Down boss Conor Laverty believes Donegal’s Shaun Patton is the best goalkeeper in the country.

Laverty was speaking after his side’s Ulster senior football championship semi-final clash with the Tir Chonaill men on Sunday in Clones, where they exited the Anglo-Celt Cup race after a 1-19 to 0-16 defeat.

The Kilcoo clubman had high praise after the game for Patton who helped to set up the game’s only goal which was scored by Paddy McBrearty in the 20th minute.

“I believe that Shaun Patton is the best 'keeper in the country,” Laverty told BelfastLive.co.uk after the game.

“His kick-outs are a weapon and particularly with the rules now, you can’t drop off kickouts and give teams possession because if Donegal get the ball in hands and 80 per cent of the time they are getting a shot away.

“So, you have to be brave with the new rules but also, with that bravery, comes the danger of being caught out over the top. I wouldn’t be disappointed with how we coped with Patton’s kickouts. It is a case where you can’t go zonal against a keeper like Patton, he just picks you off anyway.

“There are so many different facets to deal with on Shaun Patton’s kickouts, it is crazy. We dialled into it in so much detail, the hours that this group spent together this week is crazy. Them lads gave up the whole Friday and spent it together preparing for this game.

“I know the result didn’t go our way, but I was very proud of them because coming into this game a lot of people’s whole concentration was on where Donegal and Armagh where going to play the Ulster Final - we would have loved to have wrecked that script.”

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