Tradition
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He’s right sure he’s shooting the lights out in soccer.
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Pretty sure he just won the U19 National Cup with Derry City. Moving in the right direction at least.
He managed a team in the US, now he is an assistant on an u19 LOI team, that’s not the right direction
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I meant going from failing with equivalent of Cobh Ramblers in the US to actually coaching a team to a victory.
You footix cunt.
JAMES McCartan has returned for a second spell as manager of the Down senior footballers with Aidan O’Rourke confirmed as his assistant.
McCartan came agonisingly close to winning “the greatest prize” when he guided Down to the 2010 All-Ireland final in the first of his five seasons as manager from 2010 to 2014. His side lost to Cork by a single point at Croke Park but they remained among the contenders and reached a National League semi-final and the Ulster final two years’ later.
A bona fide Mourne county legend, McCartan was the attacking focal point alongside Mickey Linden in the Down sides that won the Sam Maguire in 1991 and 1994 when he followed in the footsteps of his late father, James senior, who won All-Ireland titles in 1960 and 1961.
His experienced assistant Aidan O’Rourke was wing-back on the Armagh team that won the All-Ireland in 2002 and went on to dominate the Ulster Championship throughout the noughties.
As a manager, Dromintee native O’Rourke guided Louth to a fourth-place finish in Division Two and has since had spells as assistant-manager of his native Armagh and with Down during McCartan’s previous term as bainisteoir.
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There had been speculation that Down would appoint Conor Laverty as manager with Marty Clarke and Donegal All-Ireland winner Jim McGuinness in his backroom team. Negotiations with McGuinness reached an advanced stage before they broke down and Laverty and Clarke – both members of Down’s 2010 panel under McCartan – will remain with the Down U20s.
McCartan and O’Rourke take over from Tyrone native Paddy Tally who succeeded in taking Down to Division Two in his second season in charge and consolidated their place there in his third. However, a heavy defeat at the hands of Donegal brought the curtain down on Tally’s three-year tenure and he has since become part of Jack O’Connor’s management team in Kerry.
Down were in Division Two when McCartan succeeded former team-mate Ross Carr as manager in 2009. The former Tullylish and Burren clubman managed to inspire the Mournemen to top-flight promotion and the All-Ireland final in his first season.
Down supporters will hope for more of the same in his second spell.
Geezer
Bonner
Mickey Graham
Dooher/Logan
Wee James
Rory Gallagher
Kieran Donnelly
Ulster is full of former Ulster footballers who played in the 90s.
Delighted with that. The critics will say he is yesterday’s man and it’s Down living in the past, but the past is a beautiful spot for Down football. I’m reading a book on his dad at the minute, great people and proper Down footballing royalty.
I don’t expect any great things in the next few years, the last 2 championship defeats have been 2 of the worst in living memory. But it will be brilliant to go to games again and know that we will be proud of who is involved and can happily support them.
He has a good base there, a promising u20 team coming through, expectations low and in the likes of the O’Hagans, Mooney, O’Hare, Johnston, Guinness, Laverty, Kerr - they have a solid base there.
If they can get a few players back like O’Hagan, Harrison and Millar who have been injured/travelling the past few years then they will be a much stronger force.
One thing I noted about this Down team under Tally was they had serious pace in it so should be very well suited to playing a high paced running game that not too many counties can carry out to the best effect.
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Lol
You’re right. And the fucker would burst every football in Tipp if he had a chance.
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His uncle no doubt giving him a nudge there.
Great to see him driving on ahead despite the cuntacting Brian Howard did on him back in the day.
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Is he still with Teneo or did he go with Kelly
Article says he’s Vice President.
Thought they’d get Rochford back to be honest.