The Down footballers will sleep in their own beds the night before Sunday week's All-Ireland final against Cork.

Down chairman Seamus Walsh told The Irish News that James McCartan's squad will not be booking into a hotel close to Croke Park before the big game. It means that Down will be continuing their tradition, which dates back to 1959, of travelling to Dublin on the day of the game.

"James always wants to keep the same pattern. He prefers the boys to stay in their own beds the night before the game, so we will be travelling down on the morning of the game," Walsh said.

"There will be a Gardai escort from the border right down to Dublin. We haven't had an escort the whole way previously, but because there will be a big contingent of supporters, we want to make sure that we get a run straight through."

Other Ulster counties, such as Armagh and Tyrone, have opted to stay in Dublin on the eve of recent All-Ireland final appearances. Tweet

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