Gordon is crucial – Kane

Down’s Dan Gordon

DOWN’S All-Ireland winning captain DJ Kane believes that his county head into Sunday’s Clones showdown against Donegal quite rightly with the underdogs tag.

The Mourne men will become the latest side to attempt to dismantle the reigning champions, and Kane admits that the odds seem stacked against his former troops.

“There’s no doubt about it, Down head in very much as the underdogs. You couldn’t argue with the bookies odds, Donegal are certainly expected to win.

“In my mind, and I’m not trying to be smart, Donegal are big, big favourites even though Down beat them in the league. You can’t read too much into that because a lot has changed since then in terms of personnel, of fitness, of everything really.

“Plus you have to say that Donegal have had a much tougher path to the Ulster final.”

The pressure has been on Down from the outset on a side of the draw through which they were expected to progress, and the former captain believes that although they have had an easier run, the Mourne men still showed a strength of character to progress through a difficult semi-final battle.

“It’s always bad when you go out of the championship, but I think it would have looked bad if Down had gone out this year early without reaching an Ulster final, as it was their best chance for quite some time.

“Everything was going for them. In saying that, they did get there. It was dodgy at one stage against Monaghan, but they picked themselves up and got through it.”

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday July 19. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here