Down boss hoping they give better account of themselves

DOWN manager Justin Lynch hopes his side can give a better account of themselves against Donegal on Saturday in Convoy.

After last’s weekend’s Ulster Minor Championship Qualifier was abandoned due to dangerous conditions, the sides will meet again with a spot in the quarter-final up for grabs.

Donegal were 2-17 to 0-6 ahead when referee Shane Murphy made the decision to abandon the game after 47 minutes.

It leaves the surreal situation of the entire championship being moved back a week.

The winner of Saturday’s refixed game will join Monaghan, Cavan and Armagh in the quarter-finals, with champions Tyrone and Derry already in the semi-finals.

“I’m sure Donegal are very annoyed, they were that far ahead, and playing well, they were on top all over,” Lynch said about last weekend’s game.

“I know Donegal were mad keen to get it finished, as you would be, and rightly so, but it was wild conditions,” he said.

Lynch is in his first season as manager and feels more league games, followed by a knock-out championship would be a better format. It would eradicate the need to trawl the country for challenge games.

Looking back on his team’s performances, he was happy with their response against Derry in a game they lost by a point.

On the flip side, the focus this week is on a much-improved performance against Donegal.

“We didn’t play any football,” he said, also admitting it was down to how impressive Donegal were.

“We didn’t perform at all, got blitzed from start to finish and couldn’t get a foothold in that game.

“We were far too stand offish and it just didn’t materialise for us at all. To get a second chance is brilliant, but you don’t want to go up there with your second chance and meet the same fate as you were last Saturday.”

Have Down the tools to beat Donegal? For Lynch, time will tell. This weekend will be the true barometer.

“I definitely don’t think they are as poor as last Saturday’s efforts,” he added.

This week is about looking back at the footage, comparing mistakes to the instances of positive play from elsewhere in the campaign.

It all comes back to the same story. The 47 minutes last Saturday wasn’t a true reflection.

“I wouldn’t want that to be their last game in the Ulster Championship,” Lynch concluded.

“To get a second chance is brilliant. It’s harshly unfair on Donegal in terms of where they were, we understand that.”