Coach Education Event will take place at 10am on Saturday 30^th November in St Joseph's Boys High School Newry. This is the 15^th consecutive year of our this now nationally renowned event and this year is perceivably one of the best line-ups that there has been. The cost on the day is £20 and all proceeds go towards the development and growth of Gaelic Games within St Joseph's Boys High School Newry

The stellar line-up includes some of the smartest coaching brains in Ireland and a wealth of experience coaching at all levels of our game. 

Damian McErlain  (Derry Ulster & All Ireland Winning Minor Manager 2023/24) 

"Challenges Coaching Young Players" (Indoor)

James Horan (Former Mayo Senior Football Manager)

"Behaviours associated with a High Performance Environment" (Indoor)

Kieran McGeary (Tyrone Senior Footballer)

"Transitioning with Pace & Purpose" (Outdoor)

To book your place email stevepoacher@hotmail.com or 07779780919

We were saddened to learn of the death of Hugh Cahill. Hugh was a former officer of Down GAA and the father of our current County Treasurer Diarmuid. We all have good memories of him - a Monaghan man by birth, he came first to Newry where he won a Minor Football Championship medal with Newry Shamrocks. When he moved to live in Cranfield, having retired from the retail shoe business in Newry, he immersed himself in the work of club and county; with An Ríocht, the South Down Committee and the County Committee.

Having been elected to the South Down Committee initially, Hugh soon took on a number of roles at County Committee level, serving as County Registrar, County Safety Officer, Comhairle Programme Coordinator and then finally as County Development Officer. In each of the roles, Hugh made a huge contribution, and as a member of Coiste Bainistíochta, his knowledge of business and his wise counsel was a great asset.

As County Development Officer, Hugh had a meticulous approach to the role. He sought to protect the clubs and to see them develop within the ethos of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. He single handedly ensured that all club trustees were in order during his time in office, all done to ensure that club structures were compliant. Hugh might not have known it at the time, but his approach was what we now have come to know as good governance. He was conscious of audit and risk again before it became part of the GAA mantra.

Each summer, Hugh undertook the grounds inspections with his great friend Dan McCartan. This was a chance to see how our clubs were progressing with their facilities and to identify areas where Hugh, as County Development Officer, could help to make a difference for their members and their community. The visits were much more than that - the route of the journey around our 48 clubs was planned to perfection. It also had a social aspect, as Hugh and Dan were greeted in all clubs and got to spend time renewing old friendships and were treated to the best of home bakes in many places, with the promise always to return again next year. The Ground Inspections would sometimes extend into a second week, for as we know Hugh loved to chat, and time was never a worry for these two great men in this role.

Hugh had a great desire to nurture new talent for Down GAA and the Association as a whole. He saw the Comhairle Programme as an opportunity to attract and develop new administrators, and it is testimony to his good work that several of our senior officers are graduates of the Comhairle Programme where Hugh upskilled them as facilitators. He saw the benefits for our youth in involvement in the GAA. He had a great rapport with our youth and always maintained a genuine interest in how our young people were doing; always a word of encouragement or the sharing of a life experience, and all in the best interests of people young and old.

Hugh was also a trusted member of the Ulster Council Monday Club, where he would travel with Danny Murphy to assist with counting duties, before we had come to the era of cashless gates. Games of the weekend were discussed and the work was done. On the journey to and from, Hugh, Danny and their team would put to right the worlds of Down and Ulster GAA.

In all of his work, Hugh was supported by his wife Caitlin. They shared a wonderful life and they were very proud too of the achievements of Ciaran and Diarmuid. When Diarmuid joined Hugh on Coiste Bainistíochta, it was a proud moment and a rare thing to have a father and son at the top table in Down GAA. Hugh was a very happy man when the grandchildren came along. He was a huge part of their lives and he followed their progress in every aspect of their lives - and whether it be with St Johns or An Ríocht, he was delighted that they were participating in Gaelic Games.

We all could share a story or two of Hugh; he was a man who made a great contribution over many years to Down GAA. He had a love of our games, a great desire to help others, to see our clubs flourish and to see our young people be part of an Association that had been a huge part of his life, and from which he had obtained great enjoyment. Hugh Cahill might have been born in Monaghan, but he became one of our own. He was a Down man, a man who always gave of his best for the clubs of the county and who made a difference to many in his roles within Down GAA. For that we are most grateful.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Congratulations to Caolan Taggart and Daithí Sands making the team for Ireland Hurling/Shinty Team.

The Hurling/Shinty International against Scotland will take place Saturday, October 26 at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare.

The team is being jointly managed by Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton (Antrim) and Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny).

The game will be shown live on the official TG4 YouTube channel.

Hurling Shinty International - Ireland Senior Team:

Enda Rowland, Abbeyleix – Laois

Luca McCusker, Lisbellaw St. Patrick's - Fermanagh

Eoghan Cahill, Birr - Offaly

Caolan Taggart, Portaferry – Down

Eoin Cody, Ballyhale Shamrocks - Kilkenny

Ben Conneely, St Rynagh's - Offaly

Cian Darcy, Kilruane MacDonagh's - Longford

Cianan Fahy, Ardrahan - Galway

Martin Keoghan, Tullaroan - Kilkenny

Tomás Keyes, Camross - Laois

Dan Morrissey, Ahane - Limerick

Tom Morrissey, Ahane - Limerick

Killian Sampson, Shinrone - Offaly

Jason Sampson, Shinrone - Offaly

Daithí Sands, Portaferry - Down

James Toher, Trim - Meath

Gerard Walsh, O'Donovan Rossa - Antrim

Aidan McCarthy, Inagh-Kilnamona - Clare

Shane Meehan, Banner - Clare

Congratulations to our 5 players that have been named on the 2024 Tailteann Cup Team of the Year!

We have our Captain Pierce Laverty named in the number 2 poistion joined by Ryan McEvoy in full back. Also in the defense at left half back is Daniel Guinness. Odhran Murdock is named in midfield with Pat Havern named at number 15.

Congratulations to Pierce, Ryan, Daniel, Odhran and Pat!

Congratulations to Daithí Sands on his place on the 2024 Joe McDonagh Team of The Year!

This is Daithí's third time being named on the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year, with the Portaferry Clubman having been named also in 2019 & 2022.

Daithí will make the trip to Dublin to accept his award on Friday 11th October.

Congratulations to Daithí on this remarkable achievement!

Be Better Hurling Programme

Saturday kicked off our U14 Be Better Hurling Programme in St Malachy's High School in Castlewellan and we were joined by Paul Sheehan, Danny Toner and Eoghan Sands.

60 young hurlers from the clubs of Down were put through their paces by some of our Down Senior Players along with members of the Senior Hurling Management.

This programme will continue over the next few weeks.

Mayobridge retained the Colly Curran cup as they won a second successive minor championship with a four point win over Bosco.

A lightning start saw the sky blues go 3-2 to 0-0 up with Daire O’Keefe netting twice and Corey Clerkin hitting the other goal. Bosco plugged away however with Matthew McLoughlin their main score better. Daniel Carr tagged on a couple of points as the Bridge led 3-3 - 0-2 at half time.

Bosco rallied well with McLoughlin netting though both teams were able to pick off points with attempts from Darren Doherty and Daire O’Keefe the standout scores. Oran McCoy nabbed Bosco’s second goal in added on time but it was too late to inspire a real comeback as Mayobridge held on for a 3-8 - 0-7 victory.

Eoin O’Hare’s three points along with Charlie McGrath’s well finished goal proved crucial as Ballyholland won the minor cup for 2024 with a one goal victory over Shamrocks.

In a game that was competitive throughout, with not much between the sides at any time, Ballyholland never trailed despite coming under considerable pressure at various stages. Shamrocks had some majestic points, Rio Loughran’s from close to the sideline probably the pick of them. However, it was that goal from McGrath ten minutes from the end, that proved the difference at the final whistle as Ballyholland won 1-10 - 0-10.

Aughlisnafin and Dromara will contest the junior final after beating Ardglass and Glasdrumman respectively.
The Fin required extra time to win their game. Having led for much of the first half they fell victim to Dara O’Shea. The Ardglass man, only back from an 18 month ACL injury lay off scored an opportunist goal to give his side the lead. Having battled to the front again a last gasp John Polley free pegged Aughlisnafin back at the end of the second half and sent the game to extra time. Ardglass edged two ahead in the first period of extra time before a surging run by Peter O’Hare teed up Shaun Murnin to palm to the net. Breanainn McComiskey sent over a superb free off the deck to give the Fin a four point lead before Ardglass rallied. They came within inches, hitting the crossbar but only managing one final point as the Fin booked their spot in final. Best for Ardglass were Caoilan O’Shea, Jamie McDarby and John Polley with Polley ending the day with a personal tally of seven points. For the Fin Breanainn McComiskey, Thomas Beckett and Peter O’Hare.

In the other semi final the returning Luke Savage kicked three points and Colm Flanagan bagged 1-3 as John Fegan’s troops saw off a stern challenge from Glasdrumman. The Harrison brothers were to the fore for the Mourne side, scoring 1-9 of their 1-10, 1-7 coming from Connaire and two points from Shane while Nathan Mills also notched a point.

It should be a thrilling final and the sides will be well acquainted. Dromara may bear the favourites tag but a close encounter is to be expected.