Coulter hails Down’s new found self-belief

IN 12 senior seasons in Down colours, Benny Coulter has no difficulty counting the number of Ulster SFC wins he’s enjoyed, but the captain insists the provincial title is within the reach of his team this year.

The Mayobridge man has never known so much optimism surrounding a Down team going into a provincial championship. There was expectation prior to the 2004 Ulster campaign after going into a replay in the previous year’s provincial final. But there’s been nothing like this. Nothing.

“Definitely not, no way,” he enthused. “Down through the years, we’ve been coming into the Ulster championship off the back of a bad year. This year we’re following on from a decent season so we’re going in with a lot of positivity.

“The place is buzzing with excitement at the minute. It’s going to be real tough and we know that but hopefully we can build on last year and show people we’re no one season wonder.”

While Coulter is cautious of the threat posed by neighbours Armagh at their home patch on Saturday evening, he is concentrating on what Down can do over the next couple of months.

In previous years, their sights were set much lower but not anymore. After pushing Cork close in last year’s All-Ireland final, there’s a new-found belief in James McCartan’s team.

“We want to get some silverware,” said Coulter plainly.

“We want to lift a cup. Getting to an Ulster final and winning it would be a realistic hope. We haven’t looked any further than the Armagh game but at the end of last year we had no silverware and the Ulster campaign is what you fight in first and foremost.

“That’s our aim for the moment, getting to an Ulster final and picking up some silverware. Last year the aim was to get a run out in Croke Park but now it’s silverware. We’ve ticked all the boxes, we’ve played in Croker, we’ve played Kerry, we’ve played Cork so the next step is winning things.”

The flash in the pan concern is a significant one although he was boosted by how Down performed during the Division One campaign. While there was disappointment they couldn’t push on for a league final place, ultimately they were happier to retain their top-flight status.

“To be able to go into the last two games against Dublin and Kerry and know we were safe was brilliant. We wouldn’t have thought we would be in that position but we aimed for it.

“We thought it would have been tougher, that it would go down to the last game or the Dublin game but we had secured our position.

“We can’t say it was a great league campaign. We didn’t finish in the top three so that was a negative. Survival was wrapped up so we’re not too unhappy.”

Coulter believes his team-mates are pushing on from it now, eager to have something for all their efforts.

“Every training session is brilliant. Boys are pushing and the boys who aren’t on the team are pushing even more. The attitude is not in question, no matter what way the year goes. It has to be to get on the squad.”

Given Down’s proximity to their rivals, Coulter knows a lot about what’s going on in Armagh.

“These boys, the Armagh lads, are very confident of winning, I know that for a fact. They’re lying in the long grass for us, f***ing ready and waiting for us.

“If we perform and they perform it’ll be a cracker but I’m just hoping and praying that we come through. If we don’t play to our abilities they will beat us.”

While the rivalry is intense, Coulter is good friends with Stevie McDonnell, the man who he will shake hands with in front of referee Cormac Reilly before throw in at the Athletic Grounds.

The bonhomie between the pair was borne in the International Rules and it’s Coulter’s hope to play with the Killeavy man in the hybrid game in Australia later this year for what he believes will be their final time in Ireland jerseys.

“We made our debuts together in 2003 and we have stayed friends ever since. We’d met in the closed season and have a few pints. I’d an awful lot of respect for him.

“I get on very well with Ciaran McKeever, regardless of what people think.

“He’s another very good lad. Stevie and myself have a good relationship on the pitch, any time we’ve played together we’ve seemed to click.

“I know it’s still a months away but hopefully we’ll be able to play together when Ireland travel to Australia. It’ll be the final time we’ll play together, I’d imagine.”