Down Club Hurling & Football

[Dubh driocht]

Spot on Rover.
Apart from the last big decision against Mc Comiskey, Coldrick was the best ref I've seen this year.Technically, he was right about the square ball, but morally, the rule is a farce- the courage of our wonderful captain should have been rewarded with a goal.
The first 20 minutes were the worst since Sligo, the last 50 were the best since the draw in 2003.
Ross,DJ , Mickey etc did everything that Mark Turley and co did not.
Jackie didn't do a lot wrong- he just didn't do a lot.Murphy and Ambrose were men inspired but will they do it for 70?I still reckon Mc Comiskey is a better impact man but John Clarke will be better the next day so who gives way ?
My favourite score was Dan's first half point.He fielded Mc Veigh's kick-out, quick release to Clarke coming out, handpass to Fegan, back to Dan and over the bar.Just like Liam Doyle's score of the championship in 2003, not one player bounced or soloed from keeper to score- simple and impossible to defend against.
Proud to be a Down man today- well done to all who wore the Red and Black.

[downredblack]

Real rollercoaster of emotions yesterday , fully expected a cricket score after the first 10mins but going in 4 down at H/F thought yeah we are in with a shout . Substitutions all worked and  all should start the next day . Down will take great confidence from getting a draw in Omagh . Div 1 against Div 3 counts for nothing now , Down can live with this Tyrone team and hopefully the early nerves that we seen yesterday are gone .
At the moment I can't make Saturday so does anyone know if it's on the box ?

Please God the poor man who looked in trouble down from the ground is okay .

[5 Sams]

Replay next Saturday 7pm in Newry.

Jerry Quinn said on 5FM there now that this weeks club fixtures will be a starred set.

No notification of league games yet? Will they definitely be on?

[thewobbler]

I just checked the master fixture list. This weekend's game are unstarred.

I'd imagine the whole series will have to be moved to after Down exit the Championship.

[Leo]

Liam Doyle quoted today as praising DJ's half-time pep talk. Is he not suspended and should not be in the dressing room? Have we another suspension and fine coming our way and is this the way we should be doing things?

[T O Hare]

I'll talk about the game in the morning....but I just want to thank all the Down lads on this board who bought raffle tickets for the Harps Car draw today in Omagh....Yis know who yiz are lads...thanks a million and we hope to return the favour at some stage

Can i ask was it a good day for you's yesterday because we are doing a draw similar to yours soon and its definately an option we have to look at!

[5 Sams]

Tell you the truth Tommy  it was well worth doing.....the only thing is we only sold tickets to people we know very few strangers bought tickets.....so drag every cheeky hoor in the club out and get them shouting and roaring at everyone going past. The more people you have like Mickey Kearney and Yogi Keenan on your team the more tickets you'll sell

[T O Hare]

cheers five sams, we have no shortage of loudmouths in our club

[D4S]

As a Down man I would like to say how thrilled I was to see Ambrose Rogers play out of his skin in the 2nd half yesterday.  True this is probably his first big performance in a down senior jersey, but Ive always believed it would come.  He has been playing exellently for his club in the past number of weeks, and brought that form into yesterdays match, with each game comes more confidence and he simply has to start on Saturday evening.  Hope he and the boys can give it their all for 70mins this time and get the win.  Each individual on the team did not play well, so who knows what could happen if everyone plays well and they click and get a win or 2 under their belts. Good Luck lads!

[Square Ball]

these are the fixtures going to the press:
ACFL Div 1 Friday 13th (7 30)
Saval v Clonduff(C Broderick)
Mayobridge v Liatroim(G Tumelty)
Loughinisland v Kilcoo(P Branigan)
Ballyholland v Castlewellan(N Cousins)
Longstone v Burren(C Reynolds)
Rostrevor v An Riocht(N Morgan)
ACFL Div 2
Clann na Banna v Daragh Cross(S Flynn)
Attical v Ballymartin(L Morgan)
Warrenpoint v Shamrocks(G Corrigan)
Annaclone v Kilclief(M Devlin)
Downpatrick v Dundrum(M Rawlinson)
Tullylish v Bryansford(E O Hare)
ACFL Div 3
Drumgath v Drumaness(E Mc Grath)
Mitchels v St Pauls(B Andrews)
St Micheals v Teconnaught(D Moore)
Bredagh v Saul(E Mc Ellroy)
Glenn v Bosco(S Lowey)
Ardglass v Carryduff(A Grant)
ACFL Div 4
Aghaderg v Ballykinlar(P D Doyle)
St Johns V Dromara(P Mc Clorey)
Aughlisnafinn v Bright(C Mc Alinden)

Sunday 15th (2 00)
PRFC
Tullylish v Kilclief
Kilcoo v Warrenpoint
Rostrevor v Bryansford
Annaclone v Clonduff
Sunday 15th (6 00)
RFC
Carryduff v Drumaness
Teconaught v Shamrocks
Attical v Dromara
Darragh Cross v St Pauls
Dundrum v Glasdrumman
Bosco v St Micheals
Castlewellan v Drumgath
Bryansford v An Riocht
Clonduff v Ballyholland
Saul v Rostrevor
Ardglass v Mayobridge
Liatroim v Clann na Banna
Kilcoo v Bredagh

[Mourne Rover]

D4S is right to single out Ambrose. Dan was also outstanding, but that is we what we have come to expect from him. Ambrose is now in his fifth year in the senior squad, having made his championship debut in the 2004 replay against Cavan, and it has taken him a long time to make a real impact. He has been unlucky with injuries, but he also lacked confidence in previous seasons. On Sunday, he was the real deal. Everything he did, fielding, tackling, covering and passing, was from the top drawer and he also hit 1-1 from play. He is a certainty to start the replay, but a strong case can be made for bringing in Colgan as well. If Ambrose drops deep, and gives us the kind of defensive cover which we need so badly, as he did in Omagh, Colgan could stay in a central position and allow Dan to push forward.

Cole and Howard should stay in the full back line, but McCartan might bring more of a physical presence than Rafferty. Doyle and Murphy will be at half back and Carr might just have done enough to hold his place.

Ambrose could be named at CHF, but drop back, with possibly McKernan and Hughes as a two-man half forward line. Sexton will probably have a free role, leaving Benny and McComiskey up front. I still think keeping McComiskey on the bench was the right call last Sunday, as he turned the game when the Tyrone defence tired, but he has to be in from the start in the replay.

Benny did brilliantly to score one goal and set up the other, but his overall form has been a concern. He is still trying to do too much in possession, and he is relying on strength rather than pace, but McComiskey might bring out the best in him.

Clarke and Murtagh could not really complain about being dropped, and we would have to accept that we were lucky to survive a game in which our starting six up front, and two substitute forwards, managed a total of one point from play between them.

We will have to improve significantly, but we surely cannot start as badly again. If we do, there will be no way back. 

[spiritof91and94]

Anyone any comments on the minors - Tyrone arent what they were made out to be in the media and Down had them for the taking but the management must take the blame for picking the wrong team. Micheal Ireland is pulling the strings for Longstone in Div One and he got five minutes at the end - Kyle Coney ran the show but I seen him playing against St Malachy's in the Ulster Voc School Final and he was kept quiet, surely Turley should have used this tactic again but ultimately it will cost him his job, tf.
The full back line wasnt at the races at all and my earlier query on the squad seems vindicated - with regret though it has to be said.

[dodgy umpire]

lota talk bout benny lackin pace and not lookin on form. credit where its due tho made the right call passin to ambrose for the goal. cole initially hada disaster nd could have been sent off might be worth colgan having a go at fullback? fair play to ross having faith in his son, after a dour first half performance he came good in the end!

[Mickey Linden]

Can anyone confirm for definte if the match is all ticket?

[amallon]

I can't confirm it but our secretary is taking names for tickets.