Down Club Hurling & Football

[Lecale2]

Carryduff and Kilclief hurlers both well beaten yesterday. Our poor run in Ulster continues.

[thewobbler]

That's not what I'm saying NP76. I agree with you that competition is needed. But it's going to take more than a good club player to apply that pressure. We don't need now what Ross did a few years ago when he gave every half decent club player in the county a run out. We need players who'll improve the lot.

[goldenyears]

trials to start in NOV - county split into 4 teams - round robin style -  plan is to see if they can unearth a few more serious competitors to the starting 15.

please dont start suggesting young lads at 18/19 years of age - whilst they have potential, let them play a season or two at u21 level before pushing them through to seniors.

i would love Down to have an extended senior panel, called it development panel if you like - purely for 10/15 young lads with potential, who get the strength & conditioning / nutrition advice that the seniors get - & pull them in for in house games when needed so that they also see the level they need to reach. A la premiership style, bring them along to some senior games, have them in the changing room, give them a feel for being part of it; something to aspire to.

[NP 76]

A good club player needs time to adapt to the county set up where things are done at a quicker pace . He will only gain this experience by being involved in the county set up . This change in pace is evident even in challenge games where the players only have split seconds to make decisions before they get hit not like playing club football . To get this speed of movement takes time

[Mike Tyson]

Anyone proposing namesshould bear in mind that Down have a bloody good forward line as it stands. I'd be thinking only exceptional forwards should be pushed forward as alternatives, and not good club players.

Dont know how you v come to this conclusion? Could you explain the word exceptional? Who in the current down forward line would you describe as exceptional?? 

Danny Hughes, Benny coulter, Paul mc Comiskey, Conor Laverty and Conor maginn are all definitely better than any other forwards in the county not on the panel.

Danny was exceptional in 2010, but this year had a shocking season, Coulter is gettin on a bit and his hamstrings are no longer going to give you 9 months of graft! Laverty is just pure and simply too light for intercounty top level footballl, you could argue the same about mc comisky, Maginn is a terrific worker but what does he contribute going forward?? Im not being negative, im just trying to get Wobbler to think about usuing the word EXEPTIONAL!!

Are you serious? Paul is one of the strongest players on the panel. Think this has been said before on here.

A good club player needs time to adapt to the county set up where things are done at a quicker pace . He will only gain this experience by being involved in the county set up . This change in pace is evident even in challenge games where the players only have split seconds to make decisions before they get hit not like playing club football . To get this speed of movement takes time

Don't believe this is true. In fact quite the opposite. If a player is not in the top 20 in the county they get no game time for Down and get very little game time for their club. It may be a while ago, but was the reason Joe Doran never went back when asked.

[whitegoodman]

trials to start in NOV - county split into 4 teams - round robin style -  plan is to see if they can unearth a few more serious competitors to the starting 15.

please dont start suggesting young lads at 18/19 years of age - whilst they have potential, let them play a season or two at u21 level before pushing them through to seniors.

i would love Down to have an extended senior panel, called it development panel if you like - purely for 10/15 young lads with potential, who get the strength & conditioning / nutrition advice that the seniors get - & pull them in for in house games when needed so that they also see the level they need to reach. A la premiership style, bring them along to some senior games, have them in the changing room, give them a feel for being part of it; something to aspire to.

This is all great in theory but it would mean 1 of 2 things

1) The clubs get to see even less of their young players if they are training with the county squad or playing in house games

or 2) The younger lads will end up training 4 or 5 times a wk to keep both camps happy which will end up in injury/burnout.

I happen to think that the Down squad from last year at 40 was too big as it is.  Lads getting no games and having lost confidence went back to their clubs in a lot worse shape than when they left.  IMO have your trial games now before christmas, pull a 40 man squad together for McKenna cup, whittle it down to 32 for National League and add any potential under 21's to the panel after the under 21 championship if good enough and ready for it.

[goldenyears]

whitegoodman, you miss the point entirely. I mean only include these younger lads periodically - they dont train with the panel each week otherwise they may as well be full time on the panel! this is a process that gives them a taste, sets the standards they need to get to over their developmental 18-20 years old profile......

[whitegoodman]

What is the under 21 setup for? development?

I see what ur trying to say but cant see it working in gaelic football.  Periodically, once a wk? once a mth? structured/unstructured?  This may work in professional sports such as soccer or rugby but can you really see young lads going to county training once or twice a month for a couple of years without any results at the end of it.  Young lads lose interest very quickly when there are no rewards in sight.

They have should have enough football development between club under 21/senior, county under 21 and sigerson

[redandblackareback]

whitegoodman, you miss the point entirely. I mean only include these younger lads periodically - they dont train with the panel each week otherwise they may as well be full time on the panel! this is a process that gives them a taste, sets the standards they need to get to over their developmental 18-20 years old profile......

Correct me if Im wrong but I am nearly sure Ross did this, they had a few sessions in Tullymore park astro pitch and weights with Paul Murphy the trainer at the time but it never really took off. I know one or two guys from Bryansford who were asked along. Personally if managed properly is a tremendous idea and well worth considering.

[wehatepauly2]

Anyone else hear of a meeting in canal court last wk involving a 50 strong panel and the county management?

Any new players? Off top of my head would like Philip Bonny,Danny Savage, Arthur McConville, Colm Murney, Keith Quinn and Donal O'Hare to get involved in the priliminary squad anyway.

Thought about Kilcoo but without any disrespect I couldnt think of any individuals that stood out in the 10 or so games i watched this year.  A good team without outstanding individuals other than Laverty imo.
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I would give felim mcgreevy from kilcoo,most consistent midfielder I've seen all year,has got the upper hand on many a county player
this year and made king look very poor in the championship,definatly worth a try,also maybe Paul Devlin although he didn't have a great year but his work rate is unreal,other than that kilcoo don't really have any others that stand out but they seem to work very well as a team

Havnt seen any of the lower divisions to comment on any potential players from there.

[DownFanatic]

Just seen this extract from St John's club notes for this week in reference to losing a Minor B Semi Final to Bosco last week.

"No one can question the commitment and attitude of certain players who put this one match ahead of their long term career whereas some players need to take a serious look at themselves if they want to succeed as Senior footballers. The younger players cannot be blamed for this defeat, particularly Colm Kelly and Jerome Gordon who done what was asked of them and more. Best for St. John's on the night was Chris McKay who is often criticised for his lack of effort but no one can question his commitment to the Minors, also Martin Keenan played his heart out but was lacking support until Darren Burns came on, who contributed 1-3. Ryan Gordon, who hasn't played or trained in two months, played through the pain barrier winning tackles he had no right to win.

Is this type of stuff in bold a bit inappropriate for club notes or do posters think it is ok to run with something like this in the local press?

[dundrumite]

 If I was playing on that team and not highlighted for doing well i would be thinking is that criticism aimed at me? I think i would be well p***ed off as a player. Especially in a teen group who at best of times can be moody. Also if a general member of that club  i would not be overly happy.If there is an issue with players on a team deal with it behind doors,falls along the lines of airing dirty laundry in public.

[Pangurban]

This type of report and any discussion emanating from it should be kept in-house. Bad judgement on the part of the P.R.O.

[When We Win]

i have not heard about many players from the lower ranks being drafted into the county set up but if what a previous poster wrote is correct then Miskelly from Darragh Cross (who has simply been brilliant all year) and Kerr from Kilclief will not look out of place. I would love to see a div 3 select play a div 2 and 1 select to see what size the gulf is. There is a question for all you regulars at Div 3 games. What 15 would you thrown out against Coulter et al.

As for St. Johns, shameful reporting. Maybe the club should look deeper into why there was little or no committment shown ie training standards, manager treatment, etc. I doubt anyone went out on the pitch tp play bad on the day. For a small club like St. Johns i think they would be better holding their tongue and not alienate the future they will heavily rely on.

[redandblackareback]

i have not heard about many players from the lower ranks being drafted into the county set up but if what a previous poster wrote is correct then Miskelly from Darragh Cross (who has simply been brilliant all year) and Kerr from Kilclief will not look out of place. I would love to see a div 3 select play a div 2 and 1 select to see what size the gulf is. There is a question for all you regulars at Div 3 games. What 15 would you thrown out against Coulter et al.

As for St. Johns, shameful reporting. Maybe the club should look deeper into why there was little or no committment shown ie training standards, manager treatment, etc. I doubt anyone went out on the pitch tp play bad on the day. For a small club like St. Johns i think they would be better holding their tongue and not alienate the future they will heavily rely on.

Same problems keep creeping up, when you look through division 3, When We Win, the stand out players all tend to be midfielders and forwards, the likes of  J Mc Areavey, C Harrison, R Kerr, ,M Magee, M Miskelly, C Duggan, P Mc Comisky, M Bagnal, N Mc Parland to name a few...

Could anyone here name 6 real standout defenders they v seen across the 4 leagues this year??? I would struggle to name 6 in division 1 who are not already in the panel. Maybe Luke Howard and Stevie Toner are worth pursuing.