Down Club Hurling & Football

Mourne Rover · January 22, 2012, 08:54:35 PM

We should probably not get any more exercised about the poor finish to the McKenna Cup campaign than the promising start, but it was still a lacklustre display today. Hardly anyone stood out and there was a general lack of shape and spirit. At the same time, many of the squad were involved in a competitive friendly against Louth last night and James may not have really wanted to get to the McKenna final.

The most disappointing aspect was the indiscipline from KK in injury time which will cost him at least one NFL game at a time when he was starting to look like a real option on the square. Most of the problems were at the other end and presumably big Dan, who was out of sorts in the middle, will revert to no 3 for Donegal.

Quinn has looked a decent option at the back, and Carr has probably played himself in a starting slot for the league, but there was not much else happening today and two points from play - the second on the final whistle - tells its own story. The highlight was probably the spat between James and John Brennan, who is not exactly maturing with age, and the entire outing is probably best forgotten

whitegoodman · January 22, 2012, 08:59:59 PM

Did u really think the full back line was that bad, if we conceded 11 points every game id be happy to take my chances with that.

I thought the problems were further out the field with a lack of primary posession won and very poor balls going into the inside line.

What was the spat about, I was at the other end of the stand?

NP 76 · January 22, 2012, 09:03:19 PM

What did Kalum do i didnt see it ? Silly action when he seemed to be going well in good shape also . How long will he get?

whitegoodman · January 22, 2012, 09:06:59 PM

He kicked a lad, reacted but deserved to go. Will be a miss as useful option up front and around the middle although he didnt get much change out of the FB today.

alba2 · January 22, 2012, 10:57:31 PM

King was totally stupid in his actions today. there are too many eyes out there now with linesmen and umpires working with the referee. But he deserved all he got for such a stupid action. There is no place for that in football. And if it goes by the book and he is cited for striking with the boot - he will prob get 3 months. A totally inept performance today. Those of you saying we prob didnt want to get into the final - bollox - of course we wanted our place in it. Its another game and useful opposition in Tyrone - but we werent good enough. Dan was cleaned out today and more worringly looked scared when that brut Joe Diver came close to him. Benny needs to stay closer to the goals as when he came out and tried to tackle and stay involved - he looked really tired and dare i say it - old. |Stay where you can do the damage benny. Gough was poor, King was poor and that ploy of Turley dropping off and picking up the chf so that duffin could roam free is old in fairness. Derry were very patient with the ball and didnt just hump it in where down had the spare man. they had slow build up at times but when the man was available - he got a real accurate pass and they had a successful return from all their shots. I thought Keith Quinn did reasonable - his man was involved a good bit but i thought Quinn was decent. We have lots to do before Donegal arrive - but it should be an easy two points as they have no Murphy nor Mc Fadden - so they have noone to kick it into this year!!!!!!!!!

Mourne Rover · January 22, 2012, 11:39:05 PM

Our selection and tactics today did not suggest that we were overly concerned about the result, and we would hardly have agreed to a friendly against Louth the previous night if we really wanted to get to a McKenna Cup final. We did not play well by any standards, but the Donegal game is a huge one and it always needed to be the priority.

DaisyCutter · January 23, 2012, 08:49:39 PM

Personally I feel that we will have some task on our hands to maintain Div 1 status this year by what I have seen from last years championship and our McKenna Cup games. Our only real hope of an "easy or easier" victory will be against Donegal at home. It eats me to say this but I am being quite realistsic. To get any points against Kerry, Dublin, Cork..etc is going to be difficult and if we are struggling in Div 1, I pray this does not carry through to the summer in the Ulster championship where "Peter the great" is doing great things with Fermanagh already.

James really needs to put Dan out round the middle. Simple. He is so unhappy playing his role at full back and I feel for the lad as he is an exceptional fielder and playmaker of the ball. Although we have not found a solution to full back, I feel Dan McCartan (with support) could be our best option thus far. It would be more beneficial to the team as a whole with the likes of Ambrose, Dan, Gough and King out round the middle winning primary possession. I know I may sound abit strong from myself but I firmly believe it is our only option for more points in Div 1.

Not sure what has happend to Laverty and even McComisky through the McKenna Cup Period?

alba2 · January 23, 2012, 10:05:00 PM

Quote from: DaisyCutter on January 23, 2012, 08:49:39 PM
Personally I feel that we will have some task on our hands to maintain Div 1 status this year by what I have seen from last years championship and our McKenna Cup games. Our only real hope of an "easy or easier" victory will be against Donegal at home. It eats me to say this but I am being quite realistsic. To get any points against Kerry, Dublin, Cork..etc is going to be difficult and if we are struggling in Div 1, I pray this does not carry through to the summer in the Ulster championship where "Peter the great" is doing great things with Fermanagh already.

James really needs to put Dan out round the middle. Simple. He is so unhappy playing his role at full back and I feel for the lad as he is an exceptional fielder and playmaker of the ball. Although we have not found a solution to full back, I feel Dan McCartan (with support) could be our best option thus far. It would be more beneficial to the team as a whole with the likes of Ambrose, Dan, Gough and King out round the middle winning primary possession. I know I may sound abit strong from myself but I firmly believe it is our only option for more points in Div 1.

Not sure what has happend to Laverty and even McComisky through the McKenna Cup Period?

Put dan out round the middle - are you serious?? He got completley cleaned out of it yesterday. He is unhappy in FB - think how the other lads on the panel feel who arent on the starting team. If dan dont want full back - where he is playing damn well - then sit on bench for while and see how he likes that.... Dan was truly found out yesterday when Joe Diver scared the life outa him. Gough needs to find his feet too - he was outta his depth yesterday and in other games too. He had 4 or 5 good catches against armagh and now all of a sudden he is the next great thing.. It takes a while for a midfielder to be created... King was stupid yesterday as it now leaves us with little cover for midfield in early parts of the league... We will get points against Donegal, Laois and Armagh -that will keep us in the division for another year at least.

Mourne Rover · January 23, 2012, 10:06:11 PM

Dan McCartan is a fine corner back but he is not big enough for no 3. He played there against Ronan Clarke in the Ulster semi of 2008 and it simply did not work. Indeed, over a period of several seasons, and regardless of who was at full back, we were extremely vulnerable to a basic thump down the middle and lost games we should have won as a result.

It was only when big Dan was switched there that we started to look in any way confident in defence. There's no doubt that he is a better midfielder than a full back, but we have options in the former position through the likes of Turley, Gough, Ambrose and King. We have so far been unable to find an alternative on the edge of the square, so the entire debate is a bit academic at the moment.

McComiskey has apparently been injured but with luck should be back shortly, while Laverty is very much in the squad and a likely starter with Benny in a two-man full forward line against Donegal. If we get both points that night, a decent division one campaign is quite possible. Anything less will be a big problem for us, so hopefully the McKenna displays against Armagh and Monaghan will be a reasonable indication of where we are heading.

Mid Down Gael · January 23, 2012, 10:08:33 PM

Conor Laverty has a broken hand while apparently McComiskey has a back problem!! Ive said it before I really think we will struggle this year. We have not unearthed a player as good as the ten or so that are gone from last year. Yesterday was brutal stuff, our players are obsessed wit hand passing. Aidan Carr was the pick of Wat was on show and should remain at 11 for the league.

DownFanatic · January 23, 2012, 11:16:13 PM

With the experimentation and that all over after the McKenna Cup, who realistically will make an impact on the panel come Championship time?

NP 76 · January 23, 2012, 11:41:00 PM

I thought the 2 Turley brothers did very well as did Keith Quinn . A Carr relly staked a claim for a starting place . Gough and Niall Mc Parland are young but i would be confident that they will come good in the future . Timmy Hanna , Owen Costello and Donal o Hare had good campaigns for Queens so dont hope its not as bad as we are all thinking Hopefully

Pangurban · January 24, 2012, 12:11:41 AM

Lets face facts, the outlook is bad, we have a weak panel, who will undoubtedly do their best, but we all can see they are just not good enough, a few talented individuals will not a team make

DownFanatic · January 24, 2012, 12:35:32 AM

Fresh after Saturday night's sellout, Dundrum GAC are putting on the hit comedy Don't Tell the Wife for a second showing on Friday night.

The venue is the Parochial Hall behind the Chapel.

Entry is £5, payable at the door. Doors open 7.15pm and curtain up is 8pm. Raffle and refreshments.

Please come early to make sure of getting a seat!

Leo · January 24, 2012, 02:01:44 AM

Quote from: Pangurban on January 24, 2012, 12:11:41 AM
Lets face facts, the outlook is bad, we have a weak panel, who will undoubtedly do their best, but we all can see they are just not good enough, a few talented individuals will not a team make

We have as good a panel as any county in Ulster but we seem to have bought into the Armagh-Tyrone dictat of possession and defence.
Negativity is not our game.
We are a footballing county.
Play to your strengths was always the motto I believed in, not somebody else's notion of gaelic football. I thought wee James would have been the last person to buy into thhis bastarised version of football but there is no accounting for a universirty "education".
Ulster football is in thrall to the UUJ-led mantra that produces the sh**te spectacle of so-called football that has been embraced from McGeeney to McGuinness and all in between - and nobody has the ba** s to say quit.
The last refuge would have been Down - especislly with a McCartan at the helm- but a false dawn it has been.
I do hope I am as wrong as the replies will no doubt point out.