Clonduff manager Gearoid Adams says his team can get better after reaching the midway point of the Down league campaign.

The club have played nine matches, winning six, drawing one and losing two. Adams believes every game was winnable, with the two defeats coming by margins of one and two points.

Last Wednesday, Clonduff secured a two-point victory over RGU Downpatrick. Adams admitted he was frustrated despite the win, saying his side were not ruthless enough and missed several clear goal chances.

Downpatrick’s Jarly Brannigan missed a two-pointer with the final kick that would have won the match.

Clonduff are missing four county players – Tom Close, Ross Carr, Eamon Brown and Barry O’Hagan – along with other squad members sidelined by injury. O’Hagan has a hamstring problem while Carr, Ben McConville and Peter McAvoy are also out.

Adams said the absences have highlighted squad depth, with younger players such as Conor Ward and Aillil Morris bringing mobility and keenness to fight for championship places.

The club’s target was to be among the top two or three teams by the halfway stage, a goal Adams says has been achieved. He pointed to last year’s experience, when Clonduff won their first five league games but then lost four in a row, and said the current group is determined to avoid a repeat.

Performance data is being used to monitor displays. After the Downpatrick game, Adams said attacking efficiency stood at 65 per cent and shooting efficiency at 33 per cent, numbers he described as insufficient to win most games.