Down Club Hurling & Football

[Mid Down Gael]

Interesting first selection for 2012. The side has a physically strong look about it. Keith Quinn will surely play as a third midfielder with McKibben also likely to play a deeper role. While midfield possesses two big men, don't be expecting many attacks from either man. Big chance for miskelly, Carr and Hughes to deliver in the scoring department.

[Leo]

Apart from Hughes, a very experimental forward line. Good to see the bravado approach here but  - sure we always have good forwards.
Gordon at full back again has become tiresome and will be the fatal flaw in James's legacy - too obvious to say, but there you go. Waste of a good midfielder and he ends up as sticky plaster on the edge of the square. Unfair to player and team.
Doyle a natural left footed player at left half??? Beats me.
Early days - I wasn't at training - let's give it a lash.

[T O Hare]

Just to add to this I am led to believe that Rony Murtagh has not retired, he was not asked back onto the panel.

Now I wish all these young fellas the best but if the likes of Miskelly, Donal O'Hare, Ryan Brady or Ross McGarry have the talent of that man I have yet to see it.  Yes they are young but playing or training alongside the likes of Murtagh would have done them the world of good imo.

Add to this you have a player on the panel who is only fit to play one half of club football never mind county football!!!

If James doesnt make at least an Ulster final this year he will be under serious pressure.

For Sunday Id like to see Pete Turley given a chance at CHB.  Not a great footballer but strong, nasty, niggly.  The exact opposite to our CHB from last year.

roney gets the ball, he has two men running either side of him, will he slip it to benny, will he play a cheeky one two with McCommisky?  no he shoots, wide again. the crowd moan. again. overrated, greedy, arrogant, a retired sub at 28. out with the chaff in with the new. good riddance i say.

A disgraceful ignorant comment about a lad who have given so much to Down since he played on the all-Ireland minor team in 1999. A fantastic player who is still unmarkable in club football..

[Mid Down Gael]

Well said T OHare. Ronan is a class act and comments like that are way of the mark. In my view Ronan has got a raw deal with the current management, he had to produce much more than certain others to get recognition with a Consistent starting role. Against cork in the league last year he was cleaning shields before surprisingly being substituted and then was man of the match against Armagh in newry yet he was left out to accommodate others in later national league games.

[norabeag]

Just to add to this I am led to believe that Rony Murtagh has not retired, he was not asked back onto the panel.

Now I wish all these young fellas the best but if the likes of Miskelly, Donal O'Hare, Ryan Brady or Ross McGarry have the talent of that man I have yet to see it.  Yes they are young but playing or training alongside the likes of Murtagh would have done them the world of good imo.

Add to this you have a player on the panel who is only fit to play one half of club football never mind county football!!!

If James doesnt make at least an Ulster final this year he will be under serious pressure.

For Sunday Id like to see Pete Turley given a chance at CHB.  Not a great footballer but strong, nasty, niggly.  The exact opposite to our CHB from last year.

roney gets the ball, he has two men running either side of him, will he slip it to benny, will he play a cheeky one two with McCommisky?  no he shoots, wide again. the crowd moan. again. overrated, greedy, arrogant, a retired sub at 28. out with the chaff in with the new. good riddance i say.

A disgraceful ignorant comment about a lad who have given so much to Down since he played on the all-Ireland minor team in 1999. A fantastic player who is still unmarkable in club football..

Totally unnecessary vindictive horrible comment about Ronan Murtagh. A quality player over the past decade and owes Down nothing.
Must also comment on Peter Turley. Dont think some of the comments here do him justice. Not the nasty niggly hatchet man discussed.
Hard, rugged uncompromising definitely but nasty definitely not. Not convinced CHB is is best position at county level though. With his fielding and strength he could be the man to release Dan from FB in certain situations.

[No1]

Kilclief's new football manager for the forthcoming season is Kevin Blaney.

[Dubh driocht]

While Ronan Murtagh has been a good servant to Down and has been selfless in his commitment (and certainly doesn't deserve the abuse on here) he didn't strike me as a player that was going to be on the starting 15 of a successful Down team. I think we have had 10 or 11 good county players over the last 5 years but have rarely had them all on the pitch at the same time.Clearly the best performance in that period was the defeat of Kerry yet we had some average players in the 18 or so players in that game.
Anyway, looking forward to the start of the post-MC era tomorrow- if it wasn't so early it would have even more cut to it- and surprised that James has gone for Gough from day one but (without wanting to re-open the FB debate again) I disagree with Leo about Dan- also; is Eoin Mc Cartan fit for an hour's football ?

[Ed Hardy]

While Ronan Murtagh has been a good servant to Down and has been selfless in his commitment (and certainly doesn't deserve the abuse on here) he didn't strike me as a player that was going to be on the starting 15 of a successful Down team. I think we have had 10 or 11 good county players over the last 5 years but have rarely had them all on the pitch at the same time.Clearly the best performance in that period was the defeat of Kerry yet we had some average players in the 18 or so players in that game.
Anyway, looking forward to the start of the post-MC era tomorrow- if it wasn't so early it would have even more cut to it- and surprised that James has gone for Gough from day one but (without wanting to re-open the FB debate again) I disagree with Leo about Dan- also; is Eoin Mc Cartan fit for an hour's football ?

Id say he will only play the 1st half of the game, then prob be changed... delighted for him to be starting, and hope he shuts a few critics up on this!

[snoopdog]

Apart from Hughes, a very experimental forward line. Good to see the bravado approach here but  - sure we always have good forwards.
Gordon at full back again has become tiresome and will be the fatal flaw in James's legacy - too obvious to say, but there you go. Waste of a good midfielder and he ends up as sticky plaster on the edge of the square. Unfair to player and team.
Doyle a natural left footed player at left half??? Beats me.
Early days - I wasn't at training - let's give it a lash.

I would agree Leo, it pisses me off  to see Dan Gordon wasted in  at no 3. A player who could have been up there as one of Downs greatest midfielders is wasted as an average full back. If he had played in 2010 in Midfield against Cork, Down would have won the All Ireland in my opinion.

[whitegoodman]

Im with DD on the Dan debate, its a very contentious issue with decent arguments on both sides.

I wouldnt agree that Dan was one of our greatest midfielders, long from it actually.  He would often take off great catches only to be smothered out of it when he came back to ground because of a lack of aggression.  He often flattered to deceive in that position being out of games for long periods yet earning rave reviews for a few great fetches. I actually think a fully fit Ambrose is a lot better alround midfielder than Dan.  If Ambrose had of been fit against Cork we would have won the all ireland imo.

Also think Dan has turned out to be pretty decent FB, better than any alternatives we have anyway.  Pete Turley mad add to these options this year given he was decent there under Ross.

On Eoin McCartan, very talented but how can he play for Down when he cant complete a full match for Burren??

[Ed Hardy]

Im with DD on the Dan debate, its a very contentious issue with decent arguments on both sides.

I wouldnt agree that Dan was one of our greatest midfielders, long from it actually.  He would often take off great catches only to be smothered out of it when he came back to ground because of a lack of aggression.  He often flattered to deceive in that position being out of games for long periods yet earning rave reviews for a few great fetches. I actually think a fully fit Ambrose is a lot better alround midfielder than Dan.  If Ambrose had of been fit against Cork we would have won the all ireland imo.

Also think Dan has turned out to be pretty decent FB, better than any alternatives we have anyway.  Pete Turley mad add to these options this year given he was decent there under Ross.

On Eoin McCartan, very talented but how can he play for Down when he cant complete a full match for Burren??

Don't think anyone expects Eoin to complete a full match, think tomorrow is a rare occasion with him starting.. The reason why he is in the panel is to give an option from the bench, and I don't think there are many better options to play the last 15/20 Min's of a game.

[snoopdog]

Im with DD on the Dan debate, its a very contentious issue with decent arguments on both sides.

I wouldnt agree that Dan was one of our greatest midfielders, long from it actually.  He would often take off great catches only to be smothered out of it when he came back to ground because of a lack of aggression.  He often flattered to deceive in that position being out of games for long periods yet earning rave reviews for a few great fetches. I actually think a fully fit Ambrose is a lot better alround midfielder than Dan.  If Ambrose had of been fit against Cork we would have won the all ireland imo.

Also think Dan has turned out to be pretty decent FB, better than any alternatives we have anyway.  Pete Turley mad add to these options this year given he was decent there under Ross.

On Eoin McCartan, very talented but how can he play for Down when he cant complete a full match for Burren??

i agree also ,ambrose is much better and if fit Down would have won All Ireland but surely Gordon is his best partner in middle

[NP 76]

KIng was Ambrose best partner before Ambrose got injuried . Ambrose worked well with Kalum because he did the running and King did the donkey work around the middle . Dan wouldnt do the hitting and hassling to free up Ambrose . As someone said before Dan caught a few catches alright but that really was it flitted in out of the game

[Mike Tyson]

Sine Dan moved into fullback, have Down ever come out on top in midfield in a game?

[whitegoodman]

Sine Dan moved into fullback, have Down ever come out on top in midfield in a game?

Kerry 2010, kildare 2010 to name but 2.

Imo ambrose has been a much bigger miss at midfield than Dan whilst at the same time Dan has looked the best fb we have had since Brian burns.