Football

Down deserve their wins but Paddy Tally remains wary that table could still "turn on its head"

Down manager Paddy Tally is wary that the Division Three table could &quot;turn on its head&quot; this weekend.<br /> Pic Philip Walsh.
Down manager Paddy Tally is wary that the Division Three table could "turn on its head" this weekend.
Pic Philip Walsh.
Down manager Paddy Tally is wary that the Division Three table could "turn on its head" this weekend.
Pic Philip Walsh.

DOWN manager Paddy Tally says his young side deserve the results they have ground out so far this season but, despite racking up three wins on-the-trot, he has been around the game too long to speculate on the Mournemen’s promotion prospects yet.

With three games still to go, Tally is well aware that a couple of bad results could see Down – currently neck-and-neck with Louth at the top of Division Three – fall out of contention.

“There have been very few games where it hasn’t been tight,” he said.

“A lot of the matches have been very close and in Division Three you have us and Louth sitting on six points and then two teams on five (Longford and Westmeath) and then Laois on four, so the whole thing could turn on its head after this weekend.

“You never take anything for granted, you just make sure you prepare as well as possible and get your game as good as you can for the next one.

“I don’t look any further than the next training session and making sure that the boys are back and ready to go. If you take your eye off the focus you can get caught and I’m very wary of that and I think we have to be very careful about how we go about our business.

“One set of results this weekend could change that League table. We could be sitting pretty and then lose a game and all of a sudden we’re back down towards the bottom and any aspiration you had towards promotion is gone.

“It’s a delicate balancing act at the moment and we have to keep to the things we can control and focus on them.”

Down have recovered from losing their opener against Laois by beating Sligo and Westmeath (both by a point) and then Longford by eight points last Sunday.

“It was good to get a result at the weekend,” said Tally in reference to the 3-7 to 0-8 win.

“It has been hard on us. It was a difficult start to the League but all the games are difficult in the League, every match is tough and we were happy to get the result at the weekend and we’re looking forward to Offaly coming up this weekend.”

Tally started the season without Anthony Doherty, Niall McParland, Shay Millar (all living abroad) and Peter Turley (retired) and injuries ruled out several experienced players before the League began. Since then Tally has been able to reintroduce the likes of Darren O’Hagan, Conor Maginn and Kevin McKernan while Niall Donnelly, Ryan Mallon and Alan Davidson are all nearing full fitness.

“It’s been very important to get those boys back,” he said.

“We had a lot of young players and fellas who don’t have a lot of experience at county level at the start of the League and being able to filter boys back in since the first game has given us a wee bit more control in the game.

“But even with that, the games against Westmeath and Sligo went down to the wire – the games take on a life of their own at times so we’re just trying to get the balance right. We want to expose players to this level, we want to introduce as many young players as we can but it’s also great to have the boys who have around for a few years and are able to help bring them through.”

Despite their comparative lack of experience, the Down youngsters battled to the finish away to Sligo and against Westmeath (with 14-men) to force crucial late winners.

“It was great to see that,” said Tally.

“That’s part of what we’re doing, we’re trying as much as possible to expose players because it’s the only way they’re going to learn. It’s tough at times and it’s hard and sometimes their performances are a struggle because they have to understand the type of game they’re playing but that will come in time.

“It is a very positive thing and the good thing for us is that the attitude and the workrate of the players has been first class and they have deserved the results they got.”