Brown’s breakthrough

Eamon Brown has been a revelation in Down’s run to the Tailteann Cup final. Shaun Casey finds out more…

Three months ago, Eamon Brown was an unused sub when Down sprung a massive upset and smashed home three goals against Jim McGuinness’ Donegal at O’Donnell Park, putting an end to their target of winning three Ulster Championships in a row.

Now, as Conor Laverty’s charges approach Croke Park for a third Tailteann Cup final appearance in four years, the Clonduff clubman is central to all their plans.

Of Down’s 15 games played across league and championship this season, Brown has only started four. Three of those starts have been their last three outings where he’s led the line at the top of the pitch.

Brown, who earned his championship debut against Armagh in 2023, nabbed a starting jersey in round seven of the National League against Laois in a game that mattered little since the Mourne men had already qualified for the Division Three final and gained promotion.

The next time the 24-year-old started was against Longford in Round Three of the Tailteann Cup. Down had just lost to Offaly and their season was on the line as they travelled to Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

He top-scored on the day with 1-2. He top scored again versus Laois with 0-9 as Down booked their place in the final four. He then kicked 1-2 at Croke Park as they defeated Fermanagh. 2-13 in three games certainly isn’t a bad return.

He was a member of the Ulster University team that captured the Sigerson Cup two years ago, ending their 16-year wait for the title, and Barry Dillon, the manager of that side, hasn’t been one bit surprised by Brown’s rise.

“Eamon comes from a great footballing family. They are lovely people and very supportive of their boys as well,” the Derry native said.

“Eamon has everything you need to be a top intercounty footballer. He’s got the size, the height, the physical power to win his own ball and he gives that Down team a different dimension up front.

“They’re a strong ball-carrying team but Eamon lets them have a kicking game too because he’s that big and powerful. He can win his own ball up there as well, so they don’t have to be as reliant on the running game which affords them a few more options.

“For such a big man, he’s got the athleticism, he’s got the speed and agility to beat his man one-on-one. That’s so prevalent in the modern game since the new rules came in, and he’s got the skillset and accuracy to finish moves off.

Dillon continued: “He can take his points, and he can kick off his left and right foot. He’s an accomplished two-point kicker further out as well and as all Down supporters now know since he’s really come onto the scene, he’s got an eye for goal too.

“He’s going to be a handful for anybody in that Wicklow defence this weekend because he’s got a good head on his shoulders now and he’s starting to really show what he can do.”

Down are one win away from guaranteeing themselves a place in the All-Ireland series next season, where not only they, but many people throughout the country, feel they ought to be.

It’s taken Brown a wee bit longer than some of his peers to finally make the breakthrough at senior level. He was part of the U20 side that won the Ulster Championship back in 2021, beating Monaghan in the final after extra time.

The likes of Odhrán Murdock, Danny Magill (before his ACL injury) and Ryan Magill have all been consistent starters over the past few seasons under Laverty’s watch. Patrick McCarthy and Tom Close are others from that superb lineup.

“I’m delighted to see him finally fulfil his promise and undoubted potential. He’s been knocking about the Down panel since around 2023 and he was in and out of the team while he was with us at Ulster University at the same time.

“I would say the only thing that was holding Eamon back at times was that he maybe didn’t take the next step to fully immerse himself into the life of a top intercounty footballer. That was maybe one of the reasons why he didn’t break in as quickly as I thought he would.

“But that’s completely normal for young boys.

“It’s part of growing up and now as time moves on, he’s coming into his mid-20s and you can see that maturity in his game.

“Not only is he now nailing down a starting berth with Down, but he’s becoming one of their top performers as well. With that maturity and mentality, he’s now living out that potential.”

Eamon’s younger brother Charlie suffered an accident that saw him placed in an induced coma back in 2024, and he was a member of that Sigerson Cup-winning panel as well.

The Brown parents follow their boys everywhere they go and Dillon chuckled at the memory of Charlie coming back into the Ulster University squad and making his return in a friendly match against Tyrone.

“Charlie came back after being in a coma and we were playing Tyrone in a challenge game”, Dillon recalled. “There was a minute or 30 seconds to go and he wanted to go on but I wouldn’t put him on, he was in a coma just six months earlier.

“His mum and dad were there and said to put him on, so we actually played with 16 players because we didn’t want him to mark anybody and they were all buzzing after that.”

While Eamon’s on-field attributes have seen the Brown name catch the headlines over the past few weeks, Dillon would highly recommend him for a good night out as well.

“It’s fantastic to see himself establish himself as one of the first names on the Down team sheet. If I was picking a team, he’d be one I’d be looking at for a good night out!” Dillon, who is coaching in Down at the minute with Mayobridge, laughed.

“He’s some craic and he enjoys himself. The whole family is good craic. In Ulster University, we would have been on training camps together. We were in Portugal and we would have been up and down the country on buses for different games.

“On nights out, Eamon’s the party leader. Put it this way, if Down win the Tailteann Cup on Saturday, Eamon is sure to have had a good game. He’ll be one of the top performers on the pitch, but he’ll be one of the top performers off the pitch too.”