Down Club Hurling & Football

[downredblack]

The rumours about Colgan are increasing, and it would be great if Murphy is in as well. Rafferty would surely be a better bet than Howard, and it is hard to see Rogers being left on the bench. It could all mean something like this.

McVeigh; Rafferty (or Howard), Murney,Cole; Carr,Murphy, Doyle; Gordon, Colgan: Murtagh, Rogers,Hughes; Clarke,Coulter,Sexton.
Sexton would probably drop deep, Rogers would be in and around midfield and the remaining four forwards would switch as needed.
McComiskey would appear fairly soon after the break, with McKernan the next option. I think we could do worse than give this a go.

I'd be happy enough with Mourne Rovers team , Keeping McComiskey as an impact sub is the way to go I think . Remember the lift Tyrone got when wee Peter ran down the steps of the stand the last day we were in Omagh . No need to show our full hand from the start , anyway J Clarke and Benny will give the Tyrone defence plenty . Depending on good ball in of course .

[5 Sams]

The rumours about Colgan are increasing, and it would be great if Murphy is in as well. Rafferty would surely be a better bet than Howard, and it is hard to see Rogers being left on the bench. It could all mean something like this.

McVeigh; Rafferty (or Howard), Murney,Cole; Carr,Murphy, Doyle; Gordon, Colgan: Murtagh, Rogers,Hughes; Clarke,Coulter,Sexton.

Sexton would probably drop deep, Rogers would be in and around midfield and the remaining four forwards would switch as needed.
McComiskey would appear fairly soon after the break, with McKernan the next option. I think we could do worse than give this a go.

Dunno about Murph at CHB lads. One of his strengths is going forward with the ball....however if we put him there he'll be too busy trying to watch McGuigan

[off the laces]

Anyone thought about putting murney on mcguigan to man mark, drop doyle into full back likely on mcginley same size etc, with murphy,rafferty,murtagh enough ball carriers and deliverers in that line to get ball to the forwards and track back when needed.

[Our Nail Loney]

People suggesting that McComiskey should start on the bench totally baffles me. Now this isnt a blinkered view from a clubmate but an honest opinion. In my view he is currently our second biggest scoring threat behind Benny. All this shite about bringing him on after the break is ridiculous. We could be at trailing by 7 to 9 points at this stage. That would put unecessary pressure on any forward coming off the bench.
If we are to keep up with Tyrone we need a good start and try to match them for every other score. McComiskey thrives in these games and should be put in from the start. Just remember the Meath game last year. Carr left it too late and brought him on and he had little effect.

I wuold like to see McComiskey start myself, have said it all year, the lad had always impressed me for down, the u21s and queens alike. Not seen him for club. But it looks like the management are going to keep using him as an impact sub and you can understand why as well, someone coming on with his pace and skill against a tiring back could do well as it did last year but as you say they would still need to be within touching distance and this is down to the other forwards starting.... McKernan looks good off the ebnch as well...

[stiff breeze]

The rumours about Colgan are increasing, and it would be great if Murphy is in as well. Rafferty would surely be a better bet than Howard, and it is hard to see Rogers being left on the bench. It could all mean something like this.

McVeigh; Rafferty (or Howard), Murney,Cole; Carr,Murphy, Doyle; Gordon, Colgan: Murtagh, Rogers,Hughes; Clarke,Coulter,Sexton.
Sexton would probably drop deep, Rogers would be in and around midfield and the remaining four forwards would switch as needed.
McComiskey would appear fairly soon after the break, with McKernan the next option. I think we could do worse than give this a go.

I'd be happy enough with Mourne Rovers team , Keeping McComiskey as an impact sub is the way to go I think . Remember the lift Tyrone got when wee Peter ran down the steps of the stand the last day we were in Omagh . No need to show our full hand from the start , anyway J Clarke and Benny will give the Tyrone defence plenty . Depending on good ball in of course .

are you comparing mc comiskey to peter canavan??? surely we should start with our strongest team and try to win it early rather than bringin on impact players when the game is beyond us. Its not that easy to come on and get straight into a game of this importance it will take 10-15 mins by which time its too late for them to have an impact on the game.

[downredblack]

The rumours about Colgan are increasing, and it would be great if Murphy is in as well. Rafferty would surely be a better bet than Howard, and it is hard to see Rogers being left on the bench. It could all mean something like this.

McVeigh; Rafferty (or Howard), Murney,Cole; Carr,Murphy, Doyle; Gordon, Colgan: Murtagh, Rogers,Hughes; Clarke,Coulter,Sexton.
Sexton would probably drop deep, Rogers would be in and around midfield and the remaining four forwards would switch as needed.
McComiskey would appear fairly soon after the break, with McKernan the next option. I think we could do worse than give this a go.

I'd be happy enough with Mourne Rovers team , Keeping McComiskey as an impact sub is the way to go I think . Remember the lift Tyrone got when wee Peter ran down the steps of the stand the last day we were in Omagh . No need to show our full hand from the start , anyway J Clarke and Benny will give the Tyrone defence plenty . Depending on good ball in of course .

are you comparing mc comiskey to peter canavan??? surely we should start with our strongest team and try to win it early rather than bringin on impact players when the game is beyond us. Its not that easy to come on and get straight into a game of this importance it will take 10-15 mins by which time its too late for them to have an impact on the game.

What do you think ?

I agree we should start our strongest side , and I think that the team named by Mourne Rover isn't far off it (Doyle at 6 ). We can debate starting McComisley or bringing him on to the cows come home , both options have their merits . But one thing Down will not do is win it early on , our chance of winning this is to be within touching distance going into the last 10 minutes and then I think the pace and skill of McComiskey could exploit any tiredness in the Tyrone back line .

[thewobbler]

I'd say that it won't be far from this:

1. McVeigh

2. Howard
3. Cole
4. Rafferty

5. Murphy
6. Doyle
7. Carr

8. Colgan
9. Gordon

13. Sexton
10. Hughes
11. Rogers
12. Clarke

14. Coulter
15. Murtagh

With McComiskey, McGuigan and Murney the first 3 subs, and Coulter switching occasionally with Clarke.


I'd much rather see extra men in defence, but if we have to go out with 6 forwards, I'd be happy enough with this team.

Tyrone are hardly going to have a target man, or play super-direct football, so Cole might get away with playing full-back. My major concern would be that Tyrone's strongest line will undoubtedly be their half-forward line, and by the looks of things, we're going to face-off directly with an extremely attacking half-back line. Our half-forwards will no doubt get back to support, but when it's the likes of Hughes and Rogers (and Murtagh) doing so, it's more for nuisance value than defensive expertise.

If Down can stop Tyrone stopping Gordon from attacking the ball at midfield, we should dominate that sector...in which case we wouldn't be without a chance. Our forward line has to be worth 12+ points if given half the play or more. No doubt Harte's number one plan though is to stop Dan Gordon.

[GAA_Junkie]

Second guessing the current managements team is next to impossible.  I don't think Colgan will get a starting place, I'd agree with most people that McComiskey probably won't start either.  McVeigh and Cole supposedly both dropped balls into their own net against Cork gifting them 6 points.  I've heard this from an over the fence watcher!    Maybe the concentration levels weren't as high as they should have been given it was a challenge game.  Paul Murphy has to start, he has really filled out and is as strong as a horse and has that agressive streak that Down really need.  If Aidan Carr isn't in the half back line he won't be playing. 

[T O Hare]

Lads from what i have seen this year, i don't really rate Murney and Colgan, i hope ross plays Benny on the forty, he has been playing some great stuff for us this year in his new role... which will leave John Clarke as our chief ball winner in the full forward line... ten days to the championship and we still have nt a clue about our full back line, thats where we are going to have problems i think!

[western exile]

Lads from what i have seen this year, i don't really rate Murney and Colgan, i hope ross plays Benny on the forty, he has been playing some great stuff for us this year in his new role... which will leave John Clarke as our chief ball winner in the full forward line... ten days to the championship and we still have nt a clue about our full back line, thats where we are going to have problems i think!

To follow up on your suggestion T...  The team could look something like this...

1. McVeigh (management favourite but not mine)

2. Howard
3. Cole
4. Rafferty

5. Murphy
6. Doyle
7. Carr

8. Colgan / Rodgers / Lynch
9. Gordon

10. Hughes
11. Coulter
12. Murtagh

13. Clarke
14. Colgan / Rodgers / McKernan
15. Sexton

17 McComiskey 
18 & 19  Colgan / Rodgers / McKernan / Lynch

[5 Sams]

In fairness lads looking at prospective lineups there's fcuk all wrong with our forwards...all we need to do is find a Tommy McGovern or a Mark Turley in the next week or two and we're laughing  .........BTW for all those Hogan Stand punters ask your da about Tommy McGovern and Mark Turley.

[western exile]

In fairness lads looking at prospective lineups there's fcuk all wrong with our forwards...all we need to do is find a Tommy McGovern or a Mark Turley in the next week or two and we're laughing  .........BTW for all those Hogan Stand punters ask your da about Tommy McGovern and Mark Turley.

Indeed... we can but dream 
Those boys back in the '80s would not have conceded the goals that the current defence is leaking.  That is the single most worry with the current Down team.  16 goals conceded so far this year, and we have not even gone to Omagh yet!   6 conceded in the Dr McKenna Cup (which we won!)  and 10 in Division 3 of the League (where we finished 3rd)

[Mourne Rover]

The 1980s teams with Tommy McGovern and Mark Turley also had Paddy Kennedy at full back, who was the only one of the three to win an All Star (1981). In the 60s, we had Leo Murphy and Dan McCartan, and in the 90s Conor Deegan and Brian Burns. We have a fantastic tradition at in the number 3 jersey,which makes it all the more frustrating that the supply line has dried up over the last decade.  I would say McGovern was just about the pick of the bunch, as he was a natural captain and also outstanding at corner back and midfield, so he must be the best Down player never to win an all Ireland. I remember a league game at Newry about 25 years ago when he turned up late after working all night at Warrenpoint docks. Down struggled, he was sent on as a sub and still ended up as the man of the match.

[Whitehair]

ACHL Div1
Ballela 0.14 Ballycran 3.13

First half Ballycran lead 0.6 to 1.8 at half time Aidan Clarke scoring their goal just before half time. Middle of the second half Ballycran's Paul Keith got a straight red and a la the Kilclief match instead of us seizing the initiative Ballycran scored two soft tap-in goals. Poor match with alot of stoppages, 2 umpires & 1 player sent off and a number of injuries. Jonny Mc Cusker had a another good game for us, i'd say he's averaging 10pts a match so far in the league.

[Bacon]

2 Umpires sent off? What was that about?

Jonny McCusker stands out at this level & Im not surprised he is doing the business for Ballela.