Birthday boy Coulter celebrates on the treble

Down forward Benny Coulter has gained a hat-trick of personal accolades this week, with the Vodafone Footballer of the Month and Ulster GAA Writers Association Merit awards for May following hot on the heels of yesterday's OPEL-GPA Player of the Month gong.

Coulter's Vodafone and GPA awards, announced today, are his first such wins in both award schemes, while it is 11 years since the Mayobridge clubman picked up his last Ulster GAA Writers Association honour.

For the Ulster award, Coulter edged out Cavan dual star Rosie Crowe who helped the Breffni side to Ulster titles in ladies football and camogie, London hurler Mark Mythen and Antrim hurler Neil McAuley.

Coulter turned 28 this week and despite the personal recognition, he only has a Dr McKenna Cup medal from 2008 to show for his 11-year stint in the senior jersey of Down.

He says it has been too long a wait for provincial honours, with Down's last Ulster SFC success coming back in 1994.

"I thought I would have had one provincial title wrapped up at this stage of the game but it hasn't been the case," he said. "I only have another two or three years left and I hope to get one before I go."

As he looks ahead to an Ulster semi-final against Tyrone on Saturday week, Coulter says that Ulster has the best to offer when it comes to providing top-notch referees for tough Championship encounters.

He has lauded Monaghan's Pat McEnaney and Armagh's Paudie Hughes for their officiating of games.

"If I had my choice on who was going to referee a game it would be probably Pat (McEnaney) or Paudie (Hughes), because they know how to handle an Ulster game and they know what to do," admitted Coulter.

"There are other referees from around the country that just don't know how to handle them. They are making silly decisions, silly calls which Pat or Paudie don't make."

Coulter regards McEnaney, who last refereed the All-Ireland final in 2004, as one of the best referees in the business.

"He referees the game the way he sees it, it doesn't matter if he gets top marks, or doesn't get marks at all (from the referee's assessor).

"If Pat wasn't refereeing the big games, there would be an outcry from the GAA, from the players and the pundits, because they know that Pat is the best in the business.

"He referees it the way he sees it, and not the way other people would like to see it."

And looking ahead to Down's showdown with Tyrone, Coulter believes that the pressure from the public is off his side after they dug deep to beat Donegal in Ballybofey.

"Tyrone are a very good side. When we went into the last game it was probably 50-50, but this time we are going in and most people will be expecting Tyrone to win," he added.

"It will lift a wee bit (of pressure) off our backs, and we will be going in confident that we can win the game.

"The Down supporters won't be as confident as they were going into the Donegal game or the league final against Armagh. It will suit us nicely."