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The following is a summary of Down county football team's 2023 season, which was its 120th year. On 9 August 2022, Conor Laverty was appointed Down manager.

Competitions

Down will compete in the pre-season McKenna Cup tournament, with the main season consisting of the National Football League Division 3, the Ulster Championship and the Tailteann Cup.

Dr McKenna Cup

The McKenna Cup group draw took place on 15 December 2021.

Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PR	Pts	Qualification
1	Down	2	2	0	0	36	25	1.440	4	Advance to semi-final
2	Monaghan	2	1	0	1	27	29	0.931	2
3	Donegal	2	0	0	2	26	35	0.743	0

Fixtures

4 January 2023 (2023-01-04) Group Stage	Monaghan	0-12 – 2-10	Down	Castleblayney
19:30 GMT (UTC)				Venue: St Mary's Park
		Report

8 January 2023 (2023-01-08) Group Stage	Down	2-14 – 1-10	Donegal	Newry
13:30 GMT (UTC)				Venue: Páirc Esler
		Report

15 January 2023 (2023-01-15) Semi-Finals	Down	3-09 – 1-15 (2–3 pen)	Derry	Newry
13:30 GMT (UTC)				Venue: Páirc Esler
		Report
		Penalty shootout

National Football League Division 3

Down will compete in Division Three of the National League in 2023. The GAA released the fixtures for the league season on 8 December 2022.

Fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed/Cancelled

Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Fermanagh	7	6	0	1	114	94	+20	12	Advance to NFL Division 3 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 2
2	Cavan	7	5	0	2	130	94	+36	10
3	Down	7	5	0	2	129	114	+15	10
4	Westmeath	7	4	0	3	135	79	+56	8
5	Offaly	7	4	0	3	105	115	−10	8
6	Antrim	7	2	0	5	124	158	−34	4
7	Longford	7	1	1	5	104	142	−38	3	Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 4
8	Tipperary	7	0	1	6	83	128	−45	1

Reports

Tipperary	1-11 - 2-11	Down
C Sweeney (0-4, 3fs), T Doyle (1-00), M Russell (0-02), D Leahy (0-02), J Kennedy (0-01f), (0-01), S O’Connor (0-01f)	Report	P Havern (1-04, 0-01f, 0-01m), C Francis (1-00), A Gilmore (0-03, 2fs), E Brown (0-02), O Murdock (0-01), B O’Hagan (0-01f)

Down	2-18 - 2-17	Antrim
Andrew Gilmore (1-04, 0-02f), Conor Poland (1-00), Odhran Murdock (0-03), Liam Kerr (0-03), Barry O’Hagan (0-03, 0-01f), Pat Havern (0-02), Eamon Brown (0-01), Shay Miller (0-01), Niall Kane (0-01)	Report	Ruairí McCann (2-01), Conor Stewart (0-03), Dominic McEnhill (0-03), Michael Byrne (0-02, 0-01f), Patrick Finnegan (0-02), Ryan Murray (0-02, 0-01f), James McAuley (0-01), Joseph Finnegan (0-01), Adam Loughran (0-01), Ruairí McCann (0-01, 0-01f)

Fermanagh	2-14 - 3-10	Down
Darragh McGurn (0-05,1f), Conor McGee (1-0), Sean Quigley (1-00), Ryan Lyons (0-02f), Ultan Kelm (0-02), Aidan Breen (0-01), Ronan McCaffrey (0-01), Shane McGullion (0-01), Ryan Jones (0-01), Conor McShea (0-01)	Report	Pat Havern (0-5,2f), Odhran Murdock (1-00 pen), Pierce Laverty (1-00), Conor Francis (1-00), Niall Kane (0-01), Shane Annett (0-01), Liam Kerr (0-01f), Shay Millar (0-01), Andrew Gilmore (0-01)

Down	1-10 - 0-11	Westmeath
Andrew Gilmore (0-04, 0-01f), Pat Havern (0-03, 0-03f), Odhran Murdock (1-00, 1-00pen), Ceilum Doherty (0-02), Eamon Brown (0-01)	Report	John Heslin (0-06, 0-04f), Senan Baker (0-02), Sam McCartan (0-01), David Lynch (0-01), Conor McCormack (0-01)

Cavan	2-14 - 1-10	Down
Paddy Lynch (2-05, 4f), Gearoid McKiernan (0-02, 1m), Dara McVeety (0-02, 1m), Cian Madden (0-02), Brandon Boylan (0-01), Raymond Galligan (0-1f), James Smith (0-01)	Report	Pat Havern (0-05, 3f), Micheál Rooney (1-0), Andrew Gilmore (0-03f), Donnacha McAleese (0-01m), Ryan McEvoy (0-01f)

Down	1-19 - 1-14	Longford
Liam Kerr (1-05, 1-00pen, 0-03fs), Pat Havern (0-05, 0-02fs), Ryan Johnston (0-02), Miceál Rooney (0-02), Jerome Johnston (0-01), Michael Ireland (0-01), Conor McCrickard (0-01), Niall Kane (0-01, 0-01 '45), Eamon Brown (0-01)	Report	Dylan Farrell (0-05, 0-03fs), Dessie Reynolds (1-01), Michael Quinn (0-01), Jack Macken (0-01), Darren Gallagher (0-01), Daniel Mimnagh (0-01), Oran Kenny (0-01), Keelin McGann (0-01), D O’Brien (0-01), F Sheridan (0-01)

Offaly	0-09 - 1-18	Down
Nigel Dunne (0-3, 3f), Bernard Allen (0-2), Cian Donohoe (0-1), Anton Sullivan (0-1), Jack Bryant (0-1), Cian Farrell (0-1, f)	Report	Liam Kerr (1-0), Conor McRickard (0-3), Eugene Branagan (0-3), Ryan Johnston (0-2), Danny Magill (0-2), Pat Havern (0-2), Rory Mason (0-2, 1f), Antony Morgan (0-1), Niall Kane (0-1,f), Ryan McEvoy (0-1), Miceal Rooney (0-1)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

The draw for the 2023 Ulster Championship was made on 15 October 2022.

Fixtures

Down	2-13 - 1-11	Donegal
P Havern (1-03, 1-0 pen, 3f), R Johnston (0-03, 2m), L Kerr (1-00), D Guinness (0-02), A Gilmore (0-02, 1f), D Magill (0-01), E Brannigan (0-01), C Poland (0-01)	Report	J McGee (1-01), D O Baoill (0-03), C Thompson (0-02, 2f), C O’Donnell (0-02), O Gallen (0-01), S Patton (0-01, ’45), C Ward (0-01)

Down	0-12 - 4-10	Armagh
Pat Havern (0-6), Ryan McEvoy (0-02), Ryan Johnston (0-01), Liam Kerr (0-01), Patrick Branagan (0-01), Andrew Gilmore (0-01)	Report	Ciaran Mackin (1-00), Shane McPartlan (1-00), Rian O’Neill (1-00), Andrew Murnin (1-00), Jason Duffy (0-02), Conor O’Neill (0-01), Aidan Forker (0-01), Jemar Hall (0-01), Rory Grugan (0-02), Stefan Campbell (0-01), Aidan Nugent (0-01), Callum Cumiskey (0-01)

Bracket

Preliminary round v t e

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final

Fermanagh

2–8

Derry

3–17

Derry

1–21

Monaghan

2–10

Tyrone

1–18

Monaghan

2–17

Derry

1–15 (3)

Armagh

0–18 (1)

Down

2–13

Donegal

1–11

Down

0–12

Armagh

4–10

Cavan

0–12

Armagh

0–20

Armagh

1–14

Antrim

1–8

Tailteann Cup

Due to their National League ranking and because they never progressed to the Ulster Championship final, Down will enter the Tailteann Cup in 2023 for the 2nd time. The draw for the 2023 competition was made on 2 May with Down being drawn into Group B with Meath, Waterford and Tipperary.

Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Meath	3	3	0	0	62	40	+22	6	Advance to quarter-final
2	Down	3	2	0	1	56	29	+27	4	Advance to preliminary quarter-final
3	Tipperary	3	1	0	2	34	62	−28	2
4	Waterford	3	0	0	3	42	63	−21	0

Knockout Stage

Preliminary quarter-finals v t e

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Cavan

0–15

Down

1–20

Down

1–17

Longford

1–12

Down

8–16

Laois

2–12

Limerick

0–14

Fermanagh

1–9

Laois

1–14

Laois

1–11

Down

0–14

Meath

2–13

Meath

2–23

Offaly

2–14

Wexford

0–12

Wexford

1–22

Meath

2–16

Antrim

2–14

Antrim

1–19

Carlow

0–15

Carlow

1–15

New York

0–10

Fixtures

Down	2–14 – 1–6	Waterford
Pat Havern 0–5 (0–2f, 0–1m), Andrew Gilmore 0–4 (0–2f), Eamon Brown 1–0, Odhran Murdock 1–0, Donagh McAleenan 0–2, Anthony Morgan 0–1, Shealan Johnston 0–1, Eugene Branagan 0–1	Report	Conor Murray 1–0, Jason Curry 0–2 (0–2f), Darragh Corcoran 0–2, Jason Gleeson 0–1 (0–1f), Dermot Ryan 0–1

Tipperary	0-06 - 2-18	Down
Jack Kennedy, 0-4 (01f), Sean O’Connor 0-2	Report	Pat Havern 0-6 (0-5f), Shealan Johnston 1-1, Danny Magill 0-3, Odhran Murdock 1-0, Ceilum Doherty 0-2, Eamon Brown 0-2 (0-2f), Conor Francis 0-1, Ryan Johnston 0-1, Andrew Gilmore 0-1, Ross Carr 0-1

Meath	1–11 – 1–9	Down
Jordan Morris 1–3 (1–0 pen, 0–1m), Daithi McGowan 0–2 (0–1f, 0–1 '45), James McEntee 0–2, Jack Flynn 0–1 (0–1f), Donal Lenihan 0–1 (0–1f), Jack O'Connor 0–1, Matthew Costello 0–1	Report	Pat Havern 0–5 (0–5f), Odhran Murdock 1–0, Liam Kerr 0–2 (0–1f), Niall Kane 0–1 (0–1 '45), Daniel Guinness 0–1

Down	1-20 - 1-12	Longford
Pat Havern 0-6 (0-2f), Andrew Gilmore 0-3, (0-1f), Danny Magill 1-0, Rory Mason 0-3 (0-2f), Eugene Branagan 0-2, Ross Carr 0-2 (0-1m), Patrick McCarthy 0-1, Liam Kerr 0-1, Ceilum Doherty 0-1, Donach McAleenan 0-1	Report	Joe Hagan 1-3, Keelin McGann 0-2, Dylan Farrell 0-2, (0-1 45’, 0-1f), Darragh Doherty 0-2 (0-1f), Patrick Fox 0-1, Ryan Moffett 0-1, Dessie Reynolds 0-1

Cavan	0-15 - 1-17	Down
Oisin Brady 0–8 (0–4f, 0–2m), Padraig Faulkner 0–2, Gearóid McKiernan 0–1 (0–1f), Oisín Kiernan 0–1, Cian Madden 0–1, Tiarnan Madden 0–1, Brandon Boylan 0–1	Report	Pat Havern 0–5 (0–2f, 0–1m), Rory Mason 0–4 (0–1f), Liam Kerr 0–4, Danny Magill 1–1, Patrick McCarthy 0–1, Ryan Johnston 0–1, Shane Annett 0–1

Down	8–16 – 2–12	Laois
Liam Kerr 3–2, Danny Magill 2–0, Pat Havern 1–3, Rory Mason 1–1 (0-1f), Odhrán Murdock 1–1, Eugene Branagan 0–3, Ceilum Doherty 0–2 (0-1m), Patrick Branagan 0-2, Niall Kane 0–1, Ryan Johnston 0–1	Report	Mark Barry 1–6 (1–0 pen, 4f, 1m), Kevin Swayne 1-0, Eoin Lowry 0–2 (0-1m), Paul Kingston 0–1, Evan O'Carroll 0–1, Killian Roche 0–1, Dylan Kavanagh 0-1

Down	0–14 – 2–13	Meath
Pat Havern 0–4 (0–3f), Niall Kane 0–2 (0–1f, 0–1 '45), Liam Kerr 0–2, Ryan Johnston 0–2, Ceilum Doherty 0–1, Odhran Murdock 0–1, Shealan Johnston 0–1, Andrew Gilmore 0–1	Report	Jack O'Connor 1–2, Jack Flynn 0–4, Ronan Jones 1–1, Matthew Costello 0–3 (0–2f), Cathal Hickey 0–2, Jordan Morris 0–1

References

1. "Conor Laverty announced as new Down senior football manager". Sky Sports. 9 August 2022.
2. "2023 Dr McKenna Cup draw throws up intriguing early-season fixtures". Belfast Live. 14 December 2022.
3. "GAA publish Master Fixtures Schedule for 2023". GAA.ie. 8 December 2021.
4. "GAA announces 2023 fixture schedule for all competitions with later dates for All-Ireland finals". Irish Independent. 8 December 2021.
5. "All-Ireland finals pushed back one week as GAA Master Fixtures Plan for 2023 announced". Sky Sports. 9 December 2022.
6. "Down regain winning feeling after edging past Tipperary in Division 3 opener". RTE. 28 January 2023.
7. "Antrim come unstuck by Down's frenzied finish". RTE. 4 February 2023.
8. "Sean Quigley strikes late as Fermanagh edge Down in thriller". RTE. 19 February 2023.
9. "Second-half surge from Down sees them defeat Westmeath". RTE. 25 February 2023.
10. "Cavan recover from slow start to defeat Down and edge closer to promotion". RTE. 5 March 2023.
11. "Longford relegated as Down pull away late on". RTE. 19 March 2023.
12. "Second-half domination sees Down sign off in style away to Offaly". RTE. 28 March 2023.
13. "2023 Ulster Senior Football Championship Draw". Ulster GAA. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
14. "2023 All-Ireland SFC draws RECAP as Ulster champions Derry are pitted against Fermanagh". Belfast Live. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
15. "All-Ireland draw: Mayo and Cork in tough-looking Group 1". RTE. 2 May 2023.

• 2023 in Gaelic football
• 2023 in Northern Ireland sport
• Down county football team seasons