Down Club Hurling & Football

[thewobbler]

We are about to enter a strange period in Down football I think.

I'd imagine that Wee James has been wondering since around 3pm yesterday whether he can do anything more with this crop of players. A more practical assessment is over whether anyone can do much more with this group of players.

They're not a bad crop, but compared to the top 5-6 teams in the country, they are lacking in terms of height, pace and power. Even beyond our obvious defensive deficiencies and mental woes, this lack of athleticism means we can't realistically hope to win an All Ireland. We might take one of Cork, Mayo, Donegal or Dublin or day, but we're never going to take three of them out in one run.

So the county board have three choices:

Keep on James(if he's even interested) and eventually end up with the players he needs, or end up in total disenchantment.

Give another Down man a run at the job, fully aware that no Down man in recent memory has shown greater ability to get team playing a defensive system than McCartan.

Pay an expensive outsider to coach the sh1te out of our defence, but inevitably end up with no silverware.


There's no right answer there.

Given the mental breakdowns vs Donegal and Mayo, I'd love to see a clearout of the panel, in search of new blood, new leaders. But I know this would only weaken us. The 20 lads who played yesterday are all in the top 30 options we have.

[Leo]

I'd like to see the clearout of the defensive coaching setup that has seen us ship embarrassing scores on a cricket scale to any team of note lately.
Let's get back to playing football with flair and natural instinct - we might still get beaten but we'll not get embarrassed.

[Mourne Rover]

Wobbler's assessment is bleak but probably fair. We may be in division one, but we are barely in the top ten overall when it comes to championship football and our defence would not be in the top 20. James deserves enormous credit for taking on a team which had underachieved for over a decade and turning them into a serious outfit who came within a kick of the ball of winning an All Ireland. However, for a number of reasons, we are not as strong as we were in 2010 and there is certainly a feeling about that James may believe he is due a break from it all.

It is hard to see an internal coach in Down club football who would have widespread support for a step up to the county job, although bringing in an outsider may not necessarily be as expensive as Wobbler suggests.

Brian McIver had the firm respect of the players when he coached us in 2010/2011, and clearly came within our budget at that time. He only left last year out of a sense of loyalty to Paddy Tally, but he would be fully entitled to start with a fresh set of assistants if he was offered the top post. He is still in his 50s, remains available, and would have to be a contender if a vacancy occurs.

The playing resources at his disposal would be another matter, and we would fairly obviously be in for a period of rebuilding with reduced expectations and a concentration on physical conditioning. That sort of approach has done Donegal no harm, but it will be a long hard road for whoever is in charge.

[Pangurban]

As i have stated frequently, Down football is currently in a place. We are probably facing a raft of retirements. No sign of any suitable replacements on the Horizon. Very unlikely to retain Div.1 status next season. Where do we go from here. A long barren spell faces us, lets use it to go back to basics. Is James the Man too oversee this, probably not but we have no one better

[DaisyCutter]

Saturday's performance summed up the loss to key players such as Marty Clarke, John Clarke, James Colgan, Caolan Mooney, Paul McComiskey, Dee Rafferty, Ronan Murtagh and Pete Fitzpatrick. They really would have added substance to the panel as a whole but for one reason or another, they were not available to us and IMO the rest of the lads on the panel could not fill these voids.

I am still of the belief that we do have the players within our County to keep us at Division 1 standards, but the problem is getting the panel of players buying into the same system best suited to the style of Down football, which is fast, direct and potent. I also believe that we need to go man for man marking in defense and none of this zonal marking where players do nothing in defending space. But on the other hand, I don't think James trusts our players enough to go man for man.

I'm unsure of another term of the same management will progress us further but it is now a really difficult job for anyone to undertake. But if a change does come, I would like to see both Frank
Dawson and Jim McCorry take the post up In a joint team as there knowledge and records of Down football is second to none. But I would like to thank James and his team for all there efforts for the past season and wish them well whatever Is decided.

[thewobbler]

I've never understood the concept of joint managers. Especially when there's no obvious bond between them.

Apart from Armagh's two Brians, I any even think of another joint management team that has ever won a thing.

[5 Sams]

Down Fixtures


Tuesday August 7th(7.30pm)

Minor A  Championship

Round-Robin

Group 1

Burren v  Bredagh  (Neil Cousins)

Rostrevor v Glenn (Anthony Rodgers)

Group 2

Clonduff v Shamrocks     (Leo Smyth)

Loughinisland v Tullylish (CiaranBrannigan)         

Group 3

Saval v Castlewellan (Gregory McGrath)

Group 4

An Riocht v Mayobridge (Martin Brady)   

Carryduff v Warrenpoint (EamonMulvenna)

Minor B  Championship

Round-Robin 2nd

Group 1

Baileghlas v Longstone (Shane Lowey)

Group 2

Ballyholland v Saul (Paul Faloon)

Kilcoo v St Josephs (Martin Rawlinson)

Group 3

Bosco v Cill Dharach  (Dominic Kearns)

Clann na Derg v Mitchels (Ronan Barry)

Minor C  Championship

Quarter-Finals                       

St Johns v   Drumaness (Alan Grant)

Cill Breachtain v  Ardglass (Eugene O'Hare)             

Drumgath v  Atticall  (DeclanCarolan)

Wednesday Aug 8th (7.30pm)

Junior Football Championship  Group B

(Downpatrick) Ballykinlar  v Bright  (Mark Lynch)

Thursday August 9th

Intermediate   Football Championship  Round 1

Venue  Downpatrick

(7pm)DarraghCross V   St Johns (Martin Brady)

(8.30pm)BallymartinV   Ardglass  ( Leo Smyth)

VenueDundrum (7.30pm)

Tullylish v Saul (Shane Lowey)

VenueDrumaness  (7.30pm)

Bredagh v Carryduff (Martin Rawlinson)

U-16 B  Championship (7.30pm)

Group 1

Kilcoov Liatroim (Gavin Corrigan)

Group 2

Clann na Derg   v  An  Riocht(Fearghal Laverty)



AC U16FL Div 3 (7.30pm)

Drumclone V Cill Breachtain (Rory McShane)



Longstone VTeconnaught(Anthony Rodgers)

Dromara  v Glenn (Danny Mc Kay)

Shamrocks B v St Josephs (Gregory Mc Grath)
Friday August 10th
Senior Football Championship  Round 2

PAIRC ESLER

(7pm)Mayobridge v  Saval (Oliver Burke )

(8.30pm)Longstone v  Burren(Martin Rawlinson)

Intermediate   Football Championship  Round 1



Venue Glenn (7.30pm)

Clanna na Banna v St John Bosco (Gary Smith)

Saturday August 11th

Senior Football  Championship  Qualifiers

Venue Hilltown

(2pm)  Shamrocks   v  AnRiocht (Damian Laverty)

(3.30pm) Ballyholland v  Liatroim(Neil Cousins)

Venue Newcastle

(5pm)Rostrevor v Kilclief (Kieran Trainor)

(6.45pm)Loughinisland v Downpatrick (Gavin Corrigan)

Sunday August 12th

JFC Round Robin Rd 2

(1pm)

Group A

(Annaclone)St Michaels v  Drumaness

(DarraghCross)Teconnaught v  Dromara

Group B

(Bright) Ballykinlarv  Dundrum

(Drumaness)StPauls v  Bright 

Group C 

(Clonduff)Aughlisnafin v  Aghaderg

(Castlewellan)Killyleagh  v   Mitchels

Intermediate   FootballChampionship  Round 1

Venue   Pairc Esler(5.30pm)

Annaclone v Glasdrumman (Peter Brannigan)

Senior Football  Championship  Round 2

Venue  Pairc Esler  (7pm)

Kilcoo v Castlewellan  (Brendan Rice)

Monday August 13th

Senior Football  Championship  Round 2

Venue  Castlewellan  (7pm)

Clonduff v Bryansford  (Con Reynolds)

Intermediate   FootballChampionship  Round 1

Venue  Burren

(7pm)Warrenpoint   v Glenn (Feaghal Laverty)

(8.30pm)Drumgath   v  Atticall ( Ronan Barry)

ACFL Div 3  Rd 12

Balllymartin v   Darragh Cross (Jim Burns)

[snoopdog]

While the future looks uncertain for Down for 2013, player and manager wise. we need to give the likes of Dan gordan, Benny, Danny hughes a break for the league thats if they dont retire before hand.
time to blood a few new guys and forget about league safety. at the end of the day we beat Mayo and donegal this year in league and they both destroyed us in championship.

[No1]

Saturday August 11th

Senior Football  Championship  Qualifiers

Venue Newcastle

(5pm)Rostrevor v Kilclief (Kieran Trainor)

(6.45pm)Loughinisland v Downpatrick (Gavin Corrigan)

A ridiculous choice of venue for these 4 teams on this particular day.  God knows how teams or suppporters are gonna get near the place.

[Lecale2]

Good point No 1 - that's the day of the air show.

[Pangurban]

Crazy,thoughtless,careless planning, there will be tailbacks all the way to Loughinisland, and no parking if and when you get there

[wildrover]

In the build up to the upcoming Down Club SFC fixtures in the next few days I have complied a team that I believe are the best players in their position in Division One currently outside the county panel (Just to clarify ex-county players have been excluded, although a few of these have flirted on the outskirts of the panel in recent times). I also know there are some Div 2 teams playing in the SFC but I haven't been to any div 2 games this year, and so I cannot say who is playing well etc.

Anyway, here is my tuppence worth....

1)Mickey Cunningham (Castlewellan)
2)Stevie Toner (Bryansford)
3)Jamie Barr (Mayobridge)
4)Nial McEvoy (Kilcoo)
5)Darragh O Hanlon (Kilcoo)
6)Ciaran McGovern (Burren)
7)Michael Hughes (Longstone)
8)Niall Madine (Saval)
9Felim McGreevy (Kilcoo)
10)Eamonn McGovern (Burren)
11)Jason Brown (Clonduff)
12)Liam McKibben (Castlewellan)
13)Ryan Kelly (Longstone)
14)Eamon Toner (Burren)
15)Cathal Magee (Mayobridge)

??

[5 Sams]

In the build up to the upcoming Down Club SFC fixtures in the next few days I have complied a team that I believe are the best players in their position in Division One currently outside the county panel (Just to clarify ex-county players have been excluded, although a few of these have flirted on the outskirts of the panel in recent times). I also know there are some Div 2 teams playing in the SFC but I haven't been to any div 2 games this year, and so I cannot say who is playing well etc.

Anyway, here is my tuppence worth....

1)Mickey Cunningham (Castlewellan)
2)Stevie Toner (Bryansford)
3)Jamie Barr (Mayobridge)
4)Nial McEvoy (Kilcoo)
5)Darragh O Hanlon (Kilcoo)
6)Ciaran McGovern (Burren)
7)Michael Hughes (Longstone)
8)Niall Madine (Saval)
9Felim McGreevy (Kilcoo)
10)Eamonn McGovern (Burren)
11)Jason Brown (Clonduff)
12)Liam McKibben (Castlewellan)
13)Ryan Kelly (Longstone)
14)Eamon Toner (Burren)
15)Cathal Magee (Mayobridge)

??

Unashamed bias here I know but you would need to find room in there for Robbie White and Soupy (Damien) Campbell.

[wildrover]

 

Knew I would be lambasted from the Ballyholland posters about the omission of Robbie White. It was a toss-up between him and Darragh O Hanlon in the Wing Half Back position (where White did a lot of damage against us), but I went with O Hanlon as I have seen more of him in action (I appreciate that's not particularly fair or scientific reasoning but no matter).....

Soupy Campbell I don't know a whole pile about....

[Lecale2]

IFC

Bredagh 0-14 V 2-5 Carryduff

Any other results?