Down v Kildare Round 2B Qualifier

Still no confirmation of day and time yet. I imagine it will be in Newry. The referee is an irrelevance.

I only see this going one way. I predict a Down victory of 5/6 points. It won't be end to end stuff and it certainly won't be pretty. The way we've been setting up during the league and championship isn't made for away days in the qualifiers such as this. Whilst down are no world beaters our confidence is definitely at an all time low for this current bunch.

Any sort of victory here would be Kildare's greatest ever since the qualifiers began given the circumstances and opposition. Sadly I just do not see it happening.

Positive as usual Jayson.....        For sure it wont be easy away to Down, but if we can tighten things up a bit at the back and make us hard to break down, use the ball a bit better than the Meath game, we just might have a chance. Its never easy to get a victory over Down at home but the way the qualifiers are going over the last few weekends, we live in hope of a shock win .....

Agree with overthebar. The qualifiers are a strange beast and in this and every other year you get unpredictable results. Who'd have thought Longford would beat Derry and then get beaten out the gate by Tipp?

There's a dependency on two things :

1. Jason must see the light and plug the hole between full back and half back line - just as Kerry did with Dec O'Sullivan today.

2. We need the team to find the positive attitude that saw them tear into Louth from the off.

Down are a decent team but not world-beaters so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that we win this one. We've had good qualifier wins away to Ulster teams in the past - Derry, Antrim, Cavan.

Backs are to the wall but with a bit of organisation and spirit we've every chance.

Crofter wrote:

1. Jason must see the light and plug the hole between full back and half back line - just as Kerry did with Dec O'Sullivan today.

Will he make the changes that are needed though? If he doesn't then you'd have to wonder about his ability to set up a team correctly and if he does, you'd wonder why it has taken him so long to see the "system" we have been using is unsuitable for the players we have.

Down are about the same level as ourselves and the bookies have it down as a 50/50 game. At least our lads showed a bit of fight towards the end against Meath unlike Cork yesterday who threw in the towel. If the attitude is right and we are set up correctly there's no reason why we can't beat Down.

Jayson Rhine = the forums George Lee. Its hilarious watching how you have come full circle in a year when you used to butcher anybody who spoke out against the previous management or showed any sign of pessimism, keep it up its very entertaining

Anyway back to the game as from what I can gather Kildare are still in the championship right?

While the Meath game was a tough, tough one to take one would hope it served as a catalyst for the management that holes need to be plugged, personnel have to change and a bit of fight needs to be shown. By know means are Down world beaters. Strong in the middle and pacey with Laverty up front but while a 'defensive outfit' they are actually poor at the back give away a lot of silly frees when they are ran at with pace.

I think Foley is borderline, although his experience and physicality have proved vital in qualifier games on the road in previous years, id replace Keith Cribben, Hurley and Paddy Brophy (injury) with Chalky, Fla and Smith. Chalky to drop deep and offer cover. Put Ollie on Laverty and I think we could scrape through. Wouldn't be surprised with extra time.

Despite having a bad day the last time we still scored 17 points as well as 15 wides and a few missed goal chances so we are doing well up front.
The problem as we all know is that we are conceding far to much and have been all year. I think we have to make some personnel changes as well as soome structural ones.
Fitzpatrick has waited long enough for his chance and should start the next day along side Lyons and either Kelly if fit or McGrillen. We need to start picking halfbacks who can defend and not bomb forward at every oppurtunity. I would go for Doyle, Conway and Paul Cribben with only the latter allowed to get forward. This should allow us to hold our shape a bit more and prevent that big gap between the 2 backlines.
Not sure Kelly, McNally or Hurley have the phsyical aggression needed at this level but all are still young so might be better options off the bench at this stage.
Would love to see Mulhall back for this one along with Flaherty who is too good to leave out. Not convinced with Fogarty yet but would like to see him get another chance. Someone like Chalky or Leper or maybe both would give us more options around the middle of the field.
Maybe a team like this might be wortha a run.
Donnellan
Lyons
Fitzpatrick
Kelly
Cribben
Conway
Doyle
Moolick
O'Neill
Chalky
Flaherty
Leper
Brophy
Fogarty
Mulhall.

murof wrote:

Despite having a bad day the last time we still scored 17 points as well as 15 wides and a few missed goal chances so we are doing well up front.
The problem as we all know is that we are conceding far to much and have been all year. I think we have to make some personnel changes as well as soome structural ones.
Fitzpatrick has waited long enough for his chance and should start the next day along side Lyons and either Kelly if fit or McGrillen. We need to start picking halfbacks who can defend and not bomb forward at every oppurtunity. I would go for Doyle, Conway and Paul Cribben with only the latter allowed to get forward. This should allow us to hold our shape a bit more and prevent that big gap between the 2 backlines.
Not sure Kelly, McNally or Hurley have the phsyical aggression needed at this level but all are still young so might be better options off the bench at this stage.
Would love to see Mulhall back for this one along with Flaherty who is too good to leave out. Not convinced with Fogarty yet but would like to see him get another chance. Someone like Chalky or Leper or maybe both would give us more options around the middle of the field.
Maybe a team like this might be wortha a run.
Donnellan
Lyons
Fitzpatrick
Kelly
Cribben
Conway
Doyle
Moolick
O'Neill
Chalky
Flaherty
Leper
Brophy
Fogarty
Mulhall.

Mulhall is recovering from surgery isn't he? Also, dont see the point in making wholesale changes. Management needs to make sure we have protection at the back and get the matchups right.

Loads of Pints wrote:

Jayson Rhine = the forums George Lee. Its hilarious watching how you have come full circle in a year when you used to butcher anybody who spoke out against the previous management or showed any sign of pessimism, keep it up its very entertaining

You must be Bertie Ahern saying there will be a soft landing at the Down match? People can continue to ignore the obvious signs. I will be a realist.

Jason Ryan's impact on Kildare both as a manager this year and coach last year is questionable to say the least.

I won't need to say too much mind you, results will speak for themselves.

Maybe a few other people can say what they think the result will be? I'm going for a Down win by 5/6 points.

I'm very hopeful we can get a result against Down and I think we can get the win but i'd also have to agree that Jason Ryan's impact on the team has to date been questionable. If we address the defense set up like Kerry did yesterday I think we'll win the game. Its a big if though considering it wasnt done during the league when we kept conceding high scores. With two former defenders on the coaching staff i'm shocked that we are so open at the back.

Throw in 2pm Sunday, Pairc Esler Newry

Surely there is no way Peter Kelly will be fit if diagnosed with a hamstring tear only 2 weeks ago.

flourman wrote:

Surely there is no way Peter Kelly will be fit if diagnosed with a hamstring tear only 2 weeks ago.

It's irrelevant if we set out our stall like we have all year.

Agree with Jayson Rhine, we can waffle on about about various positive aspects but it's still papering over the cracks, only major surgery (in fact amputation) of the management will work and only the hardcore fans are turning up now, I suspect those living in fantasy land will be saying everything is fine, "move along now, nothing to see here" ......................

What baffles me furthermore that as Wexford manager, Ryans teams set up in a very solid manner and were a whisker away from beating Dublin the year they won the All Ireland.. He seems to of completely forgotten on how to line up a team defensively and every game is so unpredictable now.. If he drastically changes his approach we have a chance.. Will he do it? Highly unlikely

It would be managerial suicide not to address the defensive set up. If we don't I'd see Down winning by 4/5 points. If we are up for it AND bring in someone like Chalky to sweep in front of the full back line then I think we've a 50/50 chance. The betting man would go for Down in home soil but there's nothing cut and dried about this one for me.

he simply has to address the defensive set up or it WILL be his last game in charge. surely the selectors (if they have any input) will not want to stand by and watch us been taken apart again without changing our set up. i really think we have the players to get us to the q-final if we play a sweeper and not leave the same space between our half and full back line. time for us now to crowd out the opposition forwards and let the ball in quick and accurate to ours. we now have enough talent in attack to take teams apart so cant wait for sunday for the lads to send us back down the motorway, happy and eagerly awaiting our next day out.

david coldrick is ref and 15 euro into match

Peter Kelly is definitely out for Sunday, Paddy Brophy is doubtful and Darroch Mulhall and Mick O'Grady are available for selection but probably not match fit.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/kildare-boss-hoping-brophy-can-face-down-30413293.html

Mulhall 0played full game for qtht v moorefieldso doubt he will start. Played fairly well.

Heard Darryl Flynn and David Hyland also played.

Flynn and Hyland got no game time against meath so to be expected. Likewise Mulhall and P cribbin!

I do see Sean Hurley played a full game?! he has surely gone against the wishes of county management seen as no other starters from that game were involved with their clubs?!

umpireonditch wrote:

Flynn and Hyland got no game time against meath so to be expected. Likewise Mulhall and P cribbin!

I do see Sean Hurley played a full game?! he has surely gone against the wishes of county management seen as no other starters from that game were involved with their clubs?!

Idiotic move if hes any way involved on Sunday. Not surprising though.

Maybe he was told he is not part of the plan for Sunday and he was actually allowed to play for his club because of it.

Dont think he should start on sunday as he has been quite poor in the 2 matches so far.
Picking a player instead who can operate in the halfback line and midfield might help our cause at the back and leave us less exposed.
A lot of posteres were commenting on how strong our panel was, well maybe now is the time to test that with some new faces starting. If we start with the same team as the last day then I fear the worst.

For what its worth when we played Down in a challenge game before start of Championship we beat them..