I wonder if meeting the Queen put them off... or indeed inspired Armagh to show them what's what

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 31/05/2011 13:05:38    944318

Down were not 'lucky' to get to the All-Ireland Final last year. They were better than every team they beat.

Gabriel. (Down) - Posts: 412 - 31/05/2011 13:26:35    944345

'Flash in the pan' they were last year!! Cant believe people couldnt recognise that!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus...Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 31/05/2011 14:39:10    944438

How could you say that Down where lucky to get to last years final and we only got beat in the final by a solitary point. If we did not deserve to be in the final and were only there due to LUCK then why did we not get hammered in the final?

BlackSpot10 (Down) - Posts: 36 - 31/05/2011 14:46:18    944445

happy birthday patrique!!

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 31/05/2011 14:56:52    944470

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 8388

944318 I wonder if meeting the Queen put them off... or indeed inspired Armagh to show them what's what

It was certainly a great incentive jimbodub.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 31/05/2011 15:01:16    944476

Tom1916
County: Armagh
Posts: 1107

944476 jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 8388

944318 I wonder if meeting the Queen put them off... or indeed inspired Armagh to show them what's what

It was certainly a great incentive jimbodub.
______

Yes. Interesting that

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 31/05/2011 15:10:59    944493

Looks like the consensus of Gaels across the country is that Down earned their nickname through style of play and not title hauls. Hope that clears up the confusion gatekeeper! Best of luck against Monaghan at the weekend.

peter_venkman (Down) - Posts: 320 - 31/05/2011 15:19:56    944509

Hands up who wants to play the 'flash in the pan in the qualifiers' .!!

monitor (Down) - Posts: 209 - 31/05/2011 16:03:10    944565

monitor
County: Down
Posts: 141

Based on Saturdays evidence I think to a certain extent Down were found. Most on here I think would agree that Down got a good run of games in the qualifiers and a good slice of luck in the quarters and semis. Now there first real test this year and they are comprehensively beaten by an Armagh team which quite franklly most people expected very little from. So I think looking at it, that alot of teams who end up in the qualifiers wouldn't be as concerned about meeting Down now as they would've been a week ago.

Kenjg80 (Dublin) - Posts: 228 - 31/05/2011 16:25:02    944598

Even though Cavan have an impressive haul of titles most of them were won before most Ulster counties got themselves organised. In the early days it was just Cavan Monaghan and Antrim(sometimes) in the Ulster championship. When the 50s came and Down Derry Donegal Tyrone and Armagh entered the fray in a serious way that spelled the end of Cavan dominance. With only 5 Ulster titles in the 60s 70s 80 90s and 00s show that they were never really any use at all apart from the late 40s early 50s just like Mayo and Roscommon. That was their glory period. Ulster teams until the 60s when Down emerged were always the whipping boys at the All-Ireland stage. Cavan have 39 Ulsters with 5 All Ireland but Downs record of 12 Ulsters with their first in 1959 and 6 All Irelands is far more impressive considering how much more competitive Ulster football had become. Their style of football gained them their first All Ireland changed how Ulster football was perceived by the rest of the country. Although Cavan and Down shared all the Ulster titles of the 60s (cavan 4 down 6) Cavan won 0 All Irelands while Down won 3. Cavan have only won 1 Ulster title since then while Down have won 5 while collecting 2 more All Ireland titles. The Down record is more impressive in my opinion.

breffni666 (Cavan) - Posts: 294 - 31/05/2011 16:28:30    944605

I can see where your coming from but Down under performed on Sat night. Without taking antthing away from a good Armagh show I think that at least half the Down team did nt turn up. Benny Coulter was not 100 % fit and could have had a goal mid way through second half had he not been fouled(pushed) as he was about to shoot. Conor Maginn suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem with about 15 min to go and Kallum King is just not fit. I really feel that it was the kick up the a*se that they needed and we will see a truer reflection next time out. Would the Dubs relish a trip to Páirc Esler ??

monitor (Down) - Posts: 209 - 31/05/2011 16:38:25    944617

Kenjg80
County: Dublin
Posts: 40

Even so, you are going to want to play Clare, Tipperary, Wicklow, Longford, London, Antrim, Fermanagh, and even Sligo before you would want to play Down.. Would you not agree??

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 31/05/2011 16:47:11    944628

Kenjg80
County: Dublin
Posts: 40

944598 monitor
County: Down
Posts: 141

Based on Saturdays evidence I think to a certain extent Down were found. Most on here I think would agree that Down got a good run of games in the qualifiers and a good slice of luck in the quarters and semis. Now there first real test this year and they are comprehensively beaten by an Armagh team which quite franklly most people expected very little from. So I think looking at it, that alot of teams who end up in the qualifiers wouldn't be as concerned about meeting Down now as they would've been a week ago.



Funny that the more games they played the luckier they got? Or maybe they arent too bad a team & Armagh played very well last saturday?

Bad teams dont get to finals & they dont become bad in 8 months.

blu (Down) - Posts: 1240 - 31/05/2011 16:51:02    944636

I would certainly agree. The question is would a good proportion of the teams you mentioned be as fearful of Down now?

Kenjg80 (Dublin) - Posts: 228 - 31/05/2011 17:05:51    944673

blu
County: Down
Posts: 1237

Let me just clarify I don't believe Down are a lucky team and I would agree that luck alone will not get you to an All Ireland final but it is definately a factor. Down were lucky to meet Kerry without Galvin and O'Se and were lucky to get a couple of key decisions in that game that went for them. They were lucky with the square ball decision against Kildare and they were lucky the ball hit the crossbar with almost the final kick of the game. Sometimes you create your own luck and sometimes you just get it, but you would have to agree it was a contributing factor in them reaching the All Ireland final last year.

Kenjg80 (Dublin) - Posts: 228 - 31/05/2011 17:14:03    944683

I think Down have the ' Aristocrats' tag due to the stylish football they played in the 60s and have continued to play since,the emphasis generally being on good forward play rather than the more negative tactics employed by some others .

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 31/05/2011 17:14:33    944684

Kenjg80
County: Dublin
Posts: 42

Any good team after a defeat has the 'wounded animal' tag, and should be feared. If Down comprehensively win their 1st round qualifier game, we will be tipped to go on to at least the last 8 stage again and all this doubt will be gone. One defeat doesn't change the fact we are a very good side. Anybody could see Armagh upped their game against us on their home patch, it was always going to be an immense task to beat them, and we underperformed hugely in a lot of areas on the field, which means we can perform a lot better, and the qualifiers can only help us to regain a momentum, similar to last year. Maybe this Down team are suited to the back door? All will be revealed over the next few months!

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 31/05/2011 17:39:55    944723

With all due respect to the Northern teams in which ive seen winning all-ireland (Down, Tyrone, Donegal, Armagh and Derry) Down have always played the most attractive football. To say that the didnt deserve to be in the final last year is a joke. The beat Kerry in croke park which is never easy and in my opinion an excellent Kildare side.

clubstar09 (Mayo) - Posts: 463 - 31/05/2011 17:45:08    944726

Listen the whole ,'blue bloods' thing has alway been a bit embarrassing , and im sure most true Down men would rather the phrase was never coined. The daft thing is that it was introduced by some Down people who should have had a titter of wit. Anyway , all that aside I do not think they were lucky at all last year. Infact I thought they were inspirational , ,and any team that hands out a lesson to Kerry in Croke park is worthy of the plaudits. How many Southern Counties have beaten Kerry at HQ in the last 15 years?

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 31/05/2011 18:05:19    944750