2021 Down county football team season

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.

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

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
Main article: 2021 National Football League (Ireland)

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
Main article: 2021 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
Main article: 2021 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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