By Seamas McAleenan
Kerry came to the Liatroim Fontenoys’ ground on 14 June, when points scored by substitutes Jackie Horgan and Caoimhe Spillane in added time secured a 0-13 to 0-11 victory that ultimately put the Munster side through to the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Championship.
Down had to lift themselves off the floor after that game and go the scenic route through the championship. On Saturday in Clonduff Park, Hilltown, a nine-point victory over Meath saw that journey reach as far as the semi-final draw.
Later in the afternoon, the semi-final draw was made in Croke Park and Down and Kerry have been paired again this Saturday in St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge, with Derry v Offaly on the other side of the draw.
Midfielder Orlaith McCusker will now face into a game for the sixth week in succession. “Yeah, with the U-23 games that will be six games in a row. It has been tough, I’m not going to lie. But we have a good panel of players around us and a good management structure, and it’s great to get games,” says McCusker, who was a joint-captain last week when the U-23s lifted their All-Ireland crown.
“Success breeds success. Winning in Carlow last week with the U-23s and today again, we’re in a good head space at the moment. There’s a bit of a buzz around the panel.
“Our objective today was to get the result and get into the semis. We didn’t really care whether it was Antrim or Kerry that we got next. Both of them have beaten us already. So we know it’s going to be a tough game.”
“But we are confident in ourselves and we know we can get a result on the day.”
As well as in the game in Liatroim a few weeks ago, McCusker has played against most of the Kerry team when Clonduff faced the Kerry club champions in an epic All-Ireland semi-final in December 2022. “My God, yes. That game was one of the toughest I have ever played in. It went to two periods of extra time in dense fog, and we just made it through to the final. That game today was pretty tough too — different conditions, very warm, and up against a hard physical team.”
Down manager Domhnall Nugent was also pleased with how things have gone since the Kerry game in mid-June. “We wanted a reaction from the team. We went down to Carlow the next week and got a result to earn a home game here in the quarter-final, and we worked hard today as well to get another shot at Kerry.
“We were nervous at the start. It’s the quarter-final of an All-Ireland and we were being told that we were favourites. But we hadn’t any right to be favourites. We’re delighted that we got a result here and are now going to Newbridge on Saturday for a semi-final.
“Both Kerry and Antrim had beaten us this year, so it was immaterial who we drew out of the Cup. The main thing was that we got into the semi-finals, and we have a few training sessions now this week to get prepared for a real battle with Kerry.
“Right through this year, we have held our own in nearly all the games we played, league and championship. In the league we lost a few games, but not by much. Now we are winning a few games — but not by much.
“So we feel that we have a really competitive team that is honest in everything they do. I think we are starting to believe that we can beat any team we meet at this level. I have 35 girls in that changing room that are working hard, and over the last few games, I can see that we are starting to believe in ourselves.
“Winning breeds success, yes I get that. But we can also measure success on what we are doing and if we are enjoying doing it. I think we are, and we are now down to the last four in Ireland.
“Those girls will be totally focussed on beating Kerry next week. We won’t be looking at it getting us to Croke Park next month. Last week we wanted to beat Meath. We did that and it got us into the next game. Our focus will be on the game we have to play.”
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