Down manager James McCartan expects to have Benny Coulter and Damien Rafferty available for the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Kerry on Saturday.
Coulter and Rafferty both picked up minor injuries during the qualifier win over Sligo at the weekend and both have told McCartan that they will be fit for the last eight match.
However, he admits that they are likely to say anything in order to face the All-Ireland champions at headquarters.
“Benny got a kick in the calf. It's fingers crossed. But knowing Benny he will tell me he is fit," McCartan told the Irish News.
"Getting the truth out of people before games like this can be difficult.
"Dee got a knock in the elbow. I asked him about it last night. He said it was no problem. But I would refer you to the previous statement."
Kerry are favourites to progress to the semi-finals and McCartan accepts that his side are not expected to cause an upset.
"From the outside, people aren't expecting anything, but the players themselves are, and that's where we are," he said.
""We're not going up to be cannon-fodder. We intend to win the game and that's the mindset we have going in. If not, we have no chance.
"During the last 15 years we have been one of the minnows. The history and the stats will confirm that.
"It's David and Goliath. That seems strange because Down would have seen themselves as Goliaths too, but times have changed."