Down Club Hurling & Football

[passedit]

Did an Edwin Poots on it on saturday night landing in with the score 1-4 to 0-4 so i can't comment much on the defensive effort. I'm presuming that  Doyle struggled a little with O Hara at the start but what I saw of him he was excellent, very composed with plenty of time on the ball (always the sign of a class player). I like the Lynch Gordan partnership, I believe you need a cutting edge and a bludgeon in the engine room and Jackie certainly can do Bludgeon while his all round game also appears to be improving. Fegan was the real bonus of the night for me though, his work rate and fitness are excellent while his shooting ability is a great asset whether from pay or placed balls. Most of all he looks an intelligent footballer who like Doyle appears to have time on the ball. One incident near the end when he carried the ball out from his own 21 while the loons were baying at him to kick the air out of it marked him out to me as lad who has what it takes.

As a team I also liked the way they didn't panic in the face of the six point deficit but chipped away and kept their cool (DJ excepted of course    ) . Very encouraging

[Leo]

Weird when you walk away from a game and so many people have differing opinions on who played well and who didnt - you even hear comments during a game and you think, what is that fella (or worse still, woman!) talking about! then you think, am i giving this player a hard time?? maybe he is playing well.....anyway, here goes my evaluation...

Of the team that started against Sligo:

McVeigh - my number 1, but a dodgy kickout caused a goal, and one ropey moment under a high ball
McGovern - lack of height exposed but his commitment should earn panel place - agree with leo, plus he is too slow
McArdle - worth persevering with him - very cool & learnin fast - agree with leo, doing very very well
Cole - worried that monk thinks he should be going forward so much; he appeared at right corner forward in injury time!
O'Hanlon - out of his depth, agree with leo
Doyle - up where he belongs - gold dust, agree with leo; altho worried 1v1, o'hara set him on his hole in the first half on the wing
McGuigan - shows well on the ball but defensively weak & willl have to settle for a panel place - agreed
Lynch - working really hard - lacks finesse but is an option we need to persevere with - fair play to him but wont make the champship 15
Gordon - great second half - need more consistency - has the ability to be a superstar
Fegan - plenty of energy - doing so so well, and accuracy from free kicks definitely helps his case
McKernan - not sure where he is best placed; can score but not a good tackler at all
Hughes - in the form of his life; o/s ball carrier with ability to score
Clarke - the forward line needs his physicality & scoring ability - agree with leo
Magee - for the future - reserves this year - agreed with leo
Sexton - indespensable; a definite starter somewhere in the forward line

Large measure of agreement, goldenyears.
Yes O'hara did drag Doyle out early on and my immediate comment was that he should be instructed stay central and let someone else pick up the wandering chf. This appears to be what happened in the second half when Doyle was utterly commanding.
Should also have mentioned Murney earlier as a good prospect but cannot agree with other poster about McCartan for raesons already stated. See him as a liability.

[Out in Front]

Just a reminder 

Gaelic Life GAA Q & A NIGHT
In association with the Newry Reporter
In aid of the 
SOUTHERN AREA HOSPICE SERVICES

In the CANAL COURT HOTEL, NEWRY
On WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2008
@ 7.45pm - TICKETS £10

MC for the evening, the BBC's MARK SIDEBOTTOM

Taking your questions will be
JARLATH BURNS, JOE KERNAN, JOE BROLLY & ROSS CARR



Tickets will be available at the door on the night.

[goldenyears]

is there an ulster league thread lads? i cant find it in local or national sections

[Maximus Marillius]

there is, its on the gaa ssection...I will post on it for you and get to the top.

[goldenyears]

much appreciated max

[stpauls]

ok men, the manager asked me to put out the word to see if we can get some challenge matches organised over the next few weeks before our season starts on the 9th March, so we are a Division 3 team, junior grade, and if you are willing to give us a game, sent me a pm. we would be willing to travel, but not too far! though you could always come up to holywood, take the wifes/partners etc and send them to Ikea while you are playing the game, and it keeps everyone happy! 
cheers guys!

[off the laces]

ok men, the manager asked me to put out the word to see if we can get some challenge matches organised over the next few weeks before our season starts on the 9th March, so we are a Division 3 team, junior grade, and if you are willing to give us a game, sent me a pm. we would be willing to travel, but not too far! though you could always come up to holywood, take the wifes/partners etc and send them to Ikea while you are playing the game, and it keeps everyone happy! 
cheers guys!

What about your neighbours Garnerville Gaels 

[passedit]

ok men, the manager asked me to put out the word to see if we can get some challenge matches organised over the next few weeks before our season starts on the 9th March, so we are a Division 3 team, junior grade, and if you are willing to give us a game, sent me a pm. we would be willing to travel, but not too far! though you could always come up to holywood, take the wifes/partners etc and send them to Ikea while you are playing the game, and it keeps everyone happy! 
cheers guys!

What about your neighbours Garnerville Gaels 

Have got a number for them Off the Laces? Ask your handler, he should have one.

[off the laces]

ok men, the manager asked me to put out the word to see if we can get some challenge matches organised over the next few weeks before our season starts on the 9th March, so we are a Division 3 team, junior grade, and if you are willing to give us a game, sent me a pm. we would be willing to travel, but not too far! though you could always come up to holywood, take the wifes/partners etc and send them to Ikea while you are playing the game, and it keeps everyone happy! 
cheers guys!

What about your neighbours Garnerville Gaels 

Have got a number for them Off the Laces? Ask your handler, he should have one.

He is busy this week extra shifts for checkpoints/ old money situation after christmas 

[amallon]

Watched the 1968 Final v Kerry last night (cheers Lecale) and enjoyed every minute of it.  I was great to watch a game where both teams just wanted to get on with the game, only once during the entire game did someone need medical attention.  No time wasting even when Down were well ahead the kick outs and frees were been taken as quick as they were awarded, today's teams would be tying to slow the game down.  Strange to see full backs for both teams took the kick outs.

Some great Down performances.  Especially from Big Dan at full back, Tom O'Hare when moved to CHB about 15-20mins in and attacking half back Ray McConville.  Colm McAlarney was the stand out player for me, great fielding and looks to have the skills of a modern day footballer.  His Mid field partner Milligan who I admit I've never heard of before last night was very good as well.  Our 6 forwards were awesome to a man.  The half forward line of Mickey Cole, Doherty and John Murphy was fantastic, but Doherty stood out.  A real flying machine and always tried to look to bring other players into it.  He played some fantastic balls over the top for other players to run onto.  Ronan Sexton would have been proud of them.

Peter Rooney was shy of his 19th birthday and had an explosive start but was quieter after that.  Sean O'Neill brilliant as well.  He covered some ground especially in the second half when he was hovering up ball in our half back line when the pressure was on.   Purdy was everywhere too.

For Kerry Micko looked a good player at corner forward, he was raging he missed a fairly handy free.  He was a cute hoor back then making sure the ref knew exactly where frees should be taken.  Micko Connell didn't get too many chances to outfield in mid field.  He had a very strange kicking style for a man on the team of the millennium.  He wrapped his hand round the ball and seemed to fire the ball at his foot.

Micheál O'Hir was a decent commentator, but not as good as the other Micheál.  He got the facts of the game across without giving you much extra.

1960 tonight (off the juice for lent)

[spiritof91and94]

Drop the tape down to big tom - gormans might even show it....

[bridgegael]

anyone hear if the u21 match is moved from newry to burren tonight??

[amallon]

I've heard its at 5:30 now, still unsure of the venue.

[amallon]

DownredandBlack - Did that crowd you emailed about old copies of Down games ever come back to you?  Really after the 68 NFL final v Kildare, 83 NFL Final v Armagh and the 68 AI Semi v Galway.  I'm nearly there with my collection thanks to Lecale.  I contacted the RTE Archive through their website to see what they can do.  I'll hear from them within 7 days and will let you know the craic.