Down Club Hurling & Football

[CornUladh]

Did someone suggest the current minor management stays on next year, don't think so . It's time for a change , good players don't necessarily  make good coaches/ managers. We seem to lurch from crisis to crisis at juvenile level, why did we get rid of the mourne academy and the east down and south down set up at u 14 level.
Bottom line is we need to look at the county coaches, the connection with the schools and how we get back to competing at minor level.

Although the minor resukta have been disappointing, i think ite unfair to see BC written off as a coach over a handful of results at minor level. Have any of you on this board ever asked a player or their parents opinion of the set up this year? I don't think you have. I think the work particularly with Donal OH on attacking and their physical development will bear fruit at a later date. Less of the short termism please.
Another question, what grade are Down only schools competing at in schools competitions? Thats where some of this stems from.

[snoopdog]

Did someone suggest the current minor management stays on next year, don't think so . It's time for a change , good players don't necessarily  make good coaches/ managers. We seem to lurch from crisis to crisis at juvenile level, why did we get rid of the mourne academy and the east down and south down set up at u 14 level.
Bottom line is we need to look at the county coaches, the connection with the schools and how we get back to competing at minor level.

Although the minor resukta have been disappointing, i think ite unfair to see BC written off as a coach over a handful of results at minor level. Have any of you on this board ever asked a player or their parents opinion of the set up this year? I don't think you have. I think the work particularly with Donal OH on attacking and their physical development will bear fruit at a later date. Less of the short termism please.
Another question, what grade are Down only schools competing at in schools competitions? Thats where some of this stems from.

A score diff of minus 61 says it all really. 

[Wildweasel74]

Down need a Keeper, full bck and 2 midfielders preferably of a fair size. I thought Down were small compared to Armagh, plus they rushed their shots and from way too far out.

[Walter Cronc]

Down need a Keeper, full bck and 2 midfielders preferably of a fair size. I thought Down were small compared to Armagh, plus they rushed their shots and from way too far out.

Oh the keeper one the selection of Kane is a strange one. We targeted him big time in the Ulster final and got joy. The young Mayobridge keeper looked very impressive in the u20s run 2 years ago. Surely he's better than Kane?

[Mourne Red]

Would agree with the keeper talk.. Thought Kane was at fault for 2/3 of the goals not commanding enough, can't fault his distribution though made most of his kickouts/passes. I think that's why Laverty has him in because we've not been the best on kickouts the past 10 or so years

[thewobbler]

Not too disheartened by yesterday. Armagh were very good, very clinical and the early goals meant they could play a counter attacking game. With so many genuine ballers in their forward line allowed space to revel in, we were never going to claw back the deficit.

Kane won't want to see videos of a couple of those goals again and unfortunately it opens up a problem for him in that county teams will target him (as they do Galway and Derry) until he has a genuinely commanding performance and forces coaches into coming up with other tactics. Which can be done... for the likes of Niall Morgan and Ethan Rafferty, and even all time greats like Cluxton and David Clarke, have had to weather a perception about high ball vulnerability.

Our tackling (apart from the McPartlan goal) was really good (hence the lack of kickable frees) and on another day when the shot for the first goal had gone the intended distance, and the first tackle on McPartlan had wiped him out, they would have kept Armagh to a respectable score and gained quite a few plaudits.... the silly yellows aside. Pierce was excellent.

Midfield broke even or thereabouts, which is a good sign for Down against a  D1 standard team, especially so without our clear and obvious first choice midfielder.

Our attacking play was more frustrating to watch. I can fully understand why we are a running team first and foremost - I've been saying for the past 5 years that it's the suit that fits us best; it's the type of players we have. But without any fear of a raking pass into the corner or an aerial bombardment into the square, it meant Armagh's wall of 5 x centre half backs could in unison lock in on Guinness (and to some extent, Kerr and the Johnstons), leaving no room for a connecting pass, good or bad. Even a mistimed tackle from the big orange buggers, leading to a free, didn't matter much with the score difference.

So while there's calls above for goalkeepers, midfielders and fullbacks, I'm of the opinion that an out and out wrecking ball 14 would be more beneficial to the current Down set up. Murdock will be back in midfield soon. That might allow McEvoy to play as a full time 3. But we aren't going to keep the top teams honest if it's a running game first, running game second, running game third. The running game needs an element of deceit for it to properly prosper.

——

Anyone holding their head after a challenge should be given a mandatory one minute off the field to "recover". This shite had to stop.

[Wildweasel74]

Would any of those goals went in yesterday if Neil Collins was in net and Conor Deegan full back!, doubt it.

[thewobbler]

Would any of those goals went in yesterday if Neil Collins was in net and Conor Deegan full back!, doubt it.

You probably shouldn't look at the highlights of Down v Derry 1993 in Newry.

[Gaelforce123]

I think here is the problem. McEvoy being free'd up to play full back? He is not a county level full back or midfielder. He can win some battles at club level but if watching this year he gives alot of ball away and over carries and is not a man marker for a danger man either. His main rise to stardom comes from his long runs out of defence for kilcoo which he does well and gets scores from, but county is a different animal. He has talent no question but I believe still very raw. Murnin really hung him out to dry and then on the ball he was sloppy however he is young and I would still like him with Down but I think he could be better suited to a wing back role. I feel sorry for kane, poor performance, did make one great finger tip save to the crossbar, could have been 5. Now that teams have seen the damage of the high ball it will need fixed or that will be the play of choice for opposition. Lavery went well i thought, Patrick Branagan also but shot selection up front and balls dropping short just not good enough at that level... still very optimistic for the future under current Managment. McAleenan has done well this year so far and Ronney etc will all grow into this team as it improves

[Sandstorm]

Can't see Collins and Deagen being the answer. They must be in their mid fifties now.

[Wildweasel74]

Using a example of a previous good Down full back.

[Blackandblue2]

Dust has settled. Be a huge learning curve for the team. Some positives with Laverty and Mc Parland did great jobs on Turbit and O'Neil, Mc Evoy lost his battle with Murnin and forker caused problems as the free man, cant let someone with that ability kick balls into forwards unchallenged. Forwards looked nervous and shot choices were poor. The big day will be good experience for the team. Lets hope for a good run in the T cup, its exactly our level right now.

[Truth hurts]

This is bullshit. This Down team is in a much better place than it was 12 months ago and will only improve. Whether you want to believe it or not. A poor day at the office, but 4 goals did flatter them.
[/quote]


Let's be honest -
12 months ago we were in division 3
We are still in division 3

12 months ago we were beaten by ten points to end our Ulster championship
We were beaten by ten points today to end our Ulster championship
Improvement or cracks papered over with a few facile results??

The Tailtean cup has a lot of good teams in it - Cavan, Meath, Fermanagh and Antrim will all fancy their chances as will we. Our management need to learn from today - Turbit matchup was spot on but others were a mile off. We lack players in a lot of positions.. I ask - from the successful u20 team two years ago - how many are mainstays on our team? Danny Magill - with cameo runs for Gilmore, Brown and Johnston and Close/Morgan on panel.  At 22 years old - surely we should be getting more through. I haven't counted Murdock/Magill/McCarthy as they are u20 this year too. Will those three and Savage be the only ones coming from that group??
[/quote]

I think you are being very harsh on the new management. An intercounty management needs at least 2-3 years to see any sign of improvement. The culture has changed so whatever happens in the TC I believe we should look forward rather than back.

On the match itself, I felt we lacked physicality and a few of the great club players were found out on the county stage. I wouldn't knock any player but the gulf between club and county is huge. Some players can make the cut, some can't.

The amount of drunk people on show on Sunday from both set of supporters was ridiculous. I won't be in Clones on a day like that again. And can people stop with the stupid flares .

On the minor management, I have said it for years that we won't get success at this level without sorting out the schools and development structure. This has been going on for years and will continue if our underage structures are not improved.

[Truth hurts]

Additionally, certain players need to stop wearing white socks.  In clubs, it wouldn't be acceptable, and the county shouldn't allow it either. Eugene, please put on the proper shorts. It is now boring  to see odd footwear, odd socks, and old shorts. Please dress appropriately.

[Mourne Red]

That's been Armagh/Fermanagh fans for past 10 years Truth - Don't care about the match just want to go for a piss up. Most of them aged 18-23. Stewards Cba with them either tbf they are just volunteers not going to risk getting in a row when they're not paid for it.