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Tyrone v Donegal - 1 Like(s)
Here's a quote from a Donegal Fan on this forum after the Antrim game
Let's be honest - the gulf between the Division 1 teams and the rest is vast, particularly with regard to Div 3 and 4 teams. The format is so lopsided it's almost farcical. But, then you had the Carlow manager on the Sunday Game last night insisting the small teams should remain part of the race for Sam Maguire.
Donegal fans are not feeling quite so arrogant now I bet. "There's an old saying which is "You better be nice to others on the way up in case you meet them on the way back down again."
Donegal's (limited) success was based on a great manager (McGuiness) and one great player (Murphy). Without these exceptional individuals Donegal are certainly no better than the other also rans, as yesterday proved.
In truth Tyrone should have won by far more, easing up with 20 minutes to go and emptying their entire bench. You won't , however, hear them disrespecting the beaten opposition.
See you in the new "B" championship.
spiritof1991 (National) - 19/06/2017 15:48:42
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Ballykinlar - 1 Like(s)
5times - I find it bizzare that you accuse and convict the county board of a lack of forward thinking and yet suggest that we base the CoE in the "heartland" of Burren
spiritof1991 (Down) - 25/08/2017 13:15:37
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Down footballers 2017 - 1 Like(s)
Great performances in the last 5 games. Even against promoted Galway and Kildare we did well enough and were not disgraced.
One factor in this I feel is that this spring we have at long last moved on from the Clarke/Coulter/Gordon will they / won't they debate that has consumed the last few years.
The squad that's in it must be favorites to beat Armagh now, who failed to beat Tipp at home and remain in Div 3.
Achieve that and I for one will be happy as the dreaded slide from Div 1 to Div 4, as per Laois, has been halted.
We won't win an All Ireland, and have only a very outside shot at Ulster but at least we are no longer the "Laughing Stock" that everyone was talking about a few short weeks ago. (I also notice better results for the U18 and U17 squads yesterday).
Unreserved well done to all concerned.
spiritof1991 (Down) - 03/04/2017 10:46:53
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Tyrone v Donegal - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Lockjaw: "[quote=spiritof1991: "Here's a quote from a Donegal Fan on this forum after the Antrim game
Let's be honest - the gulf between the Division 1 teams and the rest is vast, particularly with regard to Div 3 and 4 teams. The format is so lopsided it's almost farcical. But, then you had the Carlow manager on the Sunday Game last night insisting the small teams should remain part of the race for Sam Maguire.
Donegal fans are not feeling quite so arrogant now I bet. "There's an old saying which is "You better be nice to others on the way up in case you meet them on the way back down again."
Donegal's (limited) success was based on a great manager (McGuiness) and one great player (Murphy). Without these exceptional individuals Donegal are certainly no better than the other also rans, as yesterday proved.
In truth Tyrone should have won by far more, easing up with 20 minutes to go and emptying their entire bench. You won't , however, hear them disrespecting the beaten opposition.
See you in the new "B" championship." That was from me if I remember rightly.
The gap between Div 1 and Div's 3 & 4 is vast. Results & statistics will back that up.
So one manager & Michael Murphy won the All Ireland? If my memory serves me well we also had the footballer of the year that year, the championship's top scorer & 8 All Stars. So stop talking nonsense."]Lockjaw
The difference between Div 1 and 3 / 4 is not as big as you imagine. A good example is that Longford beat Monaghan (and Down )in the qualifiers ONLY LAST YEAR - i.e. 2 Division 1 teams at the time. The qualifiers draw was made since I posted last but as things have turned out you will have another chance to test out your theory quite soon.
Also there is a huge difference between Great players / managers and Good ones and all outstanding teams have 1 or 2 great players that makes them a really top side. It is this that factor alone that distinguishes Donegal from Derry or Monagahn from Meath. Murphy and McManus are each the difference, but for me most of the rest of those squads would not look out of place in most Division 2 or 3 teams.
Down got 5 Allstars in 2010 but I would highlight only Marty Clarke and Benny Coulter as the really outstanding players who propelled that team on to the highest level. Similarly what would Tyrone of the noughties have been without Canavan ? And what would would Armagh have been without McConville ?
Thus you must agree that there is an extremely fine line between success and failure and if Murphy becomes unavailable at some point Donegal will be closer to Carlow than they are to Dublin. I'd therefore be careful about promoting a B championship in Donegal in case you find yourselves in it.
Also "Smaller" Counties deserve their day in the sun. Dismissing the huge work that goes on in Wicklow, Antrim or Leitrim with a tiered championship would be a huge discredit to the association in my opinion. For instance Tipperary got to the semi final last year yet played in Div 3 this year. These guys, and all the others, have got to be allowed to dream, just as I am heading to Athletic Grounds next week thinking Down can reach a Ulster Final even though I realise no one else gives us much of a chance.
spiritof1991 (National) - 19/06/2017 19:30:37
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Down footballers 2017 - 1 Like(s)
On behalf of all "keyboard warriors" everywhere it's time to do the right thing and extend a big apology to Eamon Burns and his backroom team.
Extremely good performances the last 2 days out.
One more win needed to secure Div 2 status and my main worry at this stage is that we actually end up being promoted back to Div 1.
BURNS IN!
spiritof1991 (Down) - 05/03/2017 17:23:51
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Down footballers 2017 - 1 Like(s)
Fantastic day out yesterday. I said at the start of the year i'd be happy with staying in Div 2 and beating Armagh. We are now in bonus territory with everything now to be gained. We are 1 good performance now from an Ulster Final, which is obviously the new target. Well done Burns & the entire squad on an excellent game plan with some committed defending and, at times, skillful attacking play. We continue to improve, which is all that can be asked. Up Down!
spiritof1991 (Down) - 05/06/2017 11:49:03
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Ballykinlar - 1 Like(s)
Checked Google Maps there. Its is less than 15 minutes driving time from Castlewellan - Ballykinlar. Have you ever been to Ballykinlar yourself ? Its literally a stones throw from Clough, i.e. where the main Downpatrick - Newry and Belfast - Kilkeel roads cross.
Therefroe, in Down GAA terms, it could hardly be better situated so, personally I think its a great location for a CoE, Easily accessible from our biggest clubs, and also a site that will help greatly in harnessing the potential of the East Down and Belfast clubs.
However most importantly , using a former MOD site lends a great deal of funding potential to what must be envisaged as a major development, Surely all nationalists will agree it would be a great "Peace " dividend that the largest base on this island for the british army in the last 100 years would end up being used for Gaelic Games in the 100 years that lie ahead. Furthermore, not many people know the site was also used as an internment camp, with Eamon Develera , who was also MP for South Down for a time, himself being imprisoned there.
So Ballykinlar could be an inspired choice, if everyone rolls in behind it.
spiritof1991 (Down) - 17/08/2017 21:46:03
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