Down Club Hurling & Football

[6th sam]

not disagreeing with you there but name me the weaknesses and tell me the solutions or alternatives. Realistically now and dont be coming up with any of this oul shite where ye have liam doyle playing , or even worse, playin and wearing no 6. Just interested to know what people think are realistic options are

Brick,I think Lecale 2 was referring to the hurlers when he talked about a weakened team.The Hurlers could not hope to match a resurgent Dublin team,without their strongest team.I hope they get things sorted out ,as Ballela and other Non-Ards clubs are making great efforts in promotion of Hurling.We have great potential as a hurling county,given that we still can compete favourably at 2nd tier level despite apparent organisational weakness.

Football-wise I was at Saval yesterday,and I was alarmed at the small crowd and quiet atmosphere,despite the weather,attractive fixture pre-championship ,and the outstanding Saval set-up.We need to re-inject a bit of passion in this county.We appear to have become a crowd of cynics and begrudgers,and have we as supporters lost our hunger for success?

As an eternal optimist-I remember a similar level of apathy before Down played Armagh in The Marshes in 1991-here's hoping!

[Brick Tamlin]

your right, twas terrible to see so few supporters at the match, more of a kids feckin day out if ye ask me, more money woulf have been taken at that bouncy castle then the gate id say.

On the field 6th Sam how do you think we fared, positives/negatives?

[No1]

I would have thought that the county management team would see this match as key preparation for the championship.

  Lecale, their preparation is nothing short of shambolic.  There were 10 of them in Kilclief for a training session last week and themselves and their fitness coach had a short discussion and decided they wouldn't train and they all fucked off home.

  Kevin McGourty has plenty of Down connections, Brendan is his cousin AFAIK.  I wouldn't have him about the place though.

[johnneycool]

I would have thought that the county management team would see this match as key preparation for the championship.

  Lecale, their preparation is nothing short of shambolic.  There were 10 of them in Kilclief for a training session last week and themselves and their fitness coach had a short discussion and decided they wouldn't train and they all fucked off home.

  Kevin McGourty has plenty of Down connections, Brendan is his cousin AFAIK.  I wouldn't have him about the place though.

I think they've been playing each of the Ards teams the last few wednesday nights with the clubs at full strength which won't do the county team any good as they'll need to get their strongest 15 decided and playing together to form any sort of bond etc. From my inside sources what No1 says is more the norm rather than a one off occurence but they are hampered with the Newry, Liatroim and kilclief lads hurling on the tuesday night then the Ards seniors hurling on the wednesday and saturday/sundays the last few weeks. There's no 'starred' hurling games I'm afraid but as i've always said rightly or wrongly the club game is king in the Ards with more turning out to watch a junior game that some of the Christy Ring games we'll see later on in the summer.

[downredblack]

How close is the team that played Louth to our Championship side ? I'd imagine room will have to be found for Clarke / Cole / Murtagh and Walsh if fit . Still no mention if Ambrose came through his first game back okay , anyone got any news on this ?

[AnDunYeGo]

I remember hearin all this crap about mc gourty goin to casltewellan a few years ago when big PJ o'hare took over. a load of shite, just wants some attention before the championship starting. it wouldn't matter who was managing him, he'd still have arguments . Why should jody gormley have to put up with his shit, he'd be at the same stuff if he played for us

[Mourne Rover]

The McGourty interview does not seem to have appeared on the Sunday Tribune website yet, which may tell us something. He specifically said that he was staying with St Gall's but looking for work in the Dublin area. Unless he is planning to acquire an address in Down, that would appear to make any transfer to us highly unlikely. Scullion was properly registered with Carryduff, so the circumstances were different.

Our line-up for the friendly against Louth seems to have looked the part, but I would agree with Downredblack that places will have to be found for Clarke, Cole and Murtagh. Walsh is a tight call, and, assuming he is not injured, Aidan Burns should also be fairly close. With McComiskey a good bet to play at some stage, there is much more competition for places than we might have previously thought. McCrickard would be a gamble at midfield, as his peformances at county level have been mixed. He was good against Laois in the league, but reportedly very poor in the final game at Galway. I would not rule him out, as our options there are limited. However, if Paul Murphy is really coming into form, perhaps our Ballyholland contributors would offer a view on on the idea that he might be the man to switch to the middle and win any breaking ball which big Dan misses in the air.

[sabhallphadraig]

From Monday night - Div 3 refixture: Bright 3-9; Saul 1-8 - have to say Bright deserved the win (they wanted it far more) and we're going to have a real yoyo season. Goals win and lose matches as we've seen before plus at some point we really need to do some serious referee ass kissin. Being a Saul supporter and a Leeds fan, this is some tough week - where's that bottle again?

[No1]

Being a Saul supporter and a Leeds fan, this is some tough week

   

[Fear Boirche]

How did Packie Downey do v Louth? Has he done enough to play himself into the Championship team?
Maybe he is the type of player we need. Seems to play with no fear and, if played in two-man ff line, would solve the problem of Benny getting isolated so often when he plays there.

BTW, don't think Kevin and Brendan McGourty are cousins as both have fathers called Sean and that would just be confusing.

[charlie stubbs]

he can fetch a ball, got rough ttreatment at the sigerson weekend took off in the semi and never gota run in final despite noyt playing that badly.thot may have shattered confidence but apparantly did well against galway

[stpauls]

reviewed Division 3 table after Bright's win over Saul last night:

Team   Played   Won   Drew   Lost   GF   PF   GA   PA   Diff   Pts
Drumgath   5   4   0   1   9   71   12   39   23   8
Tullylish   4   4   0   0   2   46   2   41   5   8
Bosco   5   3   0   2   7   50   5   43   13   6
Glenn   4   3   0   1   6   22   2   32   2   6
Tec'aught   5   3   0   2   2   31   5   52   -30   6
Bredagh   4   2   1   1   2   38   3   29   6   5
Dundrum   4   2   0   2   6   45   3   49   5   4
Mitchels   5   2   0   3   4   45   8   44   -11   4
Bright   5   1   1   3   5   52   2   62   -1   3
Ardglass   5   1   1   3   2   45   5   49   -13   3
Saul   5   1   0   4   5   43   9   30   1   2
St. Paul's   5   1   0   4   10   41   10   59   -18   2

[downredblack]

 We paid in the last day we were there .

[Fíor Gael]

McGourty is a mouth piece with no manners are respect. Jody Gormley done right to banish him and it would be a sad day for Down football if we were to welcome him into our county set up. Can't ever see proud men like DJ, Ross or Decky Mussen opening the door for trouble makers from another county.

[thewobbler]

Anyone know which Point players fell out with each other on the field Friday night?


Ballyholland drew 9 apiece with Saval tonight in a game we really should have won. Referee played for a draw and got the result he wanted. The game wasn't a great spectacle, but was tense throughout.