USFC Round 1 : An Cabhan V An Dun

[bcarrier]

I thought Jackie Lynch did Ok once he is fit to play I'd give him another go. Agree about keeper - varying kickouts has been a problem for a long time now

Murtagh was excellent yesterday but wouldnt count on seeing similar transformation in Benny if moved out. He has loads of talent and linking up with unsung Ronan Sexton was excellent yesterday . He  just seems to go missing at certain times - whether through fitness or not I dont know. I hate to see him hanging in behind marker hoping bounce will beat the defender. Looked very one footed yesterday too.

[The Bottom Brick]

McCabe roasted that Lynch fella, don't know how anyone can think Lynch had a decent game

Ballyhaise, re the minors:

I thought Minagh was far and away our best player. Dunne did well too for a midfielder playing full back.


Graham was desperate, a bit of the Mulvey "busting lads" syndrome about him again yesterday.

Watters was poor but he started out of position.


"Conor Smith done well" - disagree completely. To the casual observer, maybe, but if you knew how good he can be you'd be disgusted yesterday.

He scored 7-19 for Virginia en route to the AI, including 3-1 in the final. Was clumsy and afraid to shoot (after some poor first half wides) yesterday

Was ther a fitness test on Keating? The lad was well fit to start

Biggest disappointment was Martin Dunne, huge let-down.

Was wondering who'd be the first to bring up the Gaynor thing!!! If only John Tierney was fit to be a target man, or Trevor Crowe assisted McCabe at midfield... If only!

Forde was poor alright, as was McKeever, especially when they dragged him back for a while.

[5 Sams]

I hear Brolly was acting the bollix as usual at half time giving both teams a lot of stick...did anyone catch what he said....

[downredblack]

He is trying to be the Eammon Dunphy of Gaelic football . Tosser .

[MaroonAndWhite]

Brolly said that there were plenty of lads on both teams that weren't the relations of county players! Apparently he was down amongst the masses in Breffni for the first half....pity he wasnt lynched

[North Longford]

I hear Brolly was acting the bollix as usual at half time giving both teams a lot of stick...did anyone catch what he said....

He reckoned most of the players weren't the first cousin of a county player!! Lyster challenged him a little on this although Brolly reckoned what was the point of him being there if he didn't say it as he saw it!!
O'Rourke then made a comment which made me wonder which of the other pair he was agreeing with. He said they were the best players in their counties so then they were county players but if your were comparing them to the lads that would be on view in August and Septemebr that was another story!!

[armaghniac]

Brolly said that there were plenty of lads on both teams that weren't the relations of county players!

he clearly wasn't familiar with the interbreeding found in the remote reaches of Mourne!

This might have been controversial, but his basic point was that the defences of both teams were not on par with top teams nowadays.

[Pangurban]

Goldenyears has named our best available team for replay, agree wholeheartedly with the possible exception of Benny at mid-field, i dont think hes good enough to play there, lacks mobility and fitness. His defensive is spot on

[Fíor Gael]

I can't understand why anyone would want to move Benny out the field, he's so dangerous up there. Cavan were that worried about him they let rest of Down players walse true unchallenged, ie Grant, Cole, Gordon, Murtagh. We didn't exploit this enough. Also we were very slack on the break ball yesterday and there was a severe lack of crunching tackles.

[cloneman]

Heard today that newry got the ok for sunday. It'll be good to see ulster championship football at home again

[heganboy]

what is it with Down county players from Ballyholland and the outside of the boot?
Its not enough to score- ye have to do it with a flourish???
Oh aye and don't get me started on the "dummy" before he took the final score- I've seen that somewhere else too...

[thewobbler]

Now i'm torn. Take a couple of goals and a couple of useful individual performances away, and that was a shocking performance. And if we've learned anything about Down in recent years, it's that we don't learn from our mistakes, and when replays come around, we get punished because while the opposition have been watching match videos and making mental notes, we've been beating drums about how the boys in red and black are back. Yet for some reason, I'm full of conviction that Down won't be beaten on Sunday. And I can't explain why. Gut instinct, that's all.

Changes are necessary. I agree with GY, we need to bring a man back. You'll find though that we've both been saying that for the best part of three years on here, so I don't expect it'll be any different this weekend. The truth though is that we've the forwards to take Cavan on 5 vs 6, but we don't have the defence to take them on 6 vs 6. It's simple mathematics.

Calls to start McComiskey are nothing short of ridiculous. He has the potential to become our most destructive forward since Mickey Linden, but he's only 19 and he's built like a 19 year old. He'll be at his best coming on against tired legs for this year at least. It is an impossible step for teenager to go from Division III club football to 70 minutes of destructive Championship hitting - even allowing for the fact that Cavan are at the bottom of the pile when it comes to destructive Championship hitting.

Cole has to start, which 99% of Down followers would have wanted last weekend anyway. Murphy has to be in with a shout. If Cavan are to continue with their midfield pairing this weekend, it could be the best tactic of all to put Murph and Gordon together and just let them run their opponents into the ground. I'd also like to see Kearney at 11. Carr was okay on Sunday, but the Mitchels man looks in super shape, and I don't see any of the Cavan defence keeping with him for workrate.

Based on what I saw on Sunday, big Packie should get back where he belongs - behind McCartan and Burns in the pecking order.

1. B Connell - I found it strange big Mickey's kickouts got praise from lots of quarters. I'd say it must be easy to practice them when you use the same kickout every single time.  He's probably the best keeper I've ever seen, but it's time to move him on.
2. M Cole - Pace and a bit of elegance. The kind of player you need around Seanie Johnston.
3. B Grant - He had a fair enough game at CHB, but I don't want to ever see Rooney at full-back again, and it's the wrong time of year to be trying someone new out there.
4. D McCartan - Got stronger as the game went on and deserves another shot. If Dee Rafferty is 75 % fit though, I'd have him in instead.
5. R Murtagh - His best outing in a Championship game.
6. D Rooney - I reckon Rooney would be better as a forward, but by all accounts he was useful here in the league. If McKeever plays as a shield in front of his defence, he should be a good man in there protecting space.
7. K McGuigan - The Shamrocks man would be a whole lot happier out here. He can actually play a bit.
8. P Murphy - Did more in 20 minutes than big Jackie did in 50, so he has to stay in.
9. D Gordon - More of the same this week Dan, except do what you do for Loughinisland and sling it over from distance.
10. R Sexton - Very useful game on Sunday. Tireless, and links well with Coulter.
11. S Kearney - It's a bit harsh on Carr. But some players are much more comfortable up the middle than the wings, including Carr and Kearney, and I reckon Stevie has the edge at the moment.
12. J Clarke - His best position. Should Cavan go nuts with an 8 man defence, he is one those capable of shooting from distance.
13. D Hughes - Danny won't play that badly again.
14. B Coulter - Leave him and Danny up there on their own.
15. J McGovern - Not as a conventional forward, but coming back to support his defence. If Hughes and Coulter are getting swamped, take him back in as a conventional forward. This lad actually has the fitness and skill to carry off the role. I couldn't say if he has the intelligence to carry it off, but the enthusiasm is there.

[Caitlin]

As us Down wans are dominating this debate I think we should discuss Cavan a bit and recognise their role in an open game .Firstly, Breffni really is a magnificent setting and we could have done with a bigger support.Secondly the Publicans, supporters and guards were very hospitable.Cavan town is a true GAA town and they would respect our tradition more than most.Thirdly, the game was largely free from gamesmanship- I didn't see the 'dive' from one of the Reillys but there was hardly a dirty tackle and I saw nothing off the ball.Can you imagine Tyrone, Armagh or even Donegal defenders allowing Benny/Daniel/Mc Cumiskey that time? Paul Brady is a great athlete and while it was big ask ,neither he nor Hannon(?)  resorted to dirt against Benny.Fourthly it was great to see a big man like Mc Cabe doing what he does best and clearly enjoying it.While he may have blatantly pushed Adrian Scullion for two of the goals in 2004 he is an honest big hallion who belongs to a bygone era .Fifthly they have a helluva player in Ronan Flanagan and I look forward to the Marshes.
Wobbler's team is pretty sound but I would stick with Mickey, agree that there is still a place for Mc Guigan and possibly Clarke. The second midfield position is a challenge. Jackie is a poor man's Mc Cabe( the calf as opposed to the Bull) but Paul Murphy is small ( 5 11 according to the programme) and as the VG photo in today's IN showed, Jackie was all over the Bull like a rash. I would give Jackie a start but Murphy is an excellent option if things are tight ( which they will be).First home USFC game since Aontroim in 99 I believe.
Finally, great to get the team on Thursday, see two managers make rational and inspirational decisions and recognise that love them or hate them, the meeja animal has to be fed- it's good for players to see that their managers are showing real leadership.Up Down

[Pangurban]

Hear Hear Caitlin, Cavan deserve credit for their effort and sporting behaviour, a great football county with a proud tradition like ourselves. A good anti-dote to the behavior of the Johny come latelys from Armagh and Tyrone who believe they invented football

[buglebhoy]

Wobblers team reads ok imo, grant needs dropped, the man has not been training with the county team since the mckenna cup and he showed on sunday that he isnt fit! full back would kill him! Darren Cunningham is the man for the full back job, he doesnt stand out for his play in possession but his man won't score and a couple of weeks training for grant at county level rather than mayobridge level and he'll be fit again! i say this as he gave away easy frees, his shot was woeful and he was slow to react to the break ball! 4 players for down yesterday performed (r.murtagh, dan gordan, ronan sexton and benny)along with a number of subs, mccomiskey can't start next week though, too young and too small, wobblers right in saying that packie isnt good enough but mc comiskey will not play as well as his debut! change the full back line and have paul murphy on instead of jack lynch and we'll be flying!