THERE are three things certain here in this life – death, taxes and pundits getting predictions wrong. Over the last few weeks, it has been next to impossible to predict some of the championship games so great credit must go to the Football Review Committee because this is exactly what we have been looking for. […]
By Shaun Casey DOWN’S round three defeat to Monaghan means the Mourne men could possibly be playing three weeks on the bounce, if they reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the first time since 2012, but boss Conor Laverty doesn’t mind. His side put in a solid shift and were leading heading into the final quarter […]
By Shaun Casey CHAMPIONSHIP clashes between Down and Galway are few and far between. In fact, Sunday’s encounter will be the first since the All-Ireland semi-final in 1971, when Galway won by seven points. Aidan Carr never faced the Tribesmen in the championship during his years in the red and black shirt, but he did […]
WHILE Conor Laverty and his Down team believed they would see out the group stages with three wins from three, they can taking plenty of learnings from their hectic tie with Ulster rivals Monaghan, which ended in a narrow defeat. Midway through the second period, the Mourne men were four-points ahead and looked like the […]
By Shaun Casey AS a teenager at St Colman’s College, Newry, Danny Magill would compete in cross country events. Anyone that has witnessed the Burren clubman in full flight, with a Gaelic football under his arm, won’t be overly surprised by that fact. An All-Ireland Senior Cross Country winner for the school in 2019, that blistering […]
By Shaun Casey THE experience of coming up against the top teams in the country will only make this Down team better, says roaming wing back Miceal Rooney ahead of their crunch showdown with Monaghan this weekend. The Mourne men spent the last three seasons battling it out in the Tailteann Cup and they finally […]
By Shaun Casey FOR long periods of Down’s clash with Louth last Saturday afternoon, it looked like the home side would cruise to a comfortable win but victories in the All-Ireland series are rarely as straightforward as that. Conor Laverty’s side breezed past Clare in the opening round but needed all their guts, hunger and […]
By Shaun Casey Down 0-25 Louth 0-24 WHEN substitute Caolan Mooney fisted over a 53-minute point it felt like Down were home and hosed, but the game was far from over. Louth outscored their hosts 11-3 in the final quarter to set up a grandstand finish. A series of two-pointers brought the Wee County right […]
By Shaun Casey DOWN manager Conor Laverty has made one change to his starting team as they welcome Louth to Newry on Saturday. Down defeated Clare in the opening round of the All-Ireland series by 17-points. Eugene Branagan didn’t start that game in Ennis two weeks ago but has been named at wing half forward […]
By Shaun Casey A huge home crowd in Newry with the Leinster champions coming to town, excitement is certainly at fever pitch ahead of Down’s round two clash with Louth and Kevin McKernan can understand why. The former Down defender, now coaching Dundalk Gaels in the Wee County, has a firm grasp of the feel-good […]
