Scan to decide Rodgers' fate

Down are sweating on the fitness of their captain Ambrose Rodgers ahead of Sunday's Allianz NFL Division 2 final against Armagh at Croke Park (throw-in 2pm).

Rodgers, who has been wearing a vacuum cast, is set to have a scan on his damaged foot later today to determine whether he can line out at midfield for Down this weekend.

He has provisionally been named in the Mourne men's starting line-up, with play-making forward Benny Coulter listed at right corner forward after his recovery from a rib injury.

Damien Rafferty, who had been a doubt due to a hamstring injury, will start at left corner back, but Clonduff clubman Aidan Carr misses out after twisting an ankle in last Sunday's challenge match against Louth.

Down came through the league phase unbeaten and manager James McCartan will be quietly confident that former Aussie Rules starlet Martin Clarke, Paul McComiskey and Coulter can shoot their county to silverware.

Young centre-forward Clarke is being reportedly courted again by Collingwood, the AFL club he played for during a three-year spell Down Under.

The 22-year-old is gearing up for his first Championship season back in Ireland, and McCartan is obviously eager to hold onto such a talented player.

He said: "There is no doubt that the guy performed very well when he was out there (in Australia) and there is no reason to think that his former club wouldn't want him back the same way as when he left that Down wanted him back.

"I would guess that there is certainly something to the rumours because he's a good enough player. I just have to be happy with the here and now and I'm assuming that he's available for the summer until he tells me otherwise.

"We're delighted to have him and we'll be doing everything in our power to try and make sure he isn't tempted back, unfortunately they can offer something that we can't.

"I told his brother John that if Marty went, he was being dropped straight away! I was hoping that would have some impact, I was trying to think outside the box and I thought that was as good as any!"

McCartan's side racked up six wins during their league run, dropping their only point against Tipperary, and he is looking forward to locking horns with his 1991 and 1994 All-Ireland-winning team-mate, Armagh manager and Down native Paddy O'Rourke, again this weekend.

Down ran out comfortable 1-13 to 1-6 winners when these sides met in Newry last month, but McCartan is expecting a much tougher day at the office on Sunday.

"Anyone who thinks that this match will be a repetition of our last meeting is very mistaken," he insisted.

"Armagh showed in their last match against Donegal - when they won by 16 points - that they are now a strong and very focused side."

DOWN (NFL v Armagh): Brendan McVeigh; Daniel McCartan, Brendan McArdle, Damien Rafferty; Kevin McKernan, James Colgan, Conor Garvey; Ambrose Rodgers, Kalum King; Stephen Kearney, Martin Clarke, Daniel Hughes; Paul McComiskey, John Clarke, Benny Coulter.