Down Club Hurling & Football

[Dubh driocht]

The Down county board should hang their heads in shame at reappointing the most inept management of a Down team ever on FIVE successive occasions.I refer to Mark Turley and co. whose commitment cannot be faulted but their lack of understanding and reading of the modern game have cost 50 or so young Down players all-Ireland medals.When you think of what Pete Mc Grath did with two teams at U21 level who had done nothing under Turley at minor and then look at today's team, coming down with talent and colleges medals, you have to say WTF ?Be it going for goals when they had plenty of time in Croke park last year against Mayo or not recognising that Tyrone were playing an extra man at full-back today, this is not good enough.The county board were ruthless with Ross - why does that not extend to the teams that make up our future ?

[DownFanatic]

The Down county board should hang their heads in shame at reappointing the most inept management of a Down team ever on FIVE successive occasions.I refer to Mark Turley and co. whose commitment cannot be faulted but their lack of understanding and reading of the modern game have cost 50 or so young Down players all-Ireland medals.When you think of what Pete Mc Grath did with two teams at U21 level who had done nothing under Turley at minor and then look at today's team, coming down with talent and colleges medals, you have to say WTF ?Be it going for goals when they had plenty of time in Croke park last year against Mayo or not recognising that Tyrone were playing an extra man at full-back today, this is not good enough.The county board were ruthless with Ross - why does that not extend to the teams that make up our future ?

Turley and Co brought an All Ireland title to Down at the first time of asking in 2005. Quite a significant achievement for a managerial rookie setup.

Last year they got a very middling team to an All Ireland Semi final when nobody expected them too. They also gave eventual champions Armagh the closest game they got all year.

And its safe to say that the end of product of of those two decent U-21 teams that you mention were nurtured for a couple of years and progressed by the current Minor management team.

You mention talent and colleges medals and the like. Just cause your team may be filled with boys with bagfuls of school's medals isnt necessarilly a recipe for success. St Michael's, Enniskillen have been a powerhouse at MacRory level during the past ten years but yet Fermanagh havent won a MFC game in 10 years.

To be honest I think they have done a grand job over the past five years.

[Mourne Rover]

Down minors had an outstanding squad in 05, but have underperformed since then. While we dominated the second half against Tyrone, it would be difficult to suggest that we got the best out of some fine individual talents. To be honest, the minor result was more disappointing than the senior, as it was a game which could and should have been won.

The senior match was an amazing switch from the brilliant in the first quarter to the dreadful thereafter. Most of us have seen Down teams collapse from time to time, but it is hard to recall a game which started with so much promise and ended in almost total dejection.

Ambrose was singled out for attention from Tyrone, and it seemed that his foot injury returned to leave him a virtual spectator after a fantastic opening period. In fairness, they lost O'Neill after about ten minutes, but they have more options than we do.

McVeigh had a couple of bad moments, but was not a big problem, and there were some decent performances in our full back line - particularly, as ever, from Rafferty. Rooney and McArdle were steady enough.

Our half back started well and then struggled. Colgan is good on the ball but does not mark at all, and his role will have to be reviewed. Garvey got a ludiicous booking which affected his game, and McKernan  looked great initially but faded very badly.

It was surprising that King rather than Ambrose was the first midfielder to go, as he had been competing well,  and we got even worse after he departed.

Poland got a brilliant early point and then missed a bad free just before half time, but he might feel that replacing him at the break was  a cop-out when the problems were elsewhere. Maginn was excellent in the first half and ran out of steam later on but Clarke obviously did not do himself justice. While we are asking a lot of a player who has only had two championship games. he never really adjusted to the pace and the demands of a USC semi.

Hughes also looked dangerous early on but was hit by a dreadful tackle before half-time and never really recovered. Gordon was reasonable from the start but was awful in the second half. Benny, like most of the others, was great in the first quarter but dropped too deep, tried too hard and was not really a serious factor when it counted.

Our management did not respond with anything like the effectiveness of their Tyrone counterparts at any stage. McComiskey played in flashes, but Fitzpatrick and O'Hagan made little difference, and it was odd to see Brown, who may not have touched the ball, and never featured in the league, introduced rather than Laverty or John Clarke.

It was a depressing day, and we will need a favourable draw in the qualifiers to extend our summer. If  we avoid Cork, and learn some hard lessons, you never know.

[True Blue]

It was a depressing day, and we will need a favourable draw in the qualifiers to extend our summer. If  we avoid Cork, and learn some hard lessons, you never know.

If my memory serves me correct the 8 beaten provincial semi-finalists go into 1 pot and the remaining 8 counties from the 1st round qualifiers go into another so we can't get cork until the next round where the 8 winners of that round of qualifiers will face an open draw and the 4 winners will then play the 4 provincial r-up. i think this is the format so we could play armagh if they were to beat donegal

[13aside]

think you are a bit harsh on the minor manager,you well know that no manager would instruct his team to go for goals, last years semi against Mayo might have been won but some of te players panicked after ten minutes of the second half and at least one shot for goal from about 25m,how can a management legislate for that? and yesterday the goal conceded whilst well executed arrived when Down had a player on the floor injured,and people who saw the second half highlights claim that one of young Mooneys efforts crossed the line,last year an umpire at the Ulster final apologised to Bagnall from Glenn after he signalled a wide ball when in fact it had stayed in play and Bagnall had shot to the net and the 'goal' ruled out.

[Mid Down Gael]

Down minor management had a great first year backboned by a brilliant side. Talk to many off these players and they will tell you Colgan and Clarke basically run this team. Ever since this, management have had teams with great potential and failed. No provincial glory and some off their selections have been baffling. they have had 6 seasons and its now time for change and with the players we have had we should have had more success.

[T O Hare]

Every year the Down minor management gets blamed and people call for their heads but how can they be blamed for young players buckling under pressure or just sheer bad luck.. Down had plenty of chances to win the game yesterday.. They missed a few handy frees and the Tyrone keeper pulled off a brilliant save. Remember this panel was late being assembled due to St Colmans and St Malachys late involvement in schools football and i believe the management have done thier best job and were extremley unlucky!

[thegael]

Your point is ..............
ah yes give them the job as long as they want it - great for standards yes. a la  pete mc grath , paddy o'rourke great idea

even better than giving neil collins under 21 job .........

now the seniors i will collect my thoughts and articulate them soon to you all , but i'll tell you now the gael is not happy at all......


                                       the gael takes no prisoners

[Caitlin]

As has been stated, the 2005 minor team were a talented squad with many leaders - mind you they lost an Ulster final they should have won and that was the first sign that management, rather than players, was the problem.Obviously they deserved another chance in 06 and possibly 07 but badly underperformed.Since then the signs were clear that there was an absence of a cool calculating head on the sidelines.Jerome Johnstone was the obvious choice since then but I agree with the Gael that it was the same sloppy thinking that led to Neill Collins' appointment which kept the current minor regime in place.
If you were Mc Parland, Mooney, O'Hanlon,O'Hare or Mc Cartan you would be pretty angry at losing out ;some of them will be there next year so let's hope sense prevails.

[Square Ball]

Bredagh's u14 hurlers have qualified for the semi final of the Feile winning all three of the league games

they have reached the final, brilliant for us......

the boys lost in the final to raharney 1-3 to 4-7, they have done their club proud

[T O Hare]

As has been stated, the 2005 minor team were a talented squad with many leaders - mind you they lost an Ulster final they should have won and that was the first sign that management, rather than players, was the problem.Obviously they deserved another chance in 06 and possibly 07 but badly underperformed.Since then the signs were clear that there was an absence of a cool calculating head on the sidelines.Jerome Johnstone was the obvious choice since then but I agree with the Gael that it was the same sloppy thinking that led to Neill Collins' appointment which kept the current minor regime in place.
If you were Mc Parland, Mooney, O'Hanlon,O'Hare or Mc Cartan you would be pretty angry at losing out ;some of them will be there next year so let's hope sense prevails.

The players will be angry with themselves for not taking the chances that came their way!!!!!

[EagleLord]

Hard to know where I stand on the minor management. On one hand it seems the yare living off 2005, a side that could have managed itself nearly. Since then have done very little, bar another talented 2009 squad. And then o nthe other hand, the players are the ones that kick the ball, they miss the scoreable frees and give the ball away. As far as the managers job is concerned, once the whistle blows theres not alot he can do, the players time to do their job.

[Wind yer neck in]

The minor management have a particularly tough job too get the team prepared especially if any of the school teams get a run and also with exams. This though is similar for all minor squads in each county, we do not have a monopoly on this. The fact is though the management have had 6 years and only won 1 trophy, granted it was the All-Ireland but we lost 2 Ulster championship finals. I think rather than being shoved they should step down and be thanked for the sterling work they put in but like an old school report I think it will read, "Tried hard, could have done better, results don't lie, potential not realised". A fresh face/management team would do no harm but maybe the County board and the current mangement might feel they have done well and are content with the last 6 years results???
Seniors can only be described as pathetic, stopped after 18 mins, Harte had the the measure of us from the sideline, he responded, mixed and matched and eventually wore us into the ground. We could do with some of his tactical nous, the players should also regroup and then try to play for 70 mins rather then  their short sharp burst. Canavan could be right we may have not been fit enough also. And McHugh and Burns nailed it when they said we hadn't the mental strength and belief that is required to win at this higher level. Overall a dissappointing and poor weekend for Down atleast we didn't boo

[johnneycool]

Bredagh's u14 hurlers have qualified for the semi final of the Feile winning all three of the league games

they have reached the final, brilliant for us......

the boys lost in the final to raharney 1-3 to 4-7, they have done their club proud

A very good showing from the Bredagh lads. Heard they'd some very good forwards in their midst which will be a must to make inroads at adult level which isn't a million miles away.

[Leo]

The fact is though the management have had 6 years and only won 1 trophy, granted it was the All-Ireland but we lost 2 Ulster championship finals.
Seniors can only be described as pathetic, stopped after 18 mins, Harte had the the measure of us from the sideline,

My only comment on the mnors is that at 8 points down and with the wind behind us we were still persisting with a sweeper!!!! Release these lads from negative tactics and let them express themselves as the good footballers they are.

The seniors were poor in the second half yet we had the scorable frees and goal chances that could have pput Tyrone away so keep that persepective. We have made progress with this team but our sideline were outfoxed by the master of the blanket game and the seasoned players on the Tyrone team had the guile to execute his plan to the letter - and still we were only a kick or two away. So take the positives, I believe we will do well in the qualifiers provided we allow Clarke & Benny to operate in the danger zone.
Is is jusy me or did we play better earlier in the season without Dan Gordon?
Maybe when he comes back to form he could stay at No. 8 and push Ambrose into a more forward role.
I think our full back line particularly McArdle & Rafferty is doing well enough to get rid of the sweeper and use Colgan in place of McKernan at wing back with Rooney at CHB. Maybe give McGovern another go in the corner.
Keep the faith - we are not far away.