Ceilum Doherty believes that Down’s run to the Tailteann Cup has proven the level of quality that exists within the county, and he attributes their success to the faith shown in the squad by manager Conor Laverty and his assistant Marty Clarke.
The Mournemen have a chance to end Laverty’s first year in charge on a high, if by quarter to five this Saturday evening, captain Pierce Laverty is climbing the steps of Croke Park ready to lift silverware above his head.
But it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Down. They had their sights set on promotion from Division Three and reaching an Ulster final, neither of which they achieved. But Doherty feels that the management’s belief in the ability of the team - which has chopped and changed more so than any other in Ireland - has never wavered.
“There have definitely been games where we felt as though we left the result behind,” he said.
“We wanted to win Division Three and that didn’t happen, but we didn’t drop off. We knew we had the players in the dressing room and the characters to go at it again, and the management have been brilliant in terms of showing a lot of faith in us and what we can do.”
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Ask anyone from Down and they will tell you about how much quality exists within the county on the club scene. On Kilcoo’s way to becoming All-Ireland champions two seasons ago, they defeated Clonduff by three points, Carryduff by one after extra-time, and both Ballyholland and Burren by two points to lift the Frank O’Hare Cup.
Compare that to margins of victory by 11 and 16 points in the Ulster Championship for the Magpies, and it’s clear to see just how difficult it is to win the Down Senior Championship.
Even last year, Kilcoo needed a penalty shootout to overcome Clonduff, and defeated Warrenpoint by the minimum after extra-time.
Despite having a competitive club scene in recent years, one of the questions which had been asked of the county set-up was whether the best players in the county were committing to the red and black jersey.
However, with 33 different players used in their nine championship games this year (with 13 championship debuts handed out), it appears as though the top players in Down want to play for Laverty, and in turn, he has given each player on his large panel a shot at showing what they can do.
“There are a lot of boys who we knew inside the county were good enough, that have really pushed on as players and it’s all about making that progress. These players are taking their chances now in the Down jersey,” said Doherty.
“I would always regard the Down Club Championship as the strongest in Ulster, if not Ireland. It’s a very competitive Championship and there are eight to 10 teams who can take a scalp on any given day.
“And now people from outside of Down are starting to see the quality that exists within the county.”
Not only has Laverty got the buy-in from the players, but his side have also undoubtedly got the buy-in from the Down supporters, who have turned out in great numbers all year, including in Croke Park two weeks ago to see their men trounce Laois 8-16 to 2-12 in a game which will be talked about for years to come.
“It’s definitely great to see the support; we have had it all year, going as far back as the McKenna Cup,” said Doherty.
“We really appreciate the support. The fans have come out in great numbers, and it was brilliant to see the red and black back in Croke Park again, because it was sorely missed, and it has been too long.
“Everyone has bought in, and they can see the journey that we’re on and have stuck with us when we have suffered defeats. They have been great to us, so it’s now time to repay the faith that they have shown in us all year.”
The opportunity for Down to repay their supporters comes on Saturday.
Standing in their way is a Meath side who came out on top when they collided in Parnell Park in early June, meaning victory is anything but a foregone conclusion, but winning the trophy would surely galvanize a county which has been asleep for too long.
The scene of the Westmeath players bringing the Tailteann Cup back to Mullingar for their homecoming parade last season was one of the enduring images of 2022, and showed what winning this competition can do for morale within a county.
“Winning it would be a massive part of our journey,” said Doherty.
“Silverware is always great to win, and you only have a short span in your career to win as much as you can. So, we’re looking forward to the opportunity, but we’re under no illusions that Meath won’t give us a difficult battle.”
