By Shaun Casey THE first one is always special. No matter what success follows, nothing is ever as good as the first. 20 years ago, Bredagh experienced that first time feeling by bringing home the Junior Football Championship title. The club had competed at Senior Championship level before, but come the early noughties, they were […]
Coulter: Atticall’s attention is on the championship
August 6, 2026
By Shaun Casey SEEING out the remaining league fixtures and getting into championship mode is the main focus for Atticall right now, according to their manager Benny Coulter. His side can’t get promoted to Division Two nor can they slip down to the basement division, so floating around midtable in Division Three has given them […]
Clonduff building towards the championship says Adams
July 29, 2026
By Shaun Casey CLONDUFF’S three remaining league games should stand the team in good stead heading into the championship, according to manager Gearoid Adams. In the next two weeks they face Mayobridge and Carryduff, the teams above and below them in the league table, before finishing their campaign at home to Downpatrick, who are fighting […]
Brannigan reflects on Bryansford’s ‘mixed bag’ season
July 23, 2026
By Shaun Casey WITH four games remaining in the league, Bryansford are firmly in the promotion shake-up and hoping to finish the season on a high after what coach Ciaran Brannigan describes as a “mixed” campaign. Brannigan, a former Bryansford forward, linked up with manager Mark Copeland this year, having previously coached his home club […]
Mournemen are in the last chance saloon
June 5, 2026
By Niall Gartland DOWN’S season hinges on Saturday’s Tailteann Cup round three clash away to Longford. Conor Laverty’s side would rather be nowhere near the Tailteann Cup competition in the first place, and perhaps that goes some way to explain their shock defeat to Offaly on their last day out. Offaly’s vastly superior conversion rate […]
Carr: Down’s challenge is ‘above the shoulders’
May 14, 2026
By Niall Gartland IF Down legend Ross Carr has one message to impart before Saturday’s Tailteann Cup opener against Leitrim, it’s this – football sure is a fickle business. The Mourne Men were the talk of the country after a stunning victory against Donegal in the first round of the Ulster Championship. And then the […]
MATCH PREVIEW: Crunch time at Clones for Armagh and Down
May 2, 2026
By Shaun Casey STANDING side by side at a recent underage game in Ballymacnab, Kieran McGeeney and Conor Laverty were able to shoot the breeze. They weren’t inter-county managers on that sunny Sunday morning, just two fathers watching their children play as Kilcoo made the journey to the mid-Armagh club. Two weeks on from that […]
Ulster League an early positive step for Burren says captain Treanor
April 1, 2026
By Michael McMullan BURREN retained the Ulster League title and captain Ryan Treanor said it was important step into the new season. The league will kick into gear this month with the bigger picture to follow of hitting the championship phase ready to rock. Treanor kicked half a dozen points, including the winner, in a […]
Down looking to take promotion step against Westmeath
February 13, 2026
By Shaun Casey PROMOTION won’t be gained anywhere this weekend, but it could be lost at Páirc Esler. Down and Westmeath are the favourites to make a swift return to Division Two and the winners of Saturday’s encounter will take a massive step towards that target. The two counties have trodden similar journey’s over the […]
“We want be playing in Sam Maguire football”: Donnelly
January 30, 2026
By Shaun Casey DOWN made the perfect start to their Division Three promotion push last weekend with a home win over Clare and will look to go two from two against Limerick on Saturday, which won’t be easy, says coach Mickey Donnelly. The Mourne men trailed by five points at half time of their league opener but […]