Down Club Hurling & Football

[supersub]

Anyone hear news on Caolan Mooney this weekend?

[NP 76]

Hope its news that he has been called into the senior squad super sub . I know we have talked about this before but i think he would be a good option to use if needed

[Mike Tyson]

Hope its news that he has been called into the senior squad super sub . I know we have talked about this before but i think he would be a good option to use if needed

Heard that myself. Think it's a terrible decision. The lad's never played club senior or county u21 game before. Huge step up from Minors to Seniors at club level never mind county.

[supersub]

Well yes that is the story I am talking about. Not going to comment on it as he is a fellow clubmember, but just interested to see if others heard/had an opinion!

[st pauls mcgrath]

We couldn't field against Saul......don't ask.

I find it rather strange that St Pauls were unable to field against Saul in Div 4 on Fri night yet they could put a reserve team out today to beat Darragh in they Championship.
I also wonder how many of those guys today played junior championship last year!!!

you may open your eyes because as manager of the reserve team i can 100% guarantee you not one of those boys playing today played junior championship last year and if you dont believe me then how about you make the trip to bangor and i will go through the team sheet player by player.
friday was unfortunate, we haven't got a large panel looking to play senior football this year. alot of boys were away and a number including myself are carrying injuries. there are a lot of promising players still not ready for senior football who we had looked to possibly step in but all but one were unavailable. how about less of the smartarse talk and take your defeat like a man tonight.

dont think he's a Darragh man, dromara it seems from past posts!

Wrong. But i have every right to my opinion. And i still find it strange that St Pauls were unable to field againist Saul on Friday night yet were able to field today. 

Well regardless of the your club the point is the same.....we are a small club with limited resources at senior level and unfortunately for a number of different reasons we could not field on friday night and no ineligible players fielded against darragh cross.

[EagleLord]

I'd have to agree with Tyson there, he had only ever played against 17 and 18 yr olds. At Minor and schools level. He has never played against men, so that step is huge. Although I really couldn't speak highly enough of him, I think he is an unbeleivable talent. The pure pace he has is unlike anything I've seen even when carrying the ball. Look at the minor game vs Armagh, he just coasted past 2 orange shirts. Throwing this lad in on the starting XV though? It is bound to upset a few of the squad members not getting game time, no wonder there are lads quitting.

[redandblackareback]

Anyone hear news on Caolan Mooney this weekend?

So Mooney gets added to the ever increasingly large Down Senior panel. The rumours of players walking away from the panel are untrue but I would be more concerned about the size of the panel. How is a squad meant to bond and become tight when there are such large numbers coming and going, stories get leaked from the camp easier etc..  this would be off pressing concern.

Without causing offence to any member of the panel and I will not start naming names, but is there much call for some of these fringe players and U21's??

On the Mooney situation, Rostrevor MUST feel aggrieved, this is the club that gave this lad everything from underage, coaching, support, opportunities and what are they getting back now??? Its an all too familiar trait that the county get everything and the club gets cast aside! What is the general feeling down there Supersub?? I personally feel the lad is nowhere near a senior intercounty player at present! Cant speak for 3/4 years time but now no way IMO.

[whitegoodman]

Ronan Sexton and Sean Murdock are no longer on the panel, Aidan Carr I cant confirm, maybe somebody else can?

Agree with those that dont agree with the decision, not fair on the lad or those that are already on the panel.  A huge step up, it took benny a bit of time to make an impact and he had played a bit of senior club football before playing for the county i think. ( stand by to be corrected on that )

Mooney is an exceptional talent, is he as good as coulter was at that age? I dont no, does he have the same impact on games that coulter did? I dont no, is he ready for intercounty senior football, no imo.

The other point is that it smacks of short term thinking.  He is going to be there next year so unless they think he can come in and make an impact immediately, what is the point?

[Mid Down Gael]

Ronan Sexton and Sean Murdock are no longer on the panel, Aidan Carr I cant confirm, maybe somebody else can?

Agree with those that dont agree with the decision, not fair on the lad or those that are already on the panel.  A huge step up, it took benny a bit of time to make an impact and he had played a bit of senior club football before playing for the county i think. ( stand by to be corrected on that )

Mooney is an exceptional talent, is he as good as coulter was at that age? I dont no, does he have the same impact on games that coulter did? I dont no, is he ready for intercounty senior football, no imo.

The other point is that it smacks of short term thinking.  He is going to be there next year so unless they think he can come in and make an impact immediately, what is the point?

John Clarke, Mickey Magee and Kevin Anderson are also no nonger members of the squad im led to believe.

[supersub]

I haven't been chatting to many around here as it was kept quiet last week and people ony really found out in the last day or so. To be honest it is dissapointing that he is not part of the club (senior) panel but it is understandable as if he was still with down minors he wouldn't have been with the club anyway. Don't think there was much chance of him playing seniors for us before he goes away anyway and most around here know that. Just the way it fell with the minors being put out I suppose he is free to accept a call into the senior panel which probably wouldn't have happened if the minors were still going. He does still play for the club though at minor level i have to point out, it is not some sort of boycott against the club.

Ps all the best to him and everyone supports him here. Good to have one representative on county panel!!!

[NedFlanders]

Ronan Sexton and Sean Murdock are no longer on the panel, Aidan Carr I cant confirm, maybe somebody else can?

Agree with those that dont agree with the decision, not fair on the lad or those that are already on the panel.  A huge step up, it took benny a bit of time to make an impact and he had played a bit of senior club football before playing for the county i think. ( stand by to be corrected on that )

Mooney is an exceptional talent, is he as good as coulter was at that age? I dont no, does he have the same impact on games that coulter did? I dont no, is he ready for intercounty senior football, no imo.

The other point is that it smacks of short term thinking.  He is going to be there next year so unless they think he can come in and make an impact immediately, what is the point?

John Clarke, Mickey Magee and Kevin Anderson are also no nonger members of the squad im led to believe.

Can hardly balm J Clarke, the way he has been treated is a joke!

[PAULD123]

to be fair on the John Clarke issue, he got a start in our biggest game this year but failed to make anything of it. He could complain that he never got much football in the league but after being started for the championship I don't think he can complain. And I have always been a big supporter of him, but no doubt he had a poor game against Armagh.

As for Coalan, I don't see the point in him being in the seniors as I can't imagine they will actually play him ahead of Laverty or Murtagh. As someone else said, if he won't play this season and he'll be gone next year, what's the point?

We don't need extra forwards. If things are going well and our forwards are getting lots of posessesion then we will be scoring and winning. if we are not scoring and winning then it means we haven't got possession in the foward line, so what could Caolan do if he came on as a sub, he can't score if we don't have posessession? We need to resolve midfield and possession, after that our team could compete with just about anyone and score enough to beat just about anyone.

[NP 76]

Although Mooney is going away and will not feature next year i think he would be a good addition to the panel  . He would give you the option of kicking the ball into space instead of taking 20 handpasses to get it into the forward line . If the ball is played into the space any way half decent Mooney will win any race to win possession . This would mean the ball going into Benny and Mc Comiskey before all the opposition team get back to defend . Murtagh or Laverty dont give you this option as they are different types of players . It would speed things up instead of the laboured approach this last while . He might never play but would give you adifferent approach if needed . On the point of john am surprised because he got a start last time and cant complain about being taken off . Looks a bit selfish as if he wasnt happy about this which looks like he wasnt interested in fighting for a place compare this to Laverty and Murtagh who push hard all the time . Hope John hasnt left as he is a good lad who always tried his best

[ardtole]

Murtagh left the panel this time last year as well, did he not?

[Mid Down Gael]

Murtagh left the panel this time last year as well, did he not?

He did and returned to wonderful effect. The panel has been too large this past two seasons, too many lads hanging on and dont have a chance of featuring.
I rate Caolan Mooney as a wonderful footballer, but dont think its the most sensible move for the player and the team at this stage.
The lad has yet to play adult football at club level and i think any young player needs senior club experience before going straight to the top.
This is becoming the hardest month in James McCartans tenure with the poor display in Armagh, Marty Clarkes possible move back to Australia and experienced players feeling the need to leave. A first round qualifer win and decent performance is badly needed to get morale within the camp back to what it was and confidence in the team.