By Micil Glennon
Derry v Down, Celtic Park, 2pm
Derry and Down face off today for the pleasure of playing Donegal in the Ulster SFC semi-final.
This game has arrived without much of a fanfare at all; it was always going to be so after Donegal and Tyrone were drawn together.
On paper the two sides look evenly matched. Derry were promoted after winning Division 2 of the Allianz NFL, while Down were relegated, despite wins over Mayo and Kildare, from Division 1.
Brian McIver hands Championship starts to Eoin McNicholl, Ryan Bell, Aidan McAlynn and Benny Heron.
Ahead of the game, which is live on RTÉ Two, defender Dermot McBride told the Irish News: “We haven't been looking at Down, we have been looking at ourselves. Everybody knows what to do. You saw that in the national league final.
"It's a very, very good set-up and everybody is very happy with it and everybody has been buying into it. We know what to do and hopefully that will show in Celtic Park."
The news that Ambrose Rogers is fit to start his first game of the year in a huge boost for Down.
The midfielder missed the entire league campaign with a knee injury but will line-up beside Kevin McKiernan at Celtic Park.
Under-21 star Niall Madine only played 13 minutes in the league but his two points against Kildare helped him to earn a Championship debut; Ryan Boyle and Keith Quinn also make their bows on this stage.
Manager James McCartan told the Belfast Telegraph: “While it was disappointing to be relegated in the league, we were not far away in some of the games we lost, especially those against Tyrone and Cork and if we can replicate that skill and spirit on Sunday, we maybe will have a chance of winning.”
It’s 19 years since the Oak Leafers and the Mourne men met in the Ulster Championship. Down won the All-Ireland in the same year.
Derry had the edge when they clashed in a qualifier in 2005.
Eventual All-Ireland champions Donegal accounted for both sides in last year’s Ulster Championship, beating Derry by ten points in the quarter-final and Down by 11 in the final.
The bookies are giving the nod to the Derry and the home factor may just swing it.
Verdict: Derry
Derry: E McNicholl; G O'Kane, C McKaigue, R Scott; C Kielt, M Lynch, S L McGoldrick; P Bradley, R Bell; A McAlynn, J Kielt, E Lynn; B Heron, E Bradley, C Devlin.
Down: B McVeigh; D McCartan, B McArdle, R Boyle; D Rooney, P Turley, K Quinn; A Rogers, K McKiernan; N Madine, M Poland, B Coulter; D O'Hare, K King, C Laverty.
Live television coverage of Derry v Down (Football) and Clare v Waterford (Hurling) from 13:30 on Sunday 2 June on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie (Ireland only). Live radio coverage of all the day’s action featuring Clare v Waterford from 14:00 on RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ RnaG and RTÉ.ie (Worldwide).
Highlights and analysis of all the weekend’s action on The Sunday Game from 21:30 on Sunday 2 June on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie (Ireland only).
