Teconnaught eager to bounce back
The Down Recorder · Down Recorder Reporter · 2026-08-19T14:20:21+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Intermediate Football Championship
Teconnaught v Dromara
Friday, St John’s, 7.15pm
TECONNAUGHT will attempt to use the championship as a chance to bounce back from the disappointment from relegation.
Just over a week ago, Teconnaught lost to St John Bosco in the final game of the Division Three season. That result confined them to Division Four football in 2027.
Manager John Clarke said: “Ultimately it was disappointing. Our aim was to stay up. We came close but we didn’t get there.
“There were plenty of factors that played a role in that throughout the course of the year.
“We were very competitive in most games. But it came down to the last two games, away to Shamrocks and away to Bosco and we came up short.
“We had chances to win both games and didn’t take them.
“I can’t question the effort and commitment of the boys, it just didn’t work out for us.”
Teconnaught now play a Dromara team that finished in seventh place in Division Three, two places ahead John Clarke’s charges.
Getting an early win and avoiding relegation to Junior Championship is their new priority.
“Keeping intermediate status will be the big aim for us this year.
“If we can win a game or two, we will be more than happy.
“Teconnaught have won plenty of junior championships down the years and they don’t want to drop back to junior. The aim is always to maintain that intermediate status. That would give them a platform to push on over the next year or two.”
Their first test is a difficult one. Dromara beat Teconnaught by 0-27 to 2-12 in Dromara in mid-June.
However, Teconnaught could draw on their win over Dromara in mid-April (3-9 to 1-6) for inspiration.
“It is going to be a tough ask for us because Dromara have been pretty much mid-table and safe in Division Three from the middle of the summer. So they have probably been planning for this game for weeks now, whereas we have only had a week to plan for it.
“I would say that they are in a stronger position for it than us.
“But in a way, the pressure is off to an extent.
“To an extent Dromara will be favourites for this game, and there is no expectation on Teconnaught heading into this game.”