Down Club Hurling & Football

[NP 76]

Down team to face Westmeath
S Kane
G Collins
L Howard
D Turley
P Devlin
B Mc Ardle
C Maginn
P Turley
R Mallon
C Mc Govern
K Mc Kernan
M Poland
C Laverty
A Mc Conville
D O Hare
A Few changes this week also no one can say Jim isn't trying out lads in different positions. Glad to see Mallon back big strong mobile player and fair play to Arthur getting his start

[outback]

Down team tonight was
Mark Reid Bryansford
Aaron Mc Donald Bryansford
Aaron Beattie Newry bosco
Aidan Fulcher kilcoo
Anthony Doherty Downpatrick
Rory Burns Castlewellan
Ruairi Wells Bryansford
Conor Devlin Bryansford
Joe Mc Kinney daragh Cross
Martin Devlin kilcoo
Cathal Foy Burren
Aaron Magee Warrenpoint
Pat Havern saval
Rory Mason loughisland
Conal Gallagher Newry Bosco

Four of the seven in defence from Bryansford and another who doesn't play for his club senior team enough said!

I wouldn't really pay much heed to the actual u21 competition run within the county.
Its a dud comp and played at a time of year when its hard for players to give a sh!te.
I was more thinking of the large % of players who play regular top tier football for their clubs or have shown pedigree at Ulster Colleges level beforehand.
Would have thought that the stronger/bigger clubs in Down would have decent 21s lining out for them regularly.

I think a lot of us in this county under estimate the talent coming through our underage. although we have not performed well at county standard this past while if we look at each club there are a number of quality young individuals who are all probably good enough to break into senior teams, but is it a case that some club senior managers are afraid to play a youngster over someone who has been around longer?

'ifyoure good enough youre old enough'

Seriously, if a lad hasn't made it onto his senior team at 21, then is there really much hope for him?  Many of the lads on the team last night I just would not know.  The management got the panel wrong in the first place leaving lads out and then when they went back to them (knowing they made a mistake) the lads told them where to go.  They must shoulder alot of the blame for not even getting the best panel together never mind the best team.  Dawson's horrors at county level continue.

Cory Quinn can't find a starting place in the mayobridge senior team at the minute and he's one of the hottest talents in the county.

Dawson tries to make it more about himself than about the players. Dropped the big names for 'not working hard enough'. Quinn was scoring for fun before he was dropped, apparently scored 1-7 in a challenge game 2 days before hand too, find it hard how Dawson could justify that no matter how hard the lad works, he's there to score.

. 
Yes he would have been an addition to Wed night's flop but the young lad
has disciplinary issues. Sorting that out and then looking at his work rate and
obvious scoring threat will come.
   Wednesday night is just another episode of our ineptitude. Either McCorry took
the U21's or not. But once he said he wasn't taking them,the County Board should have made the U21
Management appointments.
The stuff about too many Byransford players is just wrong. All good young players but the problem was Dawson,he did a good enough job for Burren but he ruled by being a bully and the County Board knew that.
     We'll move onto Cusack  Park and hopefully our Seniors will  get promoted.

[pauly2]

Why has our u21 teams performed so badly in recent times.
In 2008 - 2009 we won two Ulster championships on the trot - our record since then is very poor.

2010 beat by Cavan in first game
2011 beat by Tyrone in first game (2 replays but still no victory)
2012 Beat Antrim then beat by Tyrone in Semi final
2013 Beat Armagh then beat by Cavan in Semi Final
2014 beat by Monaghan in first round
2015 beat by Derry in first round.

Son in the last 6 championship campaigns - we have won 2 games and got beaten in the round straight after that.

I thought at start of the season that the u21 management was as strong as is out there as noone can deny Dawson is a top man at club level.  But then i read this and seen some of the players not playing, not on the panel and then phoning them to come in and them saying no - that speaks volumes to me.

Where to now?

[Mourne Rover]

It's difficult to argue with the team McCorry has picked for Sunday, and the way in which he is ensuring that a range of players get starting places while maintaining strong line-ups is very impressive.

Collins and Mallon fully deserve their chances, as does McConville, although there may be a suspicion that he is still most effective as an impact sub. Garvey, if he is fit, is unlucky to lose out and Carr will be expecting to make the cut before long, but we have a pretty decent bench to call on as well.

Mullingar is never an easy place to go, but we are in reasonable shape and there is a fair chance that three points from our last three games will get us promoted.

[PAULD123]

I would argue a little with the team selection. We have two half backs who are actually half forwards in Devlin and Maginn. This despite the fact that in every game our half back line has been easily penetrated.

Also I would rather see McConville a bit closer to the midfield where his height and fielding could be made use of to help solve our midfield weaknesses

[5 Sams]

It's difficult to argue with the team McCorry has picked for Sunday, and the way in which he is ensuring that a range of players get starting places while maintaining strong line-ups is very impressive.

Collins and Mallon fully deserve their chances, as does McConville, although there may be a suspicion that he is still most effective as an impact sub. Garvey, if he is fit, is unlucky to lose out and Carr will be expecting to make the cut before long, but we have a pretty decent bench to call on as well.

Mullingar is never an easy place to go, but we are in reasonable shape and there is a fair chance that three points from our last three games will get us promoted.

Have to agree with this. I have never seen a Down team as fit at this stage of the year. Kildare, Galway and Cavan couldn't stay with them in the last 10 in each of those games.

[Mourne Rover]

PaulD, Devlin has been named at half back for our last three games but has spent most of his time at half forward. Maginn can play in either line, and McGovern and McKernan are likely to drop back into our half, so there should be plenty of cover available. Our defence certainly did struggle for long periods against Galway, and O'Hanlon and Boyle have found themselves left out as a result. We are very much a work in progress, but very few Down fans would have expected us to take six points from our first eight.

[umpire]

2015 Championship draws
SFC
Clonduff v Bryansford
Saval v Mayobridge
Ballyholland v Warrenpoint
Clann na Banna v Castlewellan
Glenn v Longstone
Burren v Kilcoo
Rostrevor v Downpatrick
Annaclone v Liatriom

IFC
Dromara v Bredagh
Darragh Cross v Kilclief
Carryduff v Ballymartin
St John Bosco v Loughinisland
Newry Shamrocks v Drumaness
Tullylish v An Riocht
St Johns v Atticall
Saul v Drumgath

JFC
Gruup A
Game 1    Teconnaught v Killyleagh
Game 2   Winner game I v Bright
Game 3   Loser game 1 v Bright

Group B
Game 1   Aughlisnafin v Mitchels
Game 2   Winner game 1 v Ballykinler
Game 3   Loser game 1 v Ballykinlar

Group C
Game 1    St Pauls v Aghaderg
Game 2   Winner game 1 v Ardglass
Game 3    Loser game 1 v Ardglass

Group D
Game 1    Glasdrumman v Dundrum
Game 2   Winner game 1 v St Michaels
Game 3   Loser game 1 v St Michaels

Top 2 teams from each group quality for Quarter Finals
If teams draw in game 1 – toss coin to see which team plays in Game 2

[whitegoodman]

Is it back to the back door system in the senior championship?

[whitegoodman]

It's difficult to argue with the team McCorry has picked for Sunday, and the way in which he is ensuring that a range of players get starting places while maintaining strong line-ups is very impressive.

Collins and Mallon fully deserve their chances, as does McConville, although there may be a suspicion that he is still most effective as an impact sub. Garvey, if he is fit, is unlucky to lose out and Carr will be expecting to make the cut before long, but we have a pretty decent bench to call on as well.

Mullingar is never an easy place to go, but we are in reasonable shape and there is a fair chance that three points from our last three games will get us promoted.

Have to agree with this. I have never seen a Down team as fit at this stage of the year. Kildare, Galway and Cavan couldn't stay with them in the last 10 in each of those games.

Agree with this but will this be the case later in the year when the rest of the teams are just as fit as us? I remember Ross had us flying fit at the start of one year and we won the McKenna Cup but that was the height of the year.

6 points is a great total to date but nobody can tell me we are playing well, developing a pattern of play or getting anywhere near a settled team.  Luck and team spirit have been major players in getting that 6 points.

[whitegoodman]

PaulD, Devlin has been named at half back for our last three games but has spent most of his time at half forward. Maginn can play in either line, and McGovern and McKernan are likely to drop back into our half, so there should be plenty of cover available. Our defence certainly did struggle for long periods against Galway, and O'Hanlon and Boyle have found themselves left out as a result. We are very much a work in progress, but very few Down fans would have expected us to take six points from our first eight.

Very happy with Goalkeeper, happy enough with full back line, issues with half back line, very happy with midfield, happy enough with half and full forward line.

I fear our full back line is due a cleaning one of these days but it is probably as good as we can put out at the minute.

I get Jim wants to attack from the half back line but as Paul has said we are getting cut open by playing forwards in the defence.  Is Benny MCardle actually fit, didnt look like it last week. 

Half forward line looks a bit more balanced and glad to see Conal McGovern in a more recognised position if he plays there.  Is Ryan Johnston injured?

Ross McGarry can count himself unlucky but can understand tha Arthur is due a start.

[Mourne Rover]

WGM, the year we won the McKenna Cup under Ross was 2008. That summer, we went on to memorably beat Tyrone in the USC, won back to back qualifiers for the first time since the introduction of the back door, and played a championship match at Croke Park for the first time in 14 years. Apart from 2010, when we also got off to a good start in the league, it was our best season in the last two decades.

We clearly do not wish to peak too soon, but our problem in other seasons was that we did not peak at all. McCorry has his squad in good shape and the trick will be to keep his key players fresh and injury-free when the championship comes round.

[whitegoodman]

Under wee James we reached the division 2 final as well the division 1 final as well as reaching an all Ireland quarter final and well as the last 12 twice. I'd say all of James years apart from his last were better than anything produced by Ross.

I also think we should be aiming for better than one off performances against the better teams and wining two games in the back door!!

[whitegoodman]

I might be wrong on this one but was James championship record not:

2010 all Ireland Final bt by Cork
2011 last 12 bt by cork
2012 quarter final beat by Mayo
2013 last 12 bt by ? (ulster final as well)
2014 qualifiers bt by Kildare

[interested]

Under wee James we reached the division 2 final as well the division 1 final as well as reaching an all Ireland quarter final and well as the last 12 twice. I'd say all of James years apart from his last were better than anything produced by Ross.

I also think we should be aiming for better than one off performances against the better teams and wining two games in the back door!!

When did we get to a Div 1 Final?