Coulter fit for Ulster final

Down’s Benny Coulter has declared himself fit for Sunday’s Ulster SFC final with Donegal.

Coulter has battled back from the broken ankle he sustained 10 weeks ago and came off the bench for the last five minutes of the Ulster semi-final win over Monaghan. He is desperate to see action in his first provincial decider since 2003.

Coulter said: “I’m passed the stage where I need any injections Medically, I’m fine to play so it’s up to James (McCartan) now. I’ve built myself up in recent weeks, playing 20 minutes here and there for the club and I played half of a challenge against Sligo. I’m delighted with the way things have gone since the semi-final. I can’t play a full match yet, but they are building me up. I hope to be up around the 50 or 55 minute mark by Sunday.’’

Whether he starts or is deployed as an impact sub at Clones on Sunday, Coulter will take the positives out of it.

“I suppose I’ve come in a lot off the bench this year so if they do plan to put me on, I’m well used to it. The last day when I came on it gave the crowd a lift and the boys started to perform a bit better, so maybe that gives us an extra point or two. If that’s what it takes in the final, so be it. But I hope to be on a lot longer than the last six or seven minutes I got the last day. If I start, I’ll be delighted. If I don’t, I’ll know I will be playing some part in the game.’’

Dan Gordon is also fit again after missing both wins over Fermanagh and Monaghan; Conor Garvey is out through suspension while Aidan Brannigan is back after serving a one-match ban.

Donegal are favourites to retain their Ulster title but Coulter gave an insight into how much a victory would mean to him. “The older you get, the more it means to you. It means a lot to the young boys too but probably not as much as it would to the likes of myself and Liam Doyle and Dan. When I started out my career, I would have thought I’d have one by now. Since the semi-final, it’s all I have thought about.

“In my working life, my family life, everything in the back of my mind is about an Ulster final and wanting to win it.”