Down Club Hurling & Football

DownFanatic · November 21, 2007, 04:11:51 PM

Went to the game last night. Queens won by about 6 or 7. Both teams fielded experimental lineups. The game was played in torrential rain and it made the match a bit of a lottery. Nevertheless Id say Ross has learned a good bit about his new recruits.

Here is the Down starting 15:

1. D.Alder (Carryduff)
2. M.Rooney (Carrickcruppen)
3. P.Turley (Downpatrick)
4. D.Turley (Downpatrick)
5. D.O'Hanlon (Ballymartin)
6. C.Murney (Rostrevor)
7. J.Hurley (Dundrum)
8. J.Lynch (Drumgath)
9. D.Rooney (Burren)
10. K.McKernan (Burren)
11. C.Gribben (Bryansford)
12. J.Fegan (Clonduff)
13. R.Stranney (Loughinisland)
14. C.Magee (Mayobridge)
15. P.Downey (Drumgath)

Dan Gordon (Loughinisland), Ronan Sexton (Mayobridge) and John McAreavey (Tullylish) came on at halftime while a further two subs came on midway through. I didnt recognise them.

Cloc Mor · November 21, 2007, 06:08:33 PM

Quote from: DownFanatic on November 21, 2007, 04:11:51 PM
Went to the game last night. Queens won by about 6 or 7. Both teams fielded experimental lineups. The game was played in torrential rain and it made the match a bit of a lottery. Nevertheless Id say Ross has learned a good bit about his new recruits.

Here is the Down starting 15:

1. D.Alder (Carryduff)
2. M.Rooney (Carrickcruppen)
3. P.Turley (Downpatrick)
4. D.Turley (Downpatrick)
5. D.O'Hanlon (Ballymartin)
6. C.Murney (Rostrevor)
7. J.Hurley (Dundrum)
8. J.Lynch (Drumgath)
9. D.Rooney (Burren)
10. K.McKernan (Burren)
11. C.Gribben (Bryansford)
12. J.Fegan (Clonduff)
13. R.Stranney (Loughinisland)
14. C.Magee (Mayobridge)
15. P.Downey (Drumgath)

Dan Gordon (Loughinisland), Ronan Sexton (Mayobridge) and John McAreavey (Tullylish) came on at halftime while a further two subs came on midway through. I didnt recognise them.

Not the sort of team that would strike fear into an opposing team. How many of these lads will even figure in the panel after Christmas never mind make the team for the first round of the championship? While I have no problem with the management trying different options at this time of the year, I hope they don't continue this into the National League like they did last year. If they do - its the Tommy Murphy Cup for us!!!

spiritof91and94 · November 23, 2007, 10:29:24 AM

ULSTER MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE

15th March

DOWN V DUBLIN (Newcastle)

22nd March

DOWN V MONAGHAN (Newry)

29th March

DOWN V MEATH (Newcastle)

5th April

CAVAN V DOWN (Newry)

12th April

ARMAGH V DOWN (Crossmaglen)

How is this still an Ulster League?

DownFanatic · November 23, 2007, 11:57:39 AM

St Mary's beat Down 3-11 to 2-10 last night in Burren. This was the Down starting 15.

1. B.Connell (Drumgath)
2. C.McGovern (Burren)
3. D.McMeel (Warrenpoint)
4. D.McCartan (Burren)
5. J.McCarthy (Darragh Cross born and bred, Loughinisland signing)
6. P.Turley (Downpatrick)
7. E.McGuinness (Shamrocks)
8. D.Gordon (Loughinisland)
9. J.Lynch (Drumgath)
10. J.Fegan (Clonduff)
11. C.Gribben (Bryansford)
12. R.Sexton (Mayobridge)
13. R.Stranney (Loughinisland)
14. C.Magee (Mayobridge)
15. B.Sweeney (St M******s)

Sub: G.McArdle (Annaclone)

The Corporal · November 23, 2007, 01:26:55 PM

Who played well for Down in the match against St Mary's??

the milkman · November 23, 2007, 06:00:30 PM

Who were the best Down palyers against St.mary's, How did B Sweeney get on?

Any1 know of any other games coming up?

DownFanatic · November 23, 2007, 07:40:02 PM

Ive been to the past two Down games (Queens and St Mary's) and I would have to say that the player that has impressed me the most has been Jackie Lynch. Him and Dan Gordon seem to be gaining an understanding around the middle.
Bryansford's Conor Gribben has also showed up well and with a bit more physical training should be good enough for the panel. Clonduff's John Fegan has been lively and should go close. He seems a very intelligent player.
The best of the backs ive seen is Ciaran McGovern of Burren. He's an extremely tight marker and a good ball player.
One thing that I have noticed about the new defensive recruits is that while theyre all very comfortable on the ball they lack the speed and marking qualities of the Ryan McMenamin's and Michael McGoldrick's of this world.
On the goalkeeper front we are very thin on the ground with Brendan McVeigh no longer on the team. Alder has impressed me more than Connell and Id be plumping for him as Number 1 choice.
Milkman, Brian Sweeney is not county standard. He is an above average Junior club player.
I think Ross and DJ have to be commended for this trial system. There is no doubt that they will bring 4 or 5 of these boys in come National League time.

Cloc Mor · November 23, 2007, 08:11:08 PM

Quote from: DownFanatic on November 23, 2007, 11:57:39 AM
St Mary's beat Down 3-11 to 2-10 last night in Burren. This was the Down starting 15.

1. B.Connell (Drumgath)
2. C.McGovern (Burren)
3. D.McMeel (Warrenpoint)
4. D.McCartan (Burren)
5. J.McCarthy (Darragh Cross born and bred, Loughinisland signing)
6. P.Turley (Downpatrick)
7. E.McGuinness (Shamrocks)
8. D.Gordon (Loughinisland)
9. J.Lynch (Drumgath)
10. J.Fegan (Clonduff)
11. C.Gribben (Bryansford)
12. R.Sexton (Mayobridge)
13. R.Stranney (Loughinisland)
14. C.Magee (Mayobridge)
15. B.Sweeney (St M******s)

Sub: G.McArdle (Annaclone)

Like a similar post I made earlier in the week, how many of these guys will be about in the Summer? I agree with the idea that its good to experiment now but this is where it should end. The Mc Kenna Cup isn't far away with the National League shortly after that. We need to be getting our best team on the field at every opportunity from now on. We have to build for Tyrone and it starts now.

Mourne Rover · November 27, 2007, 12:13:27 AM

If the odds listed by 5ive times are correct, our price is very poor value. Sligo hammered us in the first round of the qualifiers last year, and Fermanagh have been a much more consistant side than we have for the last four or five seasons. They each have new managers coming in, and they will probably expect to beat us. Fortunately, we have both of them at home. Our league campaign will probably stand or fall on the first round, which is when Sligo come to Newry.

The Ulster club championships, which finished at the weekend, presented a realistic picture of the standards in Down, with our senior, intermediate and junior representatives going out at the first hurdle. This has been a fairly regular pattern, and it is 20 years since our last senior club title at provincial level. By next summer, it will be 14 years since Down won an Ulster senior title as well.

The easy option is to blame the county board, but each individual club needs to take some responsibility. We are not producing sufficient players of inter-county standard, particularly in our defence, and that will have to change sooner or later. The Sligo game is as good a place to start as any.

downredblack · November 27, 2007, 09:10:17 AM

That's after cheering me right up , thks Rover .

amallon · November 27, 2007, 09:11:19 AM

5iveTimes: Are they your odds or did you get them from a bookie?

Lecale2 · November 27, 2007, 09:16:56 AM

Quote from: amallon on November 27, 2007, 09:11:19 AM
5iveTimes: Are they your odds or did you get them from a bookie?

They are McGranaghan's odds.

lfdown2 · November 27, 2007, 10:04:40 AM

jaysus sligo look good at 5-1, reigning connaght champions and even fermanagh, whay are down and louth ahead of these?do they know something we all dont?

amallon · November 27, 2007, 10:34:55 AM

National Football League Division Three
100/30 Down ?
100/30 Louth AWAY
5/1 Sligo HOME
11/2 Wexford AWAY
13/2 Fermanagh HOME
7/1 Longford HOME
7/1 Limerick HOME
12/1 Leitrim AWAY

I think this will be a tight enough division and I can't see any team going through it unbeaten. Wexford seem to be a bit unrepdictable, you don't know what you will get from them. Sligo will be tough to talk to as will Louth. Fermanagh have gone back and I'd expect Down to beat them, I'm surprised Longford are as low as 7-1, did they not show a bit of promise last years in the championship? Limerick have lost a few players to their hurlers and won't be as stong as they were a few years back, Down should beat them. You'd have to expect to beat Leitrim as well even in Carrickonshanon.

spiritof91and94 · November 27, 2007, 02:40:45 PM

Quote from: amallon on November 27, 2007, 10:34:55 AM
National Football League Division Three
100/30 Down ?
100/30 Louth AWAY
5/1 Sligo HOME
11/2 Wexford AWAY
13/2 Fermanagh HOME
7/1 Longford HOME
7/1 Limerick HOME
12/1 Leitrim AWAY

I think this will be a tight enough division and I can't see any team going through it unbeaten. Wexford seem to be a bit unrepdictable, you don't know what you will get from them. Sligo will be tough to talk to as will Louth. Fermanagh have gone back and I'd expect Down to beat them, I'm surprised Longford are as low as 7-1, did they not show a bit of promise last years in the championship? Limerick have lost a few players to their hurlers and won't be as stong as they were a few years back, Down should beat them. You'd have to expect to beat Leitrim as well even in Carrickonshanon.

Cant agree with you on this am
Did fermanagh not push Tyrone all the way in Ulster this year? And a new manager in Malachy O'Rourke they are bound to be on par with Down, Longford showed as much promise as Down in 2007 and Leitrim will be no push over theyhad a satisfactory championship on their terms and may well surprise alot of teams. Sligo and Down always a nailed draw in the league! Who will mark Mattie forde in Wexford?