Down Club Hurling & Football

[Line Ball]

Fair play to the county board and all those involved in making an early decision on the postponement before people start to travel. The forecast for tonight is not great, so tomorrow may be a doubt as well, but at least we know.

Line Ball, if you think Ambrose's best days are behind him, you were not at our championship matches last summer when he was our best player against Donegal and in the first Derry game. Dan has certainly been unlucky with what amounts to a freak recurring problem with the same foot, but, at 30, he will still be a top class player if the injury heals properly.

You are also being very harsh on Turley, who was excellent at centre half last season and definitely capable of making a full back in the absence of McArdle and big Dan. We know that Carr is not a man marker, but, with packed defences everywhere, what he gives us is the ability to find time and space while breaking from the back.

It is pretty childish to get digs in over the relatives of the management, as any regular attender will confirm that Dan McCartan is our most reliable corner back and we know that Jerome Johnston is at the very least worth a run in the league.

We have had plenty of long hard seasons over the last two decades, but, if we get our best side out, and enjoy a little luck for a change, we are capable of giving it a rattle in division two.

Ambrose and Dan - it's not going to happen. Fair enough, you think they will be back to play at the top level again.  We all hope so but a man can only take so much and he really has to want to make it back.  I hope both have that drive.

No.3 and 6 I have mentioned in a previous post.  Both are wonderful defenders when they don't have to mark!  Neither can and neither have.

Childish digs, please don't insult me.  If Daniel McCartan is the best corner back we have in the county and his brother, Eoin, is in the top 20 players (as he frequently comes on in games for Down even though he cannot do full training sessions) well then I will accept what you say.  Neither is true, the Mc Cartan's have always thought that they run Down football but they are ALL second rate unless things change this year.

[No1]

as any regular attender will confirm that Dan McCartan is our most reliable corner back

MR, normally you call things spot on and I'd have a lot of respect for your opinions but I disagree with you on this one, strongly.  While Dan certainly gives 100% for the jersey I can think of at least 5 players off the top of my head who I would pick ahead of him.  The man also makes a more than valid point about Eoin McCartan.

[whitegoodman]

Who would be your 5 corner backs out of interest??

Agree on Eoin btw

[Line Ball]

Whitegoodsman, you are the man asking us all who we would play and why we would play them there.  Give us your Down 15 and why.

[whitegoodman]

Harrison
Rooney
Gordon
O Hagan
O Hanlon
Turley
Garvey
King
McKernan
Rodgers
Carr
Mallon
Mccumiskey
O hare
Poland

Ironically I wouldn't have Dan in my first 15 either but he would be close to a corner back slot and certainly don't think there are 5 corner backs in the county better than him.

Unlucky for Boyle, Madine and Laverty

[Line Ball]

Harrison
Rooney
Gordon
O Hagan
O Hanlon
Turley
Garvey
King
McKernan
Rodgers
Carr
Mallon
Mccumiskey
O hare
Poland

Ironically I wouldn't have Dan in my first 15 either but he would be close to a corner back slot and certainly don't think there are 5 corner backs in the county better than him.

Unlucky for Boyle, Madine and Laverty
[/quote]

Harrison - yes
Rooney - corner back, no chance
Gordon - in an ideal world but too many outside influences
O Hagan - wasted at corner back
O Hanlon - good call
Turley - not mobile enough
Garvey - tough as hell
King - just ok, needs a big kick
McKernan - its not,all about him
Rodgers - class, leader
Carr - slow, big name, nothing else
Mallon - class act, one for the future if he cares (big problem)
Mccumiskey - gone
O hare - brilliant
Poland  - brilliant

[whitegoodman]

Rooney played very well at corner back against Donegal last year and was also put on James Kielt as he is seen as one of our best man markers.

We rely too much on Polamd to create for us which is the reason I have a second playmaker in Carr.

I was under the impression that McCumiskey is on the way back, maybe I am wrong on that.

Give us ur 15 then. I will be particularly interested in who ur corner backs are as u don't want Dan, Rooney or O Hagan!!!!

[Line Ball]

Harrison
Rooney
Gordon
O Hagan
O Hanlon
Turley
Garvey
King
McKernan
Rodgers
Carr
Mallon
Mccumiskey
O hare
Poland

Ironically I wouldn't have Dan in my first 15 either but he would be close to a corner back slot and certainly don't think there are 5 corner backs in the county better than him.

Unlucky for Boyle, Madine and Laverty

If you can pick a team without these three men, fair play to you

[Mourne Rover]

It's good to have a bit of a lively debate about our squad with tonight's game postponed, although there have been some dubious claims along the way. Dan McCartan is always going to be an easy target, because he is the manager's brother and is neither particularly big or fast. However, he is as cute a defender as we have had in the last decade, his anticipation is brilliant and he usually plays a smart but simple pass out of defence. He was excellent on Sean Cavanagh, that season's player of the year, when we beat Tyrone in  2008, and his display on John Doyle in the 2010 AI semi was top drawer. His goal-line clearance in the final was amazing and he was as steady as ever last summer. He has the odd off day, and he is approaching the veteran stage, but he gets in our team totally on merit. Eoin McCartan is a different case, as he is a decent player who is around the same level as several other forwards and is a borderline selection for the squad.

Line Ball also specifically criticised picking the son of a coach, which is a dig at Jerome Johnston, a young player who has displayed considerable potential in a handful of games. It's time enough to judge him when he has a full season under his belt.

It is a little hard to see how anyone could suggest that big Dan, who has given Down total commitment since he made his debut in 2002, is vulnerable to outside influences, or that Ryan Mallon, an outstanding prospect who has represented the county at all levels as well as impressing for his university and his club, is somehow not too pushed about playing for us.

Darragh O'Hanlon has much to offer, but it may be premature to include him in our theoretical best 15 before he has kicked a ball in the league or the championship.

However, it is all about opinions and hopefully we will have a match tomorrow on which we can exchange a few more views.

[whitegoodman]

MR give us ur first 15 if all were fit.

Take ur point on O Hanlon by the way but think by championship time him and Garvey will be the two wing backs. Plenty of energy and a bit of cut.

[SHEEDY]

if all were fit I would go for;

McVeigh
garvey
gordon
o hagan
rooney
carr
boyle
king
mckernan
o hanlon
poland
rodgers
laverty
mc commisky
o'hare

[No1]

The five would be McArdle, Boyle, Mallon, Garvey and Brannigan.

I knew someone would bring up the Tyrone game in 08 because he was absolutely fantastic that night but one swallow doesn't make a summer.  My view has nothing to do with him being the managers brother, I just don't rate him very highly.  However, I would never question his dedication or commitment to the red n black.

BTW, I don't particularly rate Brannigan either so you can replace him with O'Hagan if you like!

[Mourne Rover]

Picking a championship team in February is an academic exercise as we cannot assess form, fitness and availability and there are just too many imponderables. However, if we had to play Tyrone tomorrow, in the unlikely event of having a full-strength squad, and having been asked...

Harrison.

McCartan,

Gordon,

O'Hagan,

Garvey,

Carr,

Rooney,

King,

McKernan,

Rogers,

Poland,

Mallon,

Laverty,

O'Hare,

McComiskey.

[whitegoodman]

I have seen Garvey a few times in the full back line and I think he has struggled there and is a lot more comfortable in the half back line.

I also don't think I have ever seen Mallon play corner back, maybe some of the point boys can confirm if he has. I would have thought he would be seen as an attacking half back or half forward.

[east down gael]

You'd have mccartan in corner back ahead of Boyle?he did do well on sean cavanagh in newry in '08,but that's a good few years ago now.