LIKE ANY typical northern team that makes it this far in the championship, Down won’t fear Kerry. They will relish the challenge. That is the Ulster attitude on arrival in Croke Park these days and they will come armed with a specific game-plan.

Factor in the success of Martin Clarke’s 2005 minor team and their mindset becomes even more apparent. Those minor players have since matured and will see no reason why they cannot be successful again in Croke Park.

It is not a lack of respect for Kerry as to do that against a forward line of this quality would be ruthlessly punished.

No, it is simply the Ulster way.

Down have seen Armagh beat them in 2002 and Tyrone do it three times, in 2003, 2005 and 2008, so they will arrive feeling it is their turn and that Kerry are the weakest they have been for a long time.

James McCartan learned his trade as a coach with Queen’s University where he won the Sigerson. He has certainly bought into the modern game by dropping half forwards back and having them aware of specific defensive duties. They will seek to make their tackles high up the pitch and punish Kerry for the loss of Tomás Ó Sé.

Tactically, McCartan is very astute and can call on his time as a player when devising attacking strategies. I remember him as a very clever inside forward who worked off the great centre forward Greg Blaney and alongside the razor-sharp Mickey Linden.

McCartan was a clinical goal poacher.

Despite the excellent footballing attributes Clarke has added to the Down attack, it is his work-rate that has really impressed me. I suppose he is in the condition of his life after playing Australian Rules. His energy and conditioning have him tuned to cover plenty more ground than the wide open spaces of Croke Park.

I expect to see Down hit the ground running. They have game sharpness and have built up a momentum from playing week in, week out, while Kerry could easily be a yard off the pace in the early exchanges as the new half-back and midfield combinations take time to gel.

Really, the Kerry midfield hasn’t settled at all this year. In direct contrast, Ambrose Rodgers and Kalum King appear significantly more mobile than Séamus Scanlon and Micheál Quirke. Rodgers, if allowed, will run hard at the Kerry defence.

If Down get this type of start, allied by a few scores, we are in for a very interesting 70 minutes. Their forwards will not be rash. They do not kick from distance and rarely take the wrong option. They wait and slip possession to the man overlapping at pace. It leads to goal opportunities as proven against Sligo.

They are an intelligent football team.

Kerry can be exposed, as Limerick proved, by the loss of Paul Galvin and now Tomás.

They can still survive with less than 50 per cent of possession from midfield, as they did against Cork, but Down had the best defensive record in the country during the National League.

How they cope with Kieran Donaghy will be interesting. This is Kieran’s stage, where he likes most to perform and after a relatively quiet season he is due a massive game.

The best forwards in the country, Colm Cooper and Declan O’Sullivan, are already firing on all cylinders so even if Dan Gordon gets to grips with Donaghy, Down may yet struggle.

Despite this being a great opportunity for them, I would still feel their lack of experience will be exposed. This challenge may have come a little soon.

Dublin might not be ready for Tyrone either but they were going to have to face them, or Kerry, at some stage as they attempt to atone for their previous All-Ireland quarter-final experiences.

I believe Pat Gilroy’s young team has made enough progress to be in a better position than 2008 and 2009.

They won’t be destroyed.

The confidence and steeliness gained in the qualifiers was exactly what Gilroy needed for this team to evolve but their commitment to an industrious approach is going to have to go up another level. If that is possible.

Like Down, it starts in the half-forward line where Bryan Cullen, Niall Corkery and eventually, Paul Flynn will be tasked with covering miles of turf. They must disrupt the counter-attacks of men like Ryan McMenamin and Philip Jordan.

Ross McConnell and the revelation that has been Michael Dara Macauley must get a hold of midfield. The pressure game must increase if this is to be their moment.

Tyrone will have at least one period of utter dominance, they always do, so the full-back line must not be broken mentally by conceding say 1-2 or 0-4 in quick succession. They must recover, as must every line, and not foul, just keep working no matter what.

Discipline will be essential if they are to bring it down to the last few minutes. Don’t be confrontational. Play Tyrone at their own game.

Also, now is the time Alan Brogan must step up as neither Eoghan O’Gara nor Bryan Cullen can be expected to replicate their scoring feats against Louth, while Conor Gormley may well keep Bernard Brogan under wraps.

No matter what occurs, I feel Mickey Harte’s consistently clever use of his panel will turn it Tyrone’s way.

I think Cork will come through tomorrow with something to spare as well. Donie Shine will be shadowed by Graham Canty and they have too many scoring options in attack. Also, Roscommon are in bonus territory and that can be a dangerous perspective to adopt at this stage of the season.

Meath against Kildare is the most difficult to call but I feel Nigel Crawford and Brian Meade will get enough ball into match winners like Stephen Bray, Cian Ward and Shane O’Rourke.

They can’t be as bad as they were in the second half against Louth, otherwise Kildare will beat them.

But Meath to ease through to set up a meeting with Kerry while Cork and Tyrone to organise a replay of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.