Down Club Hurling & Football

[johnnycool]

Can I ask you football lads why are Down so uncompetitive at underage level, both the U20's and the minors were beat by double scores over the weekend, is there something we're fundamentally way behind on?


All I can say with my limited knowledge is that with the playing numbers available to the footballers, they should be on a par with the likes of Derry, Donegal etc but don't seem to be.

I happened to be in Mayobridge one night last year (U12 camogie) and on their main pitch what was billed as a top 2 minor league clash v Bryansford and both with their county players back.

What was stark to me and another lad whose bigger into his football than me was a few things, in the warm ups (which were extensive to say the least) neither team really did much kicking, I think Bryansford did one shooting drill for about a few minutes, but come the game it was very safe, lateral handpassing was the key. Mayobridge did have one lad who would take his man on and go past him once in a while, he was the exception.

When we talk about the "Down way" and when I did manage to go to a few games back in the day, the likes of Gary Mason, Greg Blaney, Ross Carr, Eamon Burns, big Greg McCartan could put a kick pass on the head of a pin for Mickey Linden, wee James and the likes, are there footballers in Down who could do that now or has it been coached out of them?

There's a lot of copy cat coaching in football and the coaches are playing the same gameplan - control everything as much as possible. There's some reasoning that does make sense to be fair, if you hold onto the ball the other team can't run up scores so it evens out some teams natural advantages, bigger or better players. It's a style that doesn't seem to suit us at county level but nearly worked against Armagh last year and at club level Kilcoo are so much better at it than everyone else.

It's not easy to watch though - some U16 games, which is where it starts, I saw last year were shocking. Schools football is even worse - nearly unwatchable at the minute.

It's not working for Down evidently.

There's another train of thought coaching wise in rugby and indeed soccer which is filtering into hurling at the higher levels that you need lads who can handle chaos as not everything can be micro managed, lads, who in the uncontrolled aspects of the game thrive, make the right decisions and go with it.

Take Cork hurlers for example, they beat Limerick last year by doing what no one else expected, they pumped high ball down on one of the biggest half back lines ever to feature in a hurling team and made it a shít show which their more mobile and pacy players thrived on, A well drilled Limerick had no answers to it. Limerick will evolve in 2025, they'll not allow that to happen again.
Cork then came up against a Clare team who didn't sit deep, went man for man on them and backed themselves to outscore Cork, they were the ones dictating the chaos. Not every team has a Tony Kelly or Shane O'Donnell but their management backed them to go out and play their game as and when they saw fit.

I get hurling is different, but following the pack in terms of coaching only means you're constantly playing catch up, you need lads capable and willing to break the mould and get ahead of the game tactics wise.

Aping something Tyrone or Donegal did 10 years ago isn't going to win shít all now.

[clonian]

It's not working for Down evidently.

There's another train of thought coaching wise in rugby and indeed soccer which is filtering into hurling at the higher levels that you need lads who can handle chaos as not everything can be micro managed, lads, who in the uncontrolled aspects of the game thrive, make the right decisions and go with it.

Take Cork hurlers for example, they beat Limerick last year by doing what no one else expected, they pumped high ball down on one of the biggest half back lines ever to feature in a hurling team and made it a shít show which their more mobile and pacy players thrived on, A well drilled Limerick had no answers to it. Limerick will evolve in 2025, they'll not allow that to happen again.
Cork then came up against a Clare team who didn't sit deep, went man for man on them and backed themselves to outscore Cork, they were the ones dictating the chaos. Not every team has a Tony Kelly or Shane O'Donnell but their management backed them to go out and play their game as and when they saw fit.

I get hurling is different, but following the pack in terms of coaching only means you're constantly playing catch up, you need lads capable and willing to break the mould and get ahead of the game tactics wise.

Aping something Tyrone or Donegal did 10 years ago isn't going to win shít all now.

[/quote]

100% and that's why there's a few 'coaching gurus' giving out about new rules. Their tactics don't work as well even at club level now.

[snoopdog]

It's not working for Down evidently.

There's another train of thought coaching wise in rugby and indeed soccer which is filtering into hurling at the higher levels that you need lads who can handle chaos as not everything can be micro managed, lads, who in the uncontrolled aspects of the game thrive, make the right decisions and go with it.

Take Cork hurlers for example, they beat Limerick last year by doing what no one else expected, they pumped high ball down on one of the biggest half back lines ever to feature in a hurling team and made it a shít show which their more mobile and pacy players thrived on, A well drilled Limerick had no answers to it. Limerick will evolve in 2025, they'll not allow that to happen again.
Cork then came up against a Clare team who didn't sit deep, went man for man on them and backed themselves to outscore Cork, they were the ones dictating the chaos. Not every team has a Tony Kelly or Shane O'Donnell but their management backed them to go out and play their game as and when they saw fit.

I get hurling is different, but following the pack in terms of coaching only means you're constantly playing catch up, you need lads capable and willing to break the mould and get ahead of the game tactics wise.

Aping something Tyrone or Donegal did 10 years ago isn't going to win shít all now.

100% and that's why there's a few 'coaching gurus' giving out about new rules. Their tactics don't work as well even at club level now.
[/quote]
Is it a coincidence that the best club in the county goes outside the county consistently for coaches?

[downtothecore]

We did win a few u20 football ulster titles recently but apart from this we have been miles off it at all levels. Our schools are also way off the pace from winning any major honours with Tyrone and Derry dominating this sector.

[Ed Hardy]

Anyone at the u20s game in Newry? Who played well?

[ck]

It's not working for Down evidently.

There's another train of thought coaching wise in rugby and indeed soccer which is filtering into hurling at the higher levels that you need lads who can handle chaos as not everything can be micro managed, lads, who in the uncontrolled aspects of the game thrive, make the right decisions and go with it.

Take Cork hurlers for example, they beat Limerick last year by doing what no one else expected, they pumped high ball down on one of the biggest half back lines ever to feature in a hurling team and made it a shít show which their more mobile and pacy players thrived on, A well drilled Limerick had no answers to it. Limerick will evolve in 2025, they'll not allow that to happen again.
Cork then came up against a Clare team who didn't sit deep, went man for man on them and backed themselves to outscore Cork, they were the ones dictating the chaos. Not every team has a Tony Kelly or Shane O'Donnell but their management backed them to go out and play their game as and when they saw fit.

I get hurling is different, but following the pack in terms of coaching only means you're constantly playing catch up, you need lads capable and willing to break the mould and get ahead of the game tactics wise.

Aping something Tyrone or Donegal did 10 years ago isn't going to win shít all now.

100% and that's why there's a few 'coaching gurus' giving out about new rules. Their tactics don't work as well even at club level now.

Name the 'coaching gurus' giving out about the new rules?

[snoopdog]

Have Kilcoo still not appointment a management team??
Is Lav gonna take it up for championship once Down are out of the All Ireland?

[Blackandblue2]

I assume he is taking them at the minute, even if its picking a team. Has anyone been at a game? whos been on the line for them.

Any take aways from first 2 weeks, Division 1 and 2 look interesting. Any teams standing out?

Clonduff with 2 good wins, look like Ballyholland might struggle.
Rostrevor started well with Glenn and Bredagh- Byransford lost the run?

[Hard2Listen2]

Have Kilcoo still not appointment a management team??
Is Lav gonna take it up for championship once Down are out of the All Ireland?

Their kit men have been looking after the team in their first two games.
Did same before Lacey was appointed a couple of years ago.


They're so far ahead of the rest & so well drilled they don't need managed at this point of the season.

[Sandstorm]

Joe McMahon and Martin Corey the new Kilcoo management ticket. The reason behind them leaving Meath

Keyboardwman, your a genius.

[snoopdog]

Ant additions to the senior panel ahead of the championship opener on Saturday?

[Blackandblue2]

No new additions, is Mc Geary back from his injury yet? I would imagine the team to start against Monaghan will be pretty close to the starting team. Mc Geough full forward is a strange one but has seemed to work last 2 games, offers something different and no one else has nailed it down. The likes of Savage/ Mc Crickard/ Gilmore have never really grab a jersey so probably start with that. Murdock and Mc Evoy are Downs main performers on the day, if they go well i think Down win with a couple points to spare.

[snoopdog]

No new additions, is Mc Geary back from his injury yet? I would imagine the team to start against Monaghan will be pretty close to the starting team. Mc Geough full forward is a strange one but has seemed to work last 2 games, offers something different and no one else has nailed it down. The likes of Savage/ Mc Crickard/ Gilmore have never really grab a jersey so probably start with that. Murdock and Mc Evoy are Downs main performers on the day, if they go well i think Down win with a couple points to spare.

So the Johnsons aren't involved this year at all?.

[Blackandblue2]

No Ryan is just playing for Kilcoo and Shealan is travelling at the moment so neither training at this point, hard to see any involvement and Kerr currently playing for Burren.- strange one

[ardtole]

Kerr would be serious addition to the Down forward line, particularly under the new rules.