Down v Cork, Park Esler, Newry Sunday 3rd March 2013

[Mourne Rover]

Benny has high standards and will not be happy that he had a decent chance inside the small square and a relatively easy shot in front of the posts in the space of a couple of minutes in the first half without scoring from either. However, his ball winning ability against top class defenders was exceptional, his fitness is improving and his overall display was outstanding.

Danny Savage had a run out in Donegal in the last game, but did not look ready for it yet. While Ryan Kelly and Darragh O'Hanlon have the ability, size may be an issue.

If we can get Darren O'Hagan, Dan Gordon, Danny Hughes, Liam Doyle, Conor Garvey and Declan Rooney fit again in the short term, our squad will have a much more solid look.

[snoopdog]

really frustrating result but an encouraging performance. to score 1-17 against cork and still lose is hard to take. donal o hare was brilliant. aiden carr and ryan boyle also stood out in a good team performance.

the only downside for me was some baffling subsitutions. how shea mc ardle jerome johston and eoin mc cartan are ahead of ryan kelly and arthur mc conville in the pecking order is anbodys guess. none of the above mentioned subs really made any impact.

encouraging signs in defeat but still hard to take.

You are right Sheedy. We have a weak bench. Need the the two Dans &@ Ambrose back

plus connor garvey and darren o hagan.

Could include Mcveigh in that. will he be back between the sticks sat night. Young cunningham has been very good but yesterday may not have done much for his confidence.

[Mid Down Gael]

Excellent game today in Newry. Very enjoyable.

Down very unlucky to lose. A tremendous performance from all involved.

Agree with 5 Sams in that Benny was brilliant. Id go as far to say that it was one of the best performances I've seen from him in terms of pure ball winning ability.

Very hard to fault anyone else as they all had their moments. Mayo will be a tough gig but a Down win is very much a possibility.

On a sidenote, one player I saw on the bench today that I hoped would have got game time was Kilcoo's Darragh O'Hanlon. He is exactly the type of player that would fit into the current system.

Top class footballer with an excellent attitude I believe and he would be playing if his name was Mc Cartan or Johnston. I can't believe that in this day and age that people are so blinkered to the extent of putting on relatives ahead of those who can do a much better job.

Totally agree with all above. It's not right and only going to cause problems for the players favoured when they are seriously punching above their weight. Darragh is the best young player about at present but being held back despicably in my opinion due not having the name. Nepotism has always been a problem in our county but it's becoming blatantly wrong.

[PAULD123]

Darragh O'Hanlon, Jerome Johnston, Ryan Johnston, and Paul Devlin are all talented enough to play for the county and I would not be surprised if in a few years time they made up the entire half forward line. But for now they are physically immature and need a lot of building up to make county level. It was wrong to bring Johnston on. Shay McCradle was worth a try because he is fast and skillful but also plays high up the pitch where physical strength is less vital. But we should have put on big Arthur and used him as  a target man to push the Cork defense back. With Benny, Harrison, and Arthur on the pitch we would have had a full-forward line that could battle for the ball in the closing stages.

While applauding the team we cannot overlook that we shipped 21 points. OK there were three goals that came out of nothing really but they all count. I'm not saying it was  a bad defensive display but even a laps is enough to be punished. I firmly believe that if big Dan had been there at least one or two of the goals would not have been scored. I'm not in favour of this "When Danny, Dan, Ambrose...." sort of talk but the one player I expect to return and make an continued impact is Gordon. The others are all talented but age and injuries are catching up with them, they are the wrong side of 30. Dan is a couple of years younger and his injuries are not muscular or ligament. He is still a player we could factor in for 3 or 4 more years.

[wildrover]

Darragh O'Hanlon, Jerome Johnston, Ryan Johnston, and Paul Devlin are all talented enough to play for the county and I would not be surprised if in a few years time they made up the entire half forward line. But for now they are physically immature and need a lot of building up to make county level. It was wrong to bring Johnston on. Shay McCradle was worth a try because he is fast and skillful but also plays high up the pitch where physical strength is less vital. But we should have put on big Arthur and used him as  a target man to push the Cork defense back. With Benny, Harrison, and Arthur on the pitch we would have had a full-forward line that could battle for the ball in the closing stages.

While applauding the team we cannot overlook that we shipped 21 points. OK there were three goals that came out of nothing really but they all count. I'm not saying it was  a bad defensive display but even a laps is enough to be punished. I firmly believe that if big Dan had been there at least one or two of the goals would not have been scored. I'm not in favour of this "When Danny, Dan, Ambrose...." sort of talk but the one player I expect to return and make an continued impact is Gordon. The others are all talented but age and injuries are catching up with them, they are the wrong side of 30. Dan is a couple of years younger and his injuries are not muscular or ligament. He is still a player we could factor in for 3 or 4 more years.

Completely off the mark on both counts...

Darragh O Hanlon is in good enough condition physically to be making the breakthrough now. He is also talented enough to make the breakthrough now. He is much more developed than Jerome Johnson for example. You cant put four players in the same bracket and make a broad sweeping statement about them all.

Physical strength is less vital in the forward line? What era are you from? There is no longer any difference in the general physical makeup of any position on a gaelic football pitch except for possibly goalkeepers and midfielders.

[Leonardo]

Darragh certainly fit for this level - thought he was one of Kilcoo best performers throughout Ulster. Was out of the country at weekend - was Arthur on the bench - heard he was injured?

[Mourne Rover]

There is no doubt about Darragh O'Hanlon's ability and his physical condition, but, until he has a few games under his belt, we cannot be certain that he is tall enough for county football. While height is not everything, as his team-mate Conor Laverty has displayed, it definitely helps. Jerome Johnston looked on the small side taking when appearing as a sub against Cork, but he is a year older than O'Hanlon and was able to win the ball and use his pace. Although Ryan Johston probably has the best engine of the three of them, his physique is still developing. There was an expectation that Paul Devlin would join the panel when Jordanstown went out of the Sigerson, but there is no sign of him so far. Between them all, Kilcoo have quite a forward line in the making.

[Aristo 60]

There is no doubt about Darragh O'Hanlon's ability and his physical condition, but, until he has a few games under his belt, we cannot be certain that he is tall enough for county football. While height is not everything, as his team-mate Conor Laverty has displayed, it definitely helps. Jerome Johnston looked on the small side taking when appearing as a sub against Cork, but he is a year older than O'Hanlon and was able to win the ball and use his pace. Although Ryan Johston probably has the best engine of the three of them, his physique is still developing. There was an expectation that Paul Devlin would join the panel when Jordanstown went out of the Sigerson, but there is no sign of him so far. Between them all, Kilcoo have quite a forward line in the making.

What do you mean - will he grow taller after a few games - or are you talking in metaphors here? Can his exact height not be measured now?

And are you saying that Laverty's great performances to date are down to his height?

I'm lost.

[Mourne Rover]

Conor Laverty is one of the smallest players involved in county football these days, quite possibly the smallest overall, but he prospers through his range of skills and by thinking faster than anyone else. He made his debut for Down eight years ago, and was subsequently dropped by Ross Carr, so it has taken him a fair while to become an automatic selection.

Darragh O'Hanlon is taller than Laverty, but still not particularly big by the prevailing standards, so there is no guarantee that he will make the grade. He may get a run in the national league, but it might also be better if he contentrated on the under 21s this year. In other words, it is not a question of measuring his height but of assessing his performances.