Down Club Hurling & Football

[Mourne Red]

What a win for Down tonight
Fair play to all involved
A great achievement

The division 4 teams voted against seconds teams entering division 4 3 years ago. That's why it never happened. The senior clubs wanted it

Didn't know that Smurfy apologies.. Club I was playing for at the time the players wanted it.. Hopefully get suggested again in the near future. It will benefit clubs in the long term, look at the Finn for example they were playing Senior teams 2nds teams in 2019 when they had a free week and clearly benefitted them from the level they were then too now

[BarryBreensBandage]

Quite a performance tonight from what is clearly the best underage team we have produced since the 2005 AI minor champions. They were a brilliantly organised side, with every player comfortable on the ball and confident in the system. Monaghan put in a massive effort in the most difficult of circumstances, but just a little more calmness by our forwards would have finished the contest comfortably in normal time. However, extra time was a clinical exercise with our ability to retain possession and use our pace hugely impressive. O'Hare was a well deserved man of the match, and his interview afterwards was also exceptional, but there were plenty of other fine performances and Gilmore coming off the bench was a game changer. While the AI semi against Roscommon is only a week away, we have a serious management unit and the squad will be well up for it.

Excellent review. That is a serious Down team.

First off, hard luck to Monaghan, they were a credit to their county. A few lads and supporters were in bits at the end. Just so sad and hard to comprehend.

I hope for all the best for them in the future and sincere sympathy with the Dufaigh family.

Everything about Down tonight really impressed me.
The missed chances, the times when we looked buried, down to 14. Monaghan at times looking like sure winners.
As a defender in my playing days I always look at the grind of a win. Downs tackling was flawless tonight.

What won it for Down was their command of the basic skills and the confidence to play football. To stick to a plan. Kilcoo-esque maybe?

I thought what would cause Down to lose tonight was the historical habit of us losing and winning nothing for so long. Not to these players.
Mistakes were made but it cared not a jot. A trait that is taught.

Finally when we won, the understated celebration of the win was what marked the night for me. The respect that Down management and team showed toward Monaghan will live with me for a long time.

Now for Monaghan to win the Ulster senior championship. Come on the Farney!

[6th sam]

Quite a performance tonight from what is clearly the best underage team we have produced since the 2005 AI minor champions. They were a brilliantly organised side, with every player comfortable on the ball and confident in the system. Monaghan put in a massive effort in the most difficult of circumstances, but just a little more calmness by our forwards would have finished the contest comfortably in normal time. However, extra time was a clinical exercise with our ability to retain possession and use our pace hugely impressive. O'Hare was a well deserved man of the match, and his interview afterwards was also exceptional, but there were plenty of other fine performances and Gilmore coming off the bench was a game changer. While the AI semi against Roscommon is only a week away, we have a serious management unit and the squad will be well up for it.

Excellent review. That is a serious Down team.

First off, hard luck to Monaghan, they were a credit to their county. A few lads and supporters were in bits at the end. Just so sad and hard to comprehend.

I hope for all the best for them in the future and sincere sympathy with the Dufaigh family.

Everything about Down tonight really impressed me.
The missed chances, the times when we looked buried, down to 14. Monaghan at times looking like sure winners.
As a defender in my playing days I always look at the grind of a win. Downs tackling was flawless tonight.

What won it for Down was their command of the basic skills and the confidence to play football. To stick to a plan. Kilcoo-esque maybe?

I thought what would cause Down to lose tonight was the historical habit of us losing and winning nothing for so long. Not to these players.
Mistakes were made but it cared not a jot. A trait that is taught.

Finally when we won, the understated celebration of the win was what marked the night for me. The respect that Down management and team showed toward Monaghan will live with me for a long time.

Now for Monaghan to win the Ulster senior championship. Come on the Farney!

Well organised, well motivated, well disciplined, quality performances all round.  Now for Roscommon. Heartbreaking for Monaghan, so proud of big Ruairí's emotional speech of support.

[Lotto]

Congratulations to the Kilcoo U.20 team last night.

[stiff breeze]

Fantastic interview from ruairi o hare and well done the team amd management 👏

[SamFever]

Congratulations to the Kilcoo U.20 team last night.

Don't be a d-ck!!

[Walter Cronc]

Slightly off topic but are the likes of Bredagh / Carryduff producing any underage county players? 2 clubs with big picks. Can only benefit Down long term.

[Dubh driocht]

Congratulations to the Kilcoo U.20 team last night.

Sad begrudgery on a night that pride was restored in Down football and, more importantly, the players, management and supporters showed respect for a grieving family and county.
The future of Ireland will be shaped by people like Brendan Óg Duffy, Ruairi O'Hare and their teammates .

[befair]

The small number of clubs involved in the u20 team reflects the demise of East Down as a force and the lack of players from the big towns (Downpatrick, Belfast, Newry, Castlewellan)
It will be a generation before we challenge at senior level again.
Having said that, an Ulster U20 is to be celebrated for its own sake. I suspect life will take many of these lads away from Ireland, so Carpe Diem

[manwithnoplan]

The small number of clubs involved in the u20 team reflects the demise of East Down as a force and the lack of players from the big towns (Downpatrick, Belfast, Newry, Castlewellan)
It will be a generation before we challenge at senior level again.
Having said that, an Ulster U20 is to be celebrated for its own sake. I suspect life will take many of these lads away from Ireland, so Carpe Diem

12 players on last night's panel from East Down? RGU had a starter, and have men on the senior panel. Carryduff have players involved at pretty much all levels. Very negative comment after what was a positive event for Down football.

[Sheedy]

The small number of clubs involved in the u20 team reflects the demise of East Down as a force and the lack of players from the big towns (Downpatrick, Belfast, Newry, Castlewellan)
It will be a generation before we challenge at senior level again.
Having said that, an Ulster U20 is to be celebrated for its own sake. I suspect life will take many of these lads away from Ireland, so Carpe Diem

13 different clubs on a 24 man panel is hardly a small representation.

[Mourne Red]

Honestly boys need to shut up about Castlewellan, Newry, Downpatrick etc..  We've a strong squad who cares were players are from.. 7 starters were from East Down clubs and arguably the 3 best players on the night were from East Down.

Castlewellan haven't won a championship since the 90s same as RGU and a Newry club hasn't won a SFC since the 60s. It's 2021 stop living in the past.

[befair]

Honestly boys need to shut up about Castlewellan, Newry, Downpatrick etc..  We've a strong squad who cares were players are from.. 7 starters were from East Down clubs and arguably the 3 best players on the night were from East Down.

Castlewellan haven't won a championship since the 90s same as RGU and a Newry club hasn't won a SFC since the 60s. It's 2021 stop living in the past.

And Down haven't won anything since 1994.......

[Mourne Rover]

While there is a strong case for not responding to the likes of Befair, it should still be pointed out that our present u20s probably include a wider range  of clubs than any other Down squad in recent years. When Befair refers to the demise of east Down, he must have forgotten about Kilcoo. Walter asks about under age representation from Bredagh and Carryduff, so Lorcan Toal started for Down last night, and got better and better as the game went on. Our minors had a bad night against Tyrone but both midfielders and the full forward were from the Belfast neighbours.

[thebar]

Honestly boys need to shut up about Castlewellan, Newry, Downpatrick etc..  We've a strong squad who cares were players are from.. 7 starters were from East Down clubs and arguably the 3 best players on the night were from East Down.

Castlewellan haven't won a championship since the 90s same as RGU and a Newry club hasn't won a SFC since the 60s. It's 2021 stop living in the past.

And Down haven't won anything since 1994.......

.......McKenna Cup?