USFC Round 1 : An Cabhan V An Dun

[The Bottom Brick]

Agree with you about the spirit in the team.

On the other thing...

and others to come in like Gunner and Fannin.

Not much point having those boys on the bench if you ask me. Call me crazy, but I think you should have your best 15 out at all times in the championship, unless there is a mammoth difference in form.

I mean hypothetically, Fannin is vastly superior to say Brennan, and unless Fannin was playing abysmal stuf and Brennan flying, the former should always start.

Same with the Crowe/Brady thing. Brady at 60% is still better than Crowe at 90.

If Crowe was any good he'd have made a minor or Under 21 team, starred in the senior championship or actually ever started a league or championship match and played well for Cavan.

The only league OR championship match the lad has ever started, he lasted 16 minutes.

Form is temporary, class is permanent.

[The Bottom Brick]

You've got that spot on there Myles,last Sunday Jason was the only one of them which tried to take on his man.Johnston was out in front and won a lot of ball but wasn't capable of beating his man,done more twisting and turning than was a holy terror and going nowwhere at the same time.

In my opinion Jason has lost his pace. He got a couple of balls, hardly had a shot (bar the one where he kicked the ground) and that was about it. Took a couple of handy frees to get some figures beside his name.For all his "taking on his man" he din't score from play and missed the three vital goal chances.

Watched the video again last night - Jason touched the ball from play twice in the second half (35 minutes). Jelly had kicked a point in the second half before he was substiuted - he also set up a goal for Larry don't forget.

Nothing against Jayo, but he hasn't the legs anymore. Better to bring him on for Larry with 25 to go and hopefully get us a goal.

[mylestheslasher]

You've got that spot on there Myles,last Sunday Jason was the only one of them which tried to take on his man.Johnston was out in front and won a lot of ball but wasn't capable of beating his man,done more twisting and turning than was a holy terror and going nowwhere at the same time.

In my opinion Jason has lost his pace. He got a couple of balls, hardly had a shot (bar the one where he kicked the ground) and that was about it. Took a couple of handy frees to get some figures beside his name.For all his "taking on his man" he din't score from play and missed the three vital goal chances.

Watched the video again last night - Jason touched the ball from play twice in the second half (35 minutes). Jelly had kicked a point in the second half before he was substiuted - he also set up a goal for Larry don't forget.

Nothing against Jayo, but he hasn't the legs anymore. Better to bring him on for Larry with 25 to go and hopefully get us a goal.

Brick - Think you'll find that jason was the architect of the goal in that he turned his man, beat him and then flicked it inside to Johnson, who then did the simplest part by flicking onto Larry. Fair is fair now!!

[cavanmaniac]

Not much point having those boys on the bench if you ask me. Call me crazy, but I think you should have your best 15 out at all times in the championship, unless there is a mammoth difference in form.

I mean hypothetically, Fannin is vastly superior to say Brennan, and unless Fannin was playing abysmal stuf and Brennan flying, the former should always start.

Same with the Crowe/Brady thing. Brady at 60% is still better than Crowe at 90.

If Crowe was any good he'd have made a minor or Under 21 team, starred in the senior championship or actually ever started a league or championship match and played well for Cavan.

The only league OR championship match the lad has ever started, he lasted 16 minutes.

Form is temporary, class is permanent.

saw this in the Irish News report from last Monday:

"Jonathan Crowe, an enforced substitution due to an injury to Paul Brady collected a pass from Dermot McCabe. His shot was low, but it lacked conviction."

Might explain Gunner's absence perhaps, dunno if it's true...

[trim blue]

"Jonathan Crowe, an enforced substitution due to an injury to Paul Brady collected a pass from Dermot McCabe. His shot was low, but it lacked conviction."

well Gunner went off becuase of cramp, if thats all it was then he would be fit to start, maybe he has some other niggle. I like the look of Crowe, he did well on Sun, against Ros and also when he came on against Wexford, I just not sure he should be replacing Brady if indeed Brady is fully fit. At some point in the future Crowe is worth trying at CHB cos Forde is really only fir for HB at this stage.

[The Bottom Brick]

Lads, Paul Brady or jelly are definitely flying fit, no question of injury at all according to an excellent source.

Maybe there's a method to the madness. I hope so. Down woun't be dropping their two Railway Cup players Sunday anyway...

[anglocelt39]

I hear Galligan's a bit of a woman as well...

Brick, you were tellling us earlier in the week that one of the other midfielders in the panel is a sow for drink. Probably a little bit harsh in the case of lads that are making the effort and are probably close to as good as we have available. Thought does occur to me by times that family of friends of these guys might occasionaly log onto these pages.


Anyway, the positives about Sunday are that Brady and Lyng start, assuming they are nearly fully fit. Agree that picking young Galligan is a serious gamble, seems to be driven by the fact that nothing else has worked at midfield all year. Back line for all intents and purposes un-changed. What really worries me is what looks like a serious lack of cop on on the sidelines manifested in an inability to respond quickly to what was happening on the park-Forde at Full back for god knows how long, Roscommon game-where do you start, and the way we dealt with Benny last Sunday. If Down decide to launch a plan B of some sort next Sunday would worry that we may have worked it out and responded by Wednesday when it's been analysed in the papers.

Crowe-as I recall he did ok in the depths of winter in the McKenna cup, he was unlucky to get sent off against Meath in the first round and lost out on 4 or 5 possible inter county games which is a real pity. Cynics would question whether his total lack of minor and Under 21 is a plus or minus, given our record at county level in those codes. Hopefully he will make something of the impression of some other fellas that had none or very limited experience at minor level-Forde, Jason, Damian O Reilly.

At this stage I'm determined to remain positive. As many have said, anytyhing after promotion would be a bonus. We go up to the Marshes with a 50:50 chance. Winner gets to play Monaghan with two championship games under the belt and three weeks to prepare. Here's hoping.

[The Bottom Brick]

Anglo, sorry you're right about the Galligan comment, having not seen him play i shouldnt have commented on that, hopefully he'll prove me wrong.

On the other thing, i witnessed it myself and it was obvious when the fella was panting after ten minutes!

At this stage I'm determined to remain positive. As many have said, anytyhing after promotion would be a bonus. We go up to the Marshes with a 50:50 chance. Winner gets to play Monaghan with two championship games under the belt and three weeks to prepare. Here's hoping.

I agree. I actually think we'll do the business, and meet an overhyped Monaghan who'll be coming in cold. Then it's a Bradley-less Derry, then Tyrone with a lot of momentum behind us, then Kerry, then... ah if only!

[Mourne Rover]

Unchanged team for our boys, which not too many were expecting. At one level, it is a pretty decisive vote of confidence from the management. However, leaving out Martin Cole made little sense in Breffni and none at all in Newry. Kevin McGuigan was reasonable going forward, but, in his primary role as a corner back, did not do enough to keep his place. John Clarke deserves another chance and Jackie Lynch is simply there to block big McCabe and can be expected to be replaced by Paul Murphy when the game opens up. It is hard to believe that so many Down people wanted Paul McComiskey to start.  He is a brilliant prospect, and will terrify Cavan coming off the bench, but all the indications are that this is going to be a much more physical encounter in the opening stages. I'm hopeful, rather than overly confident, as long as the substitutions are made at the right time.

[Pangurban]

Cant believe we are fielding an unchanged side, expected at least 3 defensive changes, particularly Mc Guigan and Rooney in full back line. Think we need to start with Mc Comiskey and Murphy, rather than bring them on when we are chasing the game.

[No1]

  How in fucks name is Monk Cole not starting?  If they can't find a place in that defence for him then I really don't know.  He has been our best and most consistent defender over the last 3 years.  Puzzling to say the least.

 I am sure I'll see a few of yiz in McCoys before the game!

[Brick Tamlin]

had a feeling that he wouldnt change the team, still would be confident of a victory, only time will tell.

[passedit]

[DownFanatic]

Ross seems to have a lot of faith in his starting 15. Fair play to him. Id say it will be a similar scenario to last week with Cole, Murphy and McComiskey coming off the bench at some stage. I would have preferred McCrickard in midfield to Lynch though. I saw there was one change to the Minor team with Longstone's Gary Trainor lined out at Number 11. It looks like Clonduff's Paul McPolin is dropped.

[thewobbler]

It's a brave call from Ross. The substitutions worked last week because the players coming off the bench were generally better players than those who they were replacing.

Martin Cole must be wondering what exactly he has to do to make this team.