HIGHLY-RATED Down coach John Fegan has confirmed to Gaelic Life that he has applied for the vacant Mourne county minor job.

The former RGU Downpatrick boss, who also was part of the Saul management team for their Intermediate Championship success last season, is hoping to replace the outgoing James McCartan, who stepped down in the aftermath of the side’s surprise Ulster defeat to Fermanagh last month.

“Yes, I am putting my name forward,” Fegan said.

“There will always be a good field of candidates and some top quality there, but I have worked with a lot of teams in Down at this stage and think I am in a good position now, especially given that I have put together a strong backroom team.

“I really enjoyed last season in Saul under Ronan McCartan and it has been great seeing some of the young talent in Down emerge in the various championship grades.”

Nominations for the position close tomorrow with interviews to begin soon after. Steven Poacher, who was part of McCartan’s backroom team last year, has also been linked to the position.

Carryduff’s DJ Morgan is another name that has been mentioned. He applied recently for the Down u-20 position that was ultimately given to Conor Laverty. Morgan has had plenty of success with Carryduff at u-21 level and also took their seniors to last year’s county final.

The 2021 Ulster Minor Football Championship window has been provisionally pencilled in for March 20/21 to May 22/23, but that may change following Tuesday’s news that inter-county teams cannot return to training until February at the earliest.

U-17 teams were not due back until February 5 anyway with challenge matches not allowed from February 23, but that again is provisional.