Kevin Downes (hurler)

Kevin Downes (born 14 October 1991) is an Irish hurler who plays for Limerick Senior Championship club Na Piarsaigh and at inter-county level with the Limerick senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a full-forward.

Kevin Downes
Personal information
Irish name Caoimhín Ó Dubháin
Sport Hurling
Position Full-forward
Born (1991-10-14) 14 October 1991
Coonagh, County Limerick, Ireland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Occupation Account manager
Club(s)
Years Club
2009-present
 Na Piarsaigh
Club titles
Limerick titles 5
Munster titles 4
All-Ireland Titles 1
Colleges(s)
Years College
2010-2014
 NUI Galway
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 0
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2011-present
 Limerick 21 (3-22)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 1
All-Irelands 1
NHL 0
All Stars 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 23:17, 24 August 2018.

Playing career

Ardscoil Rís

Downes first came to prominence as a hurler with Ardscoil Rís in Limerick. Having played in every grade as a hurler, he was full-forward on the college's senior hurling team. On 11 March 2010, Downes scored 1-02 from play when Ardscoil Rís defeated Thurles CBS in the final of the Harty Cup.[1] On 3 April, he was switched to left wing-forward for the All-Ireland final against St. Kieran's College. Downes was held scoreless in the 2-11 to 2-08 defeat.[2]

NUI Galway

During his studies at NUI Galway, Downes was selected for the college's senior hurling team.[3] He was a regular member of the starting fifteen during the Fitzgibbon Cup and also served as chairman of the club.

Na Piarsaigh

Downes joined the Na Piarsaigh club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels, enjoying championship success in the under-21 grades as a dual player before eventually joining the club's top adult teams.

On 2 October 2011, Downes scored 1-01 from full-forward in Na Piarsaigh's 2-18 to 0-13 defeat of Adare to win their very first Limerick Championship title.[4] On 4 December 2012, he won a Munster Championship medal following a 1-13 to 0-09 defeat of Crusheen in the final.[5]

After surrendering their titles the following year, Downes won a second Limerick Championship medal after lining out at centre-forward when Na Piarsaigh defeated Adare by 0-14 to 0-12 on 6 October 2013.[6] He was retained at centre-forward for the subsequent Munster Championship, which culminated on 24 November 2014 with him winning a second provincial medal after scoring a goal in the 4-14 to 0-08 defeat of Sixmilebridge in the final.[7]

Downes won a third Limerick Championship medal on 11 October 2015 after a 1-22 to 4-12 defeat of Patrickswell in the final. He top scored with 1-05 and ended the game as man of the match.[8] Downes missed Na Piarsaigh's subsequent Munster Championship final defeat of Ballygunner due to a concussion.[9] On 17 March 2016, he won an All-Ireland Championship medal after scoring 1-02 in Na Piarsaigh's 2-25 to 2-14 defeat of Ruairí Óg in the final.[10]

On 15 October 2017, Downes won a fourth Limerick Championship medal when Na Piarsaigh defeated Kilmallock by 1-22 to 2-14 in the final.[11] He won a third Munster Championship medal on 19 November when Na Piarsaigh defeated Ballygunner by 3-15 to 2-10 in the final.[12] On 17 March 2018, Downes was named at full-forward by played much of the match at left corner-forward when Na Piarsaigh suffered a 2-17 to 1-17 defeat by Cuala in the All-Ireland final.[13]

On 27 October 2018, Downes won a fifth Limerick Championship medal following Na Piarsaigh's 2-22 to 3-10 defeat of Doon in the final.[14]

Minor and under-21

Downes first played for Limerick when he was selected for the minor team in advance of the 2008 Munster Championship.[15] He made his first appearance on 30 April when he scored seven points in a 3-21 to 1-12 defeat by Tipperary. Limerick's championship ended with a defeat by Cork in a play-ff, however, Downes ended the season as Limerick's top scorer.

Downes was eligible for the minor grade again the following year. After a second consecutive defeat to Tipperary at the quarter-final stage, he played his last game for Limerick on 5 June 2009 in a 4-08 to 1-14 defeat by Waterford in a play-off.

After progressing onto the Limerick under-21 team, he made his first appearance on 14 July 2010 when he came on as a substitute and scored two points in Limerick's 1-15 to 1-12 defeat by Clare in the Munster Championship.

Downes broke onto the starting fifteen of the Limerick under-21 team during the 2011 Munster Championship and was appointed captain of the team. On 3 August, he scored a point from full-forward when Limerick defeated Cork by 4-20 to 1-27 after extra-time to win the Munster Championship.[16]

Downes played his last game for the Limerick under-21 team on 18 July 2012. He scored two points from full-forward in a 1-16 to 1-11 defeat by Tipperary in the Munster Championship semi-final.[17]

Senior

On 13 February 2011, Downes made his first appearance for the Limerick senior team. He scored a point in Limerick's 2-09 to 0-06 defeat of Clare in the National League.[18] On 30 April, he scored 1-02 from play when Limerick defeated Clare by 4-12 to 2-13 to win the Division 2 title.[19] Downes made his first championship appearance on 12 June. He top scored for Limerick 2-01 in the 3-15 to 3-14 defeat by Waterford.[20]

On 14 July 2013, Downes lined out in his first Munster Championship final. He started the game on the bench but was introduced as a 65th-minute substitute and scored two points in Limerick's 0-24 to 0-15 defeat of Cork and a first title in 17 years.[21]

On 2 August 2016, Downes tore his cruciate in a club football game.[22] The injury ruled him out of Limerick's 2017 league and championship campaigns.[23]

Downes rejoined the Limerick senior panel in 2018.[24] On 19 August 2018, he was an unused substitute when Limerick won their first All-Ireland title in 45 years after a 3-16 to 2-18 defeat of Galway in the final.[25]

On 2 February 2019, Downes made his first appearance for Limerick in over 30 months when he lined out at full-forward in Limerick's 1-21 to 1-14 defeat of Clare in the National League.[26]

Career statistics

Inter-county
As of match played 24 March 2019.
Team Year National League Munster All-Ireland Total
DivisionAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScore
Limerick 2011 Division 2 75-0712-0130-04117-12
2012 Division 1B 40-0210-0220-0270-06
2013 60-1120-0210-0190-14
2014 50-0720-0320-0090-10
2015 00-0020-0021-0341-03
2016 21-0210-0020-0451-06
2017 ————
2018 00-0000-0000-0000-00
2019 Division 1A 10-0000-0000-0010-00
Career total 256-2992-08121-14469-51

Honours
Na Piarsaigh
Limerick

References
  1. "Ard Scoil Rís end Harty Cup marathon with historic victory". Irish Examiner. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  2. "Brennan's strike foils Ardscoil bid". Irish Independent. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  3. O'Toole, Fintan (31 January 2013). "Here's your 2013 Fitzgibbon Cup Guide: Part 2". The 42. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  4. Keyes, Colm (3 October 2011). "Dowling fires Na Piarsaigh to promised land". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  5. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (5 December 2011). "Piarsaigh young guns come of age". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  6. Boyle, Donnchadh (7 October 2013). "Downes sets the tone for Na Piarsaigh to grind it out". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  7. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (25 November 2013). "Powerful Piarsaigh's blistering pace too much for tired Bridge". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  8. Boyle, Donnchadh (12 October 2015). "Downes restores Na Piarsaigh as Limerick leaders". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  9. Cahill, Jackie (23 November 2015). "Dowling goal puts seal on Na Piarsaigh glory trail". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  10. Moynihan, Michael (18 March 2015). "Immortality for Na Piarsaigh as Cushendall rue big-day flop". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  11. "Na Piarsaigh see off Kilmallock to secure Limerick hurling crown". Irish Independent. 15 October 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  12. Keys, Colm (19 November 2017). "Late Na Piarsaigh surge sweeps aside Ballygunner in scrappy Munster final". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  13. Keys, Colm (18 March 2018). "Cuala finish with four late points to finally see off Na Piarsaigh challenge and retain All-Ireland title". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  14. Small, Darragh (29 October 2018). "Boss Beary points to experience of troops as Na Piarsaigh impress again". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  15. "Minor side named". Hogan Stand. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  16. Rooney, Declan (4 August 2011). "Hannon on the mark to edge thriller". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  17. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (19 July 2012). "Maher ends Treaty defence". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  18. "Limerick step up to the plate for O'Grady". Irish Independent. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  19. O'Connor, Christy (2 May 2011). "Limerick on the rise". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  20. Kelly, Niall (12 June 2011). "GAA Mop-up: Mullane's late winner keeps Waterford alive". The 42. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  21. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (15 July 2011). "Day of joy sends tremor through Treaty". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  22. O'Toole, Fintan (20 November 2017). "From torn cruciate in club football game to Munster hurling champion in the space of 15 months". The 42. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  23. "Kevin Downes counting his blessings after cruciate woe". GAA website. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  24. O'Toole, Fintan (16 November 2017). "Downes back from cruciate, Reidy back from Kildare and U21 winners added to Limerick panel". The 42. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  25. McGoldrick, Seán (19 August 2018). "Limerick are All Ireland hurling champions for the first time in 45 years following epic victory over Galway". Irish Independent. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  26. Fallon, John (2 February 2019). "Impressive Limerick come from behind to see off Tipperary". The 42. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
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