Down’s McKenna Cup gets underway today (Saturday 6th January) with a trip to Celtic Park to play Derry.
Known as ‘Old Christmas Day’, the Mourne support will be hoping for the gift of a win to start the new year against Mickey Harte’s Derry side who kicked off their campaign with a win on Wednesday night over Cavan.
Down have named a strong fifteen with a strong and powerful defence set to try and build a platform for a sound performance. Peter Fegan, Ryan McEvoy and Paddy McCarthy are a steadfast and rapidly becoming experienced full back line. Miceal Rooney, Daniel Guinness and 2023 captain Pierce Laverty make up a half back line that will look to take the game to Derry. Conor Laverty is clearly aware it’s important to hit the ground running in the National League and so is placing extra emphasis on building momentum over the McKenna Cup campaign.
In midfield Johnny Flynn returns to partner Odhran Murdock offering Down size, experience and quality in the centre of the park.
There will also be some excitement as Down fans wait to see what the dynamic Gareth McKibben – handed his debut – will bring while Oisin Savage also offers a real scoring threat. James Guinness and Pat Havern provide height and physicality in the forward ranks while Ceilum Doherty and Liam Kerr will bring the running power and pace in the half forward line.
With unlimited substitutions in the McKenna Cup there will also be plenty of people given chances from the bench as the 2024 season gets underway.
