Tickets are now available for the Down GAA Clubs Draw.

The tickets are £120 and are available from ALL Down Clubs.

As £96 goes back to clubs for every ticket after the first 24 are sold this is a very important source of revenue for club.

Down Clubs Draw 2018  - December Winners  
  
£1000  x 5  
Club No Name
Bryansford 18BD054 Roisin Burns
St Johns 16SJ129 Mark Grant
Burren 18BU397 Emmet McGinley
Rostrevor 18RR068 Bridie Daly
Ballyholland 18BS106 Jim McMahon & Sean Savage
  
Club winners 4 x £200 
St Michaels 18MI004 Michael McKeown
Downpatrick 15DK115 Tony Hanvey
Newry Shamrocks 18SS022 David Cunningham
Newry Mitchels 18MS059 Barry Quinn
 

New Down manager Paddy Tally says he won't be paying much attention to what the pundits have to say about the style of play he deploys.

Tally came in for criticism from RTE pundits Colm O'Rourke and Joe Brolly for the defensive brand of football Galway adopted when he coached them earlier this year, but he maintains their analysis was 'flawed'.

“I don’t really pass any remarks on it to be honest with you, I never did, “ he said in the Irish News.

“If you lived your life and were influenced too much by what people think about you or say about you in terms of football, you wouldn’t do an awful lot.

“Galway played a certain way and, as much as we were tight at the back, we were also very good up front as well. It’s trying to get that balance right and I think every team does that – that’s no different than what’s happening all over Ireland.

“Now, if it doesn’t suit somebody’s palette, I can do nothing about that. All I can do is put a system in place that is the best for this particular team.

“I think it’s... I wouldn’t say it’s weak analysis, but certainly it’s flawed in a lot of ways. It’d be quite weak of me to organise a team, or to coach a team, to satisfy a pundit, or a number of pundits. That wouldn’t be the way forward.” 

The 2019 Ulster Club Football League will consist of three divisions, Senior, Intermediate and Junior. The application form is available below:

Application Form 2019 USFCL

The closing date for applications is 1.00pm on Monday 7th January 2018. Applications must be signed by the County Secretary and the appropriate fee (€200 or £175) must accompany the hard copy application, which should be sent to:

Ulster Club Football League
c/o Niall Muldoon
Ulster GAA
8-10 Market Street
Armagh
BT61 7BX

It is intended that the league will commence on Sunday 27th January and the group games will run for four / five consecutive weekends. Please note all matches are fixed for the Sunday at 12 noon. The draft schedule is as follows with all participating clubs receiving a minimum of four games:

Sunday 27th January – Round 1
Sunday 3rd February – Round 2
Sunday 10th February – Round 3
Sunday 17th February – Round 4
Sunday 24th February – Round 5
Sunday 3rd March –  Quarter-Finals
Sunday 10th March –  Semi-Finals
Saturday 16th March – Finals

Coiste Chontae an Duín are saddened to learn today of the death of Pat Rooney of Castlewellan one of the most outstanding referees of his time and a man who went on to Referee a record 8 County Senior Football Finals. A much respected official Pat refereed the 1961 All Ireland Junior Football Final Louth v Galway and a week later refereed the All Ireland Minor Football Final Cork v Mayo. 

The fact that Down were in every Ulster Senior Final from 1959 to 1969 meant that Pat missed out on the honour of refereeing an Ulster Senior Final.

His outstanding contribution to Gaelic Games in the County  was acknowledged at the Centenary County Dinner in 2003 when he was awarded the spirit of Down award for refereeing, the awards were presented on the night in acknowledgement of four people who had given outstanding personal commitment to the Gaelic Athletic Association in Down over a lasting period and reflecting the faithful contribution of those whose dedication has fostered and enriched the spirit of Down.

Pat was also a winner of the Hall of Fame award with his Club Castlewellan and with Down GAA joining Martin Walsh and in recent times Seán O Neill as recipients of the honour from the County.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Pat's Sons, Daughters, grandchildren, brothers and sisters along with the entire Rooney family circle and to the Gaels of Castlewellan on this sad occasion.

Ar Dheis Dé go Raibh a anam.

Funeral Arrangements

 Pat Rooney (Castlewellan) 3/12/2018. Peacefully at Greenvale Private Nursing Home, Pat, dearly beloved husband of the late Mary and cherished father of Maura, Patrick, Caroline, Sharon and Philip R.I.P.

Pat’s remains will leave his late home 19 Mill Hill Castlewellan on Thursday at 9.15am to arrive at St. Malachy’s Church Castlewellan for 10.00am Requiem mass, burial afterward in family burial ground Aughlisnafin.

On his soul sweet Jesus have mercy.

Deeply regretted by his sorrowing daughters, sons, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and entire family circle.

Mary Queen of the Gael pray for him.

The annual Ulster GAA President’s Awards in association with O’Neills took place in the Tullyglass Hotel, Ballymena on Thursday 29th November with 250 people in attendance.

This awards ceremony recognises the Players, Administrators, Coaches, Officials, Referees, and Team Managements for the significant contribution they make to the GAA. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the GAA and are the very heartbeat of our communities. All the award winners represent the many more who also carry on this valuable work across the nine Ulster counties.

The Ulster GAA President’s Awards are a way of highlighting the achievements of some of our special and significant contributors to the Association in Ulster. At the 2018 ceremony, we highlighted excellence in the attainment of Club Grounds. Below is a list of all the awards winners on the night:

Club Grounds Awards Recipient

Monaghan: Overall Winner 2018 – Inniskeen Grattans

Donegal: Joint Highly Commended – Ard an Ratha

Antrim: Joint Highly Commended – Portglenone Roger Casements

Cavan – Kingscourt Stars

Fermanagh – Lisnaskea Emmetts

Down – An Ríocht

Tyrone – Carrickmore St. Colmcilles

Derry – Erin’s Own, Lavey

Armagh – Silverbridge Harps

Presidents Awards Recipients

O’Neills Life Time Service to the GAA – Danny Scullion

Player of the Year – Football – Rory Beggan

Player of the Year – Hurling – Neil McManus

Young Person of the Year – Ruairí O’Neill

Service to the GAA through Education – Ray Morgan

McGlinchey Cup – Referee of the Year – Sean Hurson

Special Recognition Awards

Special Recognition Award – Camogie – Brian McQuillan

Special Recognition Award – Ladies Football – Hugh Devenney

Special Recognition Award – Handball – Conor McElduff

Special Recognition Award – John McKillop

Special Recognition Award – Michael Kingston

Special Recognition Award, All Ireland U21 Football Champions 1968 – Derry

Special Recognition Award, AlI Ireland Junior Football Champions 1968 – Tyrone

Recognition of All Ireland Champions 2018

Recognition of Senior All-Ireland Scór Winner – Rince Foirne – Watty Grahams

Recognition of Senior All-Ireland Scór Winner – Amhránaíocht Aonair – Dearbhla Scallon

Recognition of All-Ireland Winning Teams – Hogan Cup – St. Ronan’s College, Lurgan

Recognition of All-Ireland Winning Teams – Drummond Cup – Holy Trinity College, Cookstown

Recognition of All-Ireland Winning Teams – Nicky Rackard Cup – Donegal

Recognition of All-Ireland Winning Teams – Allianz NFL Division 3 – Armagh

Recognition of All-Ireland Winning Teams – Ladies All-Ireland Intermediate Champions – Tyrone

Recognition of All-Ireland Winning Teams – All Ireland Camogie Senior Club Champions – Slaughtneil