Taken from Hoganstand.com

In-form Down travel to Drogheda on Sunday, February 17th for an interesting ’local derby’ clash with the Wee county and team-manager Ross Carr will be hoping that students in the county panel involved in the Sigerson Cup games didn’t pick up any injuries. Paul McComiskey and Luke Howard played for the Queen’s side which defeated NUI, Galway in a very competitive encounter played at the Mullahoran venue, Co. Cavan by a single point.

Speaking during the week, Manager Ross Carr confirmed that he has a fully fit panel to choose from with the exception of Paul Murphy and Stephen Kearney, who are out with long-term injuries.

The astute Carr will be hoping that his side will maintain their early season form which has seen them win five competitive games on the trot. After losing to Tyrone in Healy Park, Omagh in the opening round of the Dr. McKenna Cup they then turned the season around with wins over Donegal, UUJ, Cavan and Derry in the final of the McKenna Cup played at Casement Park, Belfast.

And the winning run continued when they overcame Sligo in the opening round of the NFL in Pairc Esler, Newry winning a close competitive encounter over the Connacht champions. Sunday’s clash with Eamon McEneaney’s Louth side is another big test for this developing Down side, and once again a lot of questions will be asked.

Louth will be anxious to upset the Down applecart in front of their own supporters at the Drogheda venue, and we can expect a very competitive encounter with no quarter asked or given. If the Down side can come away with a win on this occasion then surely they are very much on the way back, and that in itself is great news not alone for the Down supporters but football in Ulster in general.

With confidence very high in the Down camp at present and key player Benny Coulter now available the Mourne side get the vote, but they will have to produce another top-class team performance to come away from Drogheda with a second league win on the trot.