Down Club Hurling & Football

[Catch the high ball]

Down team named to play Donegal

1 Brendan Mc Veigh

2 Daniel Mc Cartan 3 Brendan Mc Cardle 4 Darren O Hagan

5 Daniel Hughes 6 Dan Gordon 7 Aidan Brannagan

8 Ambrose Rodgers 9 Kevin Mc Kernan

10 Donal O Hare 11 Mark Poland 12 Aidan Carr

13 Brendan Coulter 14 Conor Laverty 15 Eoin mc Cartan

[SHEEDY]

Down team named to play Donegal

1 Brendan Mc Veigh

2 Daniel Mc Cartan 3 Brendan Mc Cardle 4 Darren O Hagan

5 Daniel Hughes 6 Dan Gordon 7 Aidan Brannagan

8 Ambrose Rodgers 9 Kevin Mc Kernan

10 Donal O Hare 11 Mark Poland 12 Aidan Carr

13 Brendan Coulter 14 Conor Laverty 15 Eoin mc Cartan

seems a bit strange to drop king. interesting line up if they play as selected and if its the team that starts. hope it works.

[Mourne Rover]

It is amazing to see so many changes from the side which dominated the second half against Monaghan. If there were to be switches, most people would have expected to see a couple of defensively minded players moved into the attack. Instead we have named seven forwards and two attacking midfielders. It is possible that James has come up with an unusual strategy to cope with the Donegal blanket, but it is more likely that the mind games are under way and the actual starting line-up has yet to be revealed.


Kallum King was excellent against Fermanagh, struggled early on against Monaghan but was completely dominant after the break, so dropping him is a bolt from the blue. There may be some concerns about his pace, but his ball-winning ability is outstanding and his discipline rock solid, so it is hard to believe that he will not start.


McKernan has plenty of speed and is well capable of pushing up to support the attack but he is not a natural midfielder any more than Danny Hughes is a wing half back or Donal O'Hare is a wing half forward. There will be an obvious theory that big Dan will go to full back and Liam Doyle come in at centre half, but James seems determined to keep the opposition guessing

[Square Ball]

It is amazing to see so many changes from the side which dominated the second half against Monaghan. If there were to be switches, most people would have expected to see a couple of defensively minded players moved into the attack. Instead we have named seven forwards and two attacking midfielders. It is possible that James has come up with an unusual strategy to cope with the Donegal blanket, but it is more likely that the mind games are under way and the actual starting line-up has yet to be revealed.


Kallum King was excellent against Fermanagh, struggled early on against Monaghan but was completely dominant after the break, so dropping him is a bolt from the blue. There may be some concerns about his pace, but his ball-winning ability is outstanding and his discipline rock solid, so it is hard to believe that he will not start.


McKernan has plenty of speed and is well capable of pushing up to support the attack but he is not a natural midfielder any more than Danny Hughes is a wing half back or Donal O'Hare is a wing half forward. There will be an obvious theory that big Dan will go to full back and Liam Doyle come in at centre half, but James seems determined to keep the opposition guessing

the first casualty in war is the truth..

[Pangurban]

Leave out Eoin Mc Cartan,move Conor Lavery into the corner, and play Kalum King at FF, then this team will ask Donegal some serious questions

[whitegoodman]

I would be expecting to see something along these lines

Mcveigh
D McCartan
Gordon
Mcardle
Ohagen
Mckernan
Brannigan
King
Rodgers
Hughes (maginn if injured)
Poland
Carr
Coulter
Laverty
Ohare

I wouldn't expect Doyle to start, wouldn't expect hughes to start in defence, mckernan at midfield , ohare at half forward or Gordon at half back.

I will also eat my hat if king doesn't start at midfield unless injured. If the named team is the team that starts James has taken a huge and unnecessary risk, the biggest of his reign. Can't see it though

[urbangael]

Too many weak links in the the down starting team..... The biggest one being Dan McCartan.  I fear his lack of pace could be telling!

[SHEEDY]

drove home through annaclone today. what a sight, red and black everywhere. puts most of the rest of the county to shame.

[whitegoodman]

I would be expecting to see something along these lines

Mcveigh
D McCartan
Gordon
Mcardle
Ohagen
Mckernan
Brannigan
King
Rodgers
Hughes (maginn if injured)
Poland
Carr
Coulter
Laverty
Ohare

I wouldn't expect Doyle to start, wouldn't expect hughes to start in defence, mckernan at midfield , ohare at half forward or Gordon at half back.

I will also eat my hat if king doesn't start at midfield unless injured. If the named team is the team that starts James has taken a huge and unnecessary risk, the biggest of his reign. Can't see it though

Hearing strong rumours that king is indeed dropped and mckernan will play midfield. Anybody got a hat??

Also hearing Doyle may start in the forward line in Danny is out. Could be a load of balls for all I no.

[Mourne Rover]

It's all guesswork if you are outside the camp but dropping King would be the strangest decision James has made in his time in charge. Perhaps there was a feeling that Gallagher's injury means that Donegal will field a more mobile midfield, which might leave King struggling for pace, but he has been so central to our best moments in the league and championship this season that it is hard to believe he could be left out for tactical reasons. If the rumours about another hamstring problem for Hughes have substance, the team named on Thursday night might be just a ploy anyway.

There are strong suggestions that Doyle is not only fit but flying, and he could come into either the half back or half forward line. O'Hare looks a highly unlikely wing forward and he might either replace Eoin McCartan or switch to the bench, leaving McKernan  with a free role and hopefully King back where he belongs in the middle.

No matter what happens now, it is brilliant to see Down back in a final and even better that we are regarded as rank outsiders. The weather forcecast looks reasonable. Benny and big Dan are back, and destiny awaits us.

[PAULD123]

I really hope that Danny Hughes is not injured. Has anyone actually been told thsi or is it a pure guess based on his strange listed position? Danny would be vital to the game. He will track back to blunt Donegal counter attacks and will carry the ball into the donegal defence to puch them back. Without him I would fear for our chances.

Also unless King is injured I would have thought playing our best midfield would be the best option. We could make it a dominant area for us and use it to control the game. King plays best when Ambrose is on form as was shown in the 2nd half against Monaghan (and also shown by his poorseason last year when Ambrose was out). Why reduce the quality of what could be our strongest area? I don't see the sense.

WhiteGM, as you are a Burren man I presume the info you heard about McKernan starting midfield hascomefrom your club collegues and I guess that gives it some credibility. It does make me worry

[whitegoodman]

The info I'm getting isnt from a burren man but would usually be a reliable source. The basic info was the following

Hughes is out
king is dropped
mckernan midfield
Doyle to start corner forward coming out

I like yous would be surprised and disappointed if some of the above is true but as I've said the source is usually reliable.

[Mid Down Gael]

Don't think it's the place to be writing and giving away team news on here (if true). There will be 15 v 15 and whatever personnel are selected I'm sure the management believe its our best team to beat Donegal. There has to be horses for courses sometimes but if people are in the know it is not the place to broadcast it 2 days prior to an ulster final.

[whitegoodman]

Do u really think Jim and his backroom team take notice of rumours posted on message boards??

As u said its 15 versus 15 and horses for courses so why down couldn't name the actual team like most of the top teams do instead of trying meaningless mind games I don't no

[Dubh driocht]

Like a wake on here! We will do our talking on the field. A lot of karma suggests we will win. A lot of bookies suggest Tir Connail. Ah well, we'll give it a lash - Up Down.