Column: This might not be the most talented Down team ever but they’re bearing the fruits of hard work and consistency. Plenty wish to dismiss their progress under Conor Laverty. Beneath the surface layer, it becomes clear they need him to stay long term irishnews.com/gaa/gaelic-foo…

Conor Laverty's win % is one of the many arguments that you can dismiss if you so please. But when you put all the elements together, there's no getting away from it. Down are lightyears ahead of where they were when he took over.

Watched Down's game against Louth earlier. I expected it to follow what I'd heard, built a big lead, almost let it slip, held on. That's not what I saw though. Down won that game in the second half. Of 11 shots into the wind, they scored 9. Not bad for a team with 'no forwards'

@chops40 @CahairOKane1 And the oul cow died