Kilcoo boss Martin Corey has been impressed with the quality of Down football and praised the calibre of teams the Magpies have already had to overcome.
He also lauded his own group and their attitude, saying: “You’ve hungry players who want to train. There would be very few boys that’ll be out injured or sitting along the sideline. They all want to train and put their best foot forward in a competitive environment.”
One of those players is Ceilum Doherty. On the senior panel since 2014, he has yet to have a season where the group haven’t reached the county final. The industrious, versatile Doherty said it’s easy to retain the hunger given the standards that have been set in Kilcoo. “You appreciate a championship final every time it comes round. When you arrive here, the standards are already set from the older guys and you have to be up there and continue to set that for the younger lads coming through,” Doherty said.
He is under no illusions as to what Carryduff will bring to the game, observing: “Carryduff have been a great side for many years. People in Down will know that. They have great defenders, big around the middle and they’ve great scorers up top, so we will really have to be at it on the day.”
