Down Club Hurling & Football

[Mourne Rover]

Fair play to Sheedy for actually suggesting a team for Sunday rather than telling us the players who are not good enough. It is a reasonable line-up, although 14 of the 17 named played at some stage against Meath, with the only exceptions being Carr, who was injured and not in the squad, O'Hagan, who has missed the last three games after pulling a hamstring, and Garvey, who was an unused sub. Sheedy's best 15 would give us a decent chance against Laois, but in fairness it is only marginally different from McCorry's recent selections.

Smurfy talks hopefully about bringing back Gordon and Rogers, which would obviously give us a huge boost, but there are a couple of statistics which need to be taken into account. In our last 20 league games, over three years,  Rogers has been available twice and Gordon has not played at all. In our four championship games last summer, Rogers played for 35 minutes. Gordon was injured for our entire championship run of 2013, missed the first Tyrone game last summer, returned for three games and then dropped out of the squad again and has not been seen since.

Gordon has suffered from a serious and recurring foot fracture, while Rogers has also been very unlucky with injuries for a prolonged period. It would be brilliant to see either of them in a Down jersey again, but the likelihood is that we will have to rely on other midfield options this summer.

The posters who think we are underachieving should also take a look at the odds for the All Ireland championship, which are practically unchanged since the start of the season. Paddy Power quotes us at 80/1, which places us at 13th overall and is probably a fair enough assessment. However, in the league, we are just a point away from clinching promotion to the top eight .

In other words, we are hardly world-beaters but McCorry is doing a more than respectable job in difficult circumstances. While getting us into division one would be quite an achievement, he knows he will be judged on championship results. Most real Down fans can see the effort he is putting in and will wish him well.

[Leftmidfield]

I have tuned into the ongoing 'discussions' and my thoughts are we are in a very false position. Could easily be in a relegation situation. We are not as good as the league position suggests. You can put a spin on it any way you like but performances have been poor and wins lucky imo

[NP 76]

I am under that opinion also we robbed Kildare were desperate against Roscommon beat a Cavan team on an atrocious night, robbed Galway who cut us to shreds which actually looked like the defence was the same as in Ross and DJs time bad against Meath and beat a west Meath team which hardly made a tackle. When we met a physical team we struggled. The majority of our team are all small men how can we expect them to deal with 6 ft 3 players. Derry knowing they are down are already tuning into championship mode and I think we will have trouble with them. We don't have the physical strength to get a man stopped from running at us and don't have enough scoring forwards. Hopefully I am wrong but the championship doesn't end with Derry as you go on the teams only get bigger that would be my worry

[whitegoodman]

Fair play to Sheedy for actually suggesting a team for Sunday rather than telling us the players who are not good enough. It is a reasonable line-up, although 14 of the 17 named played at some stage against Meath, with the only exceptions being Carr, who was injured and not in the squad, O'Hagan, who has missed the last three games after pulling a hamstring, and Garvey, who was an unused sub. Sheedy's best 15 would give us a decent chance against Laois, but in fairness it is only marginally different from McCorry's recent selections.  I think most people are in general happy with the panel but it is where the players are being played that some may question, ie McGovern at CHB, Maginn at WHB, Mallon at WHB, Madine at MF, Devlin at MF, McArdle coming on at midfield, Garvey coming on at midfield.  These guys rarely if ever would have played these positions for their club.  Also O hagan was stripped and ready to come on the last 10 mins the other night so I assume he is fit.

Smurfy talks hopefully about bringing back Gordon and Rogers, which would obviously give us a huge boost, but there are a couple of statistics which need to be taken into account. In our last 20 league games, over three years,  Rogers has been available twice and Gordon has not played at all. In our four championship games last summer, Rogers played for 35 minutes. Gordon was injured for our entire championship run of 2013, missed the first Tyrone game last summer, returned for three games and then dropped out of the squad again and has not been seen since.

Gordon has suffered from a serious and recurring foot fracture, while Rogers has also been very unlucky with injuries for a prolonged period. It would be brilliant to see either of them in a Down jersey again, but the likelihood is that we will have to rely on other midfield options this summer.  Agreed, it would be great to have Dan in particular available and maybe the question should be asked again but the likelyhood is we will have to look elsewhere.

The posters who think we are underachieving should also take a look at the odds for the All Ireland championship, which are practically unchanged since the start of the season. Paddy Power quotes us at 80/1, which places us at 13th overall and is probably a fair enough assessment. However, in the league, we are just a point away from clinching promotion to the top eight . I dont think anyone is looking for an All Ireland but given the lack of quality around at the minute a quarter final spot isnt an unrealistic target.  People want to see progression more than anything.  The 3 home games to date have not been progression, I can think of other words to describe them such as pathetic !!!  As I said we dont think we should be winning all irelands but we also dont think we should be getting tankings from the likes of Rosscommon and Meath

In other words, we are hardly world-beaters but McCorry is doing a more than respectable job in difficult circumstances. While getting us into division one would be quite an achievement, he knows he will be judged on championship results. Most real Down fans can see the effort he is putting in and will wish him well. Do you honestly think McCorry is getting the best out of the players, playing them in the correct positions and generally making progress with the team despite whatever points tally they have.  If so fair enough, I suppose the game is all about opinions.

[lfdown2]

The worrying factor for me would be Down's inability to put in to practice the system they are trying to employ if there is a system - a couple of things for me really stood out on Saturday night (and before); our 2 man full forward line were lined up in single file for the majority of the match with a sweeper in front and very little if any movement, therefore leaving those coming through with no option but to carry the ball in to contact and slow down the attack, we never at any stage looked like getting a goal from memory (I'm sure I will be proven wrong on that).
In defense we filter the 12 men back but are unaware of the positioning of the attacking team, a number of times on Saturday night the Meath wing half back was in acres of space on the stand side available to take the ball on the move, leading to our full back line being exposed.
We are not quick enough at breaking to execute the plan we are attempting to put in place. Furthermore with the 'blanket' defense put in place there is very little contact being put on the opposition, to me it appeared we were happy to put a moderate amount of pressure on and shepherd the opposition away from goal leaving them with time to assess and make their next move.
Finally on our kick outs there didn't appear to be a plan B, there didn't seem to be anything pre rehearsed about runs being made, we do not have the tallest midfield in the country and as such I would have though it would be imperative to have at all times 2-3 different options for the kick out.
Possibly I am wrong and the players are just not executing the plan as devised but it really looks headless work-rate for me at times. Its all well and good working your a** of for 70 minutes but there needs to be a method to it if we are hoping to be successful.
At the minute it appears to me we are not necessarily playing as a unit.

[Brick Tamlin]

Fair play to Sheedy for actually suggesting a team for Sunday rather than telling us the players who are not good enough.Again, I never said anyone wasn't good enough at all so don't misquote me. It is a reasonable line-up, although 14 of the 17 named played at some stage against Meath, with the only exceptions being Carr, who was injured and not in the squad, O'Hagan, who has missed the last three games after pulling a hamstring, and Garvey, who was an unused sub. Sheedy's best 15 would give us a decent chance against Laois, but in fairness it is only marginally different from McCorry's recent selections.

Smurfy talks hopefully about bringing back Gordon and Rogers, which would obviously give us a huge boost, but there are a couple of statistics which need to be taken into account. In our last 20 league games, over three years,  Rogers has been available twice and Gordon has not played at all. In our four championship games last summer, Rogers played for 35 minutes. Gordon was injured for our entire championship run of 2013, missed the first Tyrone game last summer, returned for three games and then dropped out of the squad again and has not been seen since.

Gordon has suffered from a serious and recurring foot fracture, while Rogers has also been very unlucky with injuries for a prolonged period. It would be brilliant to see either of them in a Down jersey again, but the likelihood is that we will have to rely on other midfield options this summer.Hopefully with players who have at least played midfield before and are physically equipped to handle the position.

The posters who think we are underachieving should also take a look at the odds for the All Ireland championship, which are practically unchanged since the start of the season. Paddy Power quotes us at 80/1, which places us at 13th overall and is probably a fair enough assessment. However, in the league, we are just a point away from clinching promotion to the top eight .Really? You're using Paddy Power's odds to support your view where Down lie in the pecking order and their performances to date? Also as others have previously mentioned I think the fact that we still sit top and on the brink of promotion really says more about the standard of the division this year and the performances of the teams in it.

In other words, we are hardly world-beaters but McCorry is doing a more than respectable job in difficult circumstances. While getting us into division one would be quite an achievement, he knows he will be judged on championship results. Most real Down fans can see the effort he is putting in and will wish him well. The real Down fans thank you wholeheartedly for speaking on their behalf as well as presuming to know their thoughts. Incidentally what constitutes a 'Real Down Fan' in your view.

[wobbller]

 This is great craic. No need to quote me afterwards.

[Aristo 60]

This is great craic. No need to quote me afterwards.

Is right! You boys want to get out more into the wider gaaboard and use your talents to wind up lads from other counties. We could maybe have white, brick and mr seated together on Sunday for the Craic just in case we don't like what we're seeing on the field?

[whitegoodman]

I don't see how I am on the wind up.  I am trying to engage in conversation on the current performances of the Down team and don't agree with a few of MR points and so have responded to them, does that mean I am on the wind up?

[interested]

I don't see how I am on the wind up.  I am trying to engage in conversation on the current performances of the Down team and don't agree with a few of MR points and so have responded to them, does that mean I am on the wind up?

Keep on winding. I think a few of these boys fancy  themselves as some sort of expert analysts or journalists who get paid to write rubbish.

[whitegoodman]

its alarming how easy teams are running through us, this hasnt been addressed. on saturday night we only had collins, howard and damian turley who i would describe as natural defenders. the rest are half forwards who are trying to be accommodated in the team by using them as defenders. we need people who enjoy defending because at the minute teams are getting countless goal chances against us.

my team if everyone is fit would be.
                       
                     kane

howard          mcardle     o'hagan

d turley          carr           garvey

          mallon           p turley

devlin             poland         r johnston/mooney/maginn

laverty            o'hare          mckernan

That's an interesting team Sheedy and not far off what I would go for.

I take it you would have McKernan coimg out the field rather than playing as a conventional corner forward??  I say this because it got me thinking is he a viable option at full foward.  He has the attributes needed there, pace, size and scoring ability.  It may take away from the dynamism he provides further out the field but it could also bring him into the game more.  It's just a thought but he did play in that position for a period for Burren and done well but Burrens need for him lie elsewhere on the field.  Tyrone are doing a similar thing with Mattie Donnelly in order to get him in more dangerous areas of the field so it might be worth looking at.

I also think that we can't play Laverty as part of a two man full forward line.  For all that Conor offers the team scoring prowess isnt one of them.  At a guess I'd say he wouldn't have any more than 10 points in the league games to date but I am sure someone will correct me on this.  Is that enough in a two man full forward line.   As we seen the other night when Donal isn't at top form we are struggling so I think he needs a bit of a hand up top.  Even McGarry probably deserves another look as he played further out the field in the game he did play.

[SHEEDY]

its alarming how easy teams are running through us, this hasnt been addressed. on saturday night we only had collins, howard and damian turley who i would describe as natural defenders. the rest are half forwards who are trying to be accommodated in the team by using them as defenders. we need people who enjoy defending because at the minute teams are getting countless goal chances against us.

my team if everyone is fit would be.
                       
                     kane

howard          mcardle     o'hagan

d turley          carr           garvey

          mallon           p turley

devlin             poland         r johnston/mooney/maginn

laverty            o'hare          mckernan

That's an interesting team Sheedy and not far off what I would go for.

I take it you would have McKernan coimg out the field rather than playing as a conventional corner forward??  I say this because it got me thinking is he a viable option at full foward.  He has the attributes needed there, pace, size and scoring ability.  It may take away from the dynamism he provides further out the field but it could also bring him into the game more.  It's just a thought but he did play in that position for a period for Burren and done well but Burrens need for him lie elsewhere on the field.  Tyrone are doing a similar thing with Mattie Donnelly in order to get him in more dangerous areas of the field so it might be worth looking at.

I also think that we can't play Laverty as part of a two man full forward line.  For all that Conor offers the team scoring prowess isnt one of them.  At a guess I'd say he wouldn't have any more than 10 points in the league games to date but I am sure someone will correct me on this.  Is that enough in a two man full forward line.   As we seen the other night when Donal isn't at top form we are struggling so I think he needs a bit of a hand up top.  Even McGarry probably deserves another look as he played further out the field in the game he did play.

agree with your points about laverty, dont think he contributes enough on the scoreboard but he isnt going to be dropped and will probably stay inside. we need someone to share the scoring burden with donal, someone who can score 3 or 4 points from play but they're not easy found. maybe mcgarry could be that man.

one thing i feel we badly need is strength and power in the centre area of our defence, teams are running through us at will at times and we are giving away alot of goal chances. mckernan has been tried in nearly every position for down and will probably get another run as a sweeper on sunday. what would we give for 2 kevin mckernans, one at either end of the field.

[charlieTully]

I don't see how I am on the wind up.  I am trying to engage in conversation on the current performances of the Down team and don't agree with a few of MR points and so have responded to them, does that mean I am on the wind up?

Keep on winding. I think a few of these boys fancy  themselves as some sort of expert analysts or journalists who get paid to write rubbish.

I would read the analysis from the guys on here quicker than the papers, haven't got to a game all year through work and here is my first port of call for reports.

[Ed Hardy]

                              Kane

        O Hagan     Mc Ardle    D.Turley

       Garvey         Howard      R Johnson

             Mc Kernan         Mallon

      Maginn         Poland       Devlin

      Laverty        O Hare        Mooney

I'd like to see this team line out on Sunday, I'd move Howard out to CHB and Mc Ardle back to no3. We seem far to open straight down the middle. Two very mobile players in mf, and I'd leave Laverty and O Hare in 2 man forward line, both small players but with the RIGHT ball played in they could do serious damage with Mooney dropping out to help in 1/2 forward line.

[Aristo 60]

what way would Mooney fare if he was plonked on the edge of the square do people think?
Has he enough of a lep on him to pressurize defences ala big donaghy from the Kingdom? Or would he be wasted in there?