Down Club Hurling & Football

Square Ball · June 18, 2008, 01:40:45 PM

Quote from: Whitehair on June 17, 2008, 10:29:19 PM
No comment, ask a club member....

4-16 to 2-02

amallon · June 18, 2008, 01:54:29 PM

Looking at that league table the teams you would have expected to be near the top before the season started are at there or there about. I expected the Kingdom to be a lot more competitive than they are. Whether or not the Kingdom and Laitroim can acrue adequate points to avoid automatic relegation is starting to look doubtful.

We play Kilcoo on Friday night and this will be an interesting game for both teams. Kilcoo have had a fairly average start to the league (by their standards), loosing games they would normally win. Are they trying to peak later this year or are they not the same force they were? The Stone are sitting nicely in contention to as are Clonduff. I can't believe Rostrevor are as high as they are, they were dismal against us in Rostrevor. They maybe got the kick in the backside the needed that night.

After Kilcoo, Saval will be the only team we haven't played so I can't say much about them apart from the have been running teams close. Ballyholland on their performance in the Bridge seemed a better team than their league position suggests. They were much harder beaten than Clonduff, Rostrevor and possibly Loughinisland. Maybe they raised their game for the Derby match

Maximus Marillius · June 18, 2008, 01:56:45 PM

Quote from: amallon on June 18, 2008, 01:54:29 PM
Looking at that league table the teams you would have expected to be near the top before the season started are at there or there about. I expected the Kingdom to be a lot more competitive than they are. Whether or not the Kingdom and Laitroim can acrue adequate points to avoid automatic relegation is starting to look doubtful.

We play Kilcoo on Friday night and this will be an interesting game for both teams. Kilcoo have had a fairly average start to the league (by their standards), loosing games they would normally win. Are they trying to peak later this year or are they not the same force they were? The Stone are sitting nicely in contention to as are Clonduff. I can't believe Rostrevor are as high as they are, they were dismal against us in Rostrevor. They maybe got the kick in the backside the needed that night.

After Kilcoo, Saval will be the only team we haven't played so I can't say much about them apart from the have been running teams close. Ballyholland on their performance in the Bridge seemed a better team than their league position suggests. They were much harder beaten than Clonduff, Rostrevor and possibly Loughinisland. Maybe they raised their game for the Derby match

amallon what about Burren?

amallon · June 18, 2008, 02:15:09 PM

Not too sure about Burren we beat them in the first day of the season fairly comfortably. I'd imagine starred games will hurt them in the league and they had a few injuries earlier in the season. I don't know what the story is with their injury list now. They probably will be pushing for a top 4 spot. Last year there wasn't a pile of difference points wise from being in the lower end of the top 4 or the top end of the bottom 4, they end up anywhere.

umpire · June 18, 2008, 11:38:59 PM

Maximus Marillius.

Mayobridge have already won 4 in a row. They are looking for 5 in a row this year.

Still think Bryansford is the biggest danger to Bridge.
I fancy the Ford to beat Castlewellan in first round

Rostrevor have lost big game players, Jarlath Austin, Ciaran Sloan. Sean Farrell and Lloyd Parr.
they have now got Conor Daly, Martin Doran and Eamon McConville back from injuries to boost their weak forward line.

umpire · June 18, 2008, 11:47:44 PM

Apologies to Maximus Marillius

I meant the message to D45 re Mayobridge have already 4 in a row.

thewobbler · June 19, 2008, 10:25:37 AM

The best teams I've seen this season apart from Mayobridge are Castlewellan and Kilcoo. Both of those have got settled teams that work hard for each other. Neither would have the gears that Mayobridge have though. There is something about the Sky Blues now where they know when they turn it on, they won't be beaten by anyone in Down.

Bryansford shouldn't count this year. Division II football is simply no preparation for the intensity of the SFC.

Loughinisland and Longstone would appear to have the individuals to put up a good fight, but it's questionable if they have the team ethic, tactics, etc.

Bridge have two possible areas where they can be beaten.

The most prominent one is their midfield, which is functional at best and is an area of the field in which they would actually rank towards the bottom in the SFC. Woodsy isn't a 60 minute man anymore by any stretch of the imagination. Michael Lively was tried there against us, and I believe has played there quite often this season, but he doesn't have the power to win regular ball against genuine SFC midfielders. Caldwell blows hot and cold. From an outsider's perspective, Cathal Magee would look the obvious option for a berth there, but obviously they don't see it that way in the Bridge.

The other area is in team selection. I'd say at most 10 of the 'Bridge team is guaranteed a start come Championship team. There's probably 10+ fellas vying for the other 5 berths, with very little between them in terms of potential. While this is a healthy arrangement in terms of getting people focused at training, it does leave them possibly open to panic stations if their opponents get off to a flyer.

In truth though, we're clutching at straws here. They're the best team in the county by 5 points.

D4S · June 19, 2008, 11:18:41 AM

My apologies for saying the bridge are going for 4 in a row...could amallon just confirm for me so I am 100% sure i need to apologise

If so SORRY! Still think Castlewellan could be a dark horse

amallon · June 19, 2008, 12:01:26 PM

Yep I can confirm we have won 4 in a row. You can apologise now!

D4S · June 19, 2008, 12:38:15 PM

Ok sorry everyone

Please forgive me!!!

pearses · June 19, 2008, 12:42:58 PM

Carr has eight-week ban quashed

Ross Carr was outspoken after the defeat by Fermanagh
Down manager Ross Carr has been cleared to run the sideline after having an eight-week suspension quashed by the Disputes Resolution Authority.

Carr was banned for criticising a referee after his team's National League defeat by Fermanagh in April.

An initial appeal was turned down before he was granted 'interim relief' to be in the Down dugout for the Ulster SFC games against Tyrone.

A further appeal was upheld by the DRA on Wednesday night.

Carr will now be on the sideline for the Ulster SFC semi-final against Armagh on 29 June.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7463502.stm

corn02 · June 19, 2008, 12:50:32 PM

Proper order.

5 Sams · June 19, 2008, 01:55:03 PM

Quote from: corn02 on June 19, 2008, 12:50:32 PM
Proper order.

We're gonna need somebody like Johnny Cochran to get DJ off.

corn02 · June 19, 2008, 02:22:33 PM

Maybe not a bad thing.

Super Dupe · June 19, 2008, 02:29:20 PM

Rostrevor were admittedly woeful against Mayobridge. I think the Bridge were awesome that night though. Probably some of the best football they have played, and as we have seen in games since they are doing it regularly now.
The thing about that game though is that it is the only one Rostrevor have lost since the second game of the league. They lost their first two games and have picked up 11 points from the next 14 available.
We are going through a rebuilding stage though. Gone are the likes of Jarlath Austin, Gary Farrell and Sean Farrell. Lloyd Parr has played about 2 games all year. These were some serious players for us, especially Austin and Parr. Conor Daly has played a few games and has looked class when he has played but again he is having seriously problems putting a few games together. They were the last survivors of the championship winning team from 10 years ago and we have to realise they are now gone (Daly apart).
The team we are playing with now is effectively a new team for the next 3/4 years. The leaders on it would be Eddie Magee, Jarlath Farrell, Sean Parr and Eamon McConville. It takes a while for a team to come through and they have been doing alright this year, the Bridge game aside. As regards the final outcome of the season, it looks like they will stay clear of relegation, and have as much chance as 4 or 5 teams of getting in top 4. Championship will be a tough one against Loughinisland and big Dan but again, it would be no surprise if they did it.
Like many others though i cant see anyone touching the Bridge if they keeo going the way they are.