Messages

I mentioned it elsewhere, but Armagh really put me in mind of the Down team of 2003-2012 era.  Looked really dangerous and clearly had some good forwards but they always seemed to want a goal first and while it worked in the first half, when the space closed down in the second, they were very ordinary.  It was great to see Down doing this to another team instead of the other way about.  For years we were the ones wanting the space to open up so our dynamic forwards could zig zag their way through to goal only for the opposition to shut up shop and say, if you want to score, do it from out there.
This time it was us dictating the terms and it was great to see.  Maybe not from a football purity point of view but we either get with the times or we dont.
We have the weapons do do damage on limited possession in the Johnstons, Mooney and a few others. Barry O'Hagan could be another but he needs more end product.  4 times he got the ball when he came on and took his man on every time - 1 great point and 3 times he was just dispossessed.
Fair play to the management for turning around what looked like a terminal position only 3 months ago.  Stayed in Div 2 and a championship win over Armagh.   I think the fans targets have been met already, but I get the feeling this group have higher ambitions.

I thought Down had a number of good long range scores, O'Hanlon a couple of times, Mooney, O'Hagan are ones that come to light. Armagh were more like the Down team of a few years ago of Coulter et all, looked wild dangerous in the first half and sniffed goals all the time but when the space was closed down in the second half they looked ordinary to poor.
Big plus from Down was the performance of our midfield and also what finally appeared to be a genuine kickout plan. Didnt work all the time but it is definitely progress.

Some significant results of Friday night. Kilcoo beating burren in a feisty game. Point beating bridge was a standout result but Carryduffs hammering of loughinisland in div 2 was probably the most unexpected.
Also good to see u17's give another great performance on Saturday!

There are a number of clubs who do it and opposing teams dread the thought of having to go and play them.  Not because they wont win but because they know it will be a s**t game.
Is it rife, I wouldnt say so.  Probably 30% all men back, another 30% who just play man on man, and the rest who have a sensible balance between the two.

[for]

What an outcome today, I mean seriously, after two games, how many actually thought that we would still be in Div 2 come the end of the league. Fair play to the lads for turning it around. It appears we now have one of the highest scoring half back lines in the country in mooney and o Hanlon. It also FINALLY appears that we have scoring forwards on the team in the Johnston's and o hagan. If the kick out strategy can be sorted out, we will have come a long way from where we finished last season.

Yes we have come a long way but it's actually from the bottom of Div 1 to 6th in Div 2.

Very good 
You have to at least admit though that the spirit amongst the group is at the other end of the scale to what it was last year.  They are fighting for each other, and not with each other as some would have said earlier in the year.

What an outcome today, I mean seriously, after two games, how many actually thought that we would still be in Div 2 come the end of the league. Fair play to the lads for turning it around. It appears we now have one of the highest scoring half back lines in the country in mooney and o Hanlon. It also FINALLY appears that we have scoring forwards on the team in the Johnston's and o hagan. If the kick out strategy can be sorted out, we will have come a long way from where we finished last season.

Clonduff will give Kilcoo and Burren a run for it this year I think. Any two of 6 could go down.
Loughinisland will be favourites for Div2 while Saval should be stronger than they were last year. Drumaness
Favourites to go down with a dog fight for the other place.
Clan na Banna to win Div 3.

The Clubs ARE the County.  Who else is going to clear the debt? Of course mistakes have been made, but we have to move on at some point.  It appears they have opened the books for all clubs to see, no hiding places anymore.

Well done to the management and players,will now break my promise not to go to any more games until Championship and now look forward to the Kildare game.

What a difference a week makes 

Is the July fortnight that big of a deal!! In my experience, players, and management, take holidays at varying times throughout the year. Most try and avoid championship fixtures ok, but they dont go for July fortnight.

To be fair that is quite ridiculous.  I dont know of any club who could have that - simply because almost every club has a number of u21 players who play seniors.  Did that genuinely just happen like that or did the u21 teams involved move their game to that particular night?

You could also say it was decided by the teams who decided not to turn up.
Depends on what side way you look at it.
I do have sympathy for both teams involved but the county board do need to take a strong hand on fixtures.  It would benefit all though if they did it during the year to stop teams moving games for stags/holidays etc.

The Bridge set up starts well, respected internal men, all former players, but it goes a bit wayward with the introduction of the two outside men. What are they doing bringing a man down from Ballinderry to train them?  If he is that good let him take control and manage the team.  Surely there is someone close to home for them who could do that job.

[Ballyholland]

The first 2 games of 6 Finals games SFC. IFC, JFC, MFC, PRFC and RFC is taken place this Sat

Saturday 3rd September in Atticall

RFC Final
Bryansford v Ballyholland

PRFC
Kilcoo v Burren

[Kilcoo]

Semi finals

SFC
Kilcoo v Burren
Bryansford v Clonduff

IFC
Darragh Cross v An Riocht
Carryduff v Bredagh

JFC
St Michael's v Teconnaught
Dundrum v Drumgath