Down Club Hurling & Football

[behind the wire]

Bryansford v Saval
Kilcoo v An Rioct

[idontbelieveit]

SFC Quarter finals
Burren v Ballyholland
Mayobridge v Longstone

IFC Quarter finals
Annaclone v Darragh Cross
Kilclief v Tullylish
Carryduff v Glenn
Drumgath v St Johns

JFC Final
St John Bosco v Drumaness

Kilcoo vs An Riocht
Bryansford vs Saval

[T O Hare]

T O Hare

Kilcoo
Byransford

What about the rest of your selections from below

SFC Quarter finals
Burren v Ballyholland
Mayobridge v Longstone

IFC Quarter finals
Annaclone v Darragh Cross
Kilclief v Tullylish
Carryduff v Glenn
Drumgath v St Johns

JFC Final
St John Bosco v Drumaness

Kilcoo
Saval (change)
Ballyholland
Mayobridge

Annaclone
Tullylish
Glenn
Drumgath

Bosco

[meatsy86]

T O Hare

Kilcoo
Byransford

What about the rest of your selections from below

SFC Quarter finals
Burren v Ballyholland
Mayobridge v Longstone

IFC Quarter finals
Annaclone v Darragh Cross
Kilclief v Tullylish
Carryduff v Glenn
Drumgath v St Johns

JFC Final
St John Bosco v Drumaness

Kilcoo
Saval (change)
Ballyholland
Mayobridge

Annaclone
Tullylish
Glenn
Drumgath

Bosco

Good to see ya stickin by the locals T O Hare!

[John Martin]

Any updates on tonights games?

[MCMLX]

Burren hammered Ballyholland

[Mid Down Gael]

Burren 0-15 Ballyholland 0-7

After a great start where the harps led 0-4 to 0-0 it looked like a shock was on the cards. Burren got their first score in the 20th minute and never looked back from then on. Ballyholland couldnt get a grip with break balls and got turned over in possession too often in the second half resulting in Murtagh getting a limited supply.
Burren where impressive in the second half where McKernan controlled things at the back with Sean Murdock and James McGovern leading their attack brilliantly.
On another note, for the second time this week their was no tri colour on display at a senior championship fixture. After Newry on Wednesday i was surprised to see it not flying in the Bridge tonight.

[Square Ball]

Carryduff beat Glenn by 3

[Dubh driocht]

Bryansford V Saval

Kingdom V Kilcoo

I presume it's bad form to have a disclaimer if Marty's not back ?

[Niall Quinn]

SFC quarter-final
Kilcoo v An Riocht
Bryansford v Saval

[Mourne Rover]

Having watched the tape of the AI final the following night when very few of us had calmed down, I sat through it again tonight. There's no doubt that the best team won on the day, but we have also lost plenty of championship matches we deserved to win over recent years and a little bit of cuteness might still have produced the sixth Sam. We could also have lost more decisively in the end, and we really need to thank our players and management for an outstanding season overall.

There were just a few moments on the re-run which will probably stay with us all for some time to come. The McVeigh/ McCartan/McVeigh intervention to prevent a disastrous first minute goal was from the top drawer, and was the best single piece of defending from Down since the Collins penalty save with DJ sliding in for the rebound in 1994.

Having survived that, we should have been much further in front at the break. Benny tried a couple of long-range efforts when we could have retained possession and Danny Hughes, in an otherwise excellent display, was involved in a couple of big incidents. There was one run when he took a knock to the head, clearly expected a free and went ahead with a shot which drifted wide from a fairly straightforward position. The other run, at a time when he was destroying Cork, put him through for a fisted point, when he might have found John Clarke just inside him or Benny at the far post. Taking the point was probably the right option but a goal at that stage would have left Cork with a mountain to climb. McComiskey's first point was also tremendous, but Benny had made a brilliant run inside without being spotted.

At 7-2 for us, there was a harsh free against Garvey and Rooney tapped the ball away after the whistle. The kick was brought forward by the ref from an almost impossible distance to a very promising spot, and Goulding duly converted. If we had been five or six up at half time, which was strongly on the cards, it would have been a very different match.

We were swimming against the tide after the break, and every substitution they made strengthened them while none of those on our side really worked. The McComiskey case has been much discussed and still makes very little sense, but throwing Brannigan on in and around a struggling midfield was arguably even more puzzling. Switching big Dan would have been a risk, but Colgan,while he may lack pace, had the strength and the know-how to make a difference. There were also a number of crucial slips by our players while Cork always managed to keep their feet when the rain came down.

However, Cork could probably cite plenty of bad misses and wrong options as well and their Croke Park experience gained over five or six seasons - as opposed to a matter of months with us - was crucial in the final quarter.

Anyway, we have a young squad which we can reasonably expect to improve in 2011. Ambrose must be due better luck, assuming he goes ahead with the surgery, and he might just be getting back to full fitness for the closing stages of the league. Liam Doyle is more of a long shot, but he would be a tremendous asset if he gets a change of fortune.

Paul Murphy is more than capable of getting back in the starting 15, while Darren O'Hagan is a fantastic prospect at 19. Aidan Carr and Luke Howard also have the required quality, and there is potentially more overall competition for places at the back than has existed for decades.

Of course, other injuries, loss of form, discipline and the wrong draws in the USC and the qualifiers could be factors, but the bottom line is that we are knocking on the door at long last. We can only be proud of the people who have made it all possible.

[Highlander3]

Mourne Rover i agree with virtually everything you said there, and in many ways we may have a better team next year, though i do think that next year will be more competitive.

[MCMLX]

I haven't watched the game yet, but I would tend to agree with what most of Mourne Rover says.
In many ways Down should be a stronger team next year, the final defeat should be well out of our system by the new year. While not trying to take James`job and hoping for a fully fit panel, this would be my starting team next year.

1. McVeigh, had a great year and will probably get a rest for the early games in the league.
2. Daniel, has made the position his own, hopefully come in for a bit of competition from the likes of Luke Howard.
3. B. McArdle, I think he has the makings of a full back, big test in 2011 should James use him.
4. D. Raff, we all dream of a team of Raffertys.
5. D.  O`Hagan. He was impressive at times, I`d have him ahead of Rooney.
6. McKernan. Found his natural position after looking out of sorts on the wing. Had a great end to the year.
7. Garvey, good man marker, may come under pressure from Timmy Hanna.
8. Kalum King. Uncaged, may not get an All Star, deserves one for his tireless and sometimes thankless work.
9. Ambi. If fit the best midfielder we have, great going forward.
10. Hughes. Had his best year in a Down shirt, same again please.
11. P. Fitzpatrick. He is too good to be left on the bench, can win ball and take a score.
12. Maginn. Does Polands job, only better.
13. Benny.
14. Dan Gordon. We need a target man on the edge of their square. End of.
15. Marty. He can only get better, he has settled in well and like a good wine will improve with age.

A few players may go, a few of the younger lads need to be tried out. Timmy Hanna and if fully fit Luke Howard have to be close. Paul Murphy needs to loose some of that muscle on the legs and get back on the panel. Not everyone will agree with my team and I`ll change it as the year progresses, but we are looking foward to 2011. This time last year I and I am sure most of you were hoping to avoid relegation from Division 2.

[On The Side]

On another note. burren v ballyholland refereeing totally up the left. whoever shouted loudest got that free( burren). didnt beat ballyholland but when the game was in the mix decisions were terrible. a fella was sent off for coursing. all the excuses will come out but keep this ref away from senior championship games. .Thought if some team is going to be honest and give it a go then bulls##t shouldnt stand in there way?

[Lecale2]

a fella was sent off for coursing.

Thats a first.  What was the score?