Wicklow V Down, Venue:Aughrim Throw-in:3pm, today On TV:Live on RTÉ 2

IT’S ALWAYS risky to bet against the wily Mick O’Dwyer, but the Down full-forward line has the potential to nullify home advantage. Benny Coulter returned to championship pace against Laois after injury, while Paul McComiskey and Daniel Hughes are carving out fearsome reputations of their own.

Ross Carr appears to be bringing a team with significantly greater motivation than what we saw from previous Wicklow scalps, Fermanagh and Cavan. They will also have learned from the mistakes of their Ulster brethren.

Consistently failing to make an impact in provincial competition, there is a wealth of underage talent rising to the surface and last week’s convincing defeat of Laois supports the notion they can push on here.

Wicklow were forced into defensive alterations by the loss of Damien Power and Alan Byrne against Westmeath, but the experienced Dara Ó hAnnaidh appears to have shored up the problematic full-back role.

James Stafford and Thomas Walsh must deny Dan Gordon the run of midfield, but, in Leighton Glynn and Paul Earls, Wicklow have the quality in the attacking lines to keep the fairytale alive.

They will adopt the usual fast paced O’Dwyer game. Down may welcome this challenge and seek to simply outplay them but expect a few man and ball challenges to stem the flow. A bitter struggle is promised. If everything clicks Wicklow have a chance but the head says Down’s superior arsenal will guide them into round four.

WICKLOW:M Travers; C Hyland, D Ó hAnnaidh, S Kelly; P McWalter, B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, T Walsh; L Glynn, T Hannon, JP Dalton; D Odlum, S Furlong, P Earls.

DOWN:B McVeigh; C McGovern, K McKernan, D Rafferty; T Hanna, P Murphy, C Garvey; D Gordon, S Kearney; A Rogers, C Maginn, B McArdle; B Coulter, P McComiskey, D Hughes.

Referee:G Ó Conamha (Galway).