Down Club Hurling & Football

[Smurfy123]

Awful stuff today. The goalkeepers kickouts are baffling. Flanagan and McAleenan not up to it as count defenders and midfield is a major problem. No vocal point in the forward line where was Poland playing? Very disappointed performance from so many established players. J Johnstone can not take a man on

[Smurfy123]

Agree why was Donnelly not put in for Flynn in the middle

[Lotto]

This juvenile kick out strategy has been the same since the start of the Mc Kenna Cup. Surely we have the players and the management to have other options on restarts. It's either ignorance or arrogance to continue with this and not have other options when it clearly doesn't work against physically bigger teams. Some of our performances today were just awful and we lacked leaders, apart from Darren O'Hagan, for long periods of the game. If you were picking a team from today for Armagh how many from today would start? We have alot of work to do but at the minute I really fear for the Armagh game.

[Mourne Rover]

Donnelly is not the finished product as a county midfielder but he has improved steadily in recent seasons and we are clearly going to need him in the championship. He has missed the entire league through injury but it was hard to understand why he was fit enough for the bench today but not used in the final quarter.

While Tally deserves full credit for putting together a run of five consecutive wins, realistically the only opposition we dominated was a limited Offaly. Three of the games were won in injury time, and today could have been a fourth, but you cannot go on hoping to snatch results at the death. Our squad lacks depth and there are probably at least half a dozen positions up for grabs against Armagh.

Another factor is our form in Newry, where we have lost more matches than we have won over the last four or five seasons. Promotion today would have given us  a big lift but instead our confidence going into the championship may be fragile.

[snoopdog]

How much are Down wasting on paying Tally. It's obviously clear we dont have the players or they don't want to play for us. Looking at the games Down have played they were lucky to be in top spot b4 today. Last gasp winners against the 2 relegated  teams. As well as Westmeath . We dont deserve to go up.

[Nanderson]

If I were to have a stab at the starting 15 for Armagh id go with this;

Reid (Burns has done ok in nets but dont fancy a club midfielder doing nets for the county)
O'Hagan
Wells
Collins
Laverty
Flanagan
Guinness

Donnelly
McKernan

Mooney
Maginn
R Johnston
O'Hare
Harrison
J Johnston

Probably completely left field to what Tally will pick tbh. Anyone know whats happened to the Loughinisland players on the panel, thought both McClements done well in McKenna cup yet no sign of them on the league panel

[Ambrose]

Agree why was Donnelly not put in for Flynn in the middle

He's not 100% fit yet.

Cleaned out in the middle of the park yet again, this time by a player from the Westerns, who play in the lowest division in county Louth, but we didn't even try to change the kick out strategy until mid way through the second half. I may just stick pins in my eyes instead of watching the Armagh game.

Two positives from today's games, we won't have to pay those inflated prices into Div2 games next year and Sean og is overseeing this shitshow on 50 grand a year.

[Lotto]

If I were to have a stab at the starting 15 for Armagh id go with this;

Reid (Burns has done ok in nets but dont fancy a club midfielder doing nets for the county)
O'Hagan
Wells
Collins
Laverty
Flanagan
Guinness

Donnelly
McKernan

Mooney
Maginn
R Johnston
O'Hare
Harrison
J Johnston

Probably completely left field to what Tally will pick tbh. Anyone know whats happened to the Loughinisland players on the panel, thought both McClements done well in McKenna cup yet no sign of them on the league panel

Nanderson, what would the basis for picking some of these individuals to play against Armagh, past/current performances or potential? O Hagan is the only one I would agree with in defence but you're putting a man who got 1.1 from WHB in the corner, when he is one of the best attacking players we have. All Mc Kernan can do is sweep, he's not a midfielder and doesn't like marking. Mooney and R Johnston could blow teams away on their own but are inconsistent, this current system doesn't suit Maginn and Harrison, O'Hare is still a top forward, J Johnston shouldn't even be starting for Kilcoo never mind Down.

[urbangael]

I'd genuine optimism with the appointment of Tally but my goodness that has long gone! His tactics are baffling. Playing with strong wind in first half he played 1 forward up and didn't push up on Louth kick out. Went a little more attacking for last 15 mins of the game and nearly snatched a draw which would have been harsh on Louth. I agree in that if you can't beat Louth at home you don't deserve to be in Div 2. Players can shoulder a little blame but management and tactics or lack of is the reason down will be in Div 3 next year. Massive changes needed or Armagh will definitely dump us out.

[Nanderson]

If I were to have a stab at the starting 15 for Armagh id go with this;

Reid (Burns has done ok in nets but dont fancy a club midfielder doing nets for the county)
O'Hagan
Wells
Collins
Laverty
Flanagan
Guinness

Donnelly
McKernan

Mooney
Maginn
R Johnston
O'Hare
Harrison
J Johnston

Probably completely left field to what Tally will pick tbh. Anyone know whats happened to the Loughinisland players on the panel, thought both McClements done well in McKenna cup yet no sign of them on the league panel

Nanderson, what would the basis for picking some of these individuals to play against Armagh, past/current performances or potential? O Hagan is the only one I would agree with in defence but you're putting a man who got 1.1 from WHB in the corner, when he is one of the best attacking players we have. All Mc Kernan can do is sweep, he's not a midfielder and doesn't like marking. Mooney and R Johnston could blow teams away on their own but are inconsistent, this current system doesn't suit Maginn and Harrison, O'Hare is still a top forward, J Johnston shouldn't even be starting for Kilcoo never mind Down.

O'Hagan will be in the corner picking up Clarke like he always has done when the 2 teams meet as hes our best man marker. McKernans achilles heel is that he is so well versatile that he doesn't have a 'natural' position. And with Down not having any real good midfielders he will naturally fill the gap like he always has done. J Johnston is a player who on his day can be unmarkable, unfortunalty those days are few and far between. But i feel hes a better option than O'Hagan who suffers this problem as well. Who knows maybe the 1st few games of the club season might unearth another top forward,

[Lotto]

I take your point about unearthing new forwards. It's some step up from club to county football and we should have looked at other options in the league. They have alot to do and this sideways football is not what we are used to. If it beats Armagh, I'll take it.

[charlieTully]

Pity mooney didn't bury that goal chance in first half. Louth hit a good few wides in first half too and defended very well getting bodies back and closing down space. I fear Armagh will destroy us. Div 3 is our level just  yet unfortunately

[BarryBreensBandage]

A lot of very well informed posts here, expressing exactly what I am thinking atm. Can't disagree on any made about today. Problem is, if we can see it, why can't management?

A few areas that were awful were the kickouts and when has any gaelic defender ever been told to mark a man starting behind him?
Also, on one Louth attack which ended in a score, I counted 18 passes and not a tackle or shoulder put in.
This is basic stuff that I shout at u16s for not doing.
Another very valid point made was home form.
A very depressing afternoon.

[CornUladh02]

Alot of credit for louths victory today would have to go to former Down assistant Cathal Murray. Louth tactically superior today and didn't give Down any frees on which they have been heavily reliant.

[Green+Gold]

Unbelievable that we continued to persist with the long kickout to the same area for over 50 mins when it was clear that we were getting cleaned at midfield.
Set up too defensively with the wind which made it easy for Louth in the first half and let them find their way into the game.
Apart from that it wouldn't matter who was in charge we just dont have the players to compete at a higher level and unfortunately Division 3 is our level at the minute.