Dan Gordon return would be huge boost for Down, says Benny Coulter

Benny Coulter has claimed Down need Dan Gordon back to resolve their midfield problems if they are to challenge for an Ulster title.

Coulter, who retired last December after 15 seasons with the Mourne County, is hopeful his former team-mates can beat Derry in Sunday’s first round tie in Celtic Park.

However, long-term, he fears the lack of natural midfielders in the squad will hurt their Ulster title hopes this summer and would love to see Gordon recalled by manager Jim McCorry.

“Jim has said the door is open for Marty (Clarke), he seems to be the only player that it is open to, but the one player I would like to see brought in is big Dan,” said Coulter.

“Dan is still the best midfielder in Down football, and he is by quite a distance. There is no doubt about it.

“I just feel he would be a great option to have there, even to spring off the bench.”

McCorry has tinkered with midfield formations throughout the promotion-winning league campaign, experimenting with the likes of Paul Devlin, Kevin McKernan and Caolan Mooney in the middle of the field.

Last year, Coulter was brought on at midfield for the second half of the Ulster championship opener against Tyrone and changed the game, inspiring the team to fight back and earn a draw in Omagh.

In the replay, Gordon was dramatically recalled by James McCartan and also played well, but neither he nor Ambrose Rogers have featured under McCorry.

“Maybe some of the lads wouldn’t want him (Gordon) back because he wasn’t there all year, but they need something.

“They are playing boys at midfield who don’t really play there for their clubs.

“I think if you’re going to play midfield for your county, you certainly should be playing there for your club.

“I still hope they will get over Derry without him, but if they had Dan and Marty they would have a great chance of winning an Ulster.”

Coulter had originally signalled his desire to play on after Down’s qualifier defeat to Kildare last summer.

However he’s now revealed that once new boss Jim McCorry made it clear he expected the 34-year-old to train as hard as younger members of the panel, he knew his body would not be up to those demands.

“James (McCartan) knew my history and I was picking up a lot of hamstring injuries in the last two years of my career,” he explained.

“So if I trained on the Tuesday night and did a real hard session, then I would do my gym work on the Wednesday and only do a wee bit on the Thursday.

“It was for my own good, but I don’t know if that would have been allowed this year (under McCorry).

“With the bother I was having my with hamstrings, I knew my body couldn’t stick it.”

Coulter has been to most of Down’s league games this year but insists he hasn’t missed football one bit.

He expects that to change on Sunday morning, however, as he gets ready to head to Celtic Park.

“I only miss match days, I don’t miss the training or the build-up to championship.

“I was at most of the league matches in Newry at no time did I say to myself ‘I wish I was out there’.

“Probably on the morning of the June 7, I’ll miss it. I’d love to be playing against Derry because there is nothing better than playing championship football.”

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