USFC Qtr Final - Armagh V Down - Athletic Grounds 28th May 7:30pm

[Moortown Spuds]

James McCartan has denied that his Down team can only play in fair weather with a dry sod underneath.

'There was an Armagh family on holidays in the next caravan and they used to put bread on me roof at night so the seagulls would come clattering down on the tin at dawn and wake me up.

One day it lashed so heavy it even scared the seagulls off.

We went to training in it and the boys were scoring from all angles in their wet gear.

I made them an All Day Breakfast In A Tin each afterwards to celebrate.'

Down now enter the Qualifiers in the All Ireland Series. The First Round is due to be played on June 25th.

Absolutely terrible. Please tell me that is not your attempt at humour!

[cornafean]

Didn't Down beat Kerry in wet conditions last July?

[haveaharp]

Yeah Drici dont be taking the piss out of the Down lads, they've a fierce puss on them these days.

[PAULD123]

Okay, I think this has gone on long enough. I stated the observation I have made after attending many many games. One I am disappointed in. It looks like I was making a pathetic excuse for our loss. I was certainly not, it may be true we suffer badly from rain but It isn't good enough. I look at weather forecasts before matches and if a downpour is predicted I fear the worst (and usually we get it). But in no way would I think it justifies us losing. I was never saying that. It is embarrassing and unacceptable that we seem to lose performance so badly in these conditions but not in any way an excuse. A top team should be able to play in all conditions.

Secondly this debate has gone on long enough because it has totally distracted from what we should be talking about. Which I think should either be giving credit to Armagh for playing so well, or talking about where Down could be improved. Armagh fans deserve to be allowed to enjoy the fact that their players put in a terrific performance that could be shown as an example to any team. In fairness they played very good and their desire was top drawer.

[Stevie Nicks]

Paul, as an armagh exile living in Down, the number of people genuinely using the weather as a reason for your defeat is amazing. This is the first I have ever heard of it and just found it unbelievable. Wouldn't know the stats obviously but surely in our climate Down have won games in all weather

[PAULD123]

Didn't Down beat Kerry in wet conditions last July?

It was fairly sunny last year check out the highlights on youtube. There were a few showers I think, but the pitch was in great shape and most of the game was dry. In fact it was pretty much ideal conditions for football.

[PAULD123]

Paul, as an armagh exile living in Down, the number of people genuinely using the weather as a reason for your defeat is amazing. This is the first I have ever heard of it and just found it unbelievable. Wouldn't know the stats obviously but surely in our climate Down have won games in all weather

No sadly it's true. But it's not an excuse, I do want to be clear about that. It is annoying, but even when I started following Down I was told by older supporters that we need a dry pitch. It's crazy and makes no sense but it is something I have observed myself. By the way I work in Dublin and even a lot of the lads in the South said it to me - "sure you never played good in the wet". I agree though that it is unbelievable. But they shouldn't make it an excuse, it can not be used as a reason for our loss (just a sad fact)

As I said, claiming Armagh only beat us because it was wet does a great disservice to the performance of the Armagh team and in particular their attitude which was significantly better than the Down players. We lost because Armagh were a better team on the night and played with a much greater desire. I hope if we take anything from that game it is the need to really want to win. I wouldn't say Armagh taught us a football lesson but I think they did teach us an attitude lesson.

[haveaharp]

Down team training to include all weather conditions in future.

[Mourne Rover]

Stevie, I can see no one using the rain as an excuse for the Down defeat, as the best team won at the Athletic Grounds by a country mile and would have done so in any weather . There is a separate and  stictly factual point to be made that Down have a poor recent record on wet days in the championship. You suggest that we must have won matches in all conditions, but, in the USC over the last 15 years, that is simply wrong. It is probably through coincidence, and may well have a bigger effect on supporters than players, so hopefully it will be put to bed this summer.

[Armaghgeddon]

"We're more than prepared for Down, so we are." says Baker.

Would be some craic if the opposing fans all brought waterguns to the match. Down cant play in the wet.

[whitegoodman]

This theory that down dont play well in the rain is a load of balls and the only people ive heard or seen mention it is Paul and martin mchugh.  Down happen to get beat by teams when it is raining because the other team are simply better than them on the day or just better than them full stop.  Its pretty much the same case as when it is not raining.  I dont no what the ratio is for win/lose in the rain but it would likely to be more to do with the ability of the team or who their opponents are.

The statement that Down dont play well in the rain brings unnecessary attention from the likes Antrim supporters who have nothing else to look forward to other than get a dig at Down at every possible oppurtunity.

On a side note am still waiting for one of these little posts from Hardstation to be actually funny, embarrassingly poor to date!!! Dont give up ur day job son, if u have one that is

[Brick Tamlin]

Epic Fail.
Nothing worse/more embarrassing than attempts at humour being frankly unfunny and the audience pointing it out to you.

[whitegoodman]

Epic Fail.
Nothing worse/more embarrassing than attempts at humour being frankly unfunny and the audience pointing it out to you.

Yis were stuffed. Get over it.

Great comeback

[Brick Tamlin]

As ive stated in my previous post, the loss really doesnt bother me that much.
Ye dont perform ye dont win. Armagh performed and Down didnt.
Im happy enough at Down footballs progress to date.
And i also dont agree that we were stuffed.

But if it makes you feel any better work away there, keep patting yourself on the back with your wee graphics and crackin 'jokes'.

Sometimes when ye win/ose it pays to maintain your dignity and do it with a bit of class, no matter how euphoric or indeed disappointing the result may be.

[Brick Tamlin]

I have indeed been called manys a thing down through the year and on occasion sour oul c*nt has been one of them.
But really you try too much, i assure you that im spitting no feathers.
Armagh were fantastic and deserved their win.
Down will now have to go back to the drawing board whilst Armagh march on. Those are the facts.
Its nice that Armagh are doing so well and i wish youse all the best.