SUNDAY’S shock Ulster Championship quarter-final victory over Donegal was a statement for Down and while it was a surprise, Gerard Colgan believes it was coming.
The All-Ireland medal winner from 1994 watched Down systematically dismantle Donegal, last year’s All-Ireland finalists and this year’s Division One champions, who had demolished Kerry less than four weeks ago.
Colgan believes that the result is more than just a surprise.
“It is a big result.
“There is no doubt about that.
“It is really positive.
“This win has a feeling of a team who are on the up and the feeling of a team who are capable of going on and pushing a bit further.
“This is not a flash in the pan.
“There is something brewing.”
He explained that there were signs to say that it could happen.
“I got the feeling that a lot of Down fans did not expect a win.
“I was talking to a few coaches and I did expect a performance.
“We have been in the last three Ulster semi-finals.
“And we beat Donegal in 2023.”
But the result remains a shock victory because of the quality of their opponents.
Donegal were not only favoured to win that game, but also the Ulster title.
Gerard was part of the Down team that stunned All-Ireland champions Derry in the 1994 Ulster Championship, but he argues that this season is different.
“1994 was a shock when we beat Derry.
“If you think about 1994, the expectation was zilch.
“There was no expectation from Down whatsoever.”
He argues that Down had more potential for a win this year.
Rather than 1994, he compares Sunday’s win to Down’s victory over Monaghan in the 2017 Ulster Championship semi-final.
“Monaghan had given us an absolute tanking the year before in Clones and that was Monaghan when they were in their pomp challenging for Ulster and All-Ireland titles.
“It was the same that year (2017) everyone was expecting a Monaghan win, but we came in and we just bullied them.
“We put Rory Beggan’s kick out under huge pressure and it was a surprise.”
This season, Gerard is helping Ambrose Rodgers take Newry Shamrocks.
And the coach felt that there was one element of Down’s play above all else that contributed to the victory.
“The thing that stood out most for me was how they played defensively.”
