Down county football team
2021 season
ManagerPaddy Tally
StadiumPáirc Esler, Newry
NFL D2Relegation play-off winner
All-Ireland SFCDid not qualify
Ulster SFCPreliminary round
Dr McKenna CupCancelled

The following is a summary of Down county football team's 2021 season, which was its 118th year. The season was suspended until May 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.

Kits

Home

Competitions

Dr McKenna Cup

There was no McKenna Cup in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.[1]

National Football League Division 2 North

Down were promoted to Division 2 following their 2020 campaign, however in December 2020, it was announced that each division would be divided into North and South sections in order to reduce fixtures and minimise cross-border matches.[2] Teams will play three league games, plus possibly two knockout matches, allowing the tournament to be finished in just five rounds of games.[3][4][5] In February 2021, it was announced that the league would be delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games, but that cancelling it would be a last resort.[6][7][8]

The National League began on 15 May 2021. Following two defeats Down entered into the relegation play-offs, beating Laois 2-19 - 2-12 to retain their Division 2 status for the 2022 campaign.[9]

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Mayo (P) 3 3 0 0 74 50 +24 6 Advance to Division 2 semi-finals; both finalists are promoted to Division 1
2 Meath 3 2 0 1 55 55 0 4
3 Down 3 1 0 2 41 60 −19 2 Advance to a relegation playoff; losers are relegated to Division 3
4 Westmeath (R) 3 0 0 3 45 50 −5 0
Updated to match(es) played on 30 May 2021. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Fixtures

Round 1
Mayo 2-21 - 1-11Down
Cillian O'Connor (0-8), Tommy Conroy (1-3), Ryan O'Donoghue (1-1), Matthew Ruane (0-2), Jordan Flynn (0-1), Fionn McDonagh (0-1), Michael Plunkett (0-1), Diarmuid O'Connor (0-1), Bryan Walsh (0-1), Eoghan McLaughlin (0-1) Report Barry O'Hagan 0-5 (0-4), Stephen McConville 1-0, Corey Quinn 0-2 (0-1), James Guinness (0-1), Daniel Guinness (0-1), Paul Devlin (0-1), Liam Kerr (0-1)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
Round 2
Meath 2-15 - 0-14Down
Cillian O'Sullivan (2-1), Jordan Morris (0-7), Thomas O'Reilly (0-1), Andrew Colgan (0-1) Cathal Hickey (0-1), Ethan Devine (0-1), Bryan McMahon (0-1), Matthew Costello (0-1), Eamon Wallace (0-1) Report Paul Devlin (0-5), Cory Quinn (0-4), Ryan McEvoy (0-2), Conor McCrickard (0-2), Barry O’Hagan (0-1)
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)
Round 3
Westmeath 1-09 - 0-13Down
John Heslin 0-6, Fola Ayorinde 1-0, Ronan O'Toole 0-1, Brandon Kelly 0-1, Ger Egan 0-1 Report Corey Quinn 0-7, Paul Devlin 0-2, Pierce Laverty (0-1), Ryan McEvoy (0-1), Liam Kerry (0-1), Caolan Molloy (0-1)
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)
Relegation play-off
Down 2-19 - 2-12Laois
Barry O'Hagan (1-9), Caolan Mooney (1-2), Cory Quinn (0-2), Liam Kerr (0-1), Darren O'Hagan (0-1), Pierce Laverty (0-1), Gerard Collins (0-1), Stephen McConville (0-1), Conor McCrickard (0-1) Report Donie Kingston (1-3), Evan O'Carroll (1-0), Niall Corbet (0-3), Kieran Lillis (0-2), Colm Begley (0-1), Eoin Lowry (0-1), Colm Murphy (0-1), Gary Walsh (0-1)
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

The draw for the 2021 Ulster Championship was made on 22 April 2021.[10] [11]

Fixtures

Preliminary Round
Down1-12 - 2-25Donegal
Caolan Mooney (1-0), Barry O'Hagan (0-8), Liam Kerr (0-2), James Guinness (0-1), Darren O'Hagan (0-1) Report Patrick McBrearty (1-6), Jamie Brennan (1-1), Ryan McHugh (0-4), Michael Langan (0-4), Peadar Mogan (0-3), Michael Murphy (0-2), Ciaran Thompson (0-1), Niall O'Donnell (0-1), Eoin McHugh (0-1), Conor O'Donnell (0-1), Ethan O'Donnell (0-1)
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)

Bracket

Preliminary round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
Armagh 4-15
Antrim 0-14
Armagh 2-21
Monaghan 4-17
Monaghan 1-21
Fermanagh 0-14
Monaghan 0-15
Tyrone 0-16
Tyrone 1-18
Cavan 0-13
Tyrone 0-23
Donegal 1-14
Derry 0-15
Down 1-12 Donegal 0-16
Donegal 2-25

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Down could only enter the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship if they won the Ulster Championship. Following a defeat to Donegal, Down did not enter the 2021 All-Ireland Championship.

References

  1. ↑ "GAA fixture calendar for 2021 revealed". Impartial Reporter. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "Inter-county leagues and championships revamped for 2021 season". BBC Sport. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  3. ↑ Fogarty, John (19 December 2020). "New League structure as GAA master calendar for 2021 revealed". Irish Examiner.
  4. ↑ "Longford pitted with provincial champions in 2021 National Football League". www.longfordleader.ie.
  5. ↑ "2021 League and Championships – Overview". www.gaa.ie.
  6. ↑ "No Activity For Clare GAA Sides Until Easter At The Earliest". 11 February 2021.
  7. ↑ Fogarty, John (27 January 2021). "What will the delayed GAA season look like? Here are four possible scenarios". Irish Examiner.
  8. ↑ Fogarty, John (26 January 2021). "GAA officials redrawing League and Championship calendars". Irish Examiner.
  9. ↑ "Division Two: Down defeat Laois in relegation play-off". BBC Sport. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "2021 GAA Football and Hurling Championship Draws: Munster, Connacht, Leinster and Ulster pairings decided". Sky Sports. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Ulster SFC: Reigning champions Cavan draw Tyrone in quarter-finals". BBC. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
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