Down hoping for home comforts in Pairc Esler

In a wet Owenbeg last June things just didn’t go Down’s way. Derry comprehensively ran out winners in the NWP Recycling Ulster Senior Championship Final. In preparation for this year’s repeat, this time being played in Pairc Esler Newry it would be difficult not to reflect on last year’s final. Alistair McGilligan is back at the Down helm but hopes that his side can ‘right thise wrongs’ of that miserable day.

The mind does drift a bit to last year and it will be difficult to right those wrongs.  The one thing we want to do first and foremost is to be more competitive. We want to stay in the game as long as possible and when the chances come we have to grasp them. We are playing at home and we hope there is a large crowd which can only be a benefit to the players.

Hopefully last year will be a forgotten memory and it will be a big ask to turn around the deficit. People will say we are better prepared this year and have a stronger panel so we are looking forward now to Sunday.

Down have impressed so far this year as they were very impressive in their Semi-Final defeat of Antrim supported by a great League which easily could have seen them promoted to Division One. To ensure that Down are in with a shout on Sunday McGilligan believes the message is a simple one.

Down side who defeated Antrim in the NWP Recycling Ulster Senior Championship Semi-Final

‘We need to move the ball quickly, not holding on to it. Derry have played in Division One which is a higher intensity so they are going to tackle and close us down quickly so if we slow it down they it will cause us problems. From one to fifteen we’ll be stressing the importance of moving the ball. We’ve been going well for the last number of weeks and we have a clean bill of health. Our Intermediates have had two games in the last week and this gives us some selection headaches which is a positive thing’.

The Down changing room has experienced players such as Fionnuala Carr, Catherine McGourty, Lisa McAliskey to name just a few but not one player in the current squad holds an Ulster Championship medal. McGilligan hopes this is corrected this weekend in Pairc Esler.

I don’t think any of this current squad has an Ulster medal, Fionnuala Carr is playing four 14 years for Down with no medals at Ulster or All-Ireland stage. She has an opportunity on Sunday and hopefully another in September

NWP Recycling Ulster Senior Championship Final

Sunday 1st June- 3pm

Down v Derry