Down Club Hurling & Football

[Line Ball]

Just noticed this on the Down website:

Down GAA Og Sport (7 A-side U15 competition) will take place this Tuesday night 2nd September in Newry starting at 8pm – All Club Secretaries have been forward entry forms - Entries close tomorrow Friday at 2pm – so if your clubs is going to take part please return completed forms to Diarmuid Cahill itofficer.down@gaa.ie

There are several issues here, asking U.15 players to play in a competition beginning at 8 o'clock on what is now a school night as lads are back at school.  They had all Summer to play this competition but now all of a sudden it has to be played on a Tuesday night.  The U.16 championship only started a few weeks back and the minors are only at the quarter final stage.  What happened with playing some games during the best months of the year?

[6th sam]

Just noticed this on the Down website:

Down GAA Og Sport (7 A-side U15 competition) will take place this Tuesday night 2nd September in Newry starting at 8pm – All Club Secretaries have been forward entry forms - Entries close tomorrow Friday at 2pm – so if your clubs is going to take part please return completed forms to Diarmuid Cahill itofficer.down@gaa.ie

There are several issues here, asking U.15 players to play in a competition beginning at 8 o'clock on what is now a school night as lads are back at school.  They had all Summer to play this competition but now all of a sudden it has to be played on a Tuesday night.  The U.16 championship only started a few weeks back and the minors are only at the quarter final stage.  What happened with playing some games during the best months of the year?

To be fair, I also thought that the timing, location , and notice for this competition was less than ideal, for many of the reasons you have given. However , I have to say this was a superb tournament, excellently organised and officiated on the night, and played in the right spirit by all. I know our players really enjoyed the experience.
I think there is a lesson in this . If such a 12 team tournament can be successful, having been arranged at short notice, for 12 teams from all 4 corners of the county, surely we should be doing more of this. We have excellent floodlit facilities throughout the county, and though there would need to be coordination with schools football commitments, why should we wait to April to start our youth football competitions, taking breaks for holidays and examinations, and finish them by  early September?
I would say our players learnt more, and certainly enjoyed more last night, than they have done at training all year.
We could really get the edge on other counties , if we extended our underage season (cooperating with our schools), rather hand our players over to other sports, and the dreaded X-Box for the winter.

Thanks to Diarmuid and his team for an excellent competition, More of the same , please!,  but given the late finish , a more central venue or regional early rounds should be considered in future.

[supersub]

Caolan Mooney also returning home.

https://www.facebook.com/StBronaghsGAA/photos/a.190451834419696.44239.183710681760478/536115126520030/?type=1&relevant_count=1

[Brick Tamlin]

Jesus..thon shitty thread below worked!
Some boost to have 2 lads coming back with professional experience, and 2 decent players to boot.
Im sure their clubs are delighted.

[extra time]

As news breaks of one An Riocht man returning from Australia I thought it right to mention the other An Riocht man who has just retired from the Down senior set up after 15 or so years representing minors, u21 and seniors with distinction. Although this was announced 2 wks ago I thought, as he is a clubman of mine, to let some of you other Down diehards pay tribute to him. More important things were being discussed like biased umpires and championship predictions. Thanks Brendan for your dedication and commitment to the county for so long, and who could forget 2010 when you went so close to picking up an All Ireland winners medal. The consolation prize was an Irish News All star, a G.P.A award and of course  an All star award. All the best on your county retirement, and good luck with the rest of your club career!

[Mourne Rover]

We have been well served by our keepers over the years and McVeigh was a top class performer. He had  to play behind some dodgy defences in his time, but he was always a great shot stopper and deserved his All Star. We still need to reorganise at the back and we have no confirmation that our two best midfielders, Gordon and King, will be available next year. However, there is a possibility that we could field a half forward line with Ambrose, Poland and Clarke, with McComiskey, Mooney and Laverty in the full forwards. That would be worth seeing.

[redandblackareback]

Whats everyones thoughts on championship tonight? Going for an East Down double St Johns and Castlewellan, Burren have looked very vunerable this year and I think with Castlewellans injuries clearing up and Burren having an ever increasing injury list it will go the way of the Town men.

On a seperate note, dont think its right players should be asked to play on a Thursday night at 8.30pm particularly those who have to travel from Castlewellan, why is Kilcoo on Monday night and not Sunday and could these games not have been played all on Saturday and Sunday? Just a thought.

[speculative]

Mourne Rover, you're surely having a laugh naming King as one of our best midfielders? Football has changed since the days of having a big lump in midfield to just win ball. I would shudder to think how he would do against MD McAuley and the likes.

Red and Black, I assume the Kilcoo game is on Monday due to AI Hurling Final being on the Sunday.

[Oldhacker]

Speculative, you have a short memory. When we went into this summer's championship in Omagh without big King, both our midfielders were replaced at half-time.  In the qualifier against Kildare, we were again cleaned out down the middle and Turley did not even make it to the break before being subbed.

Last summer, King was outstanding in the first round against Derry and again in the semi against Donegal. The amount of work he gets through is sometimes only appreciated when he is not there, and it is difficult to believe you are seriously suggesting that our midfield improved this year in his absence.

A `big lump' in the shape of Gallagher actually destroyed McAuley on Sunday by doing exactly what King does through covering space, winning the ball and laying it off simply. If we can come up with an equally effective midfield which does not include King, we will be doing very well indeed.   

[speculative]

Oldhacker, to call a man who can get up and down the field like Neil Gallagher a big lump is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, King can win ball, but other than that his is extremely limited as a footballer. What other serious inter county team would have a man that was as immobile as King within their ranks? Midfield is not just about making a few clean catches anymore, it's about being smart and mobile, making late runs to attack, breaking tackles, being the link man out of defence,etc. and unfortunately King is not capable of doing this at elite level.

[Brick Tamlin]

So who is then?
In your opinion.
Name me the midfielders in Down Club football who are better midfielders than King.

[speculative]

Conor Toner, Benny Coulter, Anton McArdle (if he is home?), Kevin McKernan, Dan Gordon, Ambrose Rodgers, etc.

Don't get me wrong, King is very effective at club level, but if we are looking to become an elite level inter county team we need to look to for something different.

[Brick Tamlin]

So which of all those guys will do the donkey work?
Will they all perform the defensive role? Will they all be the spoiler, the guy that does the dirty work?

Youre having a laugh.
You have just dismissed off-hand one of Down's most consistent performers of recent times.
He may have played his best games for Down but your tone is a bit disrespectful.

Conor Toner needs a full club season under his belt without injury. He has the potential.
Anton McArdle doesn't exist until he lives and plays on this island regularly, a non-discussion.
Benny Coulter is 32 and has played his whole career as an attacking threat. You think he could carry out King's role? Really?
Kevin McKernan has the athleticism but are we willing to sacrifice his dynamism going forward and ask him to carry out a defensive role? We know he cant defend but yet you think he would carry out King's role better?
Is there anyone else in Burren we are missing?

[PAULD123]

We have been well served by our keepers over the years and McVeigh was a top class performer. He had  to play behind some dodgy defences in his time, but he was always a great shot stopper and deserved his All Star. We still need to reorganise at the back and we have no confirmation that our two best midfielders, Gordon and King, will be available next year. However, there is a possibility that we could field a half forward line with Ambrose, Poland and Clarke, with McComiskey, Mooney and Laverty in the full forwards. That would be worth seeing.

That half forward line is too loyal to players who have not been at their best for over a year now. I would rather see O'Hanlon or Ryan Johnson in for Ambrose, and Devlin in for Poland. If we are going forward with Clarke (26/27), Mooney (22/23), McComiskey (26/27), Laverty (28?) then we should be looking towards building a team around these players to peak in a year or two. Not using these players to build around lads who are in their thirties and few years from being gone.

I would still have the likes of Benny, Poland, Ambrose, Hughes in the squad and use them from the bench if they were willing to be in the squad.

[Minder]

Tony McEntee to be named Down manager in next 24hrs allegedly