Down Club Hurling & Football

[johnneycool]

If our firm policy is to take off a player who makes a mistake,  fair enough.

Surely that cannot be true? Is it?

[whitegoodman]

No its not the case.  He made at least 3 mistakes that i can recall straight away and was saved by Dan Gordon from his man getting a certain goal.  IMO he was struggling but they should have waited to half time given there was only a few minutes left.  In fairness any one of the forwards could have went with him.

[redandblackareback]

5sams Im sorry but that was the weakest Kerry side I have seen in years.  If you take Mark O'shea out of their defence it is average, their midfield was average and aside from  terrific players in Declan O'Sullivan and Galvin, their forward line was average.  Donaghy is living off form from 3 or 4 years ago.  He played at wing forward for the majority of the game yesterday and didnt want to know, partly down to Dan Gordon and partly down to his attitude.  The first half display from both teams was brutal.  Could you imagine what they would have done against us with Darren O Sullivan and Cooper playing!!!!

On Down, its pretty depressing to see how far back we have gone in 2 years.  The freshness, inventiveness, cheekiness and general threat from our forward line is completely gone.  Some of this may be down to the manager, the new coach, no marty clarke or maybe the effects on some of the hatfield last monday night!!!!

You will not win any games with maginn, poland, hughes and lavery in the one forward line at the same time.  All lovely footballers but as could be noted by one point in the first half yesterday when there were 3 or 4 lovely passes out the field only to be dispossessed by bigger more powerful men.  Big 2 of them max, my preference being Hughes and McCumisky when fit.  Whatever McConville is doing in training failed to show yesterday and if he was playing for free taking this didnt work either.  Poland didnt seem to have any confidence from frees either and when u compare this to Sheean we are miles apart.  Coulter looks a shadow of what he was a year or 2 back and shouldnt be immune from getting the curley finger if required.  He is still our inspiration and leader but we badly need him to start firing like he can.  Eoin McCartan was unable to have any effect on the game as has been the case in the last number of games he has been introduced.  Last year and 2 years ago we seemed to have options to come on and make a contribution but this seems to have gone.  Come back clarkes and murtagh, please.

Il get to the defence, midfield and management when Im a little less depressed.........

You mention the word "some" and are refering to our forward line, so enlighten us then, who the f**k out of Danny Hughes, Mark Poland, Conor Maginn, Benny Coulter, Conor Laverty and Arthur Mc Conville would be in the Hatfield on a Monday night???

You werent there yourself so why feel the need to post a load of bullshit 

[johnneycool]

No its not the case.  He made at least 3 mistakes that i can recall straight away and was saved by Dan Gordon from his man getting a certain goal.  IMO he was struggling but they should have waited to half time given there was only a few minutes left.  In fairness any one of the forwards could have went with him.

I wouldn't be particularly concerned about an individual person or incident but if a manager sends out a team who are already under enough pressure by telling them that if you make a mistake then you'll be taken off then you'll get lads afraid to do anything other than offload responsibility to someone else as soon as they can. Its hardly going to help morale or build confidence in a player looking over their shoulder all the time.

I'd surprised that McCartan sends his team out with that on their mind.

[sheamy]

Lads, calm down.

You take Marty Clarke and Paul McComiskey, two of the best footballers to come through in Ulster in recent times, out of any team and they'll struggle. Those two ran the show in 2010 along with Kevin McKernan (also missing). Throw Liam Doyle into the mix too.

It's Feb/March on sticky pitches. It doesn't suit Down who are obviously experimenting with a few things. Sometimes they work. Most of the time they don't.

Down will be in an Ulster final come July I expect and won't be far away. Save your judgement for then.

(Aye, and quit slagging off volunteers too! Calling out a mans name wrong used to be a bit o'craic. Like alot of the rest in the GAA, you need to lighten up.)

[behind the wire]

Not sure what game some people were at today with the previous comments. But i dont care what club costello is from - he got cleaned end off.  there were people sitting beside me and every time the ball went near him and his marker - there were nervous echoes around the place.  the lad is out of his depth - but is not on his own.  Arthur Mc Conville on our county team - i have seen it all.  i have seen very ordinary club players boss him about in club games and there he is in full forward for Down seniors today.  Had a couple of frees to settle him into the game and fluffed them.  Aidan Brannigan running about the place throwing in late challenges and acting the hard man with galvin - im sure Galvin was thinking to himself who is this prat.  So Galvin just done what he does best - got possession and linked play.  Someone said garvey had decent game - what the ****? Declan O'Sullivan gave a masterclass today in gaining possession - holding possession - linking play and indeed scoring - all four things mentioned are what you expect from your forwards - so what did Garvey do that was so good i ask?  Midfield - is Kalum King the stupidest person in down - he watched one of the defenders getting booked for third man tackle - so what does he do twice in the next two mins - third man tackles.  He was lucky he wasn booked th first time.  Big dan was good - impressive on a good player and kicked few scores which were good efforts.
As regards the naming of the team - a complete disgrace and the supporters should act with their hands in the pockets at the next home game and buy no programmes.  this is not on and calling out a wrong players name going into the fray is a joke too.  the line seem to question everything by the referee and the linesman - i read recently that Kerry were being accused of being yaps - they need to look at down.  But all is not lost - 4 games left and i feel it will come down to the derby with Armagh.  That is d day for both teams i feel.

I dare you to share your true identity

If GAAboard had a like button i would like this.

[alba2]

Not sure what game some people were at today with the previous comments. But i dont care what club costello is from - he got cleaned end off.  there were people sitting beside me and every time the ball went near him and his marker - there were nervous echoes around the place.  the lad is out of his depth - but is not on his own.  Arthur Mc Conville on our county team - i have seen it all.  i have seen very ordinary club players boss him about in club games and there he is in full forward for Down seniors today.  Had a couple of frees to settle him into the game and fluffed them.  Aidan Brannigan running about the place throwing in late challenges and acting the hard man with galvin - im sure Galvin was thinking to himself who is this prat.  So Galvin just done what he does best - got possession and linked play.  Someone said garvey had decent game - what the ****? Declan O'Sullivan gave a masterclass today in gaining possession - holding possession - linking play and indeed scoring - all four things mentioned are what you expect from your forwards - so what did Garvey do that was so good i ask?  Midfield - is Kalum King the stupidest person in down - he watched one of the defenders getting booked for third man tackle - so what does he do twice in the next two mins - third man tackles.  He was lucky he wasn booked th first time.  Big dan was good - impressive on a good player and kicked few scores which were good efforts.
As regards the naming of the team - a complete disgrace and the supporters should act with their hands in the pockets at the next home game and buy no programmes.  this is not on and calling out a wrong players name going into the fray is a joke too.  the line seem to question everything by the referee and the linesman - i read recently that Kerry were being accused of being yaps - they need to look at down.  But all is not lost - 4 games left and i feel it will come down to the derby with Armagh.  That is d day for both teams i feel.

I dare you to share your true identity

If GAAboard had a like button i would like this.

I didnt mean stupidest as in academically - as he is in fact quite the genius - i meant in football terms. when you watch a picky referee book a player for something - you think to yourself - i wont try that one in case i get the same treatment... But oh no - in the space of 6 minutes he does it twice... Its not like he is small and nimble and wont get noticed!!!!!!!

[rowzocull12]

I am a Louth man, simply due to work commitments. However, I am ex-Saval. I hear young Minors Ryan Malone and Saniel McCarthy could be given starting berths this year for the Seniors? Malone is well known throughout the club for roasting Jordan Fegan from Rostrevor, claiming afterwords "Fegan isn't fit to lace my boots". McCarthy is also known for being cocky. Once presented with his debut for the county, he exclaimed "first game of many". Having that sort of confidence can only be admired. Best of luck to them and Saval this year.

[NedFlanders]

The whole team lacked hunger and desire on Sunday, and if im honest, passion for the jersey too. This soon needs to be addressed or you can say goodbye to Division 1, and your bset chance of an Ulster Final appearance!

[Mourne Rover]

There has been some discussion here about Benny's form, with a couple of posters claiming that the difficulties lie elsewhere in our squad as Benny had been flying with Ulster in the inter-provincials.

Here is what Benny had to say in his Newry Democrat column this week; `I can't hide away from the fact that my own performances in the course of the league have been simply unacceptable. It has been the hardest few months I have ever went through as a footballer regarding my confidence. Sometimes the harder you try the worse it becomes. I love nothing more than pulling on the Down jersey for my county, but the moment I think that I can add no more to this team I will hold my hands up and walk away with my head held high.'

Those were honest words from an outstanding player who knows the standards required of a county footballer. The system we are using does him no favours, and a goal in Castlebar would probably transform his season, but he is plainly struggling at the moment and has managed a single point in our last four competitive games. Leaving Benny to be double marked on the edge of the square fairly clearly does not work, so we need to look at other options which may soon include springing him from the bench. It is early days yet, but the indications are that we are looking like the team of 2011 rather than 2010 and we need to react accordingly.

[DownFanatic]

There has been some discussion here about Benny's form, with a couple of posters claiming that the difficulties lie elsewhere in our squad as Benny had been flying with Ulster in the inter-provincials.

Here is what Benny had to say in his Newry Democrat column this week; `I can't hide away from the fact that my own performances in the course of the league have been simply unacceptable. It has been the hardest few months I have ever went through as a footballer regarding my confidence. Sometimes the harder you try the worse it becomes. I love nothing more than pulling on the Down jersey for my county, but the moment I think that I can add no more to this team I will hold my hands up and walk away with my head held high.'

Those were honest words from an outstanding player who knows the standards required of a county footballer. The system we are using does him no favours, and a goal in Castlebar would probably transform his season, but he is plainly struggling at the moment and has managed a single point in our last four competitive games. Leaving Benny to be double marked on the edge of the square fairly clearly does not work, so we need to look at other options which may soon include springing him from the bench. It is early days yet, but the indications are that we are looking like the team of 2011 rather than 2010 and we need to react accordingly.

In my opinion the system that we are playing at the moment is hindering the likes of Benny. He still has a lot to offer. But when ball isnt going in directly to our forward line then we are taking away the bread and butter of any free scoring attacker.

If we change our attacking strategy, we will get the best of Benny. The state of our team at the moment in terms of top quality personnel means that we simply can't afford to have one of the best forwards in Ireland in the past decade warming the bench in the hope that he will intervene late on as a game changer.

[NP 76]

The system both this year and last year is the probelm . You can have the best forwards in the country but if you dont kick the ball into them they are null and void . We all defend and as i have said before mark space ,all run to the man on the ball but yet forget about the other free men . This was very evident all of last year with Mc Kernan caught not knowing where to go at any time . Why can they all not have a certain man to mark and follow him everywhere . People said about the good game Dan had the other day i have watched the game again and it is actually unbelievable the amount of possession that Donaghy had . At one stage he had time to pull the shorts out of his a**e when in possession . People said he looked uninterested but Kerrys move was to play him on the wing ( He hardly left the stand side of the field all day ) this kept Dan away from catching clean ball . We simply have no scoring forwards at the minue with all of them tracking back . The reason we saw the best out of Benny this last 2 years and especially 2010 was 1 reason only Martin Clarke who could turn defence into attack with the blink of an eye . Benny was getting 1st class early ball in so he knew when he made the run he would recieve the ball . In the 1st 15 mins Down were all over Kerry and at one stage could of been 9 to 2 up this was because the ball was being moved in fast and we were making chances but when Kerry got the handle on us we retreated into our own half . Alot of people complained last year that Clarkes attitude wasnt great that he was very poor but yet he still managed to score 4 to 5 points a game what we would do to have a man that could do that now . On another point with all the ill feeling in the Cork game about the 2 Burren lads being brought into the panel after their absents we give Mc Kernan15 mins and Anton none why not throw Anton in against such a so called average mid field . I think its time that we go back and train someone to take our free kicks and 45s because in every game it is the wining of it . On a lighter note i see that both Clarke and Mooney are both on the Collingwood panel for the weekend

[Square Ball]

has the final minor squad been named yet?

[PAULD123]

Playing a two-man forward line means the opposition can double mark Benny. This means we effectively have no forward line. When Marty was in the possession two players quickly ran forward, giving us a four man attack, and he unleashed an accurate kickpass. This year the players are not running forward from the half forward line, they are running parallel to it to recycle possession. Secondly no one can kick pass as accurately as Marty.

That is the problem, the solution is more difficult. I think James's answer in the McKenna cup looked promising Benny and Laverty either side of King and three big men around the middle. That means we gain a fair share of possession, we have a target man, the opposition fullback line can be moved around, and play can be pushed quickly up the pitch.

The missing ingredients are accurate passing and support play - Ok Carr and Poland are more than capable of playing accurate kick passes, so that should actually not be a problem. In terms of support, Hughes, Maginn, McComiskey, Laverty and to a certain extent Poland are all fast enough to break from a possession-gaining phase to an attack phase. They just need to decide when and who will break, and who will stay back to recycle possession.

It seems to me that the Down strategy is obsessed with defence and possession but has failed to address the attack aspects of the game. But we have good enough player to play a system that could achieve success. In fairness to James he has not had  a full squad to pick from since July 2010.

[Minus15]

I see a third set of Fixtures have been released for Div3. The reason being sequences of home or away games leading to new fixtures being released. Don't be surprised if this is to be amended again before 25th March. At first glance I can see a couple of clubs with 3 away fixtures in a row and 1 club with a run of 4 home fixtures. There is surely more instances.

How hard is it to get this right?