Down Club Hurling & Football

[Targetman]

I'll be there fully behind Kilcoo but chanting UTM's just pushing it a bit too far!!😉

[Silver hill]

What kilcoo have done is incredible. They are the epitome of what any small club should aspire to. My question is, would it lessen their winning mentality if they dropped the sledging. I don't think there's any doubt that its coached by their captain and talisman, but more importantly, it's tolerated by the hierarchy within. The recent appeal after the minor game is testimony to that. I enjoy the attitude and approach of the Brannigan boys, their humility and innocence, I just wonder what they would honestly think of all that other nonsense. Probably wouldn't care one iota if they win today but for me, definitely asterisk against it if they do because of that shit.

[Square Ball]

Good luck to Kilcoo this afternoon, a lot been written, positive and negative, about them over the years but I do hope they win.

[Ambrose]

Disappointing result today for Kilcoo, thought they could have won it over the 60 minutes. Congrats to Corofin, arguably the greatest ever club team.

[Smurfy123]

Hard luck Kilcoo great achievement and almost done it. The sending off was very harsh I thought. Referee was horrible
Worrying result queens getting hammered by 30 odd points. I would not hold much hope for Down under 20s. Who appoints them

[Mourne Rover]

Kilcoo were very unfortunate not to win in normal time. While both sides wasted plenty of opportunities, the Kilcoo misses were from easier positions. The first yellow card from Ward appeared extremely dubious although the second was a foolish foul. However, Corofin seemed to panic in the closing stages and Kilcoo had a whole series of relatively straightforward chances. The first Devlin free was unfortunate, Laverty put a shot wide from a great position and one of the Branagans probably should have scored as well. Corofin supporters were complaining about the amount of additional injury time but their players were dragging down opponents across the field and they emptied their bench in the process. The ball was knocked away after the final free was awarded so the referee was fully entitled to bring it forward. If Kilcoo had levelled just a little earlier, Corofin were there for the taking. Extra time was one way traffic but it was still a brilliant effort from Kilcoo. If O'Hanlon had been available, they would almost certainly be All Ireland champions tonight.

[Nanderson]

Hard luck Kilcoo today. A few wides and shots dropping short ultimatley cost them the game over 60 minutes plus the ref ballsing up the sending off. A few kilcoo players will feel like they let the game pass them by. However I dont think that Kilcoo won a clean ball from their own kickouts over the entire game. Only time they won their kickout was when corofin fouled them.

[befair]

Agree, the first yellow was a Tyrone tumble, but the second was just stupid; always uphill after that, but incredible fighting spirit after that. Kick-out policy crumbled in extra time

[thewobbler]

Hard luck Kilcoo today. A few wides and shots dropping short ultimatley cost them the game over 60 minutes plus the ref ballsing up the sending off. A few kilcoo players will feel like they let the game pass them by. However I dont think that Kilcoo won a clean ball from their own kickouts over the entire game. Only time they won their kickout was when corofin fouled them.

Midfield was a huge problem; they were unable to create any momentum as a result. Any time they scored they were on the back foot. Kilcoo have defied the natural laws of Gaelic Football in getting this far without a steady midfield retention platform and somehow very nearly crossed the toughest line of all.

They'll be sick tonight, especially the 4-5 of them well below their usual levels of influence.

It'll be tough for them to climb this peak again. But if there's one thing we've learned about Kilcoo the past 15 years, it's that they always regroup.

——

On a side note, Gaelic Football is condemned as a spectacle. Today wasn't the tipping point or anything like that, but only further evidence.

How our sport can continue to provide a reward for endlessly recycling possession either side of halfway is beyond me. Blaming the opponents for not pushing is up is wrong. Basketball worked this out 60 years ago: if there is a get out clause when in possession, the team in front will abuse it. It needs closed. Banning passing backwards across the halfway lines would be simplest and most effective rule change we could ever implement.

And as for the concerted campaign by managers, media and players to eradicate the black card, we should hold our heads in shame. A yellow card simply isn't deterrent enough, and already the improvements of the black card's initial years have been largely washed away by referees being bullied into the romantic notion of "you can't ruin that poor lad's day for one wee foul, after he's been training all year".  Whether it's the first minute or the last minute, that urge towards cynical fouling should be met with a serious deterrent.

[elk]

Kilcoo were very unfortunate not to win in normal time. While both sides wasted plenty of opportunities, the Kilcoo misses were from easier positions. The first yellow card from Ward appeared extremely dubious although the second was a foolish foul. However, Corofin seemed to panic in the closing stages and Kilcoo had a whole series of relatively straightforward chances. The first Devlin free was unfortunate, Laverty put a shot wide from a great position and one of the Branagans probably should have scored as well. Corofin supporters were complaining about the amount of additional injury time but their players were dragging down opponents across the field and they emptied their bench in the process. The ball was knocked away after the final free was awarded so the referee was fully entitled to bring it forward. If Kilcoo had levelled just a little earlier, Corofin were there for the taking. Extra time was one way traffic but it was still a brilliant effort from Kilcoo. If O'Hanlon had been available, they would almost certainly be All Ireland champions tonight.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda, the bottom line is they lost. They had their chances in normal time ( without O Hanlon ) and didn't take them. Would have been nice to see an All Ireland title coming back to Down but the little bit of luck that Kilcoo have been carrying this campaign eventually ran out.

[Smurfy123]

Tyrone won All Ireland's with limited ball in the middle

Big match this weekend team to start

O Hare kickouts much better than Burns. Burns kickouts costly
McAleenan
McArdle
Collins
Laverty
O Hagen
Cox
Flynn
Middleton
O Hagen
Quinn
Guinness
O hare
Havern
Kerr

[Mourne Rover]

Most of Smurfy's team will start in Clonmel but McKernan, although he did not have a good day against Tyrone, willl probably be in there somewhere, and McCabe may get his chance at midfield. O'Hare is a decent prospect in goals but the experience of Burns could be the key factor. It is unusual to have such a crucial match in January and it is arguably the most important league opener we have faced for a very long time.

[Mikhailov]

What was the idea behind Kilcoo having the number '10' on the neck area on the back of their shirts yesterday.

Does anyone know?

[Dubh driocht]

Kilcoo played a typical Kilcoo game in normal time although the quality of the opposition forced them into making more errors than usual. Only Daryl and Laverty played the occasion but all can reflect on a great year. Unfortunately the  chance may have gone as their example will spur on many clubs in Down and Ulster to raise their games. Good to see local clubs supporting the magpies and who knows when a Down team will be back in HQ.

[Nanderson]

One thing i've noticed about Kilcoo this year under Moran is that he doesn't tend to use a lot of subs. Although they have a massive panel he only seems to bring on Justin, sheelan (who is now a starter) and anthony morgan. Players that were once guaranteed starters on the teams in the past few years like James McClean, Marty Devlin, Micheal Rooney now aren't even getting a sniff of championship football.