Down riding crest of a wave in push for All-Ireland Quarter-Final slot, insists Ceilum Doherty
And no one is more aware than manager Conor Laverty that Doherty's ability to keep opponents at bay will certainly be needed when the team line out against Monaghan in an All-Ireland Championship Group Three encounter on Sunday at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh (2.00pm).
In their most recent outing, Down triumphed over recently crowned Leinster champions Louth, and since then, Laverty's men have been viewed in a new light.
Laverty, it goes without saying, is conscious that Monaghan will carry a huge threat on Sunday, even though they suffered relegation to Division Two in the recent Allianz Football League.
While this was a setback for team boss Michael Bannigan, he believes that his side can respond to Sunday's challenge against the Mournemen.
'We know that Down will be a big test for us. That win over Louth was a huge boost for them and they will be keen to rise to the occasion on Sunday,' insists Bannigan.
His optimism, though, is countered by that of Doherty, who helped Down win the Tailteann Cup in 2024 and has captured a shoal of honours in the colours of Kilcoo.
Doherty is convinced that Down have gained in confidence and energy of late, and he is particularly keen to see the side get into their stride quickly against Monaghan.
'There is a buzz in the county since that win over Louth, and now the challenge for us as players is to build on it,' points out Doherty.
'We would very much like to land a place in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals because we feel we have some new players in the side now who are producing the goods.'
In this connection, goalkeeper Ronan Burns along with Adam Crimmins and John McGeough have stepped up smartly to the mark to show just how capable they are of making an impact at this level.
'It's good to see players like this coming through and they will be up for the challenge. This is a huge game for us, that's for sure,' adds Doherty.
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