Down county football team

Down was not regarded as a football stronghold when Queen's University won the 1958 Sigerson Cup, and some of its leading players turned their thoughts to Down's county team dilemma. They took the 1959 Ulster title with six inter-changeable forwards who introduced off-the-ball running and oddities such as track-suits. In 1960 two goals in a three-minute period from James McCartan, Senior and Paddy Doherty helped beat Kerry, who were almost completely unbeaten at the time, and which brought to an end the Kerry football regime for a few years, and they beat Offaly by a point in 1961 in a tremendous match that featured five first half goals. In that three-year period their loyal supporters smashed every attendance record in the book. When Down played Offaly in 1961 they set a record attendance of 90,556 for a GAA game. Against Dublin in the 1964 National League final a record 70,125 showed up. The 71,573 who watched them play Kerry in 1961 still stands as a record for an All-Ireland semi-final. In 1968, Down beat Kerry with Sean O'Neill and John Murphy goals, again in a two-minute spell. Despite a famous prediction that Down would go on to win three-in-a-row, the county took twenty years to regain its status.

In 1991, they surprised favourites Meath, Barry Breen giving them the goal that sent them into a lead of eleven points with 20 minutes to go, too far even for Meath. In 1994, Mickey Linden sent James McCartan, Junior in for a goal directly under Hill 16 which silenced Dublin and helped them claim their fifth title. Down teams through the years have played with great emphasis on attack often leading to the neglect of the defence. This system has cost Down teams in the past 10 years or so with the introduction of more negative tactics to quell forward lines with a massive emphasis on blanket defence.

In 2008, Down defeated Tyrone after a replay in the Ulster Senior Football Championship but fell to Armagh in the Ulster SFC Semi Final. Down went on to play Offaly in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers. After a convincing 5–19 to 2–10 victory over Offaly, Down faced Laois in round 2 of the qualifiers. Beating Laois by a single point, and with Dan Gordon being sent off, Down were through to the last round of the qualifiers where they played Wexford at Croke Park. Down had Dan Gordon's suspension removed, but awful conditions and poor Down performance resulted in a defeat to Wexford by a 2–13 to 0–12 scoreline.

In 2010, Down reached the All-Ireland Final after a narrow win over Kildare in the Semi-Finals. They lost to Cork at GAA Headquarters, the first time Down has tasted defeat in the All-Ireland Final. Cork were three points down at half-time but they upped the ante in the second half and ran out 0–16 to 0–15 winners in the end. Down captain Benny Coulter's effort on 70 minutes and a fisted Daniel Hughes effort a minute into added time left the bare minimum in it and that was the way it stayed as Cork collected their seventh All-Ireland SFC crown in front of 81,604 spectators.

In 2019, Down won the U20 Leo Murphy Cup Football Development League defeating Cavan in the final 1–14 to 0–11.

Particularly notable Down footballers, including prominent senior county team members, All Stars, and those who played for the county and have achieved fame in other walks of life:

• Sean O'Neill, All Star (1971 & 72) and Down's only representative on the Gaelic Football Team of the Millennium
• Colm McAlarney, All Star (1975 & 78) player for Down
• Kevin Mussen, from the Clonduff Club, the first Down man to lift the Sam Maguire Cup in 1960
• Paddy Doherty, All-Ireland winning captain 1961
• Joe Lennon, All-Ireland winning captain 1968
• Patsy O'Hagan, All-Ireland Winner (1960 & 1961) and selector for 1968 All-Ireland winning team
• Patrick Kielty, Comedian, All-Ireland Winning team 1987 (Down Minors)
• Paddy O'Rourke, All-Ireland winning captain 1991 and former Down Senior Football manager
• James McCartan, Junior, All-Ireland winner in 1991 and 1994, All Star (1990 & 1994) and managed Queen's University to Sigerson Cup glory in 2007. Present manager of Down Minor team.
• Greg Blaney, All-Ireland winner in 1991 and 1994, three-time All Star winner
• Ross Carr, Two times All Ireland Winner (1991 & 94), All Star (1991) player for Down and former Down Senior Football manager
• DJ Kane, All-Ireland winning captain 1994 and former assistant county manager with Down
• Ambrose Rogers, from the Longstone Club, was Captain in 2010 but was injured before the All Ireland Final
• Mickey Linden, winner of 2 All-Ireland medals (1991 & 94) and All Star (1994). Is regarded as one of Down's best Gaelic Footballers of all time
• Gregory McCartan, All Ireland winner 1994, All Star 1994, one of the best midfielders in the country
• Benny Coulter, star half forward and Ireland international, All-Star (2010)
• Dan Gordon, Star midfielder from the Loughinisland Club, captained Down Senior team in 2007/08. In 2010 Dan played in defence.
• Brendan McVeigh, An Ríocht, All Ireland winner & All Star in 2010. Down GAA First division winner 2007. Only Down keeper to ever win an all star.
• Martin Clarke, An Ríocht club, won an All-Ireland Minor medal in 2005 and is a former player for AFL club Collingwood Magpies; All-Star (2010)
• Kevin McKernan, All-Ireland Minor Championship 2005, Ulster Under-21 winner 2008, current Down player
• Daniel Hughes, Saval, All star (2010)

Down have 23 All Stars.

• 1971: Seán O'Neill
• 1972: Seán O'Neill (2nd All Star)
• 1975: Colm McAlarney
• 1978: Colm McAlarney (2nd)
• 1981: Paddy Kennedy
• 1983: Liam Austin, Greg Blaney
• 1990: James McCartan, Junior
• 1991: Conor Deegan, Barry Breen, Ross Carr, Greg Blaney (2nd)
• 1994: Micheal Magill, Paul Higgins, DJ Kane, Gregory McCartan, Greg Blaney (3rd), James McCartan, Junior (2nd), Mickey Linden
• 2010: Brendan McVeigh, Daniel Hughes, Martin Clarke, Benny Coulter