Down Club Hurling & Football

[Leo]

Agree with most of this, Doyle was a class act, Turley had a horse of a game, got through some work and was surprisingly good on the ball and Lavery worked himself into the ground.  Brannigan, although took his points very well seemed to end up the spare man which is not idea in the opposition half.

Positives - Doyle, Turley and Lavery.  I can see what we are trying to do with the deep lying playmaker but I just fear if  oppostion played 6 on 6 and Doyle came up against a fast player like the Dublin 11 last night.

Also good to see Garvey and G McCartan back.

Negatives - Benny didnt have a great outing, lets hope it was a one off as we look toothless in attack without him. 

Dan was crowded out at midfield and if any other opposition looks at last night thats exactly the tactics they will use on him.  His lack of raw aggression ala Ambrose is always going to hold him back when up against this type of tactic.

Ambrose looked a mile off the pace when he came on which is understandable but we could do with him coming good sooner rather than later.

Keith Quinn did alright but is raw and like a few of our boys is always on the edge, I like his aggression though.

Agree with most of this although I thought G McCartan, Carr & Poland were anonymous. Turley got better as the game went on and we caught on to Donegal's ploy of crowding Gordon - when Dan did escape the marking he was a positive influence going forward. Quinn got better as the game went on. Big questions exist over Ambrose - no impact when he came on and maybe he will be no more than a peripheral player this year. On the other hand we won a game where we really needed Hughes  - and Doyle was massive.
With McKerena (Maybe at wing back) Kalum (FF) and Maginn (definitely CHF) to come back  - plus Hughes and hopefully Garvey at full tilt, we can believe.

[whitegoodman]

Agree G McCartan was quiet but so was his man which I would be happy enough with.  Carr was disappointing but was on a great player, Poland was quiet and has been since he came back, how long does rustiness last?!?

If we are to play Doyle CHB, which going by last nigts performance we should then I think 2 defensive minded wing backs are a must.  This to me is Rooney and Garvey, or even Quinn if he keeps improving, but def not McKernan.  IMO if we have Doyle and McKernan in the same half back line we are asking for trouble.

Maybe McKernan could play the Poland role of the last few years, playing at 15 and roaming out the field.  He has the necessary qualities for it and would win more breaking ball than Poland imo.  We cant play Poland, Carr and McGinn in the same forward line imo, all lovely footballers but in an era of big strong athletes, we wont get away with it.

Someone beside Benny is also an issue, King is an option for 20 mins but it becomes one-dimensional and predictable.  Lavery, Brady and Donal Ohare are similar types of players and again you would probably only get away with one of them if that.

Just as many questions as answers last night..................

[Leo]

"We cant play Poland, Carr and McGinn in the same forward line "

Agree entirley - so I'd take Maginn.

I don't agree that we can't accommodate Dole & McKernan in the half back line - I think McKernan as an attacking wing half back is the best option for him.

[Dubh driocht]

Really good to get the win at a slightly subdued Pairc Esler. You can really see the improvement in defending and while Daniel was second to the ball most times his doggedness did compensate. I thought Costello and Quinn were excellent on their league debuts- both took yellows for the team- and while great to have Garvey back, they are two good options to have.The back 6 did well to deal with a fairly pumped Donegal team who were lucky to finish with 15.
D Turley , G Mc Cartan and Brannigan did what was needed ( the latter's two points were VG) while Doyler's class (when did a Down defender last score 1-4?) was on show for all to see. Peter Turley was a revelation and is a great addition- strong, mobile and skilful. Dan was VG mostly and the loss of Danny was felt in that crucial middle third. I actually thought Carr was good and Laverty ran the show- to get this result without Mc Kernan, King, Hughes, Rooney, Mc Comiskey and Garvey was a confidence booster .Cork didn't look world beaters in Armagh so let's give it a lash by the Lee.

[whitegoodman]

Thats certainly an optimist view of things anyway DD!!

Any word of what was wrong with Danny last night, could certainly do with him back next wk.

[Dubh driocht]

We heard he had come down with a cold. Hopefully recovered for Paris Cork.

[The Marshes]

All these match reports suggest to me that Down do not have enough match winners. we play a system depending on the opposition. Hughes, Gordon, Coulter, Turley are great platers but they are not exceptional players. We will never win an all-ireland again until we have exceptional players

[whitegoodman]

Right...........

[The Marshes]

I've been there when Down last won national league and last 2 AIs. It will be a while before I see it again

[Mourne Rover]

Saturday was a tight one, but it has given us quite a boost in difficult circumstances. While our weaknesses were there for all to see, we displayed a team spirit and a sense of confidence which got us over the line against the Ulster champions in a game we realistically had to win in order to at least stay up. Our management deserve considerable credit, but the way we came back after conceding a potentially fatal goal was a tribute to our entire squad.

McVeigh had no chance with their goal but, while his kick-outs were mixed, his experience showed in the closing stages. McCartan is a quality defender but not a full back and every high ball was a problem for us. He gets a nudge in here and a hand in there, and is excellent taking the ball forward, but his lack of height could be critical against a physically big side like Cork the next day.

Costello did well,  making the first pass for our goal and covering behind McCartan with pace, even if he is not the biggest. His yellow card probably prevented a goal but inevitably led to his replacement. Although Quinn had his moments, and is a physical presence,  his tackling will need to improve and he may be better in the half back line.

Doyle, as we know, is a class act, and it was great to see his fitness returning for his burst almost the full length of the pitch for an expertly finishest goal. He is not quite where he can be, but he will hopefully keep improving. Declan Turley started well but faded, while Branigan is an unusual player. He got a point in the first minute, and competed forcefully but got caught out of position. However, when subbed, he had the commitment to return as a blood replacement and get a crucial score.

Peter Turley was a strong rival to Doyle for MoM, linked the play impressively and even took some fine catches. He probably should have had a run at full back in the McKenna Cup and either he or Dan may need to go back there. Dan took a couple of heavy  knocks and got an important point, but was nowhere near as effective at midfield as some might have hoped.

Our half forward line had problems with Donegal's swift movement,  with Poland out of sorts and Gerard McCartan a little uncertain, although Carr did reasonably well.
Benny got clobbered without any protection from the ref, but was not on form, and Miskelly got very little possession before he was hooked at the end of the first half. Laverty as ever was a gem, and on limited supply kept us buzzing.

Brady looked lively as a sub. but is probably too similar in size to Laverty to start together. Garvey has got what it takes, and could be used at full back, half back or even wing half next Sunday. McParland is a decent prospect and we need to get Ambrose more game time. His handling was poor, but his fitness looked reasonable and his touch will surely return.

To lay down a marker, we need to beat either Cork, Kerry or Dublin in this division. The first is the only away tie of the big three, and we will not travel without a degree of optimism.

[snoopdog]

It wasnt pretty to watch but thats the game Donegal bring to the table. Kildare and dublin struggled against them last year basically because they smother your forward line, Benny didnt get a sniff from prob the best defender in the country imo. But to have guys in the half backs and midfield who can take scores was vital for Down. Doyle was massive.
yes we just about got out of newry with 2 points with donegal missing 2 frees to tie the game. But down dropped alot of balls short on saturday night and will need alot of improvement to get anything in cork, but considering they  humiliated us in Croke park last July i would settle for a performance on sunday

[outinfront]

Quinn's Corner Ulster Club Intermediate Football League Group B Round 1
Warrenpoint Cumann Pheadair Naofa  0-12 v  Strabane Sigersons 1-13

Quinn's Corner Ulster Club Intermediate Football League Group C Round 1
Bredagh  2-8 v  Lamh Dhearg  2-6

Quinn's Corner Ulster Club Intermediate Football League Group D Round 1
Naomh Éanna  1-6 v  Tullylish  4-9 

[PAULD123]

I expect James would best like to play Coulter-Laverty at full-forward, and Gordon-Poland-Carr-Hughes at half-forward, with Ambrose-Turley in midfield. At any rate the strategy this year seems to be to put a big man in half-forward to support midfield. If that is the clear choice then it limits the options for Poland, Maginn, and Carr all playing. I personally prefer Maginn to Carr, but unless Poland's form improves I would prefer Carr to Poland. Of course Maginn isn't even fit!

As for half backs, Doyler will remain at 6, I think that means Garvey will come back in and McKernan will move to the wing-back (which probably suits him better). Interesting that WhiteGM is so opposed to McKernan playing wing-back. As it is his own clubmate I guess we have to think that he knows more about it than the rest of us.

But if McKernan were included in the forwards then that squeezes the options even more. So, assuming Ambrose is fit to play midfield -  how do you fit 9 players (Laverty, Coulter, Gordon, Hughes, Carr, Maginn, Poland, McKernan and King) into 6 spaces? Which three should be left out?

[southdown]

It's not a problem in my eyes, great that there is so much comepetition.  Can Turley realistically hold down a starting spot come championship or is it too early to say?

[Leo]

I expect James would best like to play Coulter-Laverty at full-forward, and Gordon-Poland-Carr-Hughes at half-forward, with Ambrose-Turley in midfield. At any rate the strategy this year seems to be to put a big man in half-forward to support midfield. If that is the clear choice then it limits the options for Poland, Maginn, and Carr all playing. I personally prefer Maginn to Carr, but unless Poland's form improves I would prefer Carr to Poland. Of course Maginn isn't even fit!

As for half backs, Doyler will remain at 6, I think that means Garvey will come back in and McKernan will move to the wing-back (which probably suits him better). Interesting that WhiteGM is so opposed to McKernan playing wing-back. As it is his own clubmate I guess we have to think that he knows more about it than the rest of us.

But if McKernan were included in the forwards then that squeezes the options even more. So, assuming Ambrose is fit to play midfield -  how do you fit 9 players (Laverty, Coulter, Gordon, Hughes, Carr, Maginn, Poland, McKernan and King) into 6 spaces? Which three should be left out?

A half back line of McKernan, Doyle, Garvey would do me.
Turley will end up at full back, Ambrose will play a role from the bench, so expect Dan & Kalum at midfield come the serious end of the season.
I like Carr but he is too loose and goes awol too often - I think come mid-season he will feature from the bench as Maginn has more to offer in terms of workrate and "dirty ball" to coin that awful expression. By then Gough will be a real option as the 3rd big man playing from the half forward line.