Down Club Hurling & Football

[No1]

  I can't see Brendy McVeigh being dropped.  If Connell gets called up I think it will be the end of big Mickey.  He has been superb for the majority of his career but the last couple of seasons have seen him make errors that would have been unthinkable 5 years ago.

  I remain unconvinced about Jackie Lynch.

[Brick Tamlin]

brendan mcveigh long gone, forget about him, it would take major work to get him back on panel. There are few other goalkeeping options available, connell seems to be the one that Ross etc are thinkin of.

Agree about Jackie Lynch - some serious PR craziness about big jackie last season being the best thing since sliced bread, the whole thing just snowballed out of control.Quite overrated imho.

[thewobbler]

We've been here before 5ivetimes, so I don't want to cover old ground - but if you think that Brendan McVeigh a) is a poor keeper, or b) has the reactions of a dead slug, then you either a) have never seen him play football, or b) have no idea what you are talking about.

I'm not being being narky here, and opinions are always welcome, but this really is nonsense.

[Brick Tamlin]

have to agree there, 5times yer at that computer too long, get away from the desk and get some air..
Peter travers still the number 1 club goalie in county, followed by B Mc Veigh imo. There are one or two class goalies in the county all under the age of 25 but they either havent the physique or temperment yet for senior intercounty

[amallon]

Connell didn't look like a county keeper against Meath on Sunday.  Dropped one for the goal and played himself into trouble another time when the ball should have been cleared.

[5 Sams]

Myself and the Wobbler were discussing this the other day...we have more good goalkeepers in Down now than we have forwards...fact.

What about Declan Alder...would he not be knocking on the senior panel door....we also have one of the best in the business in Keiran Murphy...brother of Paul.....and then of course there's another boy down Strangford way who stands in for Kilclief now and again....ah f**k it his name escapes me

[No1]

  No idea who you are talking about 5 Sams, but if it is the same boy I am thinking about then he is to goalkeeping what the wobbler is to free taking!

  The lad Poland from Longstone is in the top 3 keepers in the county.

[buglebhoy]

just heard brendan grant got dropped from the down panel... any truth in this?

[amallon]

Yeah seems to be true.  I have to say I'm surprised but I would have a biased opinion on it.  What do the non Bridge people think?

[goldenyears]

Carr turns attention to League business 
Gaelic Games 
By Seamus Maloney 

DOWN manager Ross Carr has his side focussed on staying in top flight League football, but admits that the possibility of a slide to Division Three must be faced up to.

The Mournemen take on Louth on Sunday in the first round of Division 1B games with more than usual rising on the finishing positions in this season's NFL. Next season's reorganisation of the League means the top four teams in each Division One section will play at the top level next year, the next two will be in Division Two, while the sides finishing in seventh and eighth places in Divisions 1A and 1B will play Division Three football in 2008.

Down go into the game on the back of McKenna Cup game which produced defeats against Donegal and UUJ and a draw with Antrim. However, Carr and his management team used the competition as a series of trial games for untried and younger players, while giving established names a break from inter-county football.

"Without making excuses, we used the McKenna Cup the way we did because we didn't have the opportunity to play challenge matches before that," said Carr.

"We made a decision to use the McKenna Cup for trial games or to give players experience in a competitive situation.

"We knew that would leave us a little bit short going into the National League but we didn't see any other way around it because it was our first year in charge. We did get out of it what we had hoped, but we did realise it left us maybe 10-12 weeks behind everybody else.

"In Down's situation, again because this is our first year, I don't think anybody in the county is looking for a quick fix, and therefore we might be given a little bit of time to prove that what we are planning to do is the right way forward.

"Nevertheless, there is still an awful lot of pressure on us to perform, and a successful National League campaign, whether or not it's possible to accomplish this, is survival in Division One. Our goal for the 2007 National Football League is to maintain our Division One status.

"If we have a disastrous National League we can go from Division One to Division Three which wouldn't be good for anybody, because you would be going into a Championship having been relegated two divisions. But we have to look at the possibility of that. We have to understand that it is a possibility."

Looking ahead to Sunday's game, Carr didn't hesitate to make Down's neighbours favourites for the clash in Drogheda, pointing out that Eamonn McEneaney's Louth side are coming off a successful 2006 and are much further along in their development than Down.

"I don't think we're at the same level as Louth at the minute," he said. "2006 was probably the most successful year in Louth since 1957. They won two national titles last year, the Division Two title and the Tommy Murphy Cup.

"They could only compete in Division Two, so I wouldn't undermine the value and significance of that. A couple of years ago Offaly beat Down in the Division Two final and they went on to contest the Leinster final last year. I would say that's what Louth are looking at now.

"We know Louth will be very formidable, but we can't go into the game worrying about Louth all the time.

"We have enough in our own camp to think about. The fellas playing for Down on Sunday will have to realise that first and foremost they have to give their best as individuals, and then they can go on and win together as a team."

[downredblack]

We haven't kicked a ball yet and he is talking about Division 3 , get a grip . I don't know about everyone else but I am looking for a quick fix , we are long enough knocking about in the doldrums .I'm not talking about silverware but a good run in the League and Championship is expected . POR managed to keep us in Div. 1 and Ross and DJ have inherited the same bunch of players surely with the addition of a few players and a few positional changes Down should expect to remain in Div.1 ?

[buglebhoy]

think the decision to drop brendan grant is a crazy decision, he's definetly one of the best defenders in down and has county footballing experience from minor level. obviously ross carr doesnt rate the player at all. think this is opening the door for other players like darren cunningham and mark rooney to try out as new Down full backs!

[T O Hare]

i was previously known as fcuk the met messageboard on the old board.. i just want to state that i cannot believe Brendan grant is not on the county panel.. the last game he played was agianst Ballinderry.. he fot stupidly sent off but prior to that had Enda Muldoon in his pocket. If Ross did nt think he was a cert, why was he not playing in the Mc kenna cup?? maybe i am being biased but i think everyone would agree he deserves to be on the panel(at least!!)

[amallon]

Brendan is defo off the panel.  I saw the Down - Meath game at Newcastle and he had a good game steady game.

T O'Hare see you managed to get your head onto Laochra Gael the other night!  Good luck in the Scór, hope your not up against the Ballyholand boys.

[T O Hare]

Mickey was trying to steal the limelight of me!!!!.. i will try and be an able sub for ya..
maybe i am being biased but over the past four /five years, Brendan grant and Gavin Barry have been the most consistent defenders in Down.. neither are on the Down panel