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 and 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.
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