ROSCOMMON boss Anthony Cunningham believes the return of Kilcoo’s All-Ireland winning stars can give Down “a massive push” when the counties collide in a huge Division Two clash at Pairc Esler on Saturday evening.
The Magpies overcame Dublin kingpins Kilmacud Croke’s earlier this month to become Down’s first All-Ireland champions since Burren lifted the Andy Merrigan Cup in 1989, and James McCartan will be hoping their club success can rub off on the county.
Goalkeeper Niall Kane, Ceilum Doherty – a regular starter under Paddy Tally – and forward Jerome Johnston, whose last gasp extra-time goal sealed Kilcoo’s All-Ireland glory, are understood to be back involved.
Ryan McEvoy – who featured at full-back for the Magpies but has operated mostly around the middle with Down – is also expected to come into the fold. Ryan Johnston won’t be available for the foreseeable as he is travelling, while wing-back Miceal Rooney is currently in Liverpool completing a PGCE at Edge Hill University.
It remains to be seen how Down will deploy the Kilcoo contingent in the weeks ahead, starting on Saturday night, but Cunningham feels their presence on the panel will boost the Mournemen.
“I presume they will be back,” said the Rossies boss, who previously led Westmeath’s Garrycastle to an All-Ireland club SFC final against Crossmaglen in 2012.
“Look, it would be a massive push and bonus for Down if they were because they’ve had tremendous success. They’re a club you’d have to admire the last five to 10 years, and they got their just rewards in the end.
“They’re the epitome of most rural clubs in the country, they have limited numbers really, and it just shows when you have that mentality and that will to win what can be achieved.
“They would be a huge help to Down, but for us it doesn’t matter. It’s 15 Down players we’re going to face and we’ve got to be the best we can. It’ll take on hell of an effort to win in Newry.”
Sunday’s draw with Meath in Navan was the first point Down have picked up in this Division Two campaign, following earlier defeats to promotion favourites Derry and Galway.
A swirling wind had a huge bearing on that game at Pairc Tailteann, and there were similar conditions as unbeaten Roscommon drew with Clare at Dr Hyde Park.
Victory in Newry would reinvigorate the Rossies’ promotion charge and plunge Down into deeper water at the other end of the table, but Cunningham feels McCartan’s men are on an upward curve.
“Not making excuses for either team, but it was really difficult to play in - probably as bad as you could imagine,” he said of that draw with Clare last weekend.
“We’d have taken a draw at half-time, we were probably disappointed a bit with our first half, but the games come so quick, we’ll take our learning points and focus on Down. That’s the big one.
“I saw the Galway match and thought they played well – Galway only really pulled away in the last quarter or so. Galway are probably the standard-bearers in Division Two, themselves and Derry are the form teams, and we know Down have momentum.
“The result last weekend would have been a huge plus for them in training this week. We know playing Down in Pairc Esler is going to be really tough.
“After the last two years, for all counties, it’s just a joy at the minute to be able to play weekend after weekend at the minute.”
