Down Club Hurling & Football

[Our Nail Loney]

Yeah I think he has filled out a bit, was in the sini programme at jordanstown and was hitting the gym etc quite a bit

Be worth another run out surely

[downredblack]

Awful bad luck on Ambrose this last couple of yrs , hopefully this is the end of it . As POR called him "ferocious big fella" and one we all hope to see back in a Down shirt .

[Armagh Exile]

What about Mickey Walsh (Mayobrodge)?

[Mourne Rover]

Walsh is a decent player who sometimes lacked confidence and never seemed to have two good games in a row for Down. In 2006, he was MoM against Cavan in the USC preliminary round but was poor in the first round against Donegal and dropped for the qualifier disaster in Sligo. He was pretty ineffective in the 2007 championship as well, and it was not a big surprise when he was left out of this year's squad. However, he was studying in London for much of that period and, now that he is based at home again, and would still only be 26 or 27, I would certainly not rule him out next year. If he shows well for Mayobridge, and still has something to prove at county level, his ability is not in question.

[corn02]

Walsh would easily be better than most of the current Down forwards. He needs to be brought in next season.

[islandboy]

when down played kildare in under21 championship semi final both maginn and brannigan were terrible. neither is good enough. simple.

it is clear from saturday that murney, carr(not a centre half back), mc guigan, fegan, hughes, clarke and murtagh are passengers. if they are marking any sort of decent player they contribute very little. maybe its time to look to the future.

[corn02]

when down played kildare in under21 championship semi final both maginn and brannigan were terrible. neither is good enough. simple.

You judging on one day then?

it is clear from saturday that murney, carr(not a centre half back), mc guigan, fegan, hughes, clarke and murtagh are passengers. if they are marking any sort of decent player they contribute very little. maybe its time to look to the future.

Is this Carr that saved you from further embarassment with his frees and was decent from open play as well?

[Super Dupe]

There is no doubt that Walsh is one of the best forwards in Down.  I believe that it was a move by Ross to signal his ruthlessness as a manager to all the other players.  As in, no-one is safe.  No matter who you are, you could be dropped if you dont perform.  I really do believe that this is what happened.  I also believe that Ross will bring Walsh back into the fold next year.

John Boyle i am not so sure about.  He seems to me to be a luxury type player who will play well when the team is going well, but will he do the donkey work when required!!!  Perhaps.

Duffin is a good player.  He plays Centre back but his game is all about playing the ball first time into the forward line.  Could be a good option.  

Brannigan i think is too small.  He is a good club player but would struggle against County teams.

We did have quite a good year under Ross and he definitely deserves another go at it.  Yes Saturday was a big let down, but you cannot compensate for experienced players being so nervous they couldnt even hold the ball.  Gordon of all people, who had a fantastic year, even he had a stinker.  Hopefully if they get back to Croke Park again the boys can use it to their advantage.

[Mourne Rover]

I would not argue with Islandboy about Fegan and McGuigan, as there is little evidence that they are county standard. Murtagh has only ever played well for Down in flashes over many years. Apart from the Offaly game, when he was given an incredible amount of room, Murtagh has been disappointing all this summer.

Murney only made his championship debut this year, and, while he struggled badly in Omagh, he improved considerably in the qualifiers and was by no means our worst defender against Wexford. He is worth another season at least.

Hughes has become an enigma, brilliant in one game and anonymous the next. He ran himself into the ground against Laois, and had then looked exhausted mentally and physically against Wexford. He probably needs to be held back in the league, but someone with his pace and ability must deliver the goods in the championship at some stage.

Clarke is perhaps paying a price for his versatility, as he seems to pop up in a different position for Down every year. Wing forward might be his best bet next time.

Carr is a quality wing back who was forced to play at centre half because of injuries. His free taking alone - 23 kicks converted in his last five championship matches - would guarantee his place alone.

I felt that Brannigan and Maginn were both impressive throughout our u21 run in the spring, although they did not have their best games, like most of their colleagues, against Kildare. Brannigan, as already discussed, would be very small for county football, but Maginn is worth a look. 

[corn02]

Will King get a run next year? Revert to the  big man on the square?

[Uladh]

Carr is a forward.

It would be refreshing for down to have a half forward who would kick pass the ball rather than consider it as his job to solo down blind allys evrey time they get the ball.
coulter would see the benefit.

[eyeswideopen]

I thought this thread was for Down CLUB hurling and football!!!!!

[Mourne Rover]

This thread has always been for both club and county football, so perhaps its title should be changed. Carr played in the half-forward line last summer, and things did not work out for him in the crunch games against Monaghan and Meath. Coulter's supply in both those matches was very limited. By contrast, Carr looked an accomplished and confident figure at half back throughout this season. If Duffin or someone similar brings in a more physical presence alongside him, he could be even better next year.

[islandboy]

corn02 - aiden carr was good from frees on saturday but missed a real easy one in first half.He was terrible from play, he got roasted and he is not a defender. his best position is wing half forward yet ross played him centre half back, the spare man helping the full back line. we just dont have enough good players in down to mount a serious challenge. end of story. also thought hughes was worst forward after fegan in laois game when the rest had a field day.

[Uladh]

Carr looks like a fine footballer but he's not a defender. as a half back your first job is to take care of your man (alien concept in down i know). colfer had a hell of a game for wexford last week and its not the first time he's struggled defensively.