By Shaun Casey

FOR the last number of seasons, Down have been more concerned about what’s happening below them than looking up in the Joe McDonagh Cup, but that has changed, Ronan Sheehan is happy to admit.

After two rounds, they sit joint top of the table with Carlow and both sides put their winning streaks on the line in Ballycran on Saturday afternoon.

Both sides fell out of Division 1B in the league, with Carlow’s only win coming over the Mourne men in round one, but Down are back on home turf and in a rich vein of form.

“It makes a nice change to be looking towards a potential final at this stage of the Joe McDonagh Cup as opposed to fighting relegation which is where we’ve been in previous years,” said Sheehan.

“The fact that we got the two wins on the board early has given us this opportunity. It’s a great position to be in and Carlow are going to provide a massive challenge.

“They started really well. They’ve beaten Laois, who are a very good team, and they’ve beaten Westmeath away. You’d have to say that their form probably makes them the favourites for not only reaching the final but the favourites overall.

“We have usually performed well we have played Carlow at home. We’ve struggled sometimes down there but when we play them at Ballycran we always give a very good performance and beaten them there a couple of times.”

Sheehan expects Tim Prenter to return this weekend while Shea Pucci may just miss out with a hamstring injury picked up on club duty. Ronan Beattie has also returned to action recently, so Down will hope to have near enough a full hand to pick from.

Carlow head into the encounter having recorded eight goals in their last two outings, evenly split across their wins over Laois and Westmeath and Sheehan has taken note of their ability to raise green flags. In January’s league clash, two second half goals from Donagh Murphy and John Michael Nolan swayed the game in Carlow’s direction.

“Goals are always what you watch for with Carlow,” Sheehan added. “If you go back to the last time they won the Joe McDonagh Cup even, they always carry a very potent goal threat.

“Chris Nolan and Marty Kavanagh would probably get on any county panel in Ireland, and they certainly feed off goals. The minute they get a sniff of goal; they go for it.

“We’re aware of that and that is going to be critical for us on Saturday, to minimise those opportunities. I don’t think you can stop Carlow scoring goals, but your challenge is to limit them.

“If we can do that then I think we have the opportunity and the potential in our own team to match and exceed their scoring.”