Former Down footballer John Clarke believes all the pressure is on Mayo going into Saturday’s All-Ireland SF qualifier.

James Horan and the league champions will travel to Pairc Esler with the aim of getting their championship campaign back on track but Clarke is optimistic about the Mourne County’s chances of pulling off an upset.

“Down is a passionate football county and this draw has really caught the imagination,” he remarked to the Irish News.

“All the pressure is on Mayo. They’re coming off the back of that defeat to Roscommon, they’re coming under pressure from their own supporters, the media’s putting a wee bit of pressure on them to deliver.

“The pressure was on Down to beat Tipperary but they’ve got that win and they’re going into this game with nothing to lose really.

“It’s a Saturday night in Newry, there’s going to be a full house, the place will be buzzing; it could be a shock to the system for Mayo and Down have to use that to their advantage.”

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