The first-round qualifier draw of the 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship will take place on Monday morning.  It will be broadcast live on Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 just after 8.30am and also carried live on gaa.ie.

This first round draw which includes Down involves the 16 teams who have been beaten and failed to reach their Provincial semi-final. The fixture details (Dates/times/Venues) will be confirmed by the CCCC on Tuesday afternoon along with the fixtures scheduled for weekend of June 8th/9th. All matches in this round of the Football Championship will be “Winner on the Day”, if required.

The First team drawn in each tie will have home advantage* - exception: A Division 3 or 4 team from the current year's Allianz league drawn against a Division 1 or 2 team will have home advantage*.

*Home Venues shall be subject to approval by the Central Competitions Control Committee and shall meet the criteria set down by the National Facilities/Health and Safety Committee.

Counties:

Connacht
Leitrim
London

Leinster
Westmeath/Laois
Dublin/Louth
Meath/Carlow
Longford/Kildare
Wicklow
Wexford
Offaly

Munster
Waterford
Tipperary

Ulster
Tyrone/Antrim
Donegal/Fermanagh
Monaghan
Down
Derry

Remaining Championship Draw Dates
Round 2 Football | Monday, 10th June
Round 3 Football | Monday, 24th June
Round 4 Football | Monday, 1st July

The loss of Caolan Mooney to a red card proved costly for Paddy Tally’s Down side in today’s epic Ulster SFC encounter with Armagh.

https://hoganstand.com/Down/Article/Index/299383

Speaking to BBC Sport shortly after his team finished on the wrong end of the 3-13 to 2-17 scoreline after extra-time, the Mourne County boss questioned the decision by referee Anthony Nolan to dismiss his vice-captain following a high challenge on Aidan Nugent.

“It's disappointing because I think it was nothing worse than other tackles which went on in the game.

“It had a massive bearing because we were in a good place at that time.”

He added: “Caolan's our vice-captain and one of our most consistent players this year, and to lose him was a big blow to the team.

“There were similar tackles which went on and they were only yellows. I don't know, I would have to view it again.”

Armagh came out on top in a thrilling derby encounter at Newry, where they pipped Down by 2-17 to 3-13 after extra time.

https://hoganstand.com/Down/Article/Index/299378

The reward for Kieran McGeeney’s first championship victory as Orchard County boss – achieved at the fifth time of asking – is a provincial semi-final date with Cavan next month.

Freshly introduced, Andrew Murnin got on the end of a long delivery to provide what proved to be the winning goal in the 14th minute of extra time, first of all slotting an equalising point before his major made it 2-16 to 2-13.

The excellent Rian O’Neill supplied the insurance point and it was just as well he did as Paul Devlin struck the third Down goal in stoppage time at the end of extra time. But it proved too little too late for the spirited home team, who had displayed bags of character to almost snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Armagh led by five points with four minutes to go in normal time but, despite being a man down, the Mourne County forced extra time with a Donal O’Hare goal followed by points from Devlin and James Guinness.

Pat Havern’s 23rd-minute major assured the hosts of a narrow 1-5 to 0-7 interval advantage, although they were reduced to 14 men when Caolan Mooney was dismissed in stoppage time before the break.

O’Neill pointed for the visitors in the opening minute and quickly added a second only for the Mourne County to twice draw level, O’Hare (free) and Jerome Johnston on target. Conor Poland cancelled out Jamie Clarke’s effort and the sides were level for the fourth time when Connaire Harrison hit back following a James Morgan effort.

The Orchard County led for the fifth time courtesy of O’Neill’s third point but Down then hit the front for the first time in real style when Havern was on hand to flick Gerard Collins’ delivery to the Armagh net – 1-4 to 0-5.

O’Hare’s free made it a three-point match but Clarke and O’Neill posted the last two scores before the break, Mooney shown a straight red card in between.

Down's Conor Maginn and Conor Poland with Ethan Rafferty of Armagh

Aidan Nugent equalised when the action resumed but Havern edged the home team back ahead. When O’Neill tied the scores up again, this time it was O’Hare (free) who restored Down’s lead with 47 minutes played.

The losers lost goalkeeper Rory Burns to a black card 20 minutes from the end and were behind at the three-quarters juncture courtesy of quickfire Armagh points from O’Neill and wing back Ryan Kennedy. Finally working out how to make the extra man count, the visitors assumed a four-point cushion when Mark Shields netted, Stefan Campbell’s point cancelled out by Conor Francis, O’Neill’s 65th-minute free making the game look safe as the visitors now led by five 1-13 to 1-8.

There was a dramatic conclusion to the regulation 70, however, as O’Hare’s goal handed the hosts a lifeline with four minutes left and substitute Devlin swung over an injury-time free before fellow replacement Guinness tied the scores up once more in the third of five additional minutes. Clarke and Campbell missed late chances to win it for Armagh and the game went on into the late evening...

Down were restored to the full complement for extra time, with Ryan Mallon replacing Mooney and they hit three unanswered points during the first ten-minute period, Devlin (free), Guinness and Barry O’Hagan on target before Kennedy landed a long overdue Armagh point at the other end in injury time, bringing an end to the hosts’ remarkable unanswered 1-5 scoring streak.

Campbell kept the Armagh rally going with a point at the start of the second additional period and Murnin would soon step forward as the Orchard County match-winner in a brilliant 100-minute epic.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Patrick Burns, Brendan Donaghy, Paul Hughes; Ryan Kennedy (0-2), Aaron McKay, Aidan Forker; Charlie Vernon, Jarlath Og Burns; Jemar Hall, Ethan Rafferty, Aidan Nugent (0-01); Rory Grugan, Rian O’Neill (0-8, 4f), Jamie Clarke (0-2). Subs: James Morgan (0-1) for Burns (7mins), Mark Shields (1-0) for Vernon (31), Joe McIlroy for Hughes (45), Stefan Campbell (0-2) for Rafferty (46), Stephen Sheridan for Kennedy (65), Greg McCabe for Hall (68, BC) Vernon for Forker (FT), Kennedy for Nugent (FT), Ben Crealey for Sheridan (77), Andrew Murnin (1-1) for McCabe (HT/ET), Rafferty for Grugan (87).

Down: Rory Burns; Ruairi Wells, Kevin McKernan, Gerard Collins; Conor Francis, Darren O’Hagan, Ryan McAleenan, Caolan Mooney, Conor Poland (0-1); Connaire Harrison (0-1), Conor Maginn, Daniel Guinness; Jerome Johnstone (1-2, 1f), Pat Havern (1-0), Donal O’Hare (0-3, 2f). Subs: James Guinness (0-2) for Wells (26mins), Owen McCabe for Poland (45, blood), Barry O’Hagan (0-1) for Maginn (48), Mark Hynes for Burns (51, BC), Paul Devlin (1-2, 2f) for Johnstone (61), Corey Quinn for Havern (61), Owen McCabe for Poland (68), Poland for J Guinness (81), Havern for Mallon (86), Johnstone for O’Hare (89).

Ref: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)

Tyrone advanced to a semi-final showdown with Derry thanks to a five-point round 2 qualifier win over Down at Pairc Esler today.

The Red Hands finished strongly to prevail on a scoreline of 1-15 to 1-10.

The Mourne County shaded the first-half exchanges and led by 0-8 to 0-6 at the halfway stage.

John McGovern’s 41st minute goal boosted the home side into a 1-8 to 0-8 lead but the visitors conjured an impressive response.

Mark Devlin’s 50th minute goal handed them the momentum and they could afford the luxury of losing the services of Niall Devlin with six minutes of normal time remaining for a second yellow card offence.

Shea Daly’s participation was brought to a premature end by a black card while Down’s Sean Óg McCusker saw red in the 57th minute.

Danny Fullerton and Luke Donnelly sent over late scores for the winners.

Ulster SFC: Armagh edge thriller Sunday 19 May 2019 Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final ARMAGH 2-17 DOWN 3-13 After Extra-Time By Orla Bannon at Pairc Esler Armagh pulled off a great win in the Marshes, coming from thee points down in an extra-time thriller to beat Down in Newry for the first time in 63 years.

It was also Armagh's first victory in the Ulster SFC since 2014 and their lack of winning experience almost cost them down the stretch as they blew a five-point lead in the second half of normal time.

The game had so many major talking points. Just when it seemed like Armagh had done enough in the second period of extra time with a match-winning haul of 1-1 from substitute Andrew Murnin, there was one more twist when Paul Devlin's long ball into the square deflected off Jarlath Og Burns into the net with only seconds remaining. Down were unable to find the equaliser to the relief of Armagh and manager Kieran McGeeney, who tasted victory for the time in the Ulster SFC as a manager. Caolan Mooney's straight red card in first-half stoppage time left Down leading by 1-5 to 0-7 at the break but facing into the second half with only 14 players.

The sides were level four times in the early stages before Pat Havern's goal in the 23rd minute struck the first blow for Down. He flicked home a high ball into the square and with Armagh only converting one of six scoreable free-kicks in the first half, it was advantage Down at that stage.

They led by three, but it was quickly whittled back to one before Mooney's challenge on Burns led to his dismissal. Down handled the numerical disadvantage well – but goalkeeper Rory Burns' black card really cost them. He came way out the field with the ball, got turned over in possession and then tripped an Armagh player.

Mark Hynes came on in goals for his Ulster SFC debut and Down lost the next three kickouts, from which Armagh scored 1-2. Mark Shields collected a nice pass floated over the top from Rory Grugan to bury the ball low inside the near post. Armagh were leading 1-13 to 1-8 in the 67th minute and looking set the victory when Donal O'Hare scored a goal out of nothing. Paul Devlin and James Guinness landed the extra points to tie it up, and Armagh still wasted two chances deep in injury-time to snatch it, with Jamie Clarke and Stefan Campbell missing good chances. Down were back up to 15 players for extra time and when Devlin, Guinness and Barry O'Hagan put them three points up it looked a huge lead for tiring Armagh limbs to claw back. But a point from Ryan Kennedy just before the break followed a Campbell point immediately after the restart, breathed new life into the game again.

Murnin's point followed by a goal, flicked into the net from O'Neill's long delivery, turned the game on its head again, keeping the 15,116 inside Pairc Esler absolutely gripped. O'Neill kicked what turned out to be the crucial insurance point soon after, meaning Down's late goal wasn't enough to stay in the Ulster Championship.

Scorers for Armagh: Rian O'Neill 0-8 (4fs), Andrew Murnin 1-1, Mark Shields 1-0, Jamie Clarke, Ryan Kennedy, Stefan Campbell 0-2 each, Aidan Nugent, James Morgan 0-1 each

Scorers for Down: Donal O'Hare 1-2 (2fs), Paul Devlin 1-2 (2fs), Pat Havern 1-1, James Guinness 0-2, Jerome Johnston 0-2 (1f), Conor Poland, Conor Francis, Connaire Harrison, Barry O'Hagan 0-1 each

ARMAGH: Blaine Hughes; Patrick Burns, Aaron McKay, Paul Hughes; Ryan Kennedy, Brendan Donaghy, Aidan Forker; Charlie Vernon, Jarlath Og Burns; Aidan Nugent, Ethan Rafferty, Jemar Hall; Rory Grugan, Rian O'Neill, Jamie Clarke. Subs: James Morgan for Burns (7), Mark Shields for Vernon (31), Joe McElroy for Hughes (45), Stefan Campbell for Rafferty (46), Stephen Sheridan for Kennedy (64), Greg McCabe (70) Ben Crealey for Sheridan (77), R Kennedy for Nugent (77), Andrew Murnin for McCabe (80), E Rafferty for Grugan (87).

DOWN: Rory Burns; Darren O'Hagan, Ruairi Wells, Gerard Collins; Ryan McAleenan, Kevin McKernan, Daniel Guinness; Caolan Mooney, Conor Poland; Conor Francis, Jerome Johnston, Conor Maginn; Pat Havern, Donal O'Hare, Connaire Harrison. Subs: James Guinness for Wells (26), Barry O'Hagan for Maginn (48), Mark Hynes for Burns (52), Paul Devlin for Johnston (61), Corey Quinn for Havern (61), Ryan Mallon on for start of extra time as Down go back to 15 players, J Johnston for O'Hare (80), C Poland for Guinness (83).

REFEREE: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).

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