USFC Round 1 : An Cabhan V An Dun

[5 Sams]

Posted by: wobbller 
Club Down was the driver behind the whole Development that we witnessed yesterday.

Absolute bollix wobbller...while Club Down have played their part alright to give them all the credit is just plain wrong.....don't forget that EVERY club in the county (with a few notable exceptions) have contributed and continue to contribute thousands of pounds to the development of the Marshes.

[bcarrier]

5 sams , your language has gone to the dogs. have you been spending too much time watching soccer or in the non gaa place.

[Fíor Gael]

Firstly it was great to get a win, and this was a big improvement from last week. For the first time in years our defenders were aggressive and 'in the faces' of their opponents for the whole match and they played as a unit. Best game I have seen B. Grant play for Down since his minor days. Murtagh again was immense, super fit, a threat going forward, and his tackling and covering are improving with every game. D. Rooney had a great game, never stopped running and has been a great find.
However, we should of had Cavan out of sight by half time, the amount of possesion we had was unreal, we really need to be more clinical, put the ball over the bar and turn possession into scores. Cavan are not a good side!! Down only pulled away in the last 5-10 minutes and against better opposition we're going to have to be more economical with our possession, more decisive and have more belief in ourselves.
Personally I thought A. Carr was disappointing yesterday, seems to lack conviction and belife in himself and I'm still waiting on him to dictate a game and notch up 5-6 points.
Danny Hughes finished with 3 points from play but I feel there is much more in him, too quiet for too long in the game.
McComiskeys youthful confidence and swagger has a good effect on the team, a big boost when introduced.

[Brick Tamlin]

Resisted the temptation to come on last week with my pennysworth and waited instead for the replay just to see how far this Down team have progressed in the last 6 months, so heres how i saw it.(Il try not to go through every players performance)

Defensively Down looked a more assured unit and had little or not problems with ball in hand, and moved the ball from defence to attack with great ease. (Il comment on Cavans team at the end). Rooney struggles to convince at full back yet not doing alot wrong mind you, but if ever there was proof enough that he is far more useful further out the field then just look to the 2nd half display, great leadership, authority on the ball and out-leaping McCabe on a few occasions. Monk Cole i felt struggled somewhat with defensive duties, couldnt get tight enough to Johnston and it showed once or twice. Dan Mc Cartan althoguh not the fastest or most sensible defender about still did well enough and gave an honest hardworking display as did Mc Guigan - and as said earlier quite a strange game for Mc Guigan in that he ended the game with a point to his name and actually was one of the chief playmakers in last 20 mins, he seemed to get on the ball so much as game neared the end.(i couldnt help but get the jitters every time he sauntered forward with the ball soloing).

Half back line again proved to be the main launchpad for Down's attacks with Murtagh now finally delivering on years of potential and looks every inch a quality footballer at Senior Intercounty Level. He does most things very well, and has added a maturity to his game that was missing for a few years, plays and acts like a leader now and shoulders alot of responsibility which is good to see. No point commenting on the skills he brings to the table as a footabller because we all know what he is capable of, its his attitude, desire and workrate that have really stood out for me.(Although he did torture larry reilly in first 20 mins or so with a few wee rabbitt punches to the ribs - sneaky!)
Brendan Grant looked steady enough and played the spare man/sweeper role to perfection for long spells, not the fastest but can read a game excellently and does anchor the defence while our attack minded wing halfs go walkies now and again.

Im not a big fan or Murphys at all but id be the first to admit he had a superb game getting through a mountain of work in the middle while proceeding to run the legs of Mc Cabe up into his own arse trying to track him. Id say he covered every blade of grass on the field and just did so many good things in the game. Paul Murphy could be a very useful foil for an attacking midfielder if he just persisted to do the simple things well, catch, lay off, support, have the odd pop at score, nothing silly. When he doesnt solo the ball or try to do too much he can be a very effective midfielder. Great Game.Great hours work.
Dan Gordon did rightly again and im just happy right now that he has greatly improved upon his shite national league campaign, he is contributing so much more these days even if it is in 5 minute stints here and there.

Forwards all chipped in and contributed something at different stages of the game which was good to see, the spread of scores from different sources was very encouraging and i wouldnt pay too much attention to Bennys lack of scores or quiet performance at all, it was always goin to happen after last weeks match. In a perverse sort of way im sorta glad he was shackled somewhat and was made work that wee bit harder for his ball, it meant that the rest of the forward line had a chance to step up to the plate and showcase what they could do.

Suppose i should be giving a few negatives here somewhere too.

- Dan Gordon could /should have walked for swipe at Walsh
- If Cavans Forward Line werent so frickin greedy they could have really pinpointed weaknesses in Downs defence and cleaned out certain players.
- Aiden Carr drifts out of games for long spells and seems invisible sometimes when his opposite number decides to go forward.
- Our Full Forward line was not in the game for long spells - mainly due to the extra man covering back in front of Benny - but this would surely necissitate shootig from range, we didnt do this, we still tried to look for coulter when we should have been popping them over from distance.


And a word for Cavan
 - Seriously disappointed with Cavan over the two legs - Without Mc Cabe in that team they would struggle badly.
- Nicholas Walsh deserved a skite for his thuggish antics - he will never learn, he is only put on the field for one reason only and that for me is a waste of a jersey imo.
- There is too much football in mark mckeever to be playing him as a stopgap plug in the defence - marauding wing half back ala murtagh for Down is what would best suit him.
- Your half back line should read - Mc Keever - Gaynor - Paul Brady.
- A serious decent foil for Mc Cabe at midfield, someone that will do the running and working releasing Mc Cabe from defensive duties.
- A Full Back line that isnt naive.
- Im Probably being harsh with all the above but the biggest problem id say is your forward unit - Larry Reilly is either a puddin or he been ating the weights recently, and he is far too quickly sidetracked from the game by his man and seems to blow upp/burst after 25 mins, Seanie Johnston should quit showboatin to the crowd and just get on with skinnin defenders, and jayo reilly is living on past glories, his work rate is terrible.
biggest failing is that they dont play as a unit, they look like 6 guys that dont like each other or have no confidence in each other.


Back to Down.
Its great to see a bit of (dare i say it) steely resolve in the Down team, several guys actually looked like there was no way they would be either intimidated out of it or pushed around - Finally Dan Gordon (as silly as it was) lifted the paw showed some agression and gave someone a skite - as walsh came chargin in for the dirt big dan was having none of it, bout time. Also then when jackie came on, growled and reared thon hairy chest at a few Cavan fellas ye just knew it was to be Down's day. Sexton taking on Mc Cabe was a tonic to see, Murtagh giving Larry Reilly the evils in the first 20 mins, Big Ginger Packie flooring some defender with his chest as he trotted back to position in last 10mins, it just had "f**k youse boys arent gunna come down here and bate us in our back garden" written all over it.

Thats me for now......the keyboards on fire!! be back with more later. lol

[CC1]

For the first time in years our defenders were aggressive and 'in the faces' of their opponents for the whole match and they played as a unit.

Is the term "in their faces" a translation for pulling and dragging? That is pretty much the only "defending" Down seemed to be doing yesterday.

[cavanmaniac]

Well done to Down yesterday on a deserved win and also on their magnificently appointed little stadium and superb playing surface. A venue, like our own, to be proud of.

I'm a little surprised at the extent of Down's backslapping on here I have to say, which smacks of a win covering up all ills. Like I said, the win was deserved but to say Down were dominant throughout etc. wouldn't be at all accurate in my book.

In the first half Down were as guilty of pumping ball down the throat of covering defenders and coughing up possession unforced as we were when the ball was going the other way. Once Cavan scored a free we battled right back into it and lead at one stage before eventually going in level at the break. Coulter wasn't being given a sniff and to my mind it was largely honours even around the middle for kickouts and breaking ball.

In the second half, Lyng's correct, but nonetheless reckless and stupid sending off cost us the game. Down always set the target for us to chase but never looked fit to shake us off prior to that red card, and even up to the last ten minutes, still didn't. Even with 14 men we were right in this game and Anthony Forde shot a superb leveller with 7/8 minutes of normal time to go. In the end we couldn't get enough ball into Seanie after the tactical re-jig which is a let-off for Down because he was eating the Down full-back line alive at one point, doing much more damage than the more illsutrious Benny at the other end.
The ref copped out badly by not sending off Gordon but I will be fair enough to say that I think Walsh came on and hit him first with a rabbit-punch to the stomach so if one red card had been issued there, I think another one for Walsh would have followed. Some of the Down close-in tackling looked like fouling too and was pretty close to the edge.
In the last ten minutes, Down pressed attack-minded defenders forward (no.3 and no.4 excellent in this regard) and used them to launch attacks with short kickouts, and with 14 men and tired legs we got stretched and eventually gave up the ghost. A deserved win for Down in the end but there was not as much between the sides as some Down folk on here are suggesting and it would have been interesting going into those last ten minutes 15 v 15, that would have told us more about Down I think.

Overall, very little between those two sides. Alot of positives there for Cavan even in defeat with the defensive solidity overall, displays of Hannon, Forde, Crowe (comfortably justified selection), McCabe, Sean Brady, Johnston. Wasn't happy with Larry starting as I knew he'd both allow his man to get forward for a score (and he did) and also run out of puff and fade from the game (which he did). Himself and Jason (who foolishly tried to fashion a goal in second half when point was easier option off his left) aren't good enough to start a championship game any more and the continued humiliating of Pierson in this regard will cost us dear, as he's not operating on zero confidence.

If we get Mulvey a bit fitter and Rabbitte back for the next game (7th July, 6 or 7 weeks effectively) we can approach our next game not without hope.

[downredblack]

Jaysus we haven't won a game in over 12 months , surely we are allowed get a wee bit carried away and enjoy the result ? For a couple of days anyway ?

[cavanmaniac]

Aye go on so and enjoy it, but don't let feckin' Monagahn beat ye!

[mylestheslasher]

I presume Lyng will be kicked off the panel now due to costing us the game with a stupid sending off. That is if management are being consistent.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Ballyhaise Man, I probably shouldn't bother, but if Coulter is very over-rated and has very poor feet, why did your boys put two men on him ? I agree that he has had better games for Down (i.e. last week) but he still had a hand in almost all of our second half scores, drew a brilliant save from your keeper and kept finding McComiskey, who was the main reason we pulled away at the end. If I was in the blue corner, I would be more concerned about team selection, tactics and discipline.

Mourne Rover,im not trying to snipe at Coulter or Down and try and take away from your very good win yesterday.
In my opinion Benny has missed some very easy scores over the two games. Scores that a player with such talent should be scoring with his eyes closed.
He has the talent to be one of the top 5 players in the country.But i dont think hes even close to that now.
Scoring a few goals against a piss poor Cavan defence the first day doesnt prove anything to me.
il be the first to retract my statement of him being overrated if he does the business against Monaghan and hopefully  Derry/Antrim.
Best of luck for the rest of the championship anyway 

[FarneyMan]

Monaghan dont have a hope, Down have 2 good competitive games under their belts and home advantage............

[The Bottom Brick]

Mickey Hannon - what a guy!

The Brick will be away for the next while, so happy posting lads. Hopefully we'll have something to cheer about in the qualifiers, seeing as the seniors, minors and Under 21s are all gone in the first round again.

PS Mickey Hannon!!!! etc etc

[wobbller]

 So the clubs would have organised themselves to produce what we have now?The Club payments are a result of a previous CB attempt that failed,the Clubs were then levied on account of this MISMANAGEMENT back then.

[amallon]

I wouldn't be getting carried away with yesterday.  Down only managed to close the game out when Lyng got the line.  If he had been on it would have went right down to the wire.  

Someone said earlier in the thread that the Cavan lad that Gordan smacked deserved it, I duno but Gordan needs a kick up the hole for being so stupid.  He could have cost Down the game yesterday if he had got what he deserved and got the line.  He damaged his hand hitting the Cavan player and this is why he went off.

Packie Downey isn't a county footballer, I don't even think he is a division 1 club footballer.  He was brutal yesterday, until the last 10 mins when Down were well on top.

Young McComiskey really impressed me again yesterday when he came on.  He reminds me of James McCartan, there is a real air of confidence with him.  He was strolling round the pitch like he owned the place yesterday, unreal for a 19 year old.

Fair dues to the Cavan supporters for their sporting behaviour over the two games.  

[Blue06]

Congrats to Down & Best of luck for the remainder of the Ulster Championship