Down Club Hurling & Football

[rosskarr]

 I expect at least a 15 point defeat. Anything less would be a surprise.

[ApresMatch]

Our club is looking an u16 challenge game on Saturday before heading onto Newry for Down v Dublin. PM me if you can help/interested. Our 16s are pretty good.

[SamFever]

Our club is looking an u16 challenge game on Saturday before heading onto Newry for Down v Dublin. PM me if you can help/interested. Our 16s are pretty good.

apres,I'll be keeping an eye out for your "pretty good" U16's as the year goes on.

[Mourne Rover]

Our manager has been so guarded in his public comments that it is difficult to know whether he is quietly finalising a championship plan or operating a damage limitation exercise. However, he deserves considerable sympathy over the number of players unavailable to him for a variety of reasons.

We were obviously fortunate to be promoted last season and we needed to at least retain our key performers and bring back some experienced faces if we were going to compete in D1. Instead, we have Laverty and Fitzpaptrick taking an indefinite break, McArdle and the Johnston brothers suffering long term injuries, Mooney reportedly having a hamstring problem and both McConville and Downey also apparently ruled out with knocks. We now know that Gordon, the best midfielder in the county, is gone, together with Benny, who might have been an impact sub, and there is no word if or when Clarke may return.

Burns had no option other than to bring in new recruits, whether some of them were ready or not, and the results against the best sides in the country have been fairly predictable. It is a depressing time, but we can only pass a proper judgment in the summer.

[wobbller]

Our manager has been so guarded in his public comments that it is difficult to know whether he is quietly finalising a championship plan or operating a damage limitation exercise. However, he deserves considerable sympathy over the number of players unavailable to him for a variety of reasons.

We were obviously fortunate to be promoted last season and we needed to at least retain our key performers and bring back some experienced faces if we were going to compete in D1. Instead, we have Laverty and Fitzpaptrick taking an indefinite break, McArdle and the Johnston brothers suffering long term injuries, Mooney reportedly having a hamstring problem and both McConville and Downey also apparently ruled out with knocks. We now know that Gordon, the best midfielder in the county, is gone, together with Benny, who might have been an impact sub, and there is no word if or when Clarke may return.

Burns had no option other than to bring in new recruits, whether some of them were ready or not, and the results against the best sides in the country have been fairly predictable. It is a depressing time, but we can only pass a proper judgment in the summer.

Good analysis there although I have passed judgement I'm afraid.

[PAULD123]

The league is not the sole indicator of championship ability, but increasingly it has been the case that top league performances reap good championship campaigns. Of course some teams may be rebuilding during the league and we are certainly one of those teams.

That is about as optimistic as I can say because I do not see a rebuilding process. What I see is a lot of new players being tried out but without a clear system or style of play. That is not rebuilding, if anything at best it is replacing.

I will say that burns does seem to want to play more direct football and that is interesting. But generally I do not see anything that indicates prepared movement of the players, it all seems reactionary and individual. Also it seems like the only training focuses around not losing possession in tight spaces, but no indication that there is any real idea of what to do once possession has been secured, except to run it into another tight space so as to recycle it because that's what teh boys have trained to be good at.

I'd be content to lose if I saw the team play to a set pattern and, even though losing, stuck with it and improved game after game, got slicker at using the system they have chosen. Instead we are at the same level game after game. So, sadly, come summer I find it hard to believe that there will be much improvement to judge favourably.

[Highlander3]

Not a lot to be happy about at the moment, how are the minors and u21's I reason to believe if either of them teams will do well this year?

[Ed Hardy]

Is there any word of the u21 panel yet with championship next week?

[Highlander3]

Is there any word of the u21 panel yet with championship next week?

Each County panel should have a liaison person to give the County supporter info
on how each of our Teams are going.Special Branch secrecy prevails.

Agreed, anyone know how they have been doing in friendlies?

[Lecale Gael]

HEARD U21S WON A TOURNAMENT IN LAOIS OR SOMEWHERE

[Mourne Rover]

Dublin coming to town is always a great occasion even if the circumstances are not quite ideal. McKernan replaces Mallon and Darren O'Hagan comes in for Collins, but there are no other changes listed. We can only get there early and hope for the best.

[cut the crap]

Having seen Dublin team, we don't have good enough defenders,bookies reckon Dublin by at least 8 pts, I'm thinking 15pts at a canter

[cut the crap]

First to admit I was wrong , but  was there enough there to look forward to the next outing ,maybe. Cluxtons  mistake was totally unexpected but you have to take all that's given, but Dublin have some strength in depth.

[SHEEDY]

Dublin won at ease but down at least showed some signs of improvement and some fight.

[Mourne Rover]

At the risk of clutching at straws, and accepting that there was a huge gulf in class on the field, we actually put in a reasonable shift tonight, looked better organised in key areas and certainly improving noticeably on our last two home games. Dublin were miles ahead of us, as they are of most sides, but a display like that against Monaghan in the championship would us at least a degree of hope, even if we find ourselves in the qualifiers.

Cunningham was our man of the match and impressed from start to finish. The majority of his kick-outs were well placed, no mean feat against a team as fit as Dublin, he was solid under the dropping ball, made a couple of fine stops and had no chance with their goal.

Our full back line also did well, with Gerard McGovern settling into his role and genuinely unlucky not to get a goal when he pushed up, and O'Hagan and Collins very competitive.

The half backs found it much tougher against an outstanding line of Flynn, Kilkenny and Connolly, but the latter was largely negated by Conail McGovern's clever sweeping. While O'Hanlon is still young, and did take one fine point, his distribution is regularly poor and he still tends to shoot wides from distance rather than picking out a forward.

McKay had an impressive opening period at midfield before he understandably tired and Turley was as determined as ever even though the referee did him few favours.

McKernan will be annoyed with himself over the early black card, Mallon has had better days and Maginn worked tirelessly without often hurting Dublin.

Barry O'Hagan only played in bursts but O'Hare was much more involved than of late, hit his frees confidently and probably deserved the slice of good fortune behind his goal

Murphy looked the part when he replaced McKernan and must start the next day, while all the subs contributed with Devlin the liveliest.

We are still in a tough place, and obviously heading back to where we really belong in D2, but performances like tonight in our last two fixtures will give us at least something to build on for the summer.