Down Club Hurling & Football

[No1]

Rosie/Ciaran Sloan are one and the same.

Jimmy O'Reilly is taking Kilclief hurlers this year.

[superblues]

j p okane is manageing saval

[cloneman]

Cathal Murray is still Annaclone's manager

[Cloc Mor]

I see theres alot of talk about the Minor panel.  There have been some guys selected who haven't even been good enough to make their MacRory teams yet they are picked on a Minor panel.  Surely the best players in a school would make the grade at MacRory/Markey Cup level so how can players possibly be picked who don't make this standard.  Do the Minor management know something about these players.   Maybe it helps if your da is a selector on the panel and your from Warrenpoint.  Surely this is not the best way to pick a Minor panel.

[DownFanatic]

A.C.F.L. Division 1
An Riocht - Pete McGrath
Attical - Dan Morgan
Bryansford - Eamon Burns
Burren - James McCartan
Castlewellan - Gerry Dougherty
Clonduff - Benny Corrigan
Kilcoo - Mickey Heaney
Liatroim - Johnny McComiskey
Longstone - Frank Dawson?
Loughinisland - Brendan Mason
Mayobridge - Michael Donnelly
Rostrevor - Aidan Farrell

A.C.F.L. Division 2
Annaclone - Cathal Murray
Ballyholland - Hugh McGettigan
Ballymartin - Karl Cunningham/Conor Annett
Carryduff - Jackie Fitzsimons
Clann na Banna - Tony Wilson
Darragh Cross - Dessie McNeill
Downpatrick - Gerard Deegan/Richard Starkey
Glasdrumman
Kilclief - Justin Sharvin/Joe McStay/Paul Watterson
Saval - JP O'Kane
Shamrocks - Paul McCartan
Warrenpoint - Miceal Magill

A.C.F.L. Division 3
Ardglass - Paul O'Shea
Bosco
Bredagh - Paddy Heaney
Bright
Drumgath - Harry Toner
Dundrum - John McShane
Glenn
Mitchel's - Marty Lynch
Saul - Joe Ritchie
St. Paul's - Gerry Quinn
Teconnaught - GP Mulholland
Tullylish - Kevin Blaney

A.C.F.L. Division 4
Aghaderg
Aughlisnafin - Joe Scullion
Ballykinlar - Hankie Curran
Dromara
Drumaness -Liam McKenna
Killyleagh - John Keenan
St. John's - Paul Kelly
St. Michael's

[amallon]

Any reports on the Donegal game yesterday.  Only the real hardcore fan would have made the journey up to see this game with both sides experimenting.

[downredblack]

Donegal 2-11

Down 0-11

McKenna Cup

DONEGAL set up a semi-final with meeting with Armagh after defeating a second-string Down side in Ballyshannon.

The margin at the end may have been comfortable but Donegal did not have it their own way in the second half as Barry Doran gave an exhibition in free-taking to take Down within two points with 16 minutes left.

Doran hit six second half frees, most of them from long distance.

Donegal put down their marker in the opening half with Leon Thompson putting them in the driving seat after 25 minutes, cutting through the Down defence to find the net.

By half-time Donegal were 2-5 to 0-5 in front, thanks to a penalty from Adrian Sweeney on the stroke of half-time.

The winners were dominated at midfield for the entire third quarter but they came good in the closing stages with the introduction of experienced players like Christy Toye and Rory Kavanagh.

The game saw the return of Brendan Devenney and he added punch to the front line for Donegal for whom Barry Monaghan throughout and returned exile Patrick McConigley (second half) were excellent in defence.

Alongside freetaker Doran, Aidan Burns, Colm Murtagh (even though dismissed near the end for a second yellow card), Jack Lynch and Martin McClean all put forward a strong case to be included in Ross Carr's Down squad for the National League.

SCORERS - Donegal: B Devenney 0-6 (0-2f), A Sweeney 1-1 pen, f, L Thompson 1-1, C Bonner, C Toye, R Bradley 0-1 each. Down: B Doran 0-7 (0-7)f; M McClean 0-2, A Burns 0-2 (0-1f).

DONEGAL - M Boyle; B Dunnion, P Campbell, P McConigley; T Donoghue, B Monaghan, F McGlynn; C Bonner, K Cassidy; B McDyre, M Hegarty, B Roper; B Devenney, A Sweeney, L Thompson. Subs: J Friel for McDyre (44); C Toye for Hegarty, R Kavanagh for Roper (both 55); K McMenamin for Thompson (61); R Bradley for Bonner (69).

DOWN - B Connell; S Toner, C Murtagh, R McArdle; J Doran, P Shields, K McGuigan; M McClean, J Lynch; P Turley, M Poland, B Doran; K Gracey, A Burns, B Loughan. Subs: E Henry for Toner (9); D Cunningham for McArdle (51); D Rooney for Shields (58); C McCrickard for Lynch, B Sweeney for Gracey (both 61).

REF - A McAlynn (Derry).



TG4  Let us down yesterday was looking forward to having a look at some of these new lads . Sounds like there was a few nice frees landed .

[amallon]

Where is Colm Murtagh from?  I wonder will Down get a few challenge games in before the start of the league? 

[thewobbler]

He's from Glenn. Won an AI minor at corner-back in 1999, has suffered a couple of serious injuries since.

[downredblack]

Any of you see last weeks Gaelic life ? Jarlith Burns got fair stuck into us I thought . Out of the completely experimental squad for the McKenna cup he doesn't think Down will find the 3 defenders 1 midfielder and the 1 forward he thinks we need . All this based on two games ? Did he even see the two games ? Oh yeah he got a dig in about the Down regulars having a rest after their 3 game run in the championship last year .
I haven't seen these new lads play , what about JB's prediction have we found anyone who will do a job for us ?

[thegael]

am i confident in the new set up?

no.

why were players whose commitment was questioned before given time off?

why were players worth a chance not given a chance in a team backboned by experienced players?

was the mc kenna cup really a pr cosmetic exercise just like the trials?

[TORGAEL]

Its still very early days yet for our new management team-give them a chance !!!!!......does anyone really expecy them to perform miracles overnight ?

[Pangurban]

why were players whose commitment was questioned before given time off?
Fair point Gael

[thewobbler]

The established players are training their bollocks off.

Rooney is playing corner back/wing back for QUB.

[amallon]

I think Ross has used the McKenna cup well, the only thing I would have done differently would have been to use the Donegal game to try and gell some the new lads who look like they could make it in with the established players.  Unless he has a few challenge games organised he might find it tough to have settled on his best team before the league.  I really think we can't afford to be experimenting too much in the league, it might be hard enough to stay up with our best team lined out correctly.  Getting relegated would be a disaster, the lower divisions are no place to prepare for the championship.