Football

Down expecting Division Two battle says Conor Maginn

Down's Conor Maginn is tackled by UU's Malachy Magee and Conor Burke Picture by Cliff Donaldson
Down's Conor Maginn is tackled by UU's Malachy Magee and Conor Burke Picture by Cliff Donaldson Down's Conor Maginn is tackled by UU's Malachy Magee and Conor Burke Picture by Cliff Donaldson

DOWN have to roll their sleeves up for the battle brewing in Division Two says Conor Maginn.

With three games left, promotion still isn’t out of the equation for Down, but the inconsistent Mournemen have mixed impressive performances away from home – they won in Louth and Roscommon – with comparatively flat displays in Newry where they have lost to Cork and Clare.

Those results leave Down on four points, a point short of the promotion places and a point ahead of second-from-bottom Meath.

Erratic finishing meant Down lost a winnable game against Clare last Sunday and they now find themselves needing at least two points from their remaining fixtures (Cavan and Meath away and Tipperary at home) to ensure survival in a typically competitive second tier.

“We weren’t clinical enough against Clare,” said Bryansford clubman Maginn.

“We missed too many chances in the second half - we created plenty of opportunities, we just didn’t take enough of them.

“It makes the next three games all the more important. We need to put in a better performance over the full 70 minutes and maybe being more clinical going forward is the key for us.”

A win last Sunday would have taken Down up to second in the table, a point behind unbeaten Cavan, their opponents at Kingspan Breffni on Saturday night. Maginn admits that his side’s up-and-down form has been “pretty frustrating” for the players.

“We haven’t put in a good performance in Newry yet in the League and we got beat by Armagh in the McKenna Cup as well,” he said.

“The home games haven’t gone too well for us but we can take a bit of belief from the wins – especially the one in Roscommon. We know there is something there and there is potential for us to start putting better performances together, starting this week away to Cavan.”

Down’s win in Roscommon was an eye-catching result and Maginn says it has given the side – Ulster finalists last year – belief that they can match any other team in the division if they produce their best form.

“We are always confident going into a game that we should be getting something out of it and this week will be no different,” said Maginn.

“Going down to Roscommon was a daunting task but we pulled out a great second half performance that day to get us over the line and there’s no reason why we can’t do it again this weekend.”

Cavan are one of the form teams in the country at the minute. The Breffnimen were relegated from Division One last season but are the only unbeaten team in Division Two after they completed three wins in-a-row by beating Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Sunday.

“I’m sure they’ll have the favourites’ tag going into the game this week and they have earned it,” said Maginn.

“It’s up to us to go there and put in a performance that we’re capable of and step up from what we did last week against Clare.

“We know we’re in a fight now and Clare and Cork are also on four points so we know we have to ensure that in the last three games we are putting in good performances and then hopefully the results will come.

“We know we’re in for a battle in the last few games and it’s going to take a bit of hard work to keep us out of trouble.”