Carr excited by Galway visit to Páirc Esler


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 […]


Laverty pleased with Mourne men’s progress


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 […]


Danny Magill – From cross-country to blazing a trail with Down


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 […]


Mooney “absolutely delighted” with round two win


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 […]


Crimmins the hero as Down survive Louth scare


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 […]


Laverty makes one change for Louth visit


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 […]


McKernan looking forward to Louth visit


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 […]


Down name their pack for Ennis visit


By Michael McMullan CONOR Laverty has named an unchanged side for Down’s opening game in the All-Ireland SFC this weekend, away to Clare in Ennis. The Mourne men made a dramatic comeback to see off Fermanagh before bowing out against Donegal in the Ulster semi-final. Down won the Tailteann Cup at the second attempt last […]


KEVIN CASSIDY: Then there were two


AFTER seven games, we now know the who will contest this year’s Ulster Final on Saturday week’s and what a pairing we have. It’s hard to argue with these two teams being in the decider and we will look into them in more depth next week to see who might prevail. Returning to last week’s […]