Benny Coulter is delighted that his Down U17 footballers will get to play their Ulster MFC tie against Donegal before the Ulster SFC clash between the two counties next month.

The Ulster MFC changes to a round-robin format this year, with the Down v Donegal tie set to be played as a double-header with the senior game at Páirc Esler on April 23. It will be just like old times for Coulter who won an All-Ireland MFC medal with the Mourne County in 1999 when minor and senior championship double-headers were the norm.

"I don’t think that should have happened because playing the minor match before the senior game gives you a quare buzz as a player,” the Down minor boss told RTÉ ahead of his participation in a charity sky dive.

"It has probably taken away from the competition, but we’re lucky that the two counties, Down and Donegal, have come together and have agreed to change that so we’ll get one of our group games in front of a big crowd coming in for a senior match."

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