Down Club Hurling & Football

[TheClutch]

ACFL 3

Dundrum 2-15 Mitchels 0-06

[goldenyears]

RGU beat Shamrocks by 8

[Naomh Pol CLG]

Teconnacht 0-5 St Pauls 2-11....a good win away at one of the favourites

[goldenyears]

ACFL Division 1 2011

25/04/2011

Clonduff  0 - 10 vs 2 - 13 Bryansford  16:00 Babhta Two
Rostrevor  2 - 11 vs 0 - 10 Mayobridge  16:00 Babhta Two

23/04/2011

Ballyholland  1 - 14 vs 0 - 7 Longstone  19:00 Babhta Two
Burren  2 - 10 vs 0 - 12 Saval  18:00 Babhta Two
Kilcoo  1 - 13 vs 0 - 10 An Riocht  16:00 Babhta Two

ACFL Division 2 2011

25/04/2011

Downpatrick  1 - 14 vs 1 - 5 Shamrocks  16:00 Babhta Two
Drumgath  2 - 7 vs 1 - 9 Clann na Banna  16:00 Babhta Two

24/04/2011

Loughinisland  1 - 8 vs 0 - 8 Ballymartin  14:00 Babhta Two
Warrenpoint  2 - 11 vs 1 - 8 Liatroim  12:30 Babhta Two

[PAULD123]

Burren beat Saval in the end it was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.  How Stephen Kearney aint on our county panel is beyond me.. He gave an exhibition this evening...

Didn't Stephen Kearney opt out of the county panel last year? I understood that he was unhappy that, having played most of the league in the half forwards that Mark Poland took his place at the start of the championship. I had heard he chose to leave the panel. Maybe I am wrong, I'd like to hear the truth if anyone knows it?

Incidentally Kearney played in 7 league games plus the final and he scored only one point which was against Kildare in the very first game.

[NP 76]

1 point isnt a great return for a half forward compare that to Mark Poland who scored considerable more than that just havent got his scores at hand. I had heard that he pulled out myself and actually getting out of a taxi bus the day of the semi final . Imagine how he must of felt after going home knowing that he was going to miss out on running out on All Ireland day . Imagine the slagging he took on the bus on the way home

[supersub]

1 point isnt a great return for a half forward compare that to Mark Poland who scored considerable more than that just havent got his scores at hand. I had heard that he pulled out myself and actually getting out of a taxi bus the day of the semi final . Imagine how he must of felt after going home knowing that he was going to miss out on running out on All Ireland day . Imagine the slagging he took on the bus on the way home

In English?

[NP 76]

Meant to say that i saw him getting out of a taxi bus or hired bus with his mates where as a few months earlier he was travelling down with the team .

[5 Sams]

Murph's back on the county panel....twas only a matter of time...

[NP 76]

Delighted to hear that should never of been of it in the first place. Wont do the Harps any favours all the same . Hope he gets a fair crack of it this time around

[PAULD123]

NP76 you're a bit careless with the old english, I wonder who is to blame was it Chester, McDaid or wee tom?

Incidentally Poland scored 1-7 in two league matches (6 from frees).

In the championship he started every match (8 games) and scored 1-18 (13 from frees)

Certainly seems to justify James's decision

[knockitdown]

NP76 you're a bit careless with the old english, I wonder who is to blame was it Chester, McDaid or wee tom?

Incidentally Poland scored 1-7 in two league matches (6 from frees).

In the championship he started every match (8 games) and scored 1-18 (13 from frees)

Certainly seems to justify James's decision

Definitely Chester....the man struggled with it himself!

[Bearly on loose]

with regard to the Murphy/Kearney discussion and whether they should be on the panel, its my belief that both are good enough to be included.  although only two club league games have been played this year it does appear that both players have been the stand out performers for the two promoted teams thus far.

Murphy is strong, athletic and a very good fielder of the ball.  Although sometimes i feel he can take too much out of the ball (at times) for his club, its not something i've seen him do for Down.  He is most definitely a viable midfeild or even possibly half back option.  In my OPINION he could be ahead of Colgan in the pecking order.  I await a blacklash from the Colgan fans!

I'm not totally sure where, or indeed why, the Kearney v Poland debate began.  There is most definitely room for both in the panel!   I'm a big fan of Poland, he's been a revelation for Down.  He's fleet of foot, as has already been noted a competent score taker, and has also won his fair share of break ball at times.
Kearney is a different type of player, he's strong, a good ball winner and an excellent passer.  As has been noted he may not have been the best score getter for Down in the past, i don't think that it his main asset, and there is much more do a half forward than scoring...though it is useful to have the ability to get a score when the opportunity presents itself, something i think Kearney is capable of.  Anyway i always felt both Ross and James played him quite deep, helping the defence.

Finally whether Murphy or Kearney left the panel in the past of their own accord is not a major issue.  This is a new year and we want the strongest available panel to challenge in the 2011 chapionship, both would improve the panel whether from the starting team, from the bench or by simply pushing the players who are already there forward in training. 

[NP 76]

Knockitdown 100% right Chester and wee Art . Think i should of paid more heed to the computer class not very handy on it at all woodwork took priorty .

[whitegoodman]

Paul Murphy being back on the county panel is an interesting one.  Someone before mentioned the possibility of trying him at full back again.  IMO this would be like trying Kevin McKernan at FB again and would waste everything that is good about murphy and bring out the weaker side of his game.

He is at his best when he is running forward with the ball in hand from either half back line or midfield.  He doesnt have the mindset to play fullback probably because he only ever played there a few times in his life and his natural instincts on the field are always to get forward and support which isnt a bad thing as long as ur not playing in the full back line.  I would imagine he hated his stint there when Ross tried him for the 1 or 2 games that he did.  As I said before it is his strength, dynamism and running power which make him stand out at club level and has previously done so at county level and imo to move him to FB would negate all of this.

Unfortunately for him I dont see James changing his half back line at this stage and it is likely that he is going to be seen as an impact sub from either wing back or possibly midfield.  BTW i seen in the paper the other day that he scored 6 against longstone, if this is true and all were from play from midfield then that is quite an impressive performance.