Down Club Hurling & Football

[orangeman]

The bridge seemed to be cruising all through - they never looked like losing - but there you go !

[corn02]

You do know they didn't loose yeah?

[orangeman]

Sorry - I meant to say they drew -

[thewobbler]

A dull first half gave way to a very entertaining second half today. Over the sixty minutes, Mayobridge were the better side, but momentum was very much with the 'Stone during the final 10 minutes and both sides will be partly relieved to get away with a draw.

Best players on show were easily the more famous ones. Mark Doran was outstanding, absolutely everywhere. Barry Doran had a good first 40 minutes or so, and Ambrose had a supreme last quarter. For mayobridge, Benny, Mickey and Ronan were just a cut above the rest, with the exception of Pluggy, who turned in a fine hour.

Apart from that lot, the most eyecatching on show were Norman McComb, Mark Poland, Gavin Barry and Conor Garvey.

Regarding the referee, I thought he sided ever so slightly with 'Stone until they scored the goal, and after that he didn't punish Mayobridge unless absolutely necessary.

Uladh - it's an argument for another day, but I'd much rather referees were stricter than looser at club level. When referees let things go, people end up getting hurt... and as the 30+ people providing our entertainment today all have to get up tomorrow and work in the real world, that's not what Gaelic Games should be about. Whilst your preference might be for bloodletting and boneshuddering, it isn't practical for amateurs to get involved in either.

Regarding next week, one of the first rules of Gaelic football the best team always wins replays, and in my mind Mayobridge are still very much the best of these two teams. They've a better defence, a better attack and by club standards are tactically very aware. It isn't a no-hoper for Longstone. If Ambrose is played at midfield and produces that final quarter for an hour, they could totally dominate possession. Barry Kelly will be a big help. But I just have a feeling that while Mickey Donnelly will spend the next week pinpointing weaknesses to exploit in the opposition, Frank Dawson might spend it beating the drum.

[corn02]

TheWobbler, whilest I understand your point about people getting hurt it is a physical game. These boys are hardy enough and a bit of hard hitting is great if it does not turn into dirty. The referee was giving everything for the slightest bit of contact.

[Mourne Rover]

The debate over how strict Down referees should be is an important one, as a number of observers, with experience of how other Ulster counties operate, think frees are given too easily here. No one wants to see players injured, and the rules must be applied fairly, but the suggestion is that our county representatives are entering Ulster championships, taking tackles which they expect to be blown as fouls, and then have difficulty coping when nothing is given.

The Down county board, rightly, insists on high standards, but the argument is that, in Armagh and Tyrone in particular, referees are more inclined to keep the game flowing. It is also the case that Down has been producing smaller players at county level over recent years, which must be a factor, but the question is, are they tough enough to compete at higher levels ? The evidence, in terms of both the Ulster club and county championships, is to the contrary.

When it comes to the crunch, we have been hustled out of some games rather than losing to teams with noticably superior skills. This is going to have to be addressed within the rules of the game.

[southdown]

Ciaran Brannigan is the ref for next week, and I think the Ballymartin v Ballyholland playoff game is on before the replay.

[spiritof91and94]

Firstly congratulations to Dundrum (league champions) and Tullylish, hope they do well in division 2.

Bredagh were beat today by the referee.  We were a point down when we got a goal.  The ref gave the goal then disallowed it saying it was a square ball.  The ball came off the crossbar or the post and apparantly that means it cant be square ball - I dont no the exact rule but you would think the referee would.  Real sickening way to end the season.

Was at the other end of the field when that occured but by the talk of our boys it was a square ball, however I dont believe that yous were beat solely by the ref and as rambler says heaney should of walked in the first minute,maybe these things balance themselves out over the course of a game. Its going to be a tough year next year but an exciting venture into the unknown espically with the ford having to pay a visit our way. Spirit any truth that a load of your boys didnt bother turning up? By the way would like to congragulate Boscomo on last week, know a few of your boys well and im sure it was an eventful few days after the final, also good luck to them in ulster.

We were full deck (apart from Poland who never plays important games anyway) on Saturday but lacked the passion to stay in Division One - after 42 minutes we were 1.07 to 0.04 up and cruising, entering injury time Liatroim were 0.15 to 1.09 up - we got a consolation goal to level but couldnt get ahead, in truth we didnt deserve to win and find ourselves in the Division Two set-up next year.
Doyle turned it on for the last twenty minutes and it was great to see him looking so good again, even if it finished us off.
Bryansford need to take stock of this asap - an outsider needs to be brought to discipline our players, ego's go before to many of them and getting asked to train with County Panels seem to blow them all out. At the end of the day a club like Bryansford shouldnt be in Division Two, the pick they have shouldnt allow this to happen.
If anyone cares to tell me Joe Ireland is an inter county player, the pope will be getting Paisley's job in the Free Presbyterian Church!!

[amallon]

Well done to both teams yesterday, it was probably the game of the championship so far.  If any of the Bridge players underestimated Longstone they will know this morning how good they are.  No matter who wins on Sunday I think this could be the start of a big rivalry that could throw up some cracking games over the next few years. 

Can't believe the Ford got relegated.  They should have been challenging for a top 4 spot not fighting off relegation.  Now if Saval and Ballyholland can get promotion and Loughinisland relegated we will very little traveling to our away games next season.   

[full back]

Found it hard to understand how the 'Bridge didnt win that game yesterday.

Good set up at the Marshes, fair play to all involved. Pity about the little bollix's behind the goal. No doubt they were full of booze-the parents/club have to take more responsibility

Longstone came back well at the end, but the 'Bridge should have had them out of sight considering the amount of ball they had. In the first half Longstone had to work very hard for their scores and the centre half forward (Doran I think) kept them in it with frees. Coulter won every ball that went his way in the first half, but looked to have got a knock early in the game. Suprised Mayobridge didnt try to fashion a goal at some stage as it would have put Longstone out of sight.
You can see how Longstone are so good at the sevens as they move forward en-masse, although if they put the ball in long and early their forwards do seem isolated and depend on frees if they dont get support in.
Speaking of frees it isnt to hard to get them. The ref was far too easily conned and as soon as a player went to ground he got the free even if there was only minimal contact. The number 5 on the Longstone team was lucky to stay on the field. It seemed the referee didnt want to finish the game as a contest by sending him off. He got booked, ticked then conceded 2 further fouls and remained on the field. It was the same number 5 who won the free for the equaliser I think.

[amallon]

Yeah I thought the number 5 (Mark Doran) was a lucky man to stay on the field. 

The carry on behind the goals doesn't look good for either club.  From what I've heard it was all kids up there.  If there was drink on board (which I don't know is the case) with any of the young Bridge ones they didn't get it from the club.  The club was shut before the match.  The Bridge hadn't organised any supporters busses either.  I'm sure both clubs will be tyring to get to the bottom of it so we have no repeat next week. 

[goldenyears]

Doran keeps his cool to force final replay 
Powerade Down Senior Football Championship final: St Patrick's, Mayobridge 0-16 Longstone 1-13 
From Paul McConville at Pairc Esler 

BARRY Doran's steady nerve in the dying embers of yesterday's pulsating Down SFC final in Pairc Esler gave Longstone another chance at knocking Mayobridge of their perch in the Mourne county.

The 'Stone half-forward had scored seven points from dead balls, nine in all, when he stepped up to take probably the most straightforward of them all in the third minute of injury time. He slotted it over with the coolness that had typified his performance and the referee sounded the full-time whistle immediately after Liam Coulter's kick-out.

Mayobridge looked to be marching towards their fourth successive title seven minutes from time when a stylish point from full-forward Cathal Magee had given them a five-point lead.

The reigning champions had weathered early storms from Longstone at the beginning of both halves, but looked to be finally pulling away. That was until Ryan Kelly plundered a 54th minute goal for Longstone to give them the perfect platform to reel in Mayobridge.

Only weeks after their success in the All-Ireland Kilmacud Sevens tournament, Longstone were seeking to win the Down senior title for the first time in only their third final appearance and they started the game with real intent.

After Noel Sexton had given Mayobridge the lead, Barry Doran reeled off three successive points, two from frees, to give Longstone a two-point lead after six minutes.

But the champions soon got into their familiar routine and levelled matters thanks to points from county stars Michael Walsh (free) and Benny Coulter.

Mark Poland briefly put Longstone back in front with a fine fisted point on 14 minutes, but the 'Stone would not split the posts again until first half injury time as Mayobridge went about constructing a five-point interval lead.

Longstone were unable to cope with quick passing and movement of the Sky Blues, allied to their accurate long passing game and Michael Walsh in particular unlocked their defence on a number of occasions.

A free from Walsh levelled the game on 15 minutes before Adrian Barry's long ball found Cathal Magee who fired over a point on the turn

five minutes later.

Magee and Conor Garvey combined to set up Benny Coulter, Walsh converted another free and Noel Sexton benefited from good build-up play from Coulter and John Caldwell to bag his second point of the afternoon as the 'Bridge surged ahead.

Barry and Coulter added further points late in the half, either side of a pointed free from Barry Doran to ensure double scores at the break.

Doran again proved deadly from the frees as he started off the second half in the same way he had begun the first – with three points. But Ronan Sexton and Magee had managed to keep the 'Bridge total ticking over in the meantime.

The teams traded points until Magee edged Mayobridge five in front with seven minutes remaining. It was then that Longstone's county star, Ambrose Rodgers, whose county season this year had been almost wiped out by injury, took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Mark Poland fielded a long ball and offloaded it to Ryan Kelly, himself seeking to put an horrific injury behind him, and he fired his shot to the roof of the net.

Rodgers then powered through the Mayobridge defence to make it a one-point game right on the hour mark.

Mayobridge had chances to grab that extra score which would have ended the Longstone challenge, but instead it was the 'Stone who surged forward and a foul on Mark Doran 20 metres out allowed Barry Doran to take the game to a replay.



MATCH STATS

Mayobridge: L Coulter; G Barry, B Grant, M Lively; S Grant, R Sexton (0-1), K O'Hare; E Woods, J Caldwell; A Barry (0-1), M Walsh

(0-6, 0-5 frees), C Garvey; N Sexton (0-2),

C Magee (0-3), B Coulter (0-3).

Sub: J Quinn for Garvey (41).

Longstone: A Poland; M Higgins, E Quinn, C Poland; M Doran, N McCombe, C Smyth; J Magee, P Trainor; E Trimble, B Doran (0-10,

0-8 frees), S Doran; R Kelly (1-0), A Rodgers

(0-1), M Poland (0-2).

Sub: G Trainor for Trimble (44).

Referee: D Moore (Tullylish).

[goldenyears]

It's back to the drawing board for Mournemen 
County Focus - Down 
By Staff Reporter 

Where it went wrong...

When Ross Carr took over as Down manager, the county football team was at another low ebb. Beaten 1-7 to 0-4 by Sligo in the 2006 Qualifiers, the Mournemen's forwards had failed to score from play.

Ross Carr and his assistant DJ Kane set out to put things right. Twelve months later, and little appears to have changed. When Meath accounted for Down in this year's Qualifiers, the forwards managed a single point from play over the course of the 70 minutes.

Down's exit marked the end of weary season in which they failed to win a game in the McKenna Cup and National League. An unexpected victory against Cavan offered a brief glimpse of hope and promise which was quickly extinguished by Monaghan, and then Meath.


Clearly, when a team manages just one victory in 14 games, there is something amiss. But it would be too easy to pin all the blame on Ross Carr. Certainly, the manager must bear some responsibility, but Pete McGrath, Paddy O'Rourke and now Carr have all experienced similar

difficulties.

When analysing the problems in Down football, a more holistic approach is required. It's not enough to just criticise the manager and the players.

A major part of the problem is that it is no longer considered a great honour to wear the red and black. While it can be assumed that the 30 players in any squad represent the best players in the county, this is not the case in Down.

Several players whom Carr asked to join the squad declined the opportunity. Some cited work

commitments, others just weren't prepared to make the necessary sacrifice.

Of the players who did join the squad, it's clear that some are either unaware, or simply incapable of making the commitments that are necessary at this level.

In Jack O'Connor's book, The Keys to the Kingdom, O'Connor continually refers to the O Se brothers and the West Kerry concept of the fair laidir – the real leader.

In Darragh O Se, Kerry have a 'fair laidir', a man who, by fair means or foul, will take command of a game.

Down have a severe dearth of such individuals.

Nevertheless, while Down aren't blessed with an abundance of generals, they are still underperforming. The raw material in Fermanagh and Monaghan is of a similar standard and these counties have demonstrated what can be achieved with ambition, discipline and proper organisation. Let's not forget Down won All-Ireland minor titles in 1999 and 2005. The county continues to produce decent footballers.

Ross Carr made mistakes in his first season. Players were selected who weren't up to the standard. It was also a huge risk resting players at the start of the season and experimenting in the National League.

The gamble almost paid off. Once Down beat Cavan, the victory helped the players to disregard their gruesome run of results in the League. But their confidence was only superficial.

After losing to Monaghan, their brittle confidence was shattered and they were incapable of lifting themselves for the Meath game.

A different approach will be required next season.



Manager status...

Ross Carr will be acutely aware that he can't afford a repeat of this season. However, a rocky road lies in front of the Mourne boss.

It seems that Carr was prepared to sacrifice a year in order to find new players and establish a new team.

But after conducting wholesale experiments, Carr doesn't appear to have made much progress.

Down finished 2007 in much the same style as they did in 2006. Carr has been forced back to the drawing board. He has hauled in a batch of new recruits. The former All-Ireland medallist will need to work swiftly, make a swift cull at Christmas, test a few players in the McKenna Cup and be ready for serious action in the National League.



The new breed...

Ross Carr has been reluctant to use the young players who won All-Ireland minor medals in 2005. He wants to avoid a repeat of the situation which followed the minor success in '99 when Benny Coulter & Co were expected to lead the team when they were barely out of the minor grade.

Carr believes Down shouldn't be burdening their hopes and aspirations on such young player and this explains why he used Paul McComiskey so sparingly in the Championship.

Despite his limited game time the Dundrum lad's tally of 0-4 made him the team's third highest scorer from play and he's set for more exposure in 2008. McComiskey was the only player from the 2005 minor team which made the Championship squad, but others are set to follow.

Kevin McKernan (Burren) (pictured), Colm Murney (Rostrevor), James Colgan (An Riocht) and Cathal McGee (Mayobridge) have been called to trials. As minors, McKernan and Murney were hard, uncompromising defenders who appeared to have the credentials for senior football. The Down defence could use players of

their ilk.



What they need...

Down desperately need to learn how to defend. In their three matches in the Ulster Championship they conceded 2-11, 0-11 and 2-15. That's an average of over 16 points per game.

A major part of the problem stems from club football in the county. The style of refereeing greatly favours forwards and this might explain why Down has a tradition of producing great

forwards and dodgy defenders.

A club game in Down bears little resemblance to anything that is played in Armagh, Tyrone or Derry.

There is a far greater degree of physicality allowed in these counties and this might explain why they produce strong, robust defenders who thrive at inter-county level.

As previously mentioned, part of Down's problem is that it is no longer a great honour to wear the red and black.

If Down are to progress, Ross Carr must make the prospect of playing for Down an attractive proposition. He can only do this through success.

A good League campaign in Division Three is essential. Down must return to winning ways, but success in the third division will not come easily. Sligo, Wexford and Longford have all enjoyed victories over Down in recent years. For all their grand tradition, the Mourne County has no grounds for feeling superior to any of their competitors.

None of the other counties in Division Three will be intimidated by Down, so promotion will be an absolute dogfight.

If Ross Carr can establish a settled team, and the players summon the bottle and consistency required for promotion, then the confidence derived from a solid campaign will provide an excellent grounding for the Championship.



End of the line?

Although Brendan Grant, Michael Walsh and John Clarke are not in the pre-Christmas squad, Grant is the only one of the trio to be dropped.

Walsh is still based in England where he studying for a degree in physiotherapy.

He is unlikely to rejoin the panel until the academic year is over. An Riocht's John Clarke has asked to take a year out.



Mr Consistency...

Ronan Murtagh was Down's most reliable player in the League and Championship. His

conversion to the defence was a considerable success.

He made up for any lapses in experience and know how with raw aggression.

The Ballyholland man prevented Down from being dumped out of the Championship after their first game when he raced up the pitch and stroked over a pressure-ridden equaliser against Cavan.

That point capped a tremendous individual performance in which his composed play provided the platform for a series of Down's attacks.

It remains to be seen if Murtagh will remain in defence. He has been outstanding for Ballyholland at full-forward. He recently scored 12 of his team's 14 points in a narrow victory over Downpatrick in a league play-off game.

[Townie]

was at the ford game the other day in the town and have to agree with spirit it was a very disappointing display and although they are our biggest rivals i for one did not want them relegated as it is the first fixture i look for at the start of every year. Heard from one of the boys that Travers is moving to pastures new i.e Drumgath, he was one of the better players on show with a great save in the second half, Can spirit lighten on this rumour?

[spiritof91and94]

was at the ford game the other day in the town and have to agree with spirit it was a very disappointing display and although they are our biggest rivals i for one did not want them relegated as it is the first fixture i look for at the start of every year. Heard from one of the boys that Travers is moving to pastures new i.e Drumgath, he was one of the better players on show with a great save in the second half, Can spirit lighten on this rumour?

Cant enlighten you on this but Peter has been travelling from Rathfriland for 5 years now and maybe with working in Belfast is finding it a handful - especially with a family as well.
If he does leave he will owe us nothing though.
I was talking to Big Dick and few others and they had the same conclusion as you townie - sad to see us go as they always enjoy the ford games.... Maybe Championship time we will meet...
What do you think went wrong townie?