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Down Football thread - 4 Like(s)
Replying To Gaa_lover: "One of the most classless interviews I've ever read from Eugene Branagan." I agree what an inappropriate interview. Classless, arrogant and downright insensitive. So what he more or less is saying is that no one in Kilcoo will play for Down unless there is a Kilcoo manager. By the way Eugene if you look at wee James' haul of medals it will put you to shame, and it not just club medals.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 05/05/2022 08:50:51
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Down management - 3 Like(s)
The problem with Down football is that we thought every 15-20 years we would turn up and win an AI with a couple of minor and U21's within these years. Football has changed it is structured, more professional, massively dependent on quality coaching and facilities to attain this. Down football has taken none of these on board. The fact that we have yet to develop a centre of excellence is proof of the above.
Yes we will always produce outstanding individual footballers as we have done through the generations but this isn't enough. We have to produce a team of footballers who play to a system and are committed to the cause. This hasn't happened since 2010 and I think that team were fortunate to be in an AI final but unfortunate not to win it as injuries were a big factor.
As for the new manager, the kilcoo connection would seriously annoy me as they have not enhanced county football in Down at all. Your whole aim as a footballer should be to represent your county if you are good enough. There are 5 or 6 of them would walk onto this team but old grudges have stifled this. On saying that if it Laverty could galvanise the county with the kilcoo boys on board I would be all for it, swallow my pride, for the good of County Down.
By the way who does Mooney think he is???. A bit part footballer at his best to criticise wee James in that manner. Why did he need to go to the papers. Himself and Brannigan need to look up the words decorum, integrity and manners and apply them to their thought process.
As for wee James thanks for the memories. What a player. The above pair should look at his medal haul as well as a few videos, there are plenty of them.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 29/07/2022 10:40:00
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Down GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Cbar: "Why is it nonsense that people moaned about the Kilcoo lads not playing for their county?" Cbar this caused a lot of debate in Down, the fact that they didn't represent our great county and you are right to post this remark. In my opinion everyone who is good enough should be over the moon to play for that famous red and black jersey, as I was. But I am so happy that they have choosen to come back and I hope that our fortunes will change in the future. You are also right to say that a county of our stature should not be playing div 3 football but unfortunately we are. This is a fact. We just need to get behind the managment team and players as I have always believed that the talent is there. It's is just about nurturing it and bringing it on step by step. It's going to be a process that will not take place over night but I believe that this manager has all the necessary skills to see it through.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 10/03/2023 11:41:55
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Ulster Senior Club Championship - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Tom1916: "nonsense, if he had loyalty to his club and community he would be managing kilcoo and not ballybay. What persuaded him to manage ballybay as opposed to kilcoo?" If you know anything about football you will realise that you can only manage a team for so many years before a management team needs changed. He did the groundwork for this club for years. Also they have had such a successful management teams over the past decade. Why would you change this???. Did you ever think when his kids and nephews grew up to be part of the senior structure he thought it best to step away as he could have been accused of favouritism.
Its clear that you don't have a notion about how the football world and there communities work.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 10/11/2022 10:20:26
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Division 2A Final: Down V Westmeath - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Rolo2010: "Hurling is only really popular on the Ards Peninsula. It's football everywhere else. Is there even much interest within Westmeath as well? Seems like footballers get the most attention there. Can't blame TG4 for this. It's up to the GAA to increase hurling's profile in these counties." Maybe we should concentrate on Hurling in Down as the football teams aren't up to much.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 30/03/2022 10:15:57
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Down Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To LilywhiteGael: "Eugene Branagan wouldn't lace James McCartan's boots" James McCartan played for Down between 1990 and 2000. McCartan was part of the Down team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1991 and 1994. McCartan also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships with the county. At underage level McCartan won Ulster Minor and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship medals. He also won two All Star awards during his career. At school and university he won hogan and sigerson medals. He also brought Down to there last All Ireland final. His father and uncle also won 3 All Irelands and numerous ulster and all stars.
I think Eugene that deserves a huge amount of respect. No disrespect this means that wee James played against the best in the country!!!
Ronanthehammer (National) - 06/05/2022 11:13:09
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Down GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Have the Johnson brothers returned?????
Ronanthehammer (National) - 19/01/2023 13:53:50
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NFL Predictions Competition - Week 3 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To legendzxix: "Division 1
Mayo v Kerry draw
Galway v Tyrone h1
Monaghan v Donegal h1
Roscommon v Armagh a2
Division 2
Derry v Meath h2
Clare v Kildare h2
Louth v Limerick h3
Cork v Dublin a3
Division 3
Tipperary v Antrim h2
Fermanagh v Down a2
Cavan v Longford h4
Westmeath v Offaly h2
Division 4
Wicklow v London h1
Sligo v Waterford h7
Carlow v Laois a4
Wexford v Leitrim a3" Division 1
Mayo v Kerry DRAW
Galway v Tyrone GALWAY BY 3
Monaghan v Donegal DONEGAL BY 2
Roscommon v Armagh DRAW
Division 2
Derry v Meath DERRY BY 3
Clare v Kildare KILDARE BY 2
Louth v Limerick LOUTH BY 4
Cork v Dublin DUBLIN BY 5
Division 3
Tipperary v Antrim TIPP BY 2
Fermanagh v Down DOWN BY 3
Cavan v Longford CAVAN BY 8
Westmeath v Offaly DRAW
Division 4
Wicklow v London WICKLOW BY 3
Sligo v Waterford SLIGO BY 8
Carlow v Laois LAOIS BY 5
Wexford v Leitrim LEITRIM BY 5
Ronanthehammer (National) - 13/02/2023 10:41:33
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Down Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Newmitch: "I see the Down minor team were beaten 0-12 - 5-13 by Monaghan and the Down U-20s were beaten by Tyrone.
Can someone enlighten me as to why even at minor level there is a huge chasm between Down players and their counter parts in other counties.
At underage level I see successful results from counties like Limerick, Sligo, Kildare, Offaly, counties that have been in the doldrums for years. Teams that have had a lot less success than even Down have had in recent years.
Is the level of coaching in schools and clubs good enough. Or are young men just not interested in playing football in enough numbers to provide enough quality to pick from.
Are Down just too small and not physically strong enough to compete? Nobody seems to be able to identify exactly what the problems are and where they are coming from." Newmitch if I had the answer to the questions you have posed I would be managing Kerry and Down would be winning all Irelands regularly. I think the total apathy that surrounds Down at the moment has filtered through from the seniors to the U20s and minors. I also believe that this apathy and lack of belief has prevailed for so long we believe at all levels we can't win and if you believe that you will never produce a team capable of winning.
To produce a winning mentality we need to have an upgrade on our coaching system, personnel and facilities to produce this upgrade (a centre of excellence). We need a young astute man to develop this. Conor Lavery for instance but I don't know whether he is part of the problem or the solution.
Otherwise we need to search the country for the correct person, pay him the going rate and get him installed asap.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 10/05/2022 15:45:58
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Down management - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Neartheborder: "There are very few managers out there who can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." Neartheborder. If you have nothing constructive to say don't say anything. By the way you are DERRY not KERRY. I think when you look at our haul of medals it far outweighs yours. I have a lot of time for Derry people having worked up in the city for years. Its a shame you have no respect not only for Down but for gaa in general.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 09/08/2022 13:44:13
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Down Football thread - 1 Like(s)
There is a misconception that we as Down supporters expect to 'dine at the top table' all the time. This is not the case. The point is why have things changed so dramatically. If it is because of hard work by players then there is something drastically wrong. I could take your point if you said it was due to a lack of talent, but why???. Again our failure to build a centre of excellence has come back to haunt us. In 1994 after we tanked Tyrone they went ahead with there centre and guess what happened since then.
We are not crying we just simply want a reason why its been 25 years since we won an Ulster, never mind an all ireland. The decline in our senior team has been monumental. Why after 10 years of this steady decline was there not a plan put in place to address this. We can use 2010 as an excuse because that is all it was. The two years after this our senior team were a overwhelming disaster.
As I said our underage structure needs seriously worked on and all our best seniors need to commit. I was in killarney a couple of weeks ago and the Kerry people cannot believe how bad Down have become. They were not being judgemental but there was a sense of pity.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 29/03/2022 15:47:42
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Down management - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Neartheborder: "Did you call Sir?A bigger comedian than Paddy Kielty, if you have so much excitement, flair and integrity what are you doing in Div 3? Some people are dead right. Ranked 8th in Ulster." After this reply I will not be engaging with you. You obviously have not played football at any level. As for me I could 'blow my own trumpet' but I won't but just to say that I have played at the highest level in both gaa and soccer. It is irrelevant what league we are playing in for this discussion but just remember where you were a couple of years ago.
Ronanthehammer (National) - 12/08/2022 09:06:12
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