This strange fixture has made a stealthy entry into the championship programme. Unnoticed even by Croke Park, who neglected to include it in the diary, New York have blazed a trail of anonymity with no press briefings or information as to their whereabouts. Three of them - native New Yorker Sean Nolan, Tipperary's Owen Cummins and Brian McCabe from Westmeath - are dual players who will return for the footballers' match against Galway in a week's time. Centre back is Lorrha's John Madden, who saw championship duty as a corner back with Tipperary in 1990 and who has an All-Ireland medal as a panellist from 1991. Down's championship stock is in decline but there will be some revival of optimism with the news that Oliver Collins will be missing from Derry's line-up in the semi-final - a massive blow for the Ulster finalists of the last two years. A challenge against Westmeath during the week is the sum total of New York's preparation. Compared to that Down's, league campaign was a crucible. Down to win.