Down Club Hurling & Football

[DownFanatic]

Down ACFL Division 1

Rostrevor 1-08  Loughinisland 1-03

Went to the game cuz I had feck all else to do. It was 0-03 to 0-02 to Rostrevor at halftime. The 2nd half picked up a bit. Rostrevor got four good scores in a row midway through while Loughinisland found it hard to get back into the game during the closing stages.
Rostrevors game is the short hand pass. I was sad enough to count their kicking tally. Not including line balls, kickouts, scores and frees, Rostrevor only kicked the ball seven times. They had the pace and fitness to run the whole field doing one -twos. It was very strange to watch.
Martin Cole and Kevin McGrath were excellent in the defence as was Eddie Magee. However, Sean Farrell was man of the match in centre half back. He's one hard C*nt. Up front Eamon McConville, Colm Clerkin and Joe Fegan were excellent.
Alan Molloy was steady enough for the Island while Niall McCarthy showed well in midfield.
However, I always take pleasure in a Loughinisland team getting beat.

[No1]

Boys, will yiz stop with Jackie Lynch.  

Please tell me what you saw during the league to suggest he is an inter county championship midfielder?  

I have stated many times that he is a fine club midfielder, but that's it.

[TORGAEL]

No1.....re Jackie Lynch.........whats your alternative ?....its not like we are blessed with outstanding midfielders, so whom do you suggest ?

[No1]

 TOR, don't get me wrong, it's not personal.  Last year in the club championship replay he absolutely destroyed us at midfield but he has had plenty of chances at county level and hasn't cut it.

  I'd have Paul Murphy or Collie McCrickard from the current panel in there ahead of him, and that's saying something because I sure as f**k don't rate Collie McCrickard!

[Brick Tamlin]

he has had plenty of chances at county level and hasn't cut it.

Surely that would apply to both Mc Crickard and Murphy also to an extent.
There are no decent midfielders in Down, simple as. Im no Lynch fan, and dont buy into the hype around him generated by one decent season and an over-zealous media, but he is entitled to a shot at a championship berth is he not, both Mc Crickard & Murphy have had championaship run outs and both havent been a great success so why not let Lynch in there too.
Anythehoo, thats a longer term problem, id be more worried about our forward line than anything.

[amallon]

DownFanatic - Was that 7 kick passes in the whole game or in the second half.  Either way its unreal.

Bridge v Laitroim is off tonight due to the death of the wife of one of our club trustee's.

[TORGAEL]

No1....i didnt think you were being personal...its just that we really dont have much choice when it comes to midfielders who will do a job for us v cavan...why not jackie lynch ?....wouldnt have mccrickard in midfield for certain !...im sure we would all love jackie to have a stormer v cavan[if chosen].

[DownFanatic]

amallon, that was 7 kickpasses in the whole game. It was really strange. It was just pure handpassing all the way. For the majority of the game it worked but when the opportunity for a long searching ball arose Rostrevor shit themselves. They wouldnt/couldnt hit a long ball all night.

[6th sam]

Fair point,DF,re long ball game.But the unfortunate fact is ,that Rostrevor's  short tactics worked.How can this problem be rectified? The lack of players capable of delivering long ball at all levels in our county is a major problem .Interestingly,I spoke to a Bredagh man last week ,who told me that some parents,given the choice are steering their kids away from Gaelic Football,because they feel it is too easy to adopt negative,conservative tactics[such as aggressive cynical marking,and excessive fist-passing] successfully.

There is a potential solution to this short game plague---reduce to a 13-a-side game.
This would have the following effects:
1.Reduce the current increasing advantage to the cynical less skilful player.
2.Less crowding in midfield-improving high catching,with more space available to the catching player,when they hit the ground.
3.Create more space for pacy/skillful players up front,therefore making the long ball delivery easier.
4.Make it easier for clubs to field teams--allowing even small clubs to field teams at all levels without having to  draw on players from younger age groups--thereby potentially increasing participation in our games.

With the increasingly professional approach to strength/fitness,players are fitter/faster/heavier and more tactically aware-this will further cut down space on the field over forthcoming years,unless we do something about it.

Any thoughts?

[Brick Tamlin]

With the increasingly professional approach to strength/fitness,players are fitter/faster/heavier and more tactically aware

Are we still talkin about Down Football here!!

[6th sam]

Down's slowness to adopt modern training methods,compared to other rival counties has left us with a bit of ground to make up,across all levels.Hopefully this will change over the next few years.
I feel that there needs to be a strategic review in the county of all aspects of the GAA,including underage development,facilities,club structures etc.Part of the problem is we tend to overanalyse the performance of the senior team,rather than look at the reasons why we have underachieved as a county since 1994.

[Brick Tamlin]

6th Sam.

NAIL ON THE PROVERBIAL HEAD MY SON!!

[DownFanatic]

Down ACFL Division 3

Dundrum 2-13  Bosco 0-10

[stpauls]

Down ACFL Division 3

St. Paul's 3-10  Drumgath 3-19

edit: ref had a different score than the one i was told!!!

[pearses]

Down ACFL Division 3

Glenn 0-5   Bredagh 0-8