One of the most impressive statistics in the Championship season and one that is unlikely to be repeated, was the fact that Carlow did not record a single wide in their Leinster quarter-final win over Kildare, their first over the Lilywhites since 1953.

Former Down All-Star Marty Clarke has advised his county to draft in Steven Poacher to their management set-up as soon as he becomes available.

Former Down player Marty Clarke has begun a new role mentoring young Gaelic footballers identified as Aussie Rules prospects, as the AFL switches its recruitment focus away from the USA and back to Ireland.

Eight years on since Danny Hughes claimed an All-Star in Down’s improbable and glorious run to an All-Ireland final against Cork, he is still angry with football.

Derry footballer Chrissy McKaigue believes GAA top-brass could have done more to keep alive the inter-provincial series.

As Joe Kernan keeps his fingers crossed that three of his bug-stricken players will be able to play some part in the first test, the Ireland International Rules manager has underlined the importance of the two referees doing their job tomorrow.

UL 0-12 Queen’s University 1-8

Armagh and QUB footballer Ciaran O’Hanlon will go before the Central Appeals Committee tonight in an attempt to have a 12-week suspension handed down by the GAA’s higher education committee overturned.

Down 0-7 Donegal 3-15: Rory Gallagher wants Donegal’s established players to feel the heat from the next generation, and there were loads of positives for him to take from Saturday night’s emphatic league win in Newry.

Jim McCorry says he reluctantly resigned as Down manager because a handful of county executive members “lost the plot” over their qualifier defeat by Wexford.

Peter McNamara looks at the big hurling clash in Munster, the Leinster hurling quarter-final and the big football clash in ulster.

Former All Star Marty Clarke is targeting his Down return in 2016 with a tunnel vision despite struggling to climb his own stairs just months ago.

A few high-profile footy players have returned home, but with nine Irish players set to feature, there will be plenty of interest in in the 2015 AFL season, which kicks off this morning in Melbourne.

Allianz FL Division 2 Round 2: Down 1-11 Roscommon 1-15: An impressive away victory in Pairc Esler on Saturday night is further proof that Roscommon will be "no pushovers" this year, according to manager John Evans.

Benny Coulter has admitted that Down’s All-Ireland final loss to Cork in 2010 is the great regret of his career which will "eat me up until I go to my grave".

Benny Coulter last night joined the list of high profile inter-county players to announce their retirement in recent weeks, admitting it is with "a heavy heart" that he has called time on his 15-year career with Down.

Perhaps the most depressing aspect about the ban is that it’s not really a media ban anymore. It’s more of a superstition.

A total of 15 counties are represented in the 29-man squad today announced by Ireland team manager Paul Earley for the upcoming International Rules series against Australia.

Some big names will be missing from the Ireland squad when they take on Australia in the 2013 International Rules series later this month in Cavan and Dublin.

Standing outside the dressing rooms in St Conleth’s Park on Saturday night, Daniel Flynn made his way from the field, a relieved and slightly sunburnt man.

Odds of up to 5/1 on a championship game between Donegal and Down wouldn’t have raised many eyebrows three years ago, but the identity of the rank outsiders when these two meet on Sunday most certainly would.

The sun was shining, the pitch was in pristine shape, and conditions were perfect for Championship football — yet an unmistakable air of melancholy hung around Celtic Park on Sunday.

Down star Kevin McKernan has hit out at three of his team-mates who have quit the squad to travel abroad.

If there was a recurring theme in Ciaran Kilkenny’s explanation yesterday of why he quit Australian Rules to focus on Gaelic games, it was passion. A lack thereof for the oval ball code and an overwhelming amount of it for his native game.

When a team concedes 3-18 in a senior inter-county Gaelic football match at this stage of the season, questions have to be asked.

Aidan Carr has vivid enough memories of 1994 and the role his father played in Down’s last All-Ireland success.

As GAA trends go it’s been a curious one. When the dejection at losing the 2010 All-Ireland final had dissipated, Down could at least reflect that they were not far from the top with one point separating themselves and Cork at the final whistle.

When Willie Joe Padden was interviewed before the All-Ireland final in 1989, he revealed he would die a happy man if Mayo won the decider against Cork.

THE number of Irish players listed by AFL clubs next year was reduced to eight yesterday as Essendon showed Michael Quinn the door.

DOWN football received a timely boost yesterday with the news of Jamie O’Reilly’s return home from AFL side Richmond Tigers.

DOWN County Board secretary Sean Óg McAteer insists the door will always remain open for Marty Clarke to return to the Mourne County’s football ranks following confirmation yesterday that the An Ríocht player is returning to Australia to resume his AFL career with Collingwood.

Marty Clarke has completed his move to Aussie Rules football club Collingwood.

ALL STAR Down forward Danny Hughes has questioned Cork’s ability to put back-to-back All-Ireland titles together and predicted that Kerry will ultimately reign supreme this year.

WITH a swashbuckling second-half performance on Saturday evening, Down set up a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland SFC final by demolishing Antrim.

Down 3-13 Antrim 0-10

TODAY

DOWN kept their championship season motoring along at Páirc Esler on Saturday but there was little to suggest the journey through the scenic route will be as rewarding as last year.

Down 1-16 Leitrim 1-08