All-Ireland Senior
Football Championship
Group Three, R1
Clare v Down
Sunday, Ennis, 2pm
Down must be wary of the scoring threat that Clare possesses if they want to make a good start in the group stages of the All-Ireland Championship. There is a good deal of positivity about the championship draw for Down.
Last week, Mark Poland told the Mourne Observer that the draw is the best that they could have hoped for. However, selector Mickey Donnelly has cautioned that it would be dangerous for them to underestimate their Munster opponents.
“That sort of mentality that Clare are a weaker footballing county than Down is ultimately based on sand,” he said, “because the stats will show Clare were in Division Two football from 2017 to 2023, and most of that time Down were a division below.”
Donnelly pointed out that Clare have been in the All-Ireland series in the last three years and were in an All-Ireland quarter-final in 2022.
He further noted, “Down and Clare have met four times since they played in the championship in 2011, and Clare have beaten them in three of those games. So, we face a huge challenge.”
Perhaps one of the reasons why people might feel Down can beat Clare is that Down played Division Two football this year, while Clare played in Division Three. Additionally, Clare were easily beaten by Kerry in the Munster final, whereas Down were competitive in Ulster.
However, Mickey explained that the personnel Clare have make them a potent threat.
“It’s absolutely dangerous to underestimate them, because they have exceptional footballers, and really good forwards. We would love to have them. Emmet McMahon, Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton – they are top players.”
Read the full story in the current issue of the Mourne Observer.
