Allianz Football League Division Two: Down v Clare (tomorrow, Pairc Esler, 2pm)
THE last rights for the Mournemen. With relegation confirmed in Cork last weekend, there’s no last stand in Newry tomorrow so there’s only pride to play for and the chance to fire a parting shot across the bows of the critics.
It’s not relegation to Division Three that will hurt Down fans most - after all, James McCartan played in the third tier himself back in 1997. No, it’s the spirit-crushing inevitability of it.
Before a ball was kicked this season what has transpired was predicted and, bar a draw against Meath in Navan, results have stuck to the script.
After that result in Navan there was the good news that players from All-Ireland champions Kilcoo had joined to the county panel but the feel-good factor was brief and the drubbing Down took from Roscommon in their next game was a crippling bodyblow.
Losses to Offaly and Cork confirmed relegation and, bar a miraculous recovery in the Ulster Championship, Tailteann Cup football next year.
At least McCartan’s men kept the scoreboard ticking over in their last two outings. Scores of 0-14 against Offaly and 1-12 in Cork were reasonable returns and it will be vitally important for Down to bow out with a show of defiance tomorrow. If they’re going down (and they are) they simply have to go down fighting.
Visitors Clare are a point above Cork and Offaly who meet tomorrow in what boils down to a relegation play-off. The loser will join Down in Division Three next year unless the Mournemen beat the Banner county by 27 points or more in which case a draw would keep Cork and Offaly up and Clare would be relegated.
Fanciful cricket-score results aside, the Bannermen’s early season form – three of their four points came from their first two games - should be enough to keep them up and so there will be a challenge-match atmosphere at Pairc Esler.
Only the die-hards will be there to see it and McCartan will demand that his men at least give themselves something to build on for their Ulster Championship quarter-final against Monaghan at Clones on April 30.
Even among the poor results there have been some positives for Down. Among them are forwards Pat Havern (1-11 in the last four games) and Andrew Gilmore, a graduate from last year’s Ulster U20 Championship winners, has contributed 1-15. If those two see enough ball, Down can get a result here but the attitude has to be right and the workrate has to be high all over the field.
If the battles are lost and a Clare team with little to play for wins in Newry well, let’s be honest, rumours of the death of Down football may not be an exaggeration.
