THE increased urgency generally noticed in League fixtures after Christmas will be particularly apparent in Down as the county - concentrates its mind on avoiding a spectacular descent from All Ireland victory to Division Three, all in the space of 18 months.

Manager Peter McGrath and selector John Murphy are now in their seventh year in charge of the county team, and Murphy admits the years take their toll.

"It is hard. There are lots of pressures outside of football - work and family - eating into your time and it can become a bit of a drag. But every new year, you approach it with a fresh attitude - even though you ask yourself when the team hasn't changed much in that time what you have to offer the same guys. The same voice can become monotonous."

Nonetheless, his mood is upbeat for the matches ahead against Cavan this weekend Louth and Dublin. "I think the extended rest (they were knocked out of the championship by Donegal in May) has freshened them up, whetted their appetite. The results may not have shown that but the side was depleted in a lot of matches."

The enduring familiarity of the Down players poses problems that go beyond the management's capacity to motivate the team. Without adequate cover in the panel, the players themselves must create their own focus without the prompt of potential replacements breathing down their necks.

This lack of depth arguably cost the team last year's championship match against Donegal, as Down took the field with a side staggeringly short of match fitness.

Six months before setting off on the triumphant 1994 campaign, Down had patched a fairly serious row in the camp. Last autumn, the panel were again without three of those same personalities: Greg Blancy, James McCartan and DJ Kane.

All have returned, but Murphy denies the absences were a continuation of the previous spats. "It may appear that way, but all were opting out for good reasons and were always going to come back in their own time. Greg's around 33 now, has a huge dental practice, was moving house and his wife was expecting. All these things militated against his involvement and he asked for the time off."

Of the other two, DJ Kane faced similar commitments with a new baby and a new teaching position, and James McCartan was flirting with soccer in the Irish League. The deadline for terminating this involvement was the new year. This was not a new phenomenon in the camp, as Brendan Mason, John Treanor and Peter Withnell had run foul of the management's ban on combining soccer and football.

"It may seem hardline," says Murphy, "but we have found it to be the best attitude for the team. James knew the full implications of his decision. In his case we knew he'd be back in the fold, given who he is and what he is. You always know with James where his heart lies."

Meanwhile, Kildare have mixed fortunes facing into their important trip to Derry this Sunday. Manager Dermot Earley must select without Martin Lynch, Denis O'Connell, Brendan Walsh and Paul McCormack. On the positive side, experienced defenders Davy Dalton and Sos Dowling are again available after a spot of hibernation.

Wing back Anthony Rainbow - who contracted hypothermia on a previous League visit to Derry - is back from on leave from overseas Army duty and is also available for tonight's selection.

Clare also pick tonight, and for the first time this League have a full panel to choose from for the weekend visit to Portlaoise. Donegal report a few injuries in advance of their top of the table match against Meath in Navan. JJ Doherty (broken finger), Barry McGowan (knee injury) and Gerard Kelly, who has a dislocated collarbone, will all be unavailable.

. Last weekend's Management Committee meeting at Croke Park has authorised talks on televised matches to be held with the provincial councils within in the next fortnight.