NERVOUS fans in the Newry stands could get on the home side’s back if things get tight in a game Down are expected to win, but a one-point victory over Antrim will do nicely for Mourne skipper Niall McParland.
Glenn clubman McParland says Down are in better shape now than at this stage last year but he doesn’t care what the winning margin is on Saturday evening so long as the home side gets over the line at Pairc Esler.
McParland identifies composure as the key component to winning Saturday’s Championship quarter-final.
“The closer the game is, the more antsy people will get and maybe the crowd will get a bit on our backs,” said McParland.
“But I don’t care if we win by 10 points or we win by one, as long as we win and go through to the next round. There’s no score-difference in the Championship, all that matters is getting over the line and I don’t care how we do it.”
Down were the surprise packets of last year’s Ulster Championship, reaching their first provincial final since 2012 after wins over Armagh and Monaghan.
That run has seen them installed as favourites on home soil against an Antrim side that failed to force promotion from Division Four this year.
“With the likes of Gearoid Adams (former Antrim manager) with us this year, we don’t underestimate Antrim,” said McParland.
“I’m very friendly with Patrick McBride and Matthew Fitzpatrick – I went to university with them – and they have undoubted quality. Then the likes of the two Murrays, Conor and Ryan, can get scores so we’re not underestimating them.
“Looking at their results from Division Four, they usually only concede 10 or 12 points so they’ll be a tight unit and they’ll be hard to break down and the longer the game goes on, the tighter the game will get.”
Meanwhile, Aaron Morgan and Conor Poland are expected to feature for Down in Saturday evening’s clash.
The midfield pair had been injury doubts butThe Irish Newsunderstands that both could get a first taste of Championship action this weekend and their recovery means that Kilcoo clubman Darragh O’Hanlon (back injury) is Down’s only absentee for the quarter-final clash.
Wing-back O’Hanlon is one of five of the Down team that started last year’s Ulster final against Tyrone who will be unavailable on Saturday. The others – Michael Cunningham, Gerard McGovern, Jerome Johnston and Conall McGovern – are not part of this year’s Championship panel.
In the absence of those players, manager Eamonn Burns could give a Championship debut to Colm Flanagan at corner-back. Flanagan started all seven games in the Mournemen’s Division Two campaign that finished with relegation despite wins over Louth, Roscommon (the eventual champions) and Tipperary.
Also ever-present in defence were Benny McArdle, now the first-choice full-back, Anthony Doherty and captain Niall McParland, while Rostrevor clubman Caolan Mooney began the League in a half-forward role before reverting to wing-back.
In the absence of Michael Cunningham, Bryansford netminder Marc Reid and Glassdrumman’s Shane Harrison shared goalkeeping duties throughout the League. Harrison started the first two games and the last one, while Reid, a Sigerson Cup winner with St Mary’s in 2017, played in the other four.
Tullylish clubman Niall Donnelly was ever-present in midfield and he is expected to be partnered by Downpatrick’s Peter Turley.
Meanwhile, Shay Millar, Donal O’Hare, Conor Maginn, Connaire Harrison and Ryan Johnston are the likely starters up front, with experienced Burren campaigner Kevin McKernan earmarked for a role as a play-making sweeper.
