Tracing Down’s upward curve

DOWN are the story of this year’s championship.

So far. To the casual observer, they may look to have emerged from nowhere but they have pedigree, having won minor All-Irelands in 1999 and 2005 and lost Under-21 finals in 2005 and last year. To Cork.

They were promoted to Division One after the National League and they scared Tyrone in the Ulster Championship before eventually being counted out.