Down Club Hurling & Football

amallon · November 27, 2007, 03:40:54 PM

Going from memory I thought Fermanagh had a poor run in the qualifiers, not that Down were anything special either. Maybe Fermanagh are one of the them teams that I just expect Down to beat. As I said with Wexford they can go from brilliant to looking like the couldn't give a feck. Down in Wexford, the model will probably be favourites.

Is there any county in this division which will go through their fixture list unbeaten. I just can't see anyone doing it. IMHO Limerick and Leitrim will be set adrift from the rest of the teams in this group and there will be only a couple of points between 1st and 6th. Come the last day promotion will be still up for grabs for 5 or maybe even 6 teams. There is no stand out teams in this division just a lot of evenly matches teams.

spiritof91and94 · November 27, 2007, 04:28:42 PM

Quote from: amallon on November 27, 2007, 03:40:54 PM
Going from memory I thought Fermanagh had a poor run in the qualifiers, not that Down were anything special either. Maybe Fermanagh are one of the them teams that I just expect Down to beat. As I said with Wexford they can go from brilliant to looking like the couldn't give a feck. Down in Wexford, the model will probably be favourites.

Is there any county in this division which will go through their fixture list unbeaten. I just can't see anyone doing it. IMHO Limerick and Leitrim will be set adrift from the rest of the teams in this group and there will be only a couple of points between 1st and 6th. Come the last day promotion will be still up for grabs for 5 or maybe even 6 teams. There is no stand out teams in this division just a lot of evenly matches teams.

Will Benny and all the bridge contingment be back?

amallon · November 27, 2007, 04:37:47 PM

Benny has to go for an operation on his ankle. He may have it done already I'm not sure. Michael Walsh is studying in England so he isn't part of the panel, I'd expect him back at some stage later in the year. Ronan Sexton and Cathal Magee are training and playing away with them, Brendan Rooney has a back injury and I don't know how long that will keep him out. I don't even know if Noel Sexton is part of the panel this year or not. There hasn't been much football talk around the Bridge for a few weeks now, we had football overload for a while there.

Bacon · November 27, 2007, 07:36:27 PM

It's convention time again. Any interesting motions going forward? Will anyone oppose Kevin Bell for Chairman? The hurling convention to tomorrow night in Castlewellan.

TORGAEL · November 28, 2007, 05:58:41 PM

Anyone know the results from the Down u-14 & u-16 vocational schools finals today?

dundrumite · November 28, 2007, 07:13:39 PM

st columbans won the under 14 by a point and de la salle won the u 16 by 2 points

5 Sams · November 28, 2007, 07:49:30 PM

Right lads....An article in the Sunday Tribune sports magazine at the weekend on the top 50 Kerry players of all time and the "Princes of Pigskin" book got me thinking......who would be Down's top 25 of all time??

Here's my stab at it...there is nothing pre 1960 obviously and the 60s players would be based solely on what I heard from my Da and various other guys who were around then. BTW I have only included guys who have played Senior football so I had to omit Marty Clarke. I know I have made glaring omissions and maybe some of the older contributors on here will put me right about the 60s and 70s guys but here goes.

1. Sean O'Neill
2. Colm McAlarney
3. Greg Blaney
4. Paddy Doherty
5. Mickey Linden
6 Wee James
7. Ross Carr
8. Benny Coulter
9. Oul James
10. Tom O'Hare
11. Joe Lennon
12 Ambrose Rogers RIP
13. Barry Breen
14. Cathal Digney
15. Paddy Kennedy
16. Mark Turley
17. Conor Deegan
18. Dan McCartan
19. Brendan Mason
20. Shorty Trainor
21. D J Kane
22. Neil Collins
23. Gary Mason
24. Paul Higgins
25. Paddy O'Rourke

thewobbler · November 28, 2007, 10:14:08 PM

It's a grand list 5 Sams.

Only points I'll make are that Mickey McVeigh was a better keeper than Collins, and that Tommy McGovern and Brendan McGovern were both better footballers than their clubmate at no.25. But as they didn't save a penalty in a final, nor captain Down to an All-Ireland, I wouldn't even suggest a change.

The Corporal · November 28, 2007, 11:02:05 PM

Not so sure about Shorty Trainor on that list. He was prob one of the best club players around but did he actually re-produce that form he showed for Burren when he was playing for Down?

5 Sams · November 28, 2007, 11:30:27 PM

Fair enough points lads.

In reply...Wobbs I take your point about Mickey McVeigh but I dont remember Collins making boobs like Mickey did V Donegal. And as you say Collins has the Celtic crosses in the arse pocket.

I thought about including Brendy to the exclusion of POR but the 91 hoof into the Hogan swung it for him.

5ive Times....sorry... but Blaney swopping with McAlarney is simply not negotiable....if my da and everyone else in Down werent so certain about Sean O'Neill at the top of the list then Arkle would be there. McAlarney is the best I've ever seen...full stop.

As for Peter Rooney....I dont know enough about him....I saw him play in the twilight of his career 10 years after he won the AIF in 68 so I cant include him ....also he hasnt been mentioned in the same breath as O'Neill, Paddy Mo et al.

I take your point about Shorty Corporal....maybe I should swop him for Gregory?

Keep her lit lads....what about guys I have omitted such as Benjy Toner, Willie Walsh, Rusty McAulfield, Shane Mulholland, Tony McArdle, John Kelly, Aidan Brown, Vincey McGovern, Slim Donnan, Ned King, the list goes on.....

EDIT: I have just realised that I havent included Liam Austin in any of the lists above but I honestly dont think that he was in the same league as any of the guys above...All Star or no All Star...what do yiz think?

Mourne Rover · November 29, 2007, 12:23:51 AM

5 Sams has produced a reasonable list, but I would have a few quibbles. Benny is potentially a great Down great, but he has never played a single senior championship game at Croke Park. Until he does, he should not be in the top 20 never mind the top ten. DJ only ever got to play four senior championship games at HQ but he won them all and lifted Sam along the way. That has to put him in the top ten.

I would rate Tommy McGovern as the best Down player who never won a county all-Ireland, and he has to be be in there somewhere. So do Gregory and (just about) big Austin.

The top six from 5 Sams are probably correct, although we might argue about the proper order. Ross was also a very fine player, but not too many Down fans would put his ahead of James senior.

If we run an updated list at this time next year, would there be any new entries ? I doubt it, but we live in hope.

5 Sams · November 29, 2007, 12:43:22 AM

Happy days lads..thats why I put the list up...to get a bit of discussion going.

100% Mourne Rover...As I said I knew there was a glaring omission...and Tommy McGovern is the one...he should be in there around no 13 or 14...keep her lit and we'll get the top 30!!

amallon · November 29, 2007, 09:09:51 AM

Mourne Rover - Benny might never get the chance to play for Down in Croker but that won't be his fault. He'll just be unlucky that he didn't have a strong Down team around him. It would be harsh to omit him from the list on that basis. Imagine if he'd been playing full forward in the 94 team, we'd have beaten a lot of teams out the gate and would have won more AI's.

I'd be keeping Shorty on the list and trying to find a place for Gregory. I've heard Peter Rooney was a class act. I remember one sports day in St. Marks we were kicking about on the pitch when Peter Rooney came down and said give us the ball. He said "crossbar" before hitting the cross bar from 30 yards, then did it again. Not bad for a man in his 50's at the time!

Brick Tamlin · November 29, 2007, 10:09:44 AM

wasnt Arkle, Rooney, Purdy and a few others in their late teens in '68 if memory serves me right when they had won the All Ireland with Down not to mention a Hogan Cup for St Colman's (Purdy & Rooney).
quite a feat for a collective group of teenagers to be able to blossom at such a young age. Although these guys were young men at that stage, its such a pity we dont see the same fruition of young talent in the county today.

Coulter's talent/ability is undoubtable but is it not shown moreso because of the mediocraty of the teammates he has around him.

western exile · November 29, 2007, 11:59:51 AM

I have only just found this gaa board discussion place. I am pleased to find a place with knowledgeable comments. I have now bookmarked it for future use!

To add something to the current discussion of Down's greatest, how about John O'Hare? Who? some people will ask, but that is only because he was pre 1960. Played for Castlewellan, Down and Ulster.

I am not old enough to remember him playing, but then again I am not old enough to remember the teams of the 60's either. My grandfather used to rave about him, and my father still does. As far as I know, he still holds the record for the number of Railway cup winners medals for a Down player. Perhaps someone else can verify?

here are a couple of links:
http://hoganstand.com/Down/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=8643
http://www.irishnews.com/gaaworld/ulster/Down/Castlewellan/johnohare.html

perhaps it might answer the goalkeeper question