2025 Down county football team season

Last updated

Down county football team
2025 season
Manager Conor Laverty
Stadium Páirc Esler, Newry
NFL D2 7th (relegated)
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Preliminary Quarter-final
Ulster SFC Semi-Final
←  2024
2026  →

The following is a summary of Down county football team's 2025 season.

Contents

Competitions

Down competed in the National Football League Division 2, the Ulster Championship the All Ireland Senior Football Championship during the 2025 season. On 7 September it was announced that the McKenna Cup would not take place in 2025. [1]

National Football League Division 2

Official fixtures for the 2025 National League were announced on 5 December 2024. [2] [3]

Fixtures

  Win  Draw  Loss  Postponed/Cancelled

DateRoundHomeScoreAwayGroundRef
Sunday 26 JanuaryGroup Roscommon 3-21 v 1-20 Down Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon [4]
Sunday 2 FebruaryGroup Down 1-19 v 2-15 Cork Páirc Esler, Newry [5]
Saturday 15 FebruaryGroup Down 1-18 v 0-24 Meath Páirc Esler, Newry [6]
Sunday 23 FebruaryGroup Louth 2-17 v 0-22 Down Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda [7]
Saturday 1 MarchGroup Cavan 1-20 v 1-18 Down Breffni Park, Cavan [8]
Saturday 15 MarchGroup Down 1-26 v 0-28 Westmeath Páirc Esler, Newry [9]
Sunday 23 MarchGroup Monaghan 2-17 v 0-24 Down St Tiernach's Park, Clones [10]

Table

PosTeam
PldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan 7502193161+3210Advance to NFL Division 2 Final and
promotion to 2026 NFL Division 1
2 Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon 7412161142+199
3 Colours of Meath.svg Meath 7403162157+58
4 Colours of Cavan.svg Cavan 7403153159−68
5 Colours of Cork.svg Cork 7403151158−78
6 Colours of Louth.svg Louth [a] 7304143157−146
7 Colours of Down.svg Down [a] 7304138149−116Relegation to 2026 NFL Division 3
8 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath 7016162181−191
Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Louth are ranked ahead of Down as they won the head-to-head game between the teams. [11]



Reports

Round 1
Roscommon Colours of Roscommon.svg 3-21 - 1-20Down Colours of Down.svg
Diarmuid Murtagh (0-07), Ciaráin Murtagh (1-02), Enda Smith (1-01), Cian McKeon (1-01), Daire Cregg (0-04), Shane Cunnane (0-02), Ben O’Carroll (0-01), Donie Smith (0-01), Eddie Nolan (0-01), Shane Killoran (0-01) Report Pat Havern (0-11), Ryan McEvoy (1-02), James Guinness (0-02), Danny Magill (0-02), Gareth McKibben (0-01), Paddy McCarthy (0-01), Odhran Murdock (0-01)
Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)
Round 2
Down Colours of Down.svg 1-19 - 2-15Cork Colours of Cork.svg
P Havern (0-08), D Magill (1-01), J Guinness (0-03), O Murdock (0-03), O Savage (0-02), C Doherty (0-01), R Burns (0-01) Report M Cronin (0-06), S McDonnell (1-02), C Og Jones (1-00), B O'Driscoll (0-02), R Maguire (0-02), E McSweeney (0-01), S Walsh (0-01), P Doyle (0-01)
Pairc Esler, Newry
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
Round 3
Down Colours of Down.svg 1-18 - 0-24Meath Colours of Meath.svg
P Havern (0-09), O Murdock (1-01), D Guinness (0-03), C Doherty (0-02), M Rooney (0-02), D Magill (0-01) Report J Morris (0-08), E Frayne (0-08), R Jones (0-02), B Menton (0-02), B Hogan (0-01), C Caulfield (0-01), S Walsh (0-01), J Flynn (0-01)
Pairc Esler, Newry
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)
Round 4
Louth Colours of Louth.svg 2-17 - 0-22Down Colours of Down.svg
Sam Mulroy (0-10), Ryan Burns (1-02), Kieran McArdle (1-00), Liam Jackson (0-01), Tommy Durnin (0-01), Andy McDonnell (0-01), Ciaran Keenan (0-01), Daire McConnon (0-01) Report Pat Havern (0-07), Daniel Guinness (0-04), Danny Magill (0-03), Ceilum Doherty (0-02), Oisín Savage (0-02), Conor McCrickard (0-02), Conor Francis (0-01), Odhran Murdock (0-01)
Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
Round 5
Cavan Colours of Cavan.svg 1-20 - 1-18Down Colours of Down.svg
O Brady (0-06), G McKiernan (0-05), P Faulkner (1-00), B Donnelly (0-02), O Kiernan (Castlerahan, 0-02), C Madden (0-02), Ciaran Brady (0-01), Cormac O’Reilly (0-01), G O’Rourke (0-01) Report P Havern (0-05), M Rooney (1-01), O Savage (0-03), D Guinness (0-02), D Magill (0-02), J Guinness (0-01), C Doherty (0-01), R McEvoy (0-01), O Murdock (0-01), R Burns (0-01)
Breffni Park, Cavan
Referee: James Molloy (Galway)
Round 6
Down Colours of Down.svg 1-26 - 0-28Westmeath Colours of Westmeath.svg
P Havern 0-14, J McGeough 1-01, S Millar 0-03, A Crimmins 0-02, M Rooney 0-02, O Murdock 0-02, R McEvoy 0-01, D Guinness 0-01 Report L Loughlin 0-09, R Forde 0-06, B Cooney 0-06, M Whittaker 0-02, R Wallace 0-02, D McCartan 0-02, S McCartan 0-01
Pairc Esler, Newry
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
Round 7
Monaghan Colours of Monaghan.svg 2-17 - 0-24Down Colours of Down.svg
Mícheál Bannigan (1-04), Dessie Ward (0-05), Rory Beggan (0-04), David Garland (1-0), Stephen Mooney (0-2), Stephen O’Hanlon (0-01), Conor McCarthy (0-01) Report Pat Havern (0-06), Ryan Magill (0-04), Odhrán Murdock (0-03), Danny Magill (0-02), Eugene Branagan (0-2), Ryan McEvoy (0-02), James Guinness (0-01), John McGeough (0-01), Shay Millar (0-01), Caolán Mooney (0-01), Patrick Brooks (0-01)
St Tiernach's Park, Clones
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

The draw for the 2025 Ulster Championship took place in October 2024. [12] [13]

Fixtures

Quarter Final
Fermanagh Colours of Fermanagh.svg 0-23 v 2-19 Colours of Down.svg Down
Garvan Jones (0-06), Conor Love (0-04), Sean McNally (0-03), Lee Cullen (0-02), Jonny Cassidy (0-02), Declan McCusker (0-01) Fionan O’Brien (0-01), Darragh McGurn (0-01), Ryan Lyons (0-01), Josh Largo Ellis (0-01), Ronan McCafffey (0-01) Report Daniel Guinness (1-03), Ryan McEvoy (1-02), Pat Havern (0-04), Odhran Murdock (0-03), Danny Magill (0-02), Eugene Branagan (0-02), Ceilum Doherty (0-01), Ronan Burns (0-01), Shay Millar (0-01)
Brewster Park, Enniskillen
Attendance: 4,157
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
Semi Final
Donegal Colours of Donegal.svg 1-19 v 0-16 Colours of Down.svg Down
Patrick McBrearty (1-04), Daire Ó Baoill (0-04), Michael Murphy (0-03), Conor O'Donnell (0-02), Michael Langan (0-02), Shaun Patton (0-01), Ciaran Moore (0-01), Oisin Gallen (0-01), Jamie Brennan (0-01) Report Pat Havern (0-08), Eugene Branagan (0-03), Danny Magill (0-02), Miceal Rooney (0-01), Daniel Guinness (0-01), Ryan McEvoy (0-01)
St Tiernach's Park, Clones
Attendance: 9,221
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

Bracket

Preliminary round
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 1-23
Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh 1-34
Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh 0-23
Colours of Tyrone.svg Tyrone 0-22
Colours of Tyrone.svg Tyrone 1-24
Colours of Cavan.svg Cavan 0-20
Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh 0-28
Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 2-23 (a.e.t.)
Colours of Fermanagh.svg Fermanagh 0-23
Colours of Down.svg Down 2-19
Colours of Down.svg Down 0-16
Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 1-25 Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 1-19
Colours of Derry.svg Derry 1-15 Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan 0-21
Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 0-23

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Having won the 2024 Tailteann Cup, Down re-entered the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the first time in six years. [14] The draw for the 2025 competition was made on 30 April with Down being drawn into Group 3 with Louth, Clare and Monaghan. [15]

Group 3

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan 33008768+196Advance to quarter-final
2 Colours of Down.svg Down 32019076+144Advance to home preliminary quarter-final
3 Colours of Louth.svg Louth 31026771−42Advance to preliminary quarter-final
4 Colours of Clare.svg Clare 30035887−290
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: GAA

Fixtures

Group Stage
Clare Colours of Clare.svg 1-16 - 3-27 Colours of Down.svg Down
Mark McInerney (0-06), Emmet McMahon (0-05), Aaron Griffin (1-01), Dermot Coughlan (0-02), Eoin Cleary (0-01), Jamie Stack (0-01) Report Pat Havern (0-09), Danny Magill (0-07), Daniel Guinness (1-01), John McGeough (1-01), Caolan Mooney (1-00), Adam Crimmins (0-03), James Guinness (0-02), Odhran Murdock (0-02), Ryan McEvoy (0-01), Miceal Rooney (0-01)
Cusack Park, Ennis
Attendance: 1,556
Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)
Group Stage
Down Colours of Down.svg 0-25 - 0-24 Louth Colours of Louth.svg
P Havern (0-06), D Magill (0-06), O Murdock (0-05), A Crimmins (0-02), C Doherty (0-01); R Magill (0-01), M Rooney (0-01), J McGeough (0-01), C Mooney (0-01), S Millar (0-01) Report S Mulroy (0-12), R Burns (0-03), C Lennon (0-03), T Durnin (0-02), C Downey (0-02), C McKeever (0-01), C Grimes (0-01)
Pairc Esler, Newry
Attendance: 10,240
Referee: David Gough (Meath) Sub: N Mooney (Cavan) (20)
Group Stage
Monaghan Colours of Monaghan.svg 2-27 - 1-26 Colours of Down.svg Down
R Beggan (0-06), J McCarron (1-03), M Bannigan (1-02), S O'Hanlon (0-03), R O'Toole (0-02), D Ward (0-02), C McCarthy (0-02), A Woods (0-02), M McCarville (0-02), A Carey (0-01), D Garland (0-01), L Kelly (0-01) Report P Havern (0-12), D Magill (0-04), J McGeough (1-00), O Murdock (0-02), A Crimmins (0-02), D Guinness (0-02), C McCrickard (0-02), E Brannigan (0-01), C Doherty (0-01)
Athletic Grounds, Armagh
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
Preliminary Quarter-final
Down Colours of Down.svg 3-21 - 2-26 Colours of Galway.svg Galway
O Murdock (1-02), D Guinness (0-04), J McGeough (1-01), R Magill (1-00), M Rooney (0-02), C Mooney (0-02), D Magill (0-02), R McEvoy (0-02), P Havern (0-02), C Doherty (0-01), E Brannigan (0-01), J Guinness (0-01), A Crimmins (0-01) Report S Walsh (1-07), R Finnerty (0-06), M Thompson (0-05), T Culhane (1-00), M Tierney (0-02), C McDaid (0-02), D O'Flaherty (0-02), P Cooke (0-01), C D'Arcy (0-01)
Pairc Esler, Newry
Attendance: 14,435
Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary)

Bracket

Preliminary Quarter-Finals Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Final
Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan 1-20
Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 2-22 Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 1-26
Colours of Louth.svg Louth 0-12 Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 3-26
Colours of Meath.svg Meath 0-15
Colours of Meath.svg Meath 2-16
Colours of Down.svg Down 3-21 Colours of Galway.svg Galway 2-15
Colours of Galway.svg Galway 2-26 Colours of Donegal.svg Donegal 0-19
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry Cup of Silver.svg 1-26
Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh 1-21
Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 3-20 Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 0-32
Colours of Cavan.svg Cavan 1-17 Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 1-20
Colours of Tyrone.svg Tyrone 0-17
Colours of Tyrone.svg Tyrone 0-23
Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin 1-19 Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin 0-16
Colours of Cork.svg Cork 1-16

References

  1. ↑ "Ulster GAA 'surprised' to see McKenna Cup suspended". bbc.co.uk. 12 September 2024.
  2. ↑ "Allianz Football and Hurling League fixtures 2025 revealed". Hogan Stand. 5 December 2024.
  3. ↑ "GAA fixtures 2025: Full fixture list as National League to kick off with three seismic Division One games". Irish Independent. 5 December 2024.
  4. ↑ "Rossies surge sees them past Down at the Hyde". RTÉ Sport . 26 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Down rouse themselves to beat Cork after the break". RTÉ Sport . 2 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "Down rally falls short as Meath prevail in Newry". RTÉ Sport . 15 February 2025.
  7. ↑ "Louth survive nail-biting finish to beat Down". RTÉ Sport . 23 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "Cavan prevail in close encounter with Down". RTÉ Sport . 1 March 2025.
  9. ↑ "Crimmins the Down hero as Westmeath relegated after Newry thriller". RTÉ Sport . 15 March 2025.
  10. ↑ "Monaghan earn promotion despite loss to relegated Down". RTÉ Sport . 23 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "Allianz FL D2: Louth edge out Down". www.gaa.ie. 23 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "2025 Provincial Football Championships draw". GAA . 12 October 2024.
  13. ↑ "Provincial SFC 2025 draws: Donegal to face rivals Derry in Ulster preliminary round". Irish Independent . 12 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Down survive late Laois rally to win Tailteann Cup". RTÉ Sport . 13 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "2025 All-Ireland SFC Group Stage draw". GAA.ie. 30 April 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.