DOWN approach the new season with renewed vigour and hope under Peter Lynch who has returned for second spell in charge.
The Mourne county begin their Division Three campaign away to Kildare on Sunday, with Lynch looking for signs of progress over the next few months.
Last year, Down reached the league semi-finals, losing out to Wexford, but they struggled in the intermediate championship and ended the summer relegated to the junior championship for 2023.
Lynch was reappointed to the hot-seat, taking over from Ronan McCartan just a year after he and Caoibhe Sloan had stepped down from their joint managerial role after two years.
“The target for the league and for the first game against Kildare is progress,” said Lynch.
“We’re definitely a work in progress at the moment. But as always our primary aim is to get back enjoying football.”
Lynch hopes he can turn the county’s fortunes around and with the players at his disposal he is looking forward to that challenge.
“Sometimes, things just click where people are committing and are raring to go. County is a considerable step up from club where the commitment level is through the roof and there’s a fantastic squad of people who are all pushing in the same direction at the moment,” he said.
“Although everyone knows how much work is ahead of us, they’ve bought into that and we’re looking forward to seeing how far it takes us.”
Lynch has added to a ‘healthy’ squad with Alice McAlea and Katie Howlett from last year and Niamh King, Bebhionn Rogan and Niamh McClorey, who are still minor but stepping up to the senior ranks.
He has also been boosted by the return of Clara Mulvenna from Abu Dhabi and the experienced Kate McKay.
“It’s always been attitude over ability for us and those girls have it in abundance. We’re delighted that they’re back with their heads down and working hard.”
Lynch is expecting a tough, competitive Division Three campaign and first step will be to retain their third-tier status and then see what happens from there.
Clare are down from Division Two, Wexford reached the All-Ireland Intermediate final and the Division Three final last year and Offaly are up from Division Four.
The players have been training hard with Lynch and his backroom team working on a gameplan but one that will only really be tested when the ball throws in on Sunday.
“I suppose you only see what you’re made of in competitive games. This league is going to be seriously tight with Clare, Wexford, Kildare who are Leinster intermediate champions and then the likes of Louth, who beat Down in the championship last year,” he said.
“It makes for exciting viewing. We’re absolutely at a performance focused stage and we have our own targets we hope to achieve on Sunday. Those are more important than anything else, if we’re to have a successful summer.”
DIVISION THREE FIXTURES
January 22: Sligo v Clare; Kildare v Down; Louth v Longford; Wexford v Offaly
January 29: Clare v Wexford; Down v Sligo; Offaly v Louth; Kildare v Longford
February 5 Longford v Offaly; Clare v Kildare; Louth v Sligo; Wexford v Down
February 19 Sligo v Wexford; Down v Longford; Offaly v Clare; Kildare v Louth
February 26 Longford v Sligo; Clare v Down; Louth v Wexford; Offaly v Kildare
March 19 Wexford v Longford; Sligo v Kildare; Down v Offaly; Clare v Louth
March 26 Longford v Clare; Louth v Down; Kildare v Wexford; Sligo v Offaly
April 16 Final
The return of the experienced Kate McKay has given Down a boost ahead of the 2023 season, which starts this Sunday Picture: Sportsfile
