Down Club Hurling & Football

[In the Onion Bag]

Lads,
Don't get too despondent, I'm not.

This squad has shown good development this season and has the opportunity to develop still more.  But to do so they must take the qualifiers seriously and strive to get 2 or 3 games.  Dominant and all as Arma were yesterday they only won by 4 so a lucky Down goal could have changed things. 

If we enter the qualifiers positively I see no reason why we would not develop more and to a point where, lessons learned, we would have no fear of Arma's spoiling defense next year.  We are a young talented team and management that has lessons yet to learn and weak positions to fill.  Nonetheless I say thank you to Ross and DJ for where they have brought us to this year and wish them a fair wind in the qualifiers and next year. 

We can forget AI dreams for now, we are just not yet at that race. More development is needed and the qualifiers offer that chance.

[Whitehair]

ACHL Div1

Ballela 3.14 Shamrocks 3.14

Similar enough story to last week with a breeze blowing down the pitch playing a large bearing on the match. We played with the wind and lead 2.10 to 0.6 at half time but should have been out of sight only for some wasteful shooting. Second half Newry switched Eoin Mc Guinness to full forward and just played route one hurling. A penalty and two close range goals gave Newry the lead but with the last puck of the game a Danny Doran goal left things level.

[st pauls mcgrath]

st.pauls  0-11  Glenn 0-9,  another solid away win for the holywood boys. playoffs are not out of the question

[Naomh Pol CLG]

Yep, happy enough with this performance.  These are the sort of ground out results that will make the difference at the end....

And another Shut-Out

[DownFanatic]

Have to say, its great to see St Pauls climbing up the Division 3 ladder. Although there is a long way to go, I think they have done tremendous work as a club as a whole in an area where our games arent that prevalent. Well done.

[Naomh Pol CLG]

Our next 3 games will tell a tale for us...Are we good enough to make the play-offs???

Home -v- Ardglass..The league leaders are not losing much, but we were disappointed to leave Ardglass losing by 1 point

Away -v- Glassdrumman..We were also disappointed to draw at home to them having lead the entire game until the last kick.

Home -v- Carryduff..We where terrible at Carryduff and were well beaten...We owe ourselves a big performance against them..

If we are to get to the play-offs i think we need at least 4 points from these games..

[Lecale2]

ACHL Div1

Ballela 3.14 Shamrocks 3.14

Similar enough story to last week with a breeze blowing down the pitch playing a large bearing on the match. We played with the wind and lead 2.10 to 0.6 at half time but should have been out of sight only for some wasteful shooting. Second half Newry switched Eoin Mc Guinness to full forward and just played route one hurling. A penalty and two close range goals gave Newry the lead but with the last puck of the game a Danny Doran goal left things level.

Liatroim beat Portaferry something like 1-19 to 2-7. Div 1 is in now between these 2. Ballycran beat Bredagh well. In Div 2 Warrenpoint beat Ballyvarley 1-19 to 1-11. I reckon the Point are unbeaten and top of the league.

[Bacon]

Liatroim and Portaferry are head and shoulders above everybody else this year. Fergus Cooper (ex Rossa) is taking the Fontenoys this year and has made a big impact. Better organisation all round. If this league doesn't go to a 3rd Rd, last night's result will have forced a play-off because I can't see anyone beating these 2.

[johnneycool]

Liatroim and Portaferry are head and shoulders above everybody else this year. Fergus Cooper (ex Rossa) is taking the Fontenoys this year and has made a big impact. Better organisation all round. If this league doesn't go to a 3rd Rd, last night's result will have forced a play-off because I can't see anyone beating these 2.

Has it been decided yet whether there will be a round 3 or not?

Our lads are starting to improve of recent and beat Kilclief last night handy enough. Fair play to Kilclief for playing without Finty as he's a big loss for them as is Ricky Kerr. I'm not sure if finty would be better served playing with his club as opposed to training with the county last night as the only competitive hurling he's got recently is county fixtures. The rest of the county panel (barring Courtney as well) all had Antrim league games last sunday and again this sunday.

[downredblack]

Does anyone think there is a chance that Ross would ask Michael Walsh back onto the panel ?

[BRIDGE LAD]

Personally i dont think so. Walsh injured at the moment anyway, had been playing well before that. Down could have done with him on sunday, he is the best man in the county at picking up and distributing break ball. But its prob too late to come into set up now.

Dont understand how and why Hugh Davey was taken onto panel!

[downredblack]

Pity about Walsh , probably too late now as you say anyway . His free taking would of taken a bit of pressure of A. Carr . to take everything if Liam Doyle is out long term .

[Super Dupe]

Yeh Walsh should have been on the panel, he is a quality player. 
However, i dont think he would have made one bit of difference to the game.  The problem was not actually the people in the forward line.  It is the way we approached the game.  The scores we did get came from men running at the Armagh defence in 2's and 3's, either creating an overlap or getting fouled.  We did not persist with this.  We kept trying to find John Clarke or Benny wide out on the wing, the only place there was space ok, but then when/if they got it, what could they do.  Take on 3 men and score!!!!
Against Tyrone, again our scores came from running at the defence.  It is the only alternative option to beating the blanket defence apart from having a Donaghy type player in full forward.
We are clearly capable of playing these ways as we can always throw Gordon in FF if required.  The personnel ARE there, its just how we use them.

[T O Hare]

Stumbled across the Glenn and st Paul's game last night, was n't a bad match!!! shooting was Nt great but their was no lacking of guts and determination!!!! I thought Glenn deserved something from the game!!!! But i was impressed with the grey haired st Paul's midfielder and the centre half forward... I honestly would expect our seconds team to beat both team(hope that dos nt sound patronising)

Brendan Grant would be my man on the panel

[5 Sams]

Personally i dont think so. Walsh injured at the moment anyway, had been playing well before that. Down could have done with him on sunday, he is the best man in the county at picking up and distributing break ball. But its prob too late to come into set up now.

Dont understand how and why Hugh Davey was taken onto panel!

He's not even named on the Shamrocks 1st 13