- By Orla Bannon
- ` Sport NI at Pairc Esler
2 hours ago
image description, Liam Kerr, Oisin Savage and Ceilum Doherty rue a missed Down goal chance against Antrim
Conor Laverty described Down's performance in Saturday's Ulster Championship win over Antrim as “unacceptable”.
“I feel like there is quality at Down and we were just below our standard line there. That’s as honest as you can call it,” said Down manager Laverty.
“I thought it was a poor standard and unacceptable.”
If inter-county management doesn't work out for the Kilcoo All-Ireland club winners, then perhaps Laverty could try politics, as he chose his words with diplomacy after a performance that clearly left him disappointed.
“Listen, if that was the level of performance … it just wasn't the level of performance that this team wants to achieve,” he said.
“That’s not why I took the job for our players and I feel like we have a lot of talented players.”
“Whenever people would have talked about the Derry and Dublin game, it was a great game for the neutral.
“I’m sure not too many neutral players would have been impressed by this game.”
“Antrim started with a deep block, defended tight and we knew they could handle it and we have put a lot of practice into dealing with it.”
“But as a group and me as a manager, we have to find better ways to deal with it.”
image description, Pairc Esler becomes angry as Down defeat Antrim
While Antrim boss Andy McEntee defended his players for their part in some unpleasant incidents during the pre-match parade and at half-time, Laverty was equally philosophical.
“Listen, it was a local derby. If I had come to Newry with a team and thought it was a young Down team I would have stepped up too.”
“Antrim were well within their rights to take a small lead in the game.
“At the beginning I thought there would be fireworks throughout the game, but it didn’t take long for the fireworks to go out.”
Down's defeat to Westmeath in the recent league final in Croke Park after gaining promotion from Division Three “hurt a lot”, according to Down's Shane Annett, “particularly because of the way we played”.
“We went out today hoping to do ourselves justice, but we didn’t,” he added, “Hopefully we can do it the next day.”
The semi-final will be a “colossal battle”.
In two weeks Down play the winners of Sunday's first round clash between Fermanagh and Armagh.
image description, Down captain Pierce Laverty makes an excellent save from Conor Hands' shot
Laverty sees the upcoming semi-final as “a colossal battle” and gave an honest assessment of Down’s chances of reaching an Ulster final for the first time since 2017.
“We know where we are – I have no illusions,” he said.
“I understand where this team is.
“This is a young team that is constantly growing. I want to win. We want to win games and be competitive with the best teams in Ireland.”
“But we know what challenge lies ahead in Armagh or Fermanagh.
“I have the feeling that they are on a good path in the development of their team and also the management team. So we need to get back to work, get the guys recovered and start planning for whoever is coming out of Brewster.”
“I would say if you're Fermanagh or Armagh watching you won't be too worried after that performance, but that's a challenge for us now.”
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