murphy, Cole; Carr, Rooney, Doyle; Gordon, Rogers; Hughes, McKernan, Murtagh; Clarke, Coulter and Sexton. There are plenty of uncertainties there, but there is also plenty of pace on the wings and some height at 6,8,9 and 11.

[Pangurban]

Good video, excellent camera work, well edited

[the milkman]

Very bad way to end the NFL. Dont think Ross has a clue what his best team, but players like sexton, murtagh have been tired and failed and I dont see Down improving any with these players, may aswell give others a chance!

Id go with this team for Omagh:
                                                     McVeigh

                                           Howard, Cole, Murney

                                          Carr, Rooney, Doyle, Murphy

                                               Gordon, Rogers

                                       Hughes, McKernan, Mc Comiskey

                                                Clarke, Coulter

Howard and Murney may be both very young but dont really see much better about! Think 4 a cross the h/b line must be played with Rooney dropping deeper when we loss the ball! Midfield should hold its own and forwards have the ability to do damage if they get good ball!!!

Off the u-21's ive seen Kevin Duffin looks a great player a should surely be on the panel!!!!

[Down Gael]

Mickey McVeigh the long-serving Down senior county goalkeeper has joined up with the Monaghan team-management for the duration of the championship.

McVeigh who enjoyed a distinguished playing career with the Mourne county, and also represented Ulster in the inter-provincials will work with the Farney county goalkeepers for the duration of the championship.

Former Cavan and Bailieboro' Shamrocks goalkeeper Paul O'Dowd had a similar role with the Monaghan side last season with a great deal of success.


Obviously we dont need a goalkeeping coach 

[Pangurban]

Has anyone ever considerd playing Dan Gordon at full back, good pair of hands under a high ball into the square, good mobility, and fairly tough

[thewobbler]

You know Pangur, if Alan Shearer had have wanted to play centre half, he probably would have been one of the best in the world during the 1990s. Who would have put the ball in the net at the other end though?

[goldenyears]

lads paul murphy is def not a full back - he is an attack minded player with superb athleticism that marks him out as a midfielder / half back / half forward and even half back is dodgy cos Murf doesnt think like a defender at all - he doesnt have any natural defender's tendencies and for that reason I would never ever try him at full back.

to still not know our best team at this stage is a disaster - the result is we will have no pattern of play at all

[T O Hare]

lads Down's best full back comes from mayobridge, whats the point in trying to turn a attacker into a defender, a good full-back takes years to mature, incidently Down's best corner back comes from the bridge as well