Down Club Hurling & Football

[ardtole]

There is no point going up to div 1, taking 7 thumpings and back in div 2 the following year, with morale on the floor.
I can see a few positives, our half back line is very good, and our full back line of mcgovern, ohagan and mcardle/Flanagan is stronger than it has been for a long time.

We are struggling at midfield and maybe 2 from Donnelly, McKernan and Turley will be our combination come championship with Morgan named at 15 but playing around the middle.
We are light up front and perhaps that is why Burns is playing Mooney in the forwards during the league, he already knows what he can do from wing back. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a game along Harrisson at ff at some stage during the league to see how they link up.
We have a home tie against Antrim in the summer and that will be the focus of the panel this year, hopefully an Ulster semi final place and anything can happen.
I think we made progress last year and hopefully we can kick on again this year, but at present we are not ready for div one maybe this time next year we will be.

[thebar]

Down are never going to improve unless we get back into division 1
Was not that long ago when we were better than Kildare Galway Monaghan and the like
Now we are all happy to stay safe in division 1
I bet you the Kilcoo lads would not just be happy to stay in division 2
Always the losers mentality in Down
We beat a crap Armagh team and Monaghan last year and we all sing and rejoice about a great year
No word of the hammerings to Kildare Galway Tyrone Monaghan Clare and Fermanagh

Whatever your smoking fella give me some

[Targetman]

I'm all for playing at a higher level as it should help to raise standards but being realistic we'd take some hidings in div1, was surprised Gerard McGovern didn't feature on Sunday

[thewobbler]

I'm not really sure that a league season which would inevitably see 4 hidings in 7 matches would do anyone any good.

Galway are clearly on an upward curve. Kildare too, if not quite one as prominent. Down need to also prove we on are one of those before we look at top flight ball again.

[Smurfy123]

Wheee did you see the progress ardtole?
From beating Galway Kildare etc under McCorry

[OgraAnDun]

You would be happy enough to stay in division 2?Why would that be?
That's what's wrong we are happy enough in this division
You not see Andy McEntee coming out saying he wants Meath big on the big stage playing the big boys
Look at Galway this year
Happy enough in division 2 playing the likes of Clare Tipp Cavan Louth Meath no thanks
Have any of the above have a prayers chance of winning at provincial level?
But hey happy enough to stay in division 2

Maybe you didn't see our last performance in Div 1. Down are light years behind what's up there. Galway tanked us last year. We are at our level. Could you honestly pick out 1 fixture if we were in Div 1 and say we would win? I can't in Div 2. We are that inconsistent. But that's always been an issue with Down in my life time.

Spot on. Down have five games remaining in the division - and I'd say that we could win most of them, but we could just as easily lose most of them. We're better off consolidating this year in Division 2 and looking at a promotion tilt next year. If we went up to Division 1 this year, we would be straight back down next year without a point at the board and be trying to stave off relegation to Div 3 in 2020. We have just been relatively easily beaten by Cork (missing their Nemo contingent), who I do not think will be promoted. The Div 1 teams are an even bigger step up.

[Smurfy123]

Why next year and not this year?
Why do you think we would be better off next year?
What will improve by this time next year in your opinion?

[Targetman]

A crap Armagh team ? Yet still Reached the last 8.

In the words of Cindy Lauper "I see your true colours shining through "

[OgraAnDun]

Why next year and not this year?
Why do you think we would be better off next year?
What will improve by this time next year in your opinion?

Were you at the Cork match? Did it not give you flashbacks to 2015 and seeing Roscommon easily beat us in Division 2? I think the team needs a bit of stability, a bit of experience playing at this level to provide a base on which to build confidence and performances next year to get promoted. They're just not ready for Div 1 yet. Whether they will be ready for a promotion push and the rigours of Div 1 football in twelve months time remains to be seen. I'm hoping they will be, but I wouldn't be surprised to be looking at a 5th/6th placed finish next year either. That's providing we even stay up, I believe that we are very much in a relegation fight with Cavan and Clare to avoid the 7th placed spot this year.

[ardtole]

Wheee did you see the progress ardtole?
From beating Galway Kildare etc under McCorry

Kildare and Galway were in freefall when we beat them, I think kildare got relegated that same year to div 3. Kildare also outplayed us that year only for a smash and grab last few minutes and we stole the two points.

In the league final that year  roscommon hammered us and was the start  of things to come for  two years.

Both Kildare and Galway are on an upward curve at present, Galway have beaten  mayo in consecutive years in connacht so they are both in a better place than they were when we beat them a few years ago.

I do see a few improvements particularly in defence, hopefully harrisson and Miller can improve  on an  impressive summer last year. Maybe Burns will accommodate Mooney in the forwards this year to give us a bigger threat in attack, Ryan Johnson might provide us with a bit more pace.

We are struggling at midfield, we need to find a partner for Donnelly, Poland is probably better suited to half forward, we haven't much strength in depth either but all in all I think we are going in the right direction.

Last year we got mcparland back on the panel, Harrison made the ff spot his own, Miller and Donnelly impressed in Ulster as well and if Burns can use the league to blood Morgan and Flanagan, give Docherty more game time and give us more options come the summer then I'd be happy enough.

[Smurfy123]

Agree to disagree on this one
I personally think we were a much better team under McCorry
They players on the squad are good enough to compete in division 1 but for some reason are getting beat be mediocre teams like Fermanagh Clare Cork(missing 10 players)
Roscommon are no world beaters but hey no doubt we expect Down to get beaten
Again the losers mentality

[OgraAnDun]

Agree to disagree on this one
I personally think we were a much better team under McCorry
They players on the squad are good enough to compete in division 1 but for some reason are getting beat be mediocre teams like Fermanagh Clare Cork(missing 10 players)
Roscommon are no world beaters but hey no doubt we expect Down to get beaten
Again the losers mentality

You're backing up everyone else's point. We're not good enough to win division two, so why would we be good enough for division one?

[Smurfy123]

Because I think this group would flourish in division 1
Look at Kerry for example
12/13 young lads and flying
McKernan
Mooney
O Hagan x 2
O Hanlon
O Hare
McGovern
Harrison
Johnstone x 2

All brilliant players who should not be happy playing division 2 football
Are you telling me Monaghan or Kildare have better players?

[OgraAnDun]

How many AI medals (minor, U21 or senior) are there in the Kerry team? How many are in the Down team? Just the one I think, from minor.

Monaghan have consistently shown that they are better than us for a number of years now, whilst Kildare are on an upward trend and finished 1st in a league we struggled to avoid relegation in last year.

Why don't you just come out and state your real motive, that you don't rate Burns and want him gone.

[Smurfy123]

I don't want anyone out.
How many of that Dublin team have all Ireland minor titles?
Mayo?
Donegal
Tyrone
Winning minor titles means nothing