CONNAIRE’S CLOCKING UP THE MILES AS H FLYER
CONNAIRE HARRISON has been making a name for himself and raising hell in the Ulster Championship.
The bustling full-forward has had a few chances in a Down jersey in recent years but it’s only in the big wins over Armagh and Monaghan that he’s finally delivering on his potential.
He’s hit 0-5 from play and was voted the GAA’S ‘Player of the Week’ after his demolition of the Monaghan defence, ahead of Dublin star Paul Mannion.
His superb form is one of the success stories of Down’s season and a reason why they’ve reached today’s Ulster final - but it’s no less than his teammate Jerome Johnston expected.
“I see him doing it every night in training and I know what he’s capable of,” says the Kilcoo attacker.
“We are good friends and whenever I seen him kicking those points over against Armagh and Monaghan it was no surprise to me.
“That’s what you expect from him and that’s what he expects from himself.
“He believes in himself totally and there’s no better guy for the big occasion.
“He’ll back himself to put in another good performance against Tyrone.”
Johnston scored the injury-time point in the final league game in Cork that kept Down in Division Two.
Avoiding relegation transformed their whole season and led to a first Ulster final appearance in five years.
They haven’t won it since 1994, Johnston admitting: “I wasn’t even born when we won Ulster and the All-ireland in ‘91 and I was in nappies in ‘94”.
“There’s a whole new generation of Down kids who’ll be going to their first Ulster final and it’s brilliant for them.”