The new Down senior county team-management recently announced three An Riocht men in their 36-man squad for the forthcoming National Football League campaign. O'Rourke has named John Clarke, John Lavery and Brendan McVeigh in his new look squad.

The new squad is a mixture of youth and experience with double county champions, Mayobridge supplying six players; Bryansford, Burren and Liatroim four each, while there is three each from An Riocht, Castlewellan and Loughinisland involved.

Experienced players such as James and Gregory McCartan, Mickey McVeigh and Brian Burns will be expected to give the leadership both on and off the field to their younger colleagues.

The squad in full is as follows:
Brendan McVeigh, John Clarke and John Lavery from An Riocht;
John Fegan, Annaclone;
Ronan Murtagh, Ballyholland;
Peter Travers, Brian Burns, Colm Kearney, Shane King, Bryansford;
Daniel and James McCartan, Ciaran Byrne and Shane Ward, Burren;
Adrian Scullion and Chris O'Neill, Carryduff;
Mickey McVeigh, Gregory McCartan, Bernard McAleenan, Castlewellan;
Shane Ward, Clonduff;
Declan Sheerin, Drumgath;
Anthony Devlin, Kilcoo;
Patrick Pearse McCartan, Liam Doyle, Aiden O'Prey, Colm McCrickard, Liatroim;
Michael Higgins, Longstone;
Dan Gordon, Alan Molloy, Brendan Ward, Loughinisland;
Brendan Coulter, Brendan Grant, Glen McMahon, Ronan Sexton, Declan Rooney, Michael Walsh, Mayobridge
Martin Cole from Rostrevor.