Down Club Hurling & Football

[NP 76]

Not long back from the launch of the new jersey good crowd there . There was 4 players Martin Clarke John Clarke Danny Hughes Ambrose Rodgers and James Mc Cartan . Tea and sandwiches served by Courtneys . Nice jersey hope we get plenty of days to wear it over the coming months into September

[lfdown2]

Just watched the launch online, Seamus mentioned the possibility of streaming games online? Anyone know if this is a possibility? Would be a great step forward if possible and surely another generator of funds.

[PAULD123]

We do want to keep the ACPRL standard high, so it should remain as two sections of 10, and split along geographical lines. The bottom two in each section should be replaced by the top two in the SDRFL and EDRFL each year, and the top two in each section should again form a round-robin mini-league to determine the outright winner.

Just looking at this aspect of your post Wobbler. So what your actually saying effectively is there should be a Premier Division added to the SDRFL and the same in EDRFL. Then playoffs for the title?

[thewobbler]

Not so much PaulD.

There should be two sections of 10 to the ACPRL, rather than divisions. The purpose of the split is reducing travelling times rather than signifying one is a higher standard than the other.

The top two in each section would come together at the end of the year for a mini-league, to decide trhe outright ACPRL champion.

I think the current standard of ACPRL football is pretty high, but it can only get higher by reducing the travel requirements involved. For example, there really is no need for us to travel to Belfast to play seconds football. Doing so takes 5 hours out of your day and it just puts off younger fellas who haven't quite got the necessary GAA dedication yet, and convinces retirement for older fellas who have real commitments beyond playing football. It's worse again for those on the fringes of the senior team; Friday night can mean a five hour effort, and Sunday can mean the same again.

[alba2]

one week away from the big game.... Anyone willing to hazard a guess at the lineup??

there will be obvious ones in the team

here is my guess

1. B Mc Veigh - best keeper in Ireland and his all star was well deserved - one more all star than Hearty has
2. D MC Cartan - prob mark Armagh s third forward - M O Rourke - worth his place in the team and would walk onto the     armagh team week in week out..Has his critics - but still a decent marker
3. D Gordon - Prob pick up Mc Donnell - absolutely skint him in the league fixture this year. Another performance like that will do nicely big dan - Mc Donnell - gr8 player - but totally past it.
4. G Mc Cartan - Prob the quickest player in the panel at the minute so will be assigned Jamie Clarke. Gerard should be fit to handle him tho as he has the strength that Jamie clearly lacks.  Gerard will match him for speed and thats all clarke has going for him.
5. D Rooney - Fantastic player both at club level and esp county level - can pick up any of the armagh half forwards because none of them can score - Decky will tr**p up the field and hit a few himself..
6. K Mc Kernan - Best centre half back in the country.  An Absolute disgrace he didnt get an all star last season.  Mr Consistent for Down over the last couple of seasons and lets his football do the talking.  He will pick up Watters/O'Rourke/BJ Padden with ease and destroy one or all of them.  Passing ability is unbelievable.
7. C Garvey - Great player and very capable of kicking scores during games.  A great manamarker and will probably move onto anyone who is causing danger like he did in AIF last year.  Altho the half forward line of Armagh wont caus too many sleepless nights.  Garvey marks harder men at his club sessions!!!
8. P Fitzpatrick - Great athlete and brilliant going forward.  Gr8 aerial ability and should command this area for the game.  His partnership with king is improving and they compliment each other well.  Should have too much for Vernon and thats who is likely to be picking him up.  Vernon blows hot and cold - but is freezing more often than luke warm...
9. K King - a brut in the middle.  he covers defensively very well and has a good understanding with Mc Kernan allowing him to drop off when he needs to .. Will have way too much class for Toner.  Toner looks the part but obviously concentrates on the mirror more than on the football.  King has improved something serious..
10. D Hughes Best wing half forward in the game at present.  Danny will run amock next saturday.  Armagh have noone to handle him...
11. M Poland A gem of a player and if that dog Mc Keever aint on him - Armagh have noone else fit to cope with his football brain.  great passer of the ball on both sides and will pull the strings for the down team.
12. C Maginn A real workhorse for the team.  Maginn is a class apart at tracking into defence and spraying passes all over the pitch. Armagh will probably leave him free as they will need to cover thier leaky defence at all angles.
13. M ClarkeWhat can be said.  maybe has fallen by the wayside in recent times but on his day is unmarkable.  He will probably get marked by Moriariarty and will skin him.  Marty needs to step up for about 25 mins in this game and we will win comfortably.
14. Benny He has it all and  no Armagh defender will want to see him coming near them.  Benny will probably score 2:2 and then when job is done come off and unleash Mc Cartan. 
15. P Mc Comiskey Fast,  fluent, gr8 passer, can score on the big day - he has it all.  his pace will trouble Armagh all day and andy mallon - great player - will have nightmares marking him.  Mallon has alot of miles on the clock so Mc Comiskey should burn him up. 

Subs to follow

[Minus15]

That was quite entertaining Alba!

[SHEEDY]

going on alba's take on the team, an ulster and all ireland title are in the bag. not one weakness!

[Dubh driocht]

Think Alba's team is exactly the team James will pick if they're all fit- Maybe Paul Murphy in if Garvey doesn't make it. However, if Mc Keever doesn't mark Marty then I'm a Dutchman or an Orangeman.
There are plenty of weaknesses but Alba is cute enough not to share them with Armagh wans.
Any word of the deal for Season Ticket Holders ?

[alba2]

Think Alba's team is exactly the team James will pick if they're all fit- Maybe Paul Murphy in if Garvey doesn't make it. However, if Mc Keever doesn't mark Marty then I'm a Dutchman or an Orangeman.
There are plenty of weaknesses but Alba is cute enough not to share them with Armagh wans.
Any word of the deal for Season Ticket Holders ?

If not Murphy then maybe Kevin Duffin who has been getting game time of late and is going well... Why talk about weaknesses lads - lets be positive - we got to an all ireland fianl last year - this year i want the county to go one step further - we wont do that by nit picking weaknesses.  There is no one in Armagh good enough to make the down team - Mc Donnell on his day would have  - but what other one would... You could argue Jamie Clarke - but who do ya drop - he is a finisher but not a worker - he dont track back nor tackle - prob thinks thats beneath him.  He would be a useful number 18 or 19 though... But there are no other Armagh players good enough for our team.  The tide has turned and they are beneath us again in terms of football - we will prove that next weekend with a performance thats a joy to watch...

[No1]

Kilclief 2-19   Ardglass 1-6

[Brick Tamlin]

But what if Armagh turn round and beat us, then the all singing all dancing Down team ye just named wont look so good.
You're either a complete WUM or extremely dellusional.
Also have a bit of respect for your opponents, dont have to like em or anything but a bit of respect wouldnt go amiss. Jamie Clarke is a quality player and he isnt the only one on that Armagh squad.

[DownFanatic]

Division 3
Dundrum 1-09  Tullylish 1-17

We were 12 points down at the break but came back well in the 2nd half but the Lish always had something in reserve. Peter Quinn topscored with 1-09 for them.

The game was excellently refereed by Mark Davy.

[alba2]

But what if Armagh turn round and beat us, then the all singing all dancing Down team ye just named wont look so good.
You're either a complete WUM or extremely dellusional.
Also have a bit of respect for your opponents, dont have to like em or anything but a bit of respect wouldnt go amiss. Jamie Clarke is a quality player and he isnt the only one on that Armagh squad.

What if - what if - blah blah blah... they wont beat us caus they cant beat us... Last few times we have played them we have stuffed them - even tho the score board has said one or two points - it has been a stuffing. Respect - oh i will give them respect alright.  The same respect they gave us in 99 when they obliterated us in an ulster final, the same respect they gave us in |Casement park at the start of the milleniumm the same respect they gave us when they won their only sam maguire and thought the world started in 2002 and everything we had done before didnt exist.  Dont talk s*** to me about respect for them - WHEN we beat them - i will respectfully open the back door and watch them sail through it... Yes Jamie is a good player and id didnt say otherwise - but i did say who would ya drop for him in the down lineup.  He is a finisher and doesnt work - every man and his dog knows that...  Who are all these other quality players in the squad??

[Brick Tamlin]

To put it simply i think you're full of shit and an idiot.

[alba2]

To put it simply i think you're full of shit and an idiot.

Ditto - ya prat..