Down forward Brendan McGourty has admitted that his side are under pressure to perform after being drawn in what he believes to be the strongest qualifying group in the Christy Ring Cup.

’’When you look at the teams that we have in the group, we have both Kerry and Westmeath and both then games are away so I would say that we are under pressure to perform,’’ McGourty said.

Down were involved in the 2005 final of the competition where Westmeath ran out controversial winners, as the referee cut the first half short, and McGourty and his colleagues are looking for revenge when they meet in this years campaign.

“Westmeath deserved to win as much as us that day. If there had been another two minutes, we maybe would have got another couple of scores. But that day as well, we also had a goal disallowed. It was ruled out for a square ball but it was never a square ball, but you can’t complain. You just have to accept them,’’ he remarked.