Football

Donegal on the Thames: Down to face London side with a Tir Chonaill flavour

Mourne boss Laverty wary of Exiles after win over Offaly

30-12-2018: Donegal Ciaran Diver with Ruairi Campbell of Queens during the McKenna Cup match at Ballybofey on Sunday. Picture Margaret McLaughlin
Ciarán Diver, scorer of 1-5 for London in their win over Offaly last weekend, has represented Donegal at minor and senior level Picture: Margaret McLaughlin (MARGARET McLAUGHLIN PICTURES / C)
By Paul McConville
Tailteann Cup Group Four: London v Down (Saturday, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 6pm)

Down’s Ulster SFC semi-final against Armagh was their last chance to book a place in this year’s race for the Sam Maguire.

Victory would have also set up a provincial final against Donegal and Jim McGuinness - a man heavily linked with a role within the Down management in late 2021.

The Glenties man did take a few training sessions with the county early in 2023 at the invitation of new manager Conor Laverty.

However, defeat to Armagh confirmed their place in this year’s Tailteann Cup and they got their campaign off to winning start with a 14-point victory over Limerick in Newry last weekend and now face a trip to London to take on a team fresh from a surprise victory over Offaly.

They may not have got to face Donegal last Sunday in Clones, but the London team Down take on on Saturday has a distinctly Tir Chonaill flavour.

Ciarán Diver, scorer of 1-5 in his side’s 2-20 to 0-12 win over the Faithful, hails from Moville and turned out for Donegal in the 2019 Dr McKenna Cup, having won an Ulster minor title with his native county in 2014, both under manager Declan Bonner.

The links to the north-west don’t end there. Michael Carroll, another graduate of that 2014 Ulster minor-winning team was part of the Gaoth Dobhair side that conquered Ulster in 2018, scoring a point in the final win over Scotstown. He has worn the green and gold at minor, U20 and senior level.

Down Manager Conor Laverty standing at the warm-up in their Ulster SFC semi-final loss against Armagh
Down's Conor Laverty insists they will show London respect when the sides meet in Ruislip on Saturday PICTURE: Philip Walsh

Naomh Mhuire’s Joe McGill and Letterkenny man Michael Miller also featured against Offaly and there is a smatter more Donegal faces in the panel.

Whatever the personnel in green jersey in Ruislip, Down boss Laverty knows that London’s opening result - as well as a Division Four win over Waterford and draw with Tipperary - means they command respect.

“London had a good result. Offaly are a good side, they would be one of the top four or five teams in this competition. So, that’ll do them no harm,” he said.

“We’re under no illusion, a lot of teams went to London [in the League] and it took them a long time to pull away from them and some have pulled away near the end, but the games been tight for long periods of the game.

“So it’s really important that we tune in and we get ourselves prepared and give London the utmost respect that we do to every opponent.”