It was the draw nobody wanted, but some team had to be pitted against Kilcoo in the first round. Clonduff got the short-draw and they go toe-to-toe with the defending Down, Ulster and All-Ireland champions on Friday night in Páirc Esler (7.30pm).
The Hilltown men lost out to Kilcoo in round two last year, but recovered to defeat Warrenpont at Downpatrick to reach the last four where they suffered a one-point defeat to Burren.
They’re among the leading contenders for the Frank O’Hare Cup again this year, but manager Ciaran McBride concedes they have the toughest test out of this weekend’s first round games.
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“If you are being honest there isn’t anybody who wanted to draw the All-Ireland champions in the first round,” stated McBride.
“There are no easy draws and that’s not trying to be diplomatic. I’d say everyone else took a sigh of relief when the top four teams were drawn against each other in the Championship.
“It is a very difficult draw for us, but you have to accept it and move on.”
While the format of the Down SFC means there is a safety net for the first two rounds, the easiest path to the quarter-finals is for teams to win their opening two games.
The former Tyrone star is a fan of the Down format, but says it places a burden on teams to perform on successive weekends.
“I know in Tyrone, it is a straight knock-out and you can have some of the big guns out in the first round and it opens it up for everyone else,” said McBride.
“That’s why Tyrone have a different champion every year. In Down, it is good to have that drop door.
“That happened us last year when we lost to Kilcoo in the second round. Thank God it was there and it allowed us to go on a bit of a run then.
“The difficulty with the Down Championship for me is that, regardless of who you play the first weekend, everyone is out again the following weekend.
“The pressure is still on. It isn’t just about the first weekend, you need to win back-to-back to get yourself a free weekend.
“I am sure it is exciting from a supporter’s perspective as you don’t know what you are going to get.”
As well as their Championship tussle last year, Clonduff and Kilcoo have clashed in Division One of the All-County League this season and they played out a 0-10 each draw in their most recent meeting earlier this month.
McBride admits there was a bit of shadow boxing going on, but stressed that the two teams and their respective managers know each other well enough.
The Omagh native was approaching the final years of his inter-county career when Kilcoo joint-manager Richard Thornton was first called up to the Tyrone panel in the late 90s.
Conleith Gilligan and Thornton took over when Mickey Moran stepped down as Kilcoo boss following their All-Ireland triumph over Kilmacud Crokes in February.
“Richard (Thornton) was very young when he came on to the county team, but he was a good footballer and a great lad,” added McBride.
“He was probably unlucky to miss out on his All-Ireland medal, but he has a Hogan Cup medal from St Pat’s Dungannon. They are like hen’s teeth in Tyrone - they are more popular in Down.
“Conleith’s reputation speaks for itself, both as a player and as a coach. He is a great lad, he is from Ballinderry, which effectively means he is from Tyrone!”
“The one thing I’ve learned since coming to Clonduff is that neighbours know each other inside out.
“They maybe went to school together and they could be working together. They know who is playing and who isn’t so the element of surprise is something that doesn’t really occur in Down football in my opinion.”
That being said, McBride is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the availability of a few players who’ve been in the US during the summer.
Down star Barry O’Hagan returned earlier this month, but Ross Carr, John Boden and Paddy Branagan are scheduled to return home this week. Whether or not they’ll be back in time to feature against Kilcoo remains to be seen.
Conor Laverty's appointment as Down manager also adds a level of intrigue to Kilcoo's upcoming games as the new Mourne County boss will be keen to unearth some fresh talent ahead of the 2023 season.
The defending champions have also welcomed back players from America, including Ceilum Doherty and Ryan Johnston but Justin Clarke won’t feature after picking up a serious knee injury in their league final defeat to Burren.
The newly-crowned Division One champions are in action on Monday night in Newry when they take on Mayobridge (7.30pm) in what promises to be another tight battle.
The action in Down got under way on Thursday night with Glenn defeating Bredagh 3-13 to 1-11 at Liatroim while Loughinisland had a 1-12 to 1-9 win over Castlewellan at Darragh Cross.
Morgan Fuels Down SFC round one
Friday: Kilcoo v Clonduff (Páirc Esler, 7.30pm)
Saturday: Downpatrick v An Riocht (St John's 5pm)
Sunday: Ballyholland v Longstone (An Riocht, 3pm); Saval v Warrenpoint (Clonduff, 6pm); Bryansford v Carryduff (Downpatrick, 6pm)
Monday: Burren v Mayobridge (Páirc Esler, 7.30pm).
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