Mourne men head west for opener

By Shaun Casey

THIS time last year, Down were two divisions below Roscommon in the National Football League but now in 2025, the two sides will battle it out on the opening day of the Division Two campaign.

The Rossies were relegated from the top tier, along with Monaghan, while the Mourne County gained promotion to Division Two after an unbeaten run of seven games, although they did lose the Division Three league final to Westmeath.

Down’s main objective this year will be to secure their status in Division Two and lining themselves up against Roscommon will be an ideal opportunity to judge how big the step up is for Conor Laverty’s (right) men.

They are of course without Liam Kerr but are boosted by the addition of Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning defender Hugh Pat McGeary. The experience of McGeary, now playing his club football with Rostrevor, will be invaluable.

The Kilcoo contingent will once again be the go-to men, with the likes of Ceilum Doherty, Micéal Rooney and Ryan McEvoy leading the charge. They’ll be supported by captain Pierce Laverty, Pat Havern and Odhrán Murdock.

Roscommon have been a yo-yo team recently, having spent three of the last five years in Division One, but that experience of playing the best teams is surely only a good thing. Down, on the other hand, are attempting to get to that level.

Roscommon have fairly strengthened their hand during the off season, with former captain Ciarán Murtagh, who took a year out last year, back in the panel.

He featured in the inter-provincials before Christmas and got a first-hand look at the new rules.

Murtagh’s brother Diarmuid is another fine player while Enda Smith, who won an All-Star award in 2023, along with Daire Cregg and Conor Cox, form an exciting forward line that Down must restrict if they are to be in with a chance.

Ben O’Carroll, who missed most of last season through injury, will also be back in contention for a starting jersey in that forward line.

With the new rules in place, limiting the number of players behind the ball, it’ll be interesting to see how Down set up.

They were impressive against eventual All-Ireland champions Armagh last year with their strict defensive structure, although they ultimately lost by one point.

They’ll have to mix things up and hope their forward line can trouble the hosts at the other end.