Down boss Conor Laverty looks to get Mournemen back on track as All-Ireland series opens against Clare
The Mourne outfit will face Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis tomorrow (2.00pm) conscious that a win is essential if they are to make an impact in the closing phase of the race to the Sam Maguire Cup.
Having been relegated to Division Three of the Allianz League and surrendered to eventual winners Donegal in the Ulster Championship, Down need no reminding of the ground that they have to make up.
Yet there appears to be a strong desire within the side to come good in the closing phase of the All-Ireland series.
They will face games against newly-crowned Leinster champions Louth and promoted Monaghan after their clash with Clare yet there appears to be a strong hunger within the squad to atone for their recent lapses.
Odhran Murdock is a key figure at midfield and will have a vital role against Clare while Daniel Guinness, Miceal Rooney, Danny Magill and free-scoring Pat Havern are other key players in the side.
Indeed, should Havern be plied with possession, he is more than capable of orchestrating the win that Down need so badly.
Victory for Laverty's men would help to recharge their batteries for their jousts with Louth and Monaghan, two teams who are riding high just now.
Down have shown to date that they can offer spirit and work-rate but it's when it comes to finishing that they are occasionally found wanting.
And while Down strive to bolster their status, Antrim and Fermanagh will bid to progress in the Tailteann Cup.
Antrim manager Andy McEntee believes his side can maximize their home advantage at Corrigan Park when they face Limerick today (4.30pm) with Paddy McBride, Dominic McEnhill, Marc Jordan and Eunan Walsh ready to set the tone for Antrim's performance.
The Saffrons have been finding the going tough lately but manager McEntee believe his side can raise their game today.
Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly is also optimistic that his team can turn on the style against Longford who will be at home.
Declan McCusker, Conor Love, the Cullen brothers Che and Lee, Garvan Jones and Ultan Kelm can help to fire up Fermanagh as they bid to keep in the hunt for the silverware.
The fact that they must face Longford at their own headquarters will pose its own demands on Fermanagh but given the form of Jones and Kelm in particular the indications are that the Erne outfit can rise to the occasion.
Skipper McCusker (below) has been striving to elicit the best from his side recently and is hopeful that they can get now get the boost they require.
'We want to be able to lift out game for this outing and see where that takes us,' he said. 'There is no doubt that the fare in this competition is particularly keen and we have to show that we can meet the challenge.'
And there is another Tailteann Cup game that will not go unnoticed in Ulster given the level of football fanaticism that is currently gripping the province.
Sligo and Leitrim will go head to head at Carrick-on-Shannon in the Tailteann Cup tomorrow (1.30pm) where the two managers will come under the microscope.
Armagh 2002 All-Ireland winner Tony McEntee is in his fifth year in charge of Sligo while Newry man Stephen Poacher had managed Down county teams at every level except senior before he took up the reins of the Leitrim county football team towards the end of last year.
And you can bet on it that both men will certainly be fully fired up for this particular challenge, that's for sure. And given their passion for their roles it can be assumed that this will be a tie in which no quarter will be asked or given.
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