What a difference a year makes for Down

SIGNS of progress in the Mournes.

Last year Down didn’t win a single game in the Gaelic Life Dr McKenna Cup.

This time around they’re in the semi-finals.

The NFL also saw Ross Carr’s side draw a blank, their failure to score a victory in any of their seven ties resulting in relegation to Division Three.

And it’s the league that Carr is targeting for a big push in 2008.

Down face Cavan in tonight’s McKenna Cup semi-final at Pairc Esler, but their manager has his sights firmly fixed on the bigger picture.

“Our goal is to try to get out of Division Three, and for that purpose we need to be a wee bit sharper at this time of year than other teams.

“There’s more pressure on us to come out of Division Three, but the players are working very hard,” said Carr.

Down lost their opening McKenna Cup tie to holders Tyrone, but a dramatic recovery saw them bounce back to win their remaining Group B games.

Newry’s Pairc Esler witnessed a goal rush as Donegal were put to the sword by 5-15 to 0-13, before UUJ’s bid to become the fist college side to reach the last four was crushed at the same venue by 1-15 to 0-15.

Those two encouraging results saw the Mourne men emerge as group winners, and their three- point margin of victory over UUJ enabled Fermanagh to squeeze the students out of the competition on scoring difference.

The Erne men clinched the remaining semi-final spot as best runners-up, and will face Derry at Omagh tomorrow night.

Carr remarked: “The results that they’re getting are because of their hard work.

“Of course there’s an awful lot to do, and they’re making a lot of mistakes.

“But they’re making mistakes not through laziness, but maybe just through of lack of composure.

“The players are working hard, and we’re at a totally different stage in our preparations than most other teams.”

Meanwhile Dublin and Carlow clash in the semi-final of the O’Byrne Cup tonight at Parnell Park (7.30pm) with a place in Sunday’s final against Longford for the winners. Dublin have kept the same team which was chosen for the game, originally fixed for last Saturday.

Carlow coach Paul Bealin has done likewise, but has postponed naming a replacement for David Byrne who will not be available, until before the game.

Midfielder Byrne had postponed a holiday to play in Saturday’s game but that was cancelled due to ground conditions, and he had been unable to make alternative arrangement for tonight’s game.

Otherwise the team is the same as that chosen for last Saturday’s tie.

DUBLIN (SF v Carlow): S Cluxton; N O’Shea, R McConnell, S O’Shaughnessy; P McMahon, C Moran, P Brogan; P Flynn, E Fennell; D Lally, J O’Brien, B Brogan; J Sherlock, D O’Mahony, A Brogan.

Subs: J Leonard, P Casey, D Henry, D Murray, B Cullen, D Ryan, B Kennedy, P Burke.

CARLOW (SF v Dublin): J Brennan; J Roche, M Hayden, N Nolan; P Cashin, J Kehoe, J Ryan; AN Other, R Walker; R Sinnott, B Carbery, M Carpenter; S Rea, J Murphy, C McCormack.