Down Club Hurling & Football

[stpauls]

rois,

it was a pretty even match play wise, we just couldn't seem to put the ball between the posts, were as you were hitting mostly everything. we also missed a few soft frees, were as your kicker was putting over with ease. with regards to you looking slicker in the closing stages, this may have been helped by the lose of our number 4!!

[Brick Tamlin]

What i think Ross will go with:

1 - M McVeigh
2 - Dan Mc Cartan
3 - B Grant
4 - M Cole
5 - O Henry
6 - D Rooney
7 - J Clarke
8 - J Lynch
9 - D Gordon
10 - R Sexton
11- M Walsh
12 - J Boyle
13 - R Murtagh
14 - B Coulter
15 - D Hughes


Maybe swap Hughes & Sexton around.

[east down gael]

heres how i see friday night going.

div3

bright v tullylish-tullylish
teconnaught v saul-teconnaught
glenn v bredagh-draw
dundrum v bosco-bosco
st pauls v drumgath-drumgath
ardglass v mitchells-ardglass

div 4

ballykinlar v aghaderg-aghaderg
dromara v st johns-st johns
st michaels v aughlisnafin-st michaels

good win for st johns the other night away to aghaderg,and also for drumaness to beat st michaels.its a shame there has to be a team sit out every week.div 3 seems to be shaping up well with bosco showing good form.drumgath are proving everybodies expectations correct,while mitchells seem to be proving everyone wrong.ardglass seem slow to start,but shouldnt take long to get going.saul are finding it difficult in their new environment,as are st pauls.their excellent team spirit and organisation were instrumental in taking them up to div 3,but to survive in a higher division scoring forwards are essential.

[stpauls]

EDG,

i think you hit the nail on the head there with regards to us, that is definately some thing we have been lacking in the last 2 games, with us missing quite a few frees and easy points!!! if we could have taken them, the games may ended up a bit differently. not saying we would have won, but definately would have been closer!!

[Fíor Gael]

1   M McVeigh
2   M Cole
3   B Grant   
4   D McCartan
5   J Clarke
6   D Rooney
7   R Murtagh
8   D Gordon
9   J Lynch
10  J Boyle
11  M Walsh
12  B Coulter
13  D Hughes
14  P Downey
15  P Mc Comiskey

[thewobbler]

Lads, how many of you were in Galway?

How the hell does an average to decent club player like Packie Downey suddenly become a first choice pick at no.14? If we're going to fire aimless balls in at a big full-forward, we'd surely be safer putting Benny in that jersey.

1. M McVeigh - Experience has to count behind a leaky defence
2. M Cole - Only Dee Rafferty is a better corner-back in Down at the moment
3. B Grant - Best we have, and Ross should have been building a defence around him, not without him
4. D Cunningham/D McCartan - I prefer Cunningham as a player, but McCartan has the edge on form
5. R Sexton - His best position. Super-competitive, and intelligent enough to know when to go, when to stay
6. D Rooney - Seems to be doing a job there, here's hoping he carries it into the big time
7. P Murphy - A hint of bias? Perhaps, but he adds a real energy to the half-back line that only his clubmate replicates, and we need his clubmate up front.
8. D Gordon - It's about time big Dan did it in the Championship. Cavan were cute on him last year, let's hope he has learned.
9. B Coulter - We simply need Benny on the ball as often as possible.
10. J Clarke - His only position at this level, but playing very deep to support his defence, and breaking unnoticed to take scores.
11. J Boyle/M Walsh/S Kearney/A Carr - In that order, but whoever is in form. This game could make or break whichever's career.
12. J McGovern - Playing very deep as well, a natural enthusiasm for running should suit his game.
13. R Murtagh - Scoring forward. We don't have many. He has to play close to goal and we have to feed him.
14. E McCartan - or Aidan Burns if Eoin isn't fit. Eoin is more intelliegent player and gets my vote to be a foil for Hughes and Murtagh.
15. D Hughes - Scoring forward. We don't have many. He has to play close to goal and we have to feed him.

With McComiskey primed and ready.

[No1]

Wobbs, I was in Galway, not sure what the relevance of that question is.  

Downey is as good a bet as Eoin McCartan who has done f**k all in my eyes to have the reputation that he has.

Murtagh has been Down's best player in the league from a half back position.  McComiskey can take his spot as a scoring forward.

The only spot for Paul Murphy is midfield, where he would be a far better option than Lynch or McCrickard but a lesser option than Gordon or Coulter.

Cunningham and McCartan are not as quick as McGuigan plus McGuigan looks more comfortable on the ball (granted that may not be a huge attribute for a corner back).

[Brick Tamlin]

Have to agree about Eoin Mc Cartan, has done frig all to warrant a reputation as a top class inter county forward, granted he has his moments but due to injury and lack of form in the past he shouldnt really be in running for startin place against Cavan unless he has seriously shook off all injuries and is 100% fit. Nothing personal against the lad but just dont think he should be in reckoning right now.

For me Downey is quite an enigma, a beast of a lad and quite a good ball player to boot, really dont think he should be overlooked and should definitely be considered. Can be a real pain in the arse for defenders but also has tendency to blow hot and cold but id be more positive abnout him than negative. Poor mans Benny he may be but at the moment he might be the best option there is about.

Its no secret how good a forward Murtagh is/can be/should be but i still cant fathom why we need one of our best forwards playin as a defender, especially when we are lackin firepower up front. He might have been one of the more better players through the league campaign but that probably reflects the teams mediocraty aswell as murtaghs talents, for me its the forward line primarily and then if we somehow suddenly grow 5 top class forwards out of nowhere maybe try him as a defender. Move him up front and put his league replacement into defence, either Henry or Cunningham.

The only spot for Paul Murphy is Midfield as No1 stated and even at that he hasnt a)had enough games there to prove his worth in league or challenges and b)hasnt been impressive when he had the chance. Cant say he would be a better option than mc crickard or lynch, three of them probably on a par, but quality club midfeilders i Down dont always make good intercounty midfielders. When your missing ambrose in there and ye consider our midfielder options its seriously our weakest line in the field.

Cunningham is a good ball player but a teak tough defender he aint, Mc Cartan & Mc Guigan are both nastier, grittier players imho and should be ahead of him in peckin order.

[DownFanatic]

Down ACFL Division 2

Downpatrick 2-09  Shamrocks 3-04

Played last night.

[downredblack]

                  McVeigh ,
   Cole , Grant , McCartan / McGuigan
         Clarke , Rooney , Murtagh
                  Gordan , Lynch
           Sexton , Coulter , Walsh
  McCartan / McComiskey , Burns ,  Hughes .

[An Cloch Scoilte]

Downs Strength over the past few seasons has been there forwards, but i think that with Murtagh now being deployed as half back Down can use this to there advantage in setting up attacks from deep in their own half. If Ross were to play Murtagh and Sexton at 5 and 7 respectively, this would give Down a great base on which to build forward. If Clarke were at 10 or 12, he could sweep back and cover with Rooney allowing the two half backs the freedom to push forward.
This would be my starting 15 anyway:
Connel
McCartan
Grant
Cole
Murtagh
Rooney
Sexton
Gordon
Lynch
Clarke
Walsh
Coulter
Boyle
Downey
Hughes

[amallon]

Due to club games I've only the Westmeath and Armagh games so I'm not going to even attempt to pick a down team.  I thought the decision to play Murtagh at wing back worked really well in Westmeath and on that performanace I'd play him in defence.  His distribution into the forwards was good and he was able to run the ball out of defence when it was needed. 

I saw Connell in the McKenna cup and wasn't overly impressed, maybe he has come on from then. 

There has to be a place on this Down team from Ronan Sexton, he has been unreal for the Bridge in the first two league games.  He is in excellent condition, in fact I'd say I've never seen him looking fitter or stronger. 

Michael Walsh may be a doubt, he is over his injury but is a long way from being match fit.  Michael will be bursting himself to get into contention for the championship and it would be a big boost to Down if he was able to make it.  Brendan Grant isn't a corner back, he will be caught for pace.  He is a full back or chb, I'd prefer full back.

Any word of any challenge games coming up?  Down were supposed to play Dublin at the opening of Saval field, but I've heard there is a change of opposition.  Anyone know more about this?

[DownFanatic]

amallon, Down play Louth now in the opening of Savals pitch. I think it's down for the 29th of April.

[Lecale2]

Why are they opening Saval's pitch? Have they a new one or have they done more work to it?

[amallon]

They have a new field parallel to their old field.  They have a fantastic setup down there, a credit to all involved.