Down Club Hurling & Football

[whitegoodman]

Would there not be a decent percentage of last years under 20's still around ?

Most of that good Burren underage team should all be around the 19 mark by then too.  I know they didn't do themselves justice at minor level but there should be the basis of a decent side there.

[thewobbler]

Would there not be a decent percentage of last years under 20's still around ?

Most of that good Burren underage team should all be around the 19 mark by then too.  I know they didn't do themselves justice at minor level but there should be the basis of a decent side there.

That's kind of my point WGM, there seems to be an assumption that a lot of the squad is returning. Which might be true. But there won't be a lot of starters returning.

Off the top of my head (and this me trying to remember minor teams from 3 years ago) from those who featured last year I think Odhran Murdock, Paddy McCarthy, one of the Magills, John McGovern, are back. Maybe Sean Og McCusker too. And I'd expect that Murdock will be drafted into senior Down set up ASAP.

[whitegoodman]

I would hope the seniors would leave the likes of Murdock alone for at least another year.

Would the minor team from 3 years ago not have been rated as one of the favourites for Ulster ? 

[snoopdog]

Would there not be a decent percentage of last years under 20's still around ?

Most of that good Burren underage team should all be around the 19 mark by then too.  I know they didn't do themselves justice at minor level but there should be the basis of a decent side there.

That's kind of my point WGM, there seems to be an assumption that a lot of the squad is returning. Which might be true. But there won't be a lot of starters returning.

Off the top of my head (and this me trying to remember minor teams from 3 years ago) from those who featured last year I think Odhran Murdock, Paddy McCarthy, one of the Magills, John McGovern, are back. Maybe Sean Og McCusker too. And I'd expect that Murdock will be drafted into senior Down set up ASAP.

We know only a few of these players are eligible again next year. But how would Conor Deegan have done with that group??? The 2 lads had that team playing a great brand of football. And had they taken their  chances against Roscommon they would've been in the final.  Would it not be seen as aolus having guys coming through to senior playing a brand of football at u20 that could then be replicated when some of them come through to senior in a year or 2 under laverty and Clarke. Who will they give the U20 job to now.

[thewobbler]

I'm in no way trying to diminish the role of management here, but hear me out.

Describing Laverty and Clarke as having a clear "brand of football" based on watching one u20 campaign is quite far fetched. They picked up a team loaded with ball-carrying pace, and to play anything other than ball-carrying football would have been truly daft. Both men are too clever (from what I can gauge) to take the same approach again for 2022, unless the players fit that approach.

And would they further replicate it in senior football? I'd say not a chance. U20 is closer to u17 football in terms of physicality and presence, than it is to senior.

How would Deegan have done with that group? Who knows? The feedback from his tenure certainly wasn't great. But anytime the luck of the draw throws up a path to a championship that consists of Cavan, Fermanagh, Monaghan, I'd be hopeful that a Down team with no management at all could go close. This is no disrespect to those counties (especially Monaghan). But not having to play either Donegal or Tyrone is a rare and gleeful opportunity.

As for would the minor team of 3 years ago not been among the favourites? Again, who knows? Without the benefit of a further year to allow for late bloomers, and a year less of MacRory to analyse, the U17 is even more difficult to assess than minor was.

——

Not trying to piss on anyone's parades about Clarke and Laverty. But in underage ranks, anyone who really believes that a manager is more important than the crop of players available, needs their heads looked at.

[Brick Tamlin]

Wise up wobbs. Get on board the hype machine. Laverty walks on water and Clarke is the second coming. End of story.

[lumpitin]

Danny Hughes, Stevie Kearney and Jim Gavin new saval managers

[terrifictommy]

Seen there's an u20 comp starting this weekend?

[GAABoardMod5]

Johnnysboys post pulled and poster warned. 

Fairly close to getting banned...next move up to him/her.

[terrifictommy]

Well done Mod. Awful statement

[mauricemoss]

Rotten to the core with a comment like that.

[Smurfy123]

Disgusting comment
I might talk crap on here but do sometimes have a good laugh at posts but that was disgusting
Vile

[Godsown]

Alok Sharma has just announced at COP26.5 in Glasgow that the UN is on course for net zero Carbon emissions before Down appoint the new Manager. Says it will be tight but with a bug push it is achievable

[DownbutnotOut]

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Conor Laverty will not be next Down manager

Updated / Saturday, 13 Nov 2021 17:49

Conor Laverty will not succeed Paddy Tally as Down manager

By Niall McCoy

RTÉ Sport journalist

Conor Laverty will not be the next Down manager, RTÉ Sport can confirm.

When contacted about his reported links to the position by RTÉ Sport, the Kilcoo man confirmed that his focus was instead on his club's Ulster quarter-final with the Cavan champions next month.

"We have a very important couple of weeks' training ahead and are really looking forward to the challenge."

The 36-year-old had been heavily linked to the Mourne county job this week along with Jim McGuinness and Martin Clarke, but he will instead remain on with their U20s. McGuinness distanced himself from a coaching role with Down earlier in the week in an interview with the Irish Times while Clarke will also not be involved in any new management team.

"I am delighted that I have been ratified to continue as Down U20 manager recently and having Marty, Declan (Morgan) and Sean (Boylan) back is great," Laverty added.

"We really enjoyed working with this age group, we had a good season there winning the Ulster title and we want to try and build on the good foundations put in place last year."

It had been speculated earlier this week that Laverty, with Clarke and McGuinness in his coaching team, was set to be ratified as Paddy Tally's successor, but the Mourne county are still hunting a successor. Longford are the only other football county still without a manager for the 2022 season.

Kilcoo won their ninth county title in ten years – and Laverty's 10th on the field of play – with a 1-12 to 0-13 win over Burren last weekend. They play the winners of Gowna and Ramor United on 4 December, with the Breffni sides set to meet in a replayed county final on Sunday.

[Smurfy123]

Honestly where do Down go from here?
It could be anyone
The most longest drawn out process ever
The difference in other county's. They get business men to go looking for managers. We get a few ex players