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Second chance given to all teams.. that's not a real championship. Do what they do in other counties - straight knockout.. that's a championship

Spoken like a man who has never worked for 6 months only to lose in the first round & realise your season is over & you'll have to start over again in January.
Lads put too much in now for only one chance in championship.

I have lost in the first round of championship many many times. But we came back stronger and worked harder than the previous year to set it right. Lads put too much in now my arse - we put in just as much on the pitch and gym 20 years ago. The profile wasn't as big then but due to social media that has changed. If Clonduff raised themselves this year beyond normal and beat Kilcoo in round one - Kilcoo will probably get them in 1/4 final or semi final and knock them out like they did to us a few years back. In kilcoos 6 in a row they were beaten twice by Burren in early stages and ended up winning it outright - tarnished championships they are.

So you came back stronger but have been beat in first round many many times 🤔🤔

Also that's complete and utter nonsense about guys doing as much in the gym 20 years ago . On the pitch maybe but it was mostly daft training , it's now much more quality coaching and less laps . Whatever you may say about the younger generation now you definitely cannot lay lacking condition at most of them . 20 years ago people gained 1/2 stone in the off season . There is no off season now

Can it be a defensive mark from an attacking free kick ?

Sometimes opinion isn't pretty .

I'm a bit over the whole well done James for taking the job spiel . The man admitted he hadn't seen much of the Down club scene for years so was he really doing what was best for Down when he took the job on ? And I'm not having the no one else wanted it line either . Time to move on

Down better going with 30 players who want to play for Down and not disappear to America, Australia or drop if the panel. Derry went through 107 players in less than 10yrs, it was a joke. Down beat Derry in Newry 2yrs ago. Gallagher got rid of maybe 8/10 players I have thought good enough to start / on the panel. Due to either attitude or couldn't commit. Down gonna go the same way. Derry keep Slaughtneil on board to backbone the team, Kilcoo seem to they too good for the county team.

I think we're all up for building for the future but if we look back at the most recent plan prior to this,we know the results of that by our current situation.Who was in charge of implementing that and who is in charge of bringing this latest idea to fruition?The answer to this is critical as to the prospects of this plan succeeding.

Can't get my head around James and Co. staying on.Dressing room has long been lost and will probably not be got back.Just leave and let's have a clean sweep of the whole set-up.

Completely agree . A waste of a year if true

It's laughable that on an online anonymous forum where people constantly slate the county team , the county board and referees there is a problem with a non player giving his honest opinion about the state of the county team and sticking his name beside it . Have a bit of wit ffs

Under 11 strength and conditioning coaches are the way forward 

Just announced . The paper formally known as the Irish News is now the Irish Gossip 

Cancel culture gone mad

Down under 20s were put out so no need for Friday nights to be freed up anymore

 You're a few hours early for April fools wobbler

Would there be a database at county office for all the players who have went through the mourne academy? I would love to see the stats from u14through minor then to senior level. I heard that crossmaglen to not send their kids to development squads

Same place you heard about the clubs giving Tally and Mc Corry the road was it 

Mc Corry and Tally were sacked by the clubs, that was wrong

The county board recommended that Mc Corry be sacked and the clubs opted to keep him in place . Mc Corry then left over the county board recommendation .

The main ingredient to any team at any level are the coaches IMO  .Improve the coaches and you improve the players . With respect to all coaches , Coaching in down is at a low level. Given a magic wand to have any home grown manager at your club would there be a long list ? Have we any down coaches/managers in county setups around Ireland outside of our own manager ? We had no one even entering thoughts to be put forward for the county job from within the county .If thats the case at the top end then it means the lower levels are the same as they supply the top end .  All I hear is the players aren't there . They won't ever be there until we invest in creating good coaches to bring them through .

Befair, i would argue day and night that the two biggest drivers of GAA interest - at all ages, among all abilities - is success for your club/parish, immediately followed by success for your county.

The two biggest drivers of gaa interest in any young person are their parents and wanting to play with a group of friends . Never once heard a child talk about the love of their club or county . That comes much later and presently the only love for county football is the bit of prestige that comes with it . Coaching structures need to change , coaches need to get better , we need better coaching awards . The coaching awards within the county presently are a joke , any eejit could become a level 1 coach and still not have a clue how to run a session . 

WTF was Paul Falloon doing linesman for last night? The best referee in Down and he's on the line. An insult to the players who train like fk all year and invest. A county final is not a place to give a ref a go. Gribben didn't see the harm in giving the team getting beat a few handy ones last night. Wouldn't have happened if Brannigan or Falloon were on the whistle. Not acceptable!

Gribben had a very solid game and was consistent with his decisions on high tackles , over carrying and general fouls . Darragh cross had about 70% possession in the game and should have had it dead and buried . I'd say Paul would be the first man keen to give other referees big games , otherwise how do they progress , sour grapes me thinks after big money management appointments and still no silverware