Laverty: “We want to be playing against the best teams in Ireland”

With five wins and a draw under their belt, it's hard to believe that Down are still battling to escape Division 3, with Sunday's clash against Clare in Pairc Esler the one that will determine their fate.

Down have been the best team in the division - evident by the highest scoring difference of +46. Tied with Westmeath on 11 points following a draw in Mullingar in the penultimate round, a draw will suffice against Clare who sit on 10 points - their only defeat to Westmeath in Round 2, but Down boss Conor Laverty is well aware that his men will need to return to the form they’ve shown this entire campaign on the back of a tough game but a disappointing first-half performance at Cusack Park.

“Clare have been a fantastic side and have been brilliant to watch and they've done really well since they lost their manager last year,” he said of the Banner County who are under new manager Mark Fitzgerald since Colm Collins stepped away.

“They've regrouped and put themselves in a position going into the last game. We're under no illusions about the task that that's going to be but this group will look forward to that and relish that chance.”

Clare lost a host of players from last season since Collins' departure and have key injuries too, including Emmet McMahon and Cillian Brennan, but that hasn't deterred them on their quest to return to Division 2 on the first time of asking.

As for where Down find themselves, while Laverty was disappointed with the first half performance against Westmeath, he didn't put it down to a lack of focus or drive from his men, but perhaps niggling reminders of last season when they missed out on promotion through the head to head rule against Cavan, crept in to the mindset.

“I definitely don't think it was anything to do with not being fully tuned in,” he said,

“They're a fantastic group. Anything we ask of them they're very driven and they prepare extremely well. They're very professional with everything they do. They knew the task that was at hand and they knew what the stakes were, but listen, the stakes are even bigger next week.”

And with questions floating around about the lack of clarity on the final league standings securing a place in the All-Ireland series, Laverty stressed that thoughts of another season in Division 3 is more than enough incentive for his side to put every ounce of energy and focus on Sunday's game.

“Our goal from the start of the year has been to gain promotion. To get to Division 2. To try to get that better standard of football week-in-week-out. I think that's where any team who has any ambitions is to get in [Division] 2 and be pushing into [Division] 1, and that's where we see this team wanting to go.”

But if the first step to that goal is achieved this weekend, Down can tentatively look towards the top tier of the championship.

“We had our experience last year of playing in the Tailteann Cup and that was great, but we want to be playing against the best teams in Ireland and learning and challenging ourselves. I suppose any Gaelic footballer wants to be competing at the highest level possible and challenging yourself against the best players.

“I've put that to the lads. I've challenged them numerous times over this past number of weeks of where do they want to go, what does their standard line want to be, or what does their story want to be in a Down jersey. Do they want to be playing in Division 3 or do they want to challenge for better things.”