USFC - 2/6/27 - Derry v Down

[DownFanatic]

When I left earlier Derry were well in control. They announced the score down the pitch and I couldn't believe it. What were Derry at in the second half? Or were Down just so good.
Seen Down in a challenge game recently and that King lad is some animal.

Former super heavyweight boxer and MMA fighter.

Enjoyable day out today with Minors and Seniors both winning.

King, McKernan and Poland outstanding for the Seniors. We will give Donegal a game of it but it won't be enough. We have the necessary to make the All Ireland Quarter Finals.

6ft 5" Tom Grimley was sublime at midfield for the Minors. Not only can he field but he is very agile going forward aswell.

Carryduff's Sean McGonigle is a tidy playmaker at centre half while the full forward line of Quinn, McGrady and Doyle got 1-08 from play.

Big day out in Clones awaits!

[5 Sams]

Fair play Mourne Rover and Wobbler. You won't read any better analysis than that into the papers tomorrow. I can't match it but IMHO McKernan looked liked an All Star already. Polie controlled things and probably won the game for us. If Kallum had another gear he would be the best midfielder in Ireland  at the minute. I'm worried about Benny...he seems to be trying too hard..we need him at his Best V Tír Chonáill. V impressive debut byMadine..there's much more in O'Hare and we have Danny to come back. If James pulls off a result on the 23rd it will be one of the best ever by any Down team ....ever..bring it on.

[Jinxy]

I think you should be using Benny as an impact sub.
No better man to bring in with 15 min to go.

[Gabriel]

Delighted with the result. Sunday Game's brief highlights made it look like a subdued enough atmosphere, but I probably haven't enjoyed a Down championship game as much since Kildare in 2010. Kevin McKernan has been Down's best player by a mile this year, he deserves such credit for the work he has obviously put into his game. In this match and the Kildare league game he stood out by a mile as the best player on the pitch. His fitness and pace even at the very end of the match were incredible. He really leads the team in adversity, along with Mark Poland who was similarly brilliant. For a man who has only played 11 minutes of competitive intercounty football, making his championship debut, Niall Madine was outstanding, and looks a brilliant prospect for the future. Ambrose also put in a good shift and will be a serious asset once we get him back to full fitness. Donal O'Hare improves with every game, good to see him contribute from play as well as dead balls. Donegal are well ahead of us and Murphy & McFadden will probably go to town on our defence, but f*** it, for all the doom and gloom people are spouting about the players Down have lost to immigration and the like, the future doesn't look so bad after all.

[rodney trotter]

Delighted with the result. Sunday Game's brief highlights made it look like a subdued enough atmosphere, but I probably haven't enjoyed a Down championship game as much since Kildare in 2010. Kevin McKernan has been Down's best player by a mile this year, he deserves such credit for the work he has obviously put into his game. In this match and the Kildare league game he stood out by a mile as the best player on the pitch. His fitness and pace even at the very end of the match were incredible. He really leads the team in adversity, along with Mark Poland who was similarly brilliant. For a man who has only played 11 minutes of competitive intercounty football, making his championship debut, Niall Madine was outstanding, and looks a brilliant prospect for the future. Ambrose also put in a good shift and will be a serious asset once we get him back to full fitness. Donal O'Hare improves with every game, good to see him contribute from play as well as dead balls. Donegal are well ahead of us and Murphy & McFadden will probably go to town on our defence, but f*** it, for all the doom and gloom people are spouting about the players Down have lost to immigration and the like, the future doesn't look so bad after all.

How old is Niall Madine? kicked a few great scores. Brilliant game of football to watch

[Wildweasel74]

The reality is both teams knew before the day it will not count against donegal who would beat the pick of both teams. Down were great in the 2nd half, but at half time any down men we were talking to had given up the ghost

[DuffleKing]

When I left earlier Derry were well in control. They announced the score down the pitch and I couldn't believe it. What were Derry at in the second half? Or were Down just so good.
Seen Down in a challenge game recently and that King lad is some animal.

Former super heavyweight boxer and MMA fighter.

Enjoyable day out today with Minors and Seniors both winning.

King, McKernan and Poland outstanding for the Seniors. We will give Donegal a game of it but it won't be enough. We have the necessary to make the All Ireland Quarter Finals.

6ft 5" Tom Grimley was sublime at midfield for the Minors. Not only can he field but he is very agile going forward aswell.

Carryduff's Sean McGonigle is a tidy playmaker at centre half while the full forward line of Quinn, McGrady and Doyle got 1-08 from play.

Big day out in Clones awaits!

Armagh's Tom Grimley?

[DennistheMenace]

As a Derry man I'm obviously disappointed with the result but what a great game of football it was to watch for the vast majority of the game. Attacking football, some great scores and played within the right spirit. I thought the Eoin Bradley miss for the goal just before half-time was crucial but in the end I think Down deserved it. McKernan was a sight to behold in the second half, a powerful runner and took some great scores. Kalum King very good too and does a lot of the 'donkey' work that might go unnoticed when watching on TV.

For Derry Enda Lynn was very good and Bradley a constant threat in the first half. Down dominated midfield (to be expected) and lifted it up a gear when they needed to. A thoroughly enjoyable game and still some positives for Derry to take out of it. Whilst I don't expect Down to beat Donegal, they will certainly give them a game.

Also Down supporters that I met anyway were a credit to their County, very friendly folk. Hope you go on to do well in the summer.

[Brick Tamlin]

From a Down perspective delighted with 2 wins yesterday and both fully deserved. Just a few general comments though.

King was my MOM, was immense i thought. Yes he gets booked too easily but his all round physical game always means he plays on the edge. Thought he bossed midfield and anyman in a Derry jersey that came up against him seemed to flounder. Best performance in a long time in a Down jersey. Thought he provided the platform for McKernan flourishing.

McKernan was excellent in general play and took his scores fantastically as only he can (does he ever score the simple ones..always a slice-a-roonie). Feel he needs to be more consistent though and back this up now and produce back-to-back peformances. Its gonna take it against Donegal.

Poland was poor in the first half i thought and took time to find his feet, but his trickery and ball retention/decision making was evident in the 2nd phase.

The Burren contingent really won the game when it was in the balance. Rooney swinging over a score, McKernans athleticism and scores allied with O'Hares no-frills precision and dead-eye for scores. Dan maybe managed to slip under the radar of the critics in this game too, still soild as a rock.

The importance of McVeigh's save from Bradley in 1st half cant be underestimated, was turning point in game.

If i were from Derry id be soo sick, the game was there to press on and after hitting 3 wides on the trot at the start of 2nd half they seemed to disintegrate fast. I think Derry really left the door open for Down comeback and we made full advantage of the offer.
Bradley, O'Kane and Kielt all standout performers for Derry, and maybe im being overly critical but the goalkeeper persisted in hittig long kicks down the middle when clearly Down were on top in that sector.

In terms of the debutants Boyle struggled with Lynn but the game should bring him on. He schould scored goal in 1st half and a point in 2nd. Quinn needs to settle himself, fond of runnin ball into contact and decision making can be riopey at times. Madine had great debut, strong, fast and eye for score. Like the cut of his gib and interested to see how he pushes on from here.

On another note, can someone please explain the personnel and roles of the Down entourage. Who are they all and what do they contribute? Not debating but genuinely curious. There is the Co Sec, then another guy in glasses and a cap, then Wee James, Jerome, a taller silver haired guy, then a wee small ginger lad, then another skinny wee man in a cap, then another slightly larger wee man in amongst the players for the warm up, and then another 3 or 4 men. Just wondering.

[OakleafCounty]

I was there and I must say I'm dissapointed with Derry's second half performance. Gerard O'Kane was at fault for both goals and clearly wasn't fit. For the manager to keep him on the field never mind marking Mark Poland was incompetence at best.

Also, the game was over when he started making changes. He brought Emmet McGuckin on when we were 5 points down!

[orangeman]

From a Down perspective delighted with 2 wins yesterday and both fully deserved. Just a few general comments though.

King was my MOM, was immense i thought. Yes he gets booked too easily but his all round physical game always means he plays on the edge. Thought he bossed midfield and anyman in a Derry jersey that came up against him seemed to flounder. Best performance in a long time in a Down jersey. Thought he provided the platform for McKernan flourishing.

McKernan was excellent in general play and took his scores fantastically as only he can (does he ever score the simple ones..always a slice-a-roonie). Feel he needs to be more consistent though and back this up now and produce back-to-back peformances. Its gonna take it against Donegal.

Poland was poor in the first half i thought and took time to find his feet, but his trickery and ball retention/decision making was evident in the 2nd phase.

The Burren contingent really won the game when it was in the balance. Rooney swinging over a score, McKernans athleticism and scores allied with O'Hares no-frills precision and dead-eye for scores. Dan maybe managed to slip under the radar of the critics in this game too, still soild as a rock.

The importance of McVeigh's save from Bradley in 1st half cant be underestimated, was turning point in game.

If i were from Derry id be soo sick, the game was there to press on and after hitting 3 wides on the trot at the start of 2nd half they seemed to disintegrate fast. I think Derry really left the door open for Down comeback and we made full advantage of the offer.
Bradley, O'Kane and Kielt all standout performers for Derry, and maybe im being overly critical but the goalkeeper persisted in hittig long kicks down the middle when clearly Down were on top in that sector.

In terms of the debutants Boyle struggled with Lynn but the game should bring him on. He schould scored goal in 1st half and a point in 2nd. Quinn needs to settle himself, fond of runnin ball into contact and decision making can be riopey at times. Madine had great debut, strong, fast and eye for score. Like the cut of his gib and interested to see how he pushes on from here.

On another note, can someone please explain the personnel and roles of the Down entourage. Who are they all and what do they contribute? Not debating but genuinely curious. There is the Co Sec, then another guy in glasses and a cap, then Wee James, Jerome, a taller silver haired guy, then a wee small ginger lad, then another skinny wee man in a cap, then another slightly larger wee man in amongst the players for the warm up, and then another 3 or 4 men. Just wondering.

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It's called a modern day inter county backroom team. All counties have them now. They usually number as many as the playing panel.

[Brick Tamlin]

Oh im well aware that its the modern day managerial setup. Im just curious to know who they all are, names, roles, clubs they hail from etc. Just curious/nosey. There was a huge amount of them.

[Denn Forever]

I thought they were reducing the size of the backroom team allowed along the side line e.g. losing a doctor or physio. Maybe it is from next year?

[thewobbler]

Yep, one of the oddities of modern GAA is that it takes 5 people to make an on-field decision, and 5 other people in the background doing all the odd jobs, thereby ensuring that the "football men" can concentrate on football. Club football is awash with it too, except with smaller groups of men.

I wasn't at the game, so I didn't see the programme. But seeing as the press release team had Rogers at 8, Madine at 10, Coulter at 12 and King at 14, I'm guessing that the programme did as well - meaning we are in for a pointless (and entirely justifiable) fine.

Hopefully I'm wrong. If not, then those 5-6 "non-football men" should be replaced by one person strong enough to make sure that administration tasks are administered.

[theticklemister]

Yep, one of the oddities of modern GAA is that it takes 5 people to make an on-field decision, and 5 other people in the background doing all the odd jobs, thereby ensuring that the "football men" can concentrate on football. Club football is awash with it too, except with smaller groups of men.

I wasn't at the game, so I didn't see the programme. But seeing as the press release team had Rogers at 8, Madine at 10, Coulter at 12 and King at 14, I'm guessing that the programme did as well - meaning we are in for a pointless (and entirely justifiable) fine.

Hopefully I'm wrong. If not, then those 5-6 "non-football men" should be replaced by one person strong enough to make sure that administration tasks are administered.

The reasons:

Making sure ye don't go over the use of yer 5 subs is a fecking difficult job okay;

Making sure ye have the cone the correct colour is hard work, especially when the cone ye want is at the bottom of the pile. A 6/7 man job right there;

Making sure everyone gets on the BBC is important.