AHEAD OF THE GAME:ON July 18th last year Down arrived in Aughrim fully expecting to dump Mick O'Dwyer's Wicklow out of the championship in the third round qualifier.
They were in for a huge shock, but Micko owed them one. In fact, he owed them three.
Having suffered at the hands of Down during his playing days in the 1960s, the 1960 and '68 All-Ireland finals and 61 semi-final, O'Dwyer proved if you stay around intercounty football as long as the Waterville shaman every score can eventually be settled.
Benny Coulter was clearly unfit, but the Down marksman still managed to level matters up with five minutes remaining in the game, but subsequent wides by Ambrose Rogers, Conor Garvey and Aiden Carr, which really
should have sealed the victory, left the door open for a last-gasp 45 from Tony Hannon that sent the locals (and O'Dwyer) into hysterics.
The defeat quickened the departure of Ross Carr as manager, opening the path for his former team-mate James McCartan to take over.
"We just feel on immediate reflection we had enough chances to win it, I felt we were the better team, we just didn't win it," lamented Carr as the Down team bus was forced to patiently wait for the departure of thousands of delighted Wicklow people from the picturesque bottle-neck village.
O'Dwyer seemed most pleased about winning without using a single sub.
"No, we don't bother using subs. That's the new game," said the old rogue.
Notable changes in the Down line-up a season on see Dan Gordon redeployed from midfield to full back, freeing Kevin McKernan to go half back, while the presence of Kalum King in midfield and Marty Clarke as playmaker have made a significant impact.
Roll of honour: All to play for
MUCH has been made of Down's perfect record in their five All-Ireland finals (1960, '61, '68, '91 and '94) in contrast to Corks abysmal six wins from 22 finals.
That said, Cork are due a seventh title – which would keep Down below them alongside Cavan and Wexford in the roll of honour while drawing level with Meath – having lost their previous four September matches to Kerry (twice), Meath in 1999 and Derry in 1993. To lose five successive finals would be a record even by Cork standards.
All-Ireland sevens
THIS Saturday sees Kilmacud Crokes host the 38th All-Ireland sevens tournament.
Three Cork clubs, Ilen Rovers, Doheny’s and O’Donovan Rossa, and four Down clubs, last year’s runners-up Longstone, defending champions Clonduff, Castlewellan, and An Ríocht – are all making a weekend of it at the annual curtain raiser in the south Dublin football enclave.
Other participating teams include Dromore (Tyrone), Charlestown (Mayo), Mattock Rangers (Louth) and Clonguish (Longford).
TG4 will broadcast highlights next Monday.
Sharpshooters: Doyle unlikely to be caught
KILDARE’S Johnny Doyle appears to have already claimed the top scorer award for the 2010 championship, having skipped over Bernard Brogan in the All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Down.
It is unlikely Daniel Goulding will rack up the 15 points required on Sunday to catch the Kildare captain. Marty Clarke needs 22.
2010 Top Scorers
J Doyle (Kildare) 1-49 (52)
B Brogan (Dublin) 3-42 (51)
D Goulding (Cork) 1-34 (37)
D Shine (Roscommon) 1-31 (34)
M Clarke (Down) 1-27 (30)
C Cooper (Kerry) 1-27 (30)
