Down Club Hurling & Football

[No1]

Great result and well done Jack Lynch! 

For a Down team to score 5-14 without Benny Coulter is nearly unbelieveable.

Very encouraging stuff.

[bcarrier]

For a Down team to score 5-14 without Benny Coulter is nearly unbelieveable.

Its not. Our best NFL results in recent times have occurred when Benny was injured.

I'm not blaming Benny for this but the rest of team seem to take more responsibility when he is not there .
Our tactics usually degenerate to point where all we do is hoof the high ball forward to him.

Good to see Doyler at CHB.

[kb]

great performance last nt, mcareavey was very encouraging up front. adds alot of power to forward line, and we have now got someone who cud fill the role of left footed free taker. i hear he is from tullylish. they cud be worth watchin in div2 this year.

[passedit]

Hi Blaney, if ye're gonna bum up your players ye'd better get a craftier username than that. 

BTW I'd broadly agree with both points, my only worry about Mc Areavey is whether he has the pace or the divilment (either will do in a forward of his size) to fully make it and, if he does, how Tullylish will cope in the starred games.

[behind the wire]

Hi Blaney, if ye're gonna bum up your players ye'd better get a craftier username than that. 

[Square Ball]

how did he post and have a post count of 0?

Hasnt Kevin parted company with Tullylish?

[Fíor Gael]

Good to see Liam Doyle back into CHB, a strong platform for buildings attacks, always available to take a pass and always seems to have plenty of time on the ball. Gary McArdle also looks to have plenty of cut about him, and got stronger as the game went on last night.

[thewobbler]

No doubt this will change a lot before May, but a team for the Championship with back-up when required:

1. M McAllister (D Alder)

2. L Howard (C McGovern)
3. G McArdle
4. M Cole

5. P Murphy
6. L Doyle
13. D Rafferty
7. M Doran (D Rooney)

8. J Colgan
9. D Gordan

10. J Clarke (R Sexton)
11. A Rogers
12. R Murtagh

14. B Coulter
15. P McComiskey (D Hughes)

M Walsh, B Grant and G Barry all in contention if they return to the fold. S Kearney too.

We need an extra man back, partly to shore up the defence, partly to allow Liam Doyle and Mark Doran attacking creativity from half-back. Damien Rafferty is perfect for the role.

[miss mess]

mark doran isnt on the panel sure

[Brick Tamlin]

"the boys in red n black are back, bellies full of fire........."(ye know the rest).

Here's what i think would be a decent enough lineup for national league start, maybe championship.

1. B Mc Veigh

2. D Rafferty
3. G McArdle
4. M Cole

5. D Rooney
6. L Doyle
7. K Mc Guigan

8. P Murphy
9. D Gordon

10. D Hughes
11. A Rogers
12. R Murtagh

13. R Sexton
14. J Clarke
15. B Coulter

Subs

16. D Alder
17. C Mc Govern
18. J Lynch
19. A Carr
20. J Boyle
21. P Mc Cumiskey
22. J Colgan
23. J Mc Govern
24. P Downie
25. D Mc Cartan
26. B Connell
27. K Mc Kernan
28.
29.
30.

[kb]

Hi Blaney, if ye're gonna bum up your players ye'd better get a craftier username than that. 

BTW I'd broadly agree with both points, my only worry about Mc Areavey is whether he has the pace or the divilment (either will do in a forward of his size) to fully make it and, if he does, how Tullylish will cope in the starred games.

think tullylish will be alrite without mcareavey, johnston at full back was best player in div 3 by country mile last year and mcgovern up front always proved a handful against us.

[downredblack]

Delighted for all concerned , great win and a certain moral booster . From all reports it sounds like it was a great night to be in Newry , lets hope we have more of them ahead . Keep it going lads .

[DownFanatic]

Was in attendance last night. Some really encouraging stuff. It was a fine win and we played some very attractive stuff to boot.
I thought Connell done well in goals. However, for some reason he just doesnt inspire 100% confidence. Ive been raving about McGovern for awhile now and yet again I thought he was superb. McArdle was solid again at Number 3 and is a good marker that always seems to be up to the pace.
It was great to see Doyle back. In a few more months he should be back to his best if he stays injury free. I thought he held the position well and when he was on the ball he looked very comfortable. Murney had a good hour. He should be a big player for the U-21s this term.
Our midfield need to step it up a level in terms of ball winning capacity. Gordon seems to be motoring along nicely but there is definitely room for him to step it up another few levels. Lynch probably had his best game in a Down shirt last night. Scoring 1-03 from midfield is no mean feat. However, he needs to up the stakes in terms of fielding.
I thought the forwards gelled nicely. Im a big fan of Danny Hughes and when he is on the ball he looks very dangerous. Sexton done well when he dropped back to play around the middle. McKernan seemed more accustomed to a central role and I thought he done well in the 1st half. Again, you can see him and Magee being big players for the U-21s.
Maybe Im being a bit harsh here but I think McAreavey's performance was a flash in the pan. He's very poor with his right foot, he holds up play too much and too many of his efforts drop in to keepers hands. Nevertheless he posted a healthy scoring return but I just cant see him coping with the higher grade week in week out.
Good to get a win. Great crowd. Great match.

PS. KB - We never actually made it to the Buckshead that night of the Playoff game against your boys. They were fully booked. 

[western exile]

How about this for an ungrateful guest ? 

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mheyeyidcwql/

[DownFanatic]

Club Managers 2008 (Fill the Blanks)

Division 1

Kilcoo - Jim McCorry
Mayobridge - Mickey Donnelly
An Riocht - Pete McGrath
Loughinisland - Gerard Colgan
Burren - Damien Barton
Rostrevor - Gerry Quinn
Saval - Declan Morgan
Ballyholland - Hugh McGettigan
Castlewellan - Gerry Dougherty
Clonduff - Benny Corrigan
Longstone - Frank Dawson
Liatroim - Adrian McAulfield

Division 2

Bryansford - Eamon Burns
Atticall -
Downpatrick -
Ballymartin -
Darragh Cross -
Banbridge -
Tullylish - Kevin Blaney
Kilclief - Justin Sharvin
Shamrocks -
Warrenpoint -
Dundrum - John McShane
Annaclone - Stephen McVeigh

Division 3

Teconnaught - Bundy Mason
Bredagh - Jody Gormley
Carryduff - PJ O'Hare
Drumaness -
St Michaels -
Drumgath -
Ardglass -
Bosco -
Glenn -
Mitchels - Gerry Cooney
St Pauls -
Saul -
Glasdrumman - Hugh Trainor

Division 4

Bright - Noel Burke
Aughlisnafin - Paddy Hardy
Ballykinlar - Hankie Curran
Dromara - Duck Bell
Aghaderg -
St Johns - Gerard McAnulty