Down Club Hurling & Football

[T O Hare]

King James 11 no longer
pretender to the throne

By Francis Mooney

A new monarch has been crowned in the Kingdom of Mourne.
King James 11, no longer a pretender to the throne since he set Croke Park alight on All-lreland final day, looks set for a lengthy reign in the majestic hills where flags of red and black fly proudly.

The heir apparent has come of age, his crowning glory a dazzling display in the triumphant Battle of Croke against the mighty Royals.

The masterly exploits of King James I on that same battlefield thirty years before flashed before the eyes of thousands of Down supporters as that Prince of footballers James Og McCartan turned on an electrifying display of skill, accuracy and breathtaking speed.

Jinking James was a man apart as he tore the heart out of the Meath defence with explosive bursts of acceleration, uncanny reaction, telepathic understanding and unerring accuracy.

It was his finest hour. The 20 year-old student had no equals on that sunny September afternoon when the Sam Maguire Cup finally prepared for a long-awaited return journey across the border.

Twenty-three long and hungry years had elapsed since an Ulster team last savoured the joy of winning Gaelic football's greatest prize. Then too it was Down who found the magic touch, just as they had on two previous occasions in the sixties, carrying off the Sam Maguire Cup with their own particular brand of fullblooded fluency.

No one epitomised that quality more than James McCartan senior, a fearsome figure who tormented defences as a bustling, battling centre forward who never knew the meaning of defeat.

The pride he felt at winning All-lreland medals was surpassed only by the pride that burned in his heart as he watched his son join him on that exclusive list of footballing immortals on All-lreland final day 1991.

What a game this was - a final to end all finals - and what a performance was required of he who would be worthy of the coveted Telecom Eireann Man of the Match Award.

It was a game of many heroes. but it was James McCartan who set himself apart as a rare talent indeed, a man for the big occasion and a sporting legend in his own lifetime.

Already an All-Star at the age of 19, already an All-lreland medal winner with Down minors while still only 16, here was one boy wonder who had fully realised his early promise.

As he crawled into bed at 4.00 pm on Tuesday September 17th, exhausted and hoping for his first taste of sleep for three days, the reality was just beginning to sink in.

Down really had won the All-lreland Championship and James McCartan was a very important part of it all.

"If anyone had told me six months ago this was going to happen, I wouldn't have believed it" he said.

James had become used to jersey tugging as a top class footballer, but he never expected to lose three shirts among his own, as frantic supporters dragged him this way and that during a four day carnival of celebration.

'My clothes took quite a battering, but I didn't mind. The fans were wonderful, they really got behind us and they deserve their day just as much as we do."

And the pressure of fulfilling endless engagements was much more demanding than the big match itself, as the Down squad look everything in their stride.

"We were so relaxed, I didn't feel any nerves at all before or during the All-lreland final" said James.

"I felt more nervous in the build-up to the semi-final against Kerry, but I think before the final we managed to mentally prepare ourselves perfectly. We all felt so relaxed, I don't know why but I think it was because we had nothing to lose. We were going out against Meath, who in everyone's eyes were unbeatable. So we gave it our best shot, and it turned out to be enough."

The little corner forward confounded all his critics with his dazzling display against the Leinster champions, but he feels some of the criticism levelled against him was unfounded.

"I thought the best game I had this year was the Ulster final, and where people have been criticising me, perhaps they should give some credit to the likes of Kieran McKeever of Derry and John Raffery of Armagh, because they did exceptional jobs when I played against them. But in the All-lreland final the ball seemed to come down my wing a lot more. In other games I had to go looking for possession but this time everything seemed to come my direction, so it made things an awful lot easier.~ He also feels the wide open spaces of Croke Park suited his game more than some of the more confined grounds he is used to in Ulster.

"Some of the pitches in Ulster are that bit smaller and tighter, and that gives defenders a better chance of closing forwards down. But Croke Park gives you much more space, and when you get to the All-lreland stage, while teams will hit you harder, there's less pulling and hauling than there is in Ulster."

It is now an accepted fact that no side can ever assume victory over a Meath team until the final whistle is blown, such has been their extraordinary sequence of comebacks this season.
Even when Down opened up an eleven point lead, James McCartan remained anxious and fearful.

"When we went eight, nine, ten and then eleven points in front, I started to think to myself this is great. But at the same time I became wary of losing my concentration, because I found that I had done that in other games.

"So I tried to an extent to put it out of my head we were getting so far in front, and tried to keep going.'

He recalled: "Against Donegal in the Ulster Final, when we had started to open up a lead, I felt we had to keep going, we had to keep scoring, for I always felt Donegal might come back at us. And so it was against Meath. They are probably the greatest comeback team of all time, so I always felt that we had to keep getting another point, and another point, to put them away. So it wasn't until the final whistle that I felt certain we were going to win. In fact I thought we were going to let it slip when they got to within three point of us.

"Meath have a knack of getting a goal just when they need it, so I thought that three-point gap was just tailor made for another great escape.

"I honestly didn't know whether to stay up in the corner forward position or drop back or help out in defence. A lot of people feel that is where Roscommon made a major mistake in the semi~final. When they got so far in front Paul Earley dropped a lot deeper and left Derek Duggan up front on his own.'

But now McCartan was torn by uncertainty, between wanting to go back to get involved in the play, and not wanting to pull his marker Brendan Reilly upfield, where he had played so well in previous games. "If I had pulled him out of his corner back position he could well have set up a winning score for we all know what Kevin Foley did to Dublin.

"At the end of the day I made the right decision, but if they had grabbed a goal at the end we would have felt very sick. During the last 10 or 15 minutes it was very hard to get involved in the game because it was concentrated very much in our half of the field. But the defenders did their job magnificently and it was marvellous to hold out for victory."

But can Down repeat that victory and bring the Sam Maguire back to the Mournes for a second successive time just as they did in the glorious sixties?
"It's one thing getting to the top. but it's going to be twice as hard to stay there" said McCartan.

"We have to try to beat Armagh in next year's Ulster championship, and All-lreland champions or not, I think we have only a 50/50 chance.

"We all know that Armagh are very well equipped to beat us, and I'm sure they will not forget that they had their chances to beat us this year in the Marshes in Newry.

"They were quite unlucky on a couple of occasions and at the end of the day we just managed to scape through. I think they will lift their game simply because they are meeting the Al~lreland champions. They will be jumping out of their skins. If Armagh were the All~lreland champions, I think we would be going into the game with every confidence of toppling them."

And what of Meath's future? McCartan is sure they will be back.
"Of course Dublin will be out to take their scalps again next year, but they have got great resilience. Everyone is now talking of Meath players retiring. But why should they retire? It was the likes of Gerry McEntee, Colm O'Rourke and Mick Lyons, the elder statesmen, who were their best players in the final. They still have so much to offer and it would be very sad if any of them decided to retire.

"I have great admiration for Meath. They have done so much for football, this year especially. Those comebacks will never be forgotten by Gaelic football fans, but I think they left it just a little bit late against us.

"When we were four or five points up they probably felt they had plenty of time to come back. But then we hit a purple patch, and went 11 points ahead.

"It was only then that they woke up and realised they had a lot to do. They really were caught out by what they themselves had achieved in the past. Then they could not do enough and time just beat them in the end."

[T O Hare]

McGovern, Tommy

The McGovern brothers Tommy, Brendan and Vincent enjoy the company of their late father Jimmy RIP inside the Croke Park dressingroom after the 1996 All Ireland club final. Tommy's son Damien (5) looks on.
30 May 2001


Tommy McGovern has been acclaimed as one of Down footballs best ever defenders and doesnt his roll of honour say as much! Hogan Stand talks to the Burren clubman about a career which brought him a bucketful of medals.
The much-decorated Tommy McGovern swears he has no regrets as he reflects on a glittering career with club, county and province.

That said, the Down man does concede though that he went through all sorts of emotional turmoil when the Mournemen climbed Everest to win the All-Ireland senior title in 1991.

"I was delighted for the players and the team-management but there was a bit of me which said that maybe I could have been there.

"I suppose it was a bit of self-pity. I had played with the county for over ten years and hadn't managed to get to an All-Ireland final. That feeling didn't last too long though once I thought of great players like Dermot Earley and Tony McManus and others who hadn't won an All-Ireland either," Tommy explains.
In a way, the former Burren stalwart could well stand accused of being greedy. That would be the ultimate irony though given that he was such a great team player and a man adept at covering the tracks of some team-mates who weren't quite blessed with the same football brain.

Still, McGovern could be accused of wanting jam on it. After all, what modern-day footballers can boast of having won two All-Ireland club medals, three Railway Cup, two senior provincial championship, one national league and seven senior county championship medals . . .plus a replacement All-Star award?
"I had a good enough innings but only for a virusand developing M.E. when I was 33 I could have played on for another bit. I would have loved to have been involved with Down when they beat Meath but you can't have everything."

That the former ace club midfielder and staunch county and provincial full back enjoyed some rare 'oul times on the field of play, there can be no doubt.



Born into a GAA-mad family, the young McGovern and his nine brothers were nephews of the great John McClorey (his mother's brother), the first Burren footballer to play for Ulster and, as such, the big ball game was always going to be part of their growing up. It's no surprise that this pedigree has been carried on as latter-day countymen Miceal Magill and Sean Ward are both nephews of Tommy.
It seems there were many more good days than bad ones on the football field around Burren as Tommy and his siblings developed their skills.

For one, Tommy was on hand to captain the club team to a refreshing county minor championship title in 1974 and with other would-be starlets about such as Paddy O'Rourke, and his own brother Brendan, the odds were always short that Burren were going to make an impression at senior level sooner rather than later.

"We were extremely well looked after and tutored at underage level by a man called Sean Murdock. He had a fierce interest in football and I remember him taking us away to matches in an old van he had. He was Mister Burren back then and was responsible for nurturing the talents of a lot of young fellas over the years, including myself."

So the writing was on the wall, as regards the impending success in '81?
"I'd say so. We were knocking on the door for a few years before we actually made the breakthrough to win the senior title in 1981. For some time before that, we always had a solid enough team but we lacked the sharpness up front to really make it pay when push came to shove. Then the likes of 'Shorty' Treanor and Tony McArdle came along and the balance in the team came right."
And what a balance!

Although Tommy and co. crashed out of the championship in '82 at the hands of division two side Teconnacht, they were back with a bang the following year. In all, they proceeded to win the next six senior county championship titles.

Apart from the balance of the team, what else had Burren got going for themselves then?
"There was a great team spirit, a great sense of commitment among the players and a good mix of youth and experience, particularly by the time 1986 came around.

In 1986 Burren were arguably at their best. Captained by Tommy, the Down kingpins had first to bypass the challenge of determined and highly-rated Monaghan champions Scotstown.

"Scotstown had a very good team back then with quite a few of them being regulars on the Monaghan county team. Players like Gerry and Jack McCarville and Fergus Caulfield were great players and I remember telling the lads that if we were able to beat them (Scotstown) we were able to go the whole way."

And so it came to pass that the fledgling All-Ireland club champions did indeed beat the best of the rest to land the national title with a terrific win over a Charlie Nelligan-bolstered Castleisland Desmonds team from Kerry.

Burren's glory days didn't end there though. The team was back in the winner's enclosure in 1988 when crack Roscommon side Clann Na Gael - the McManuses et al - were defeated in the All-Ireland decider. Earlier, in the semi-final, Burren had upset the odds by defeating competition kingpins Nemo Rangers. For good measure, Tommy remembers having a decent enough game marking the great Dinny Allen in that penultimate encounter.

"Those were tremendous days for Burren. To see grown men cry after those victories really brought it home to the players just what the titles meant to seasoned veterans in the club.

"The fact that Burren picks from such a small area made such success all the sweeter and winning such a prestigious competition really put the village on the map.

"I remember those wins created a real buzz about the football club which lasted a long time," adds the father of current Burren starlets Damien, Eunan and Andrew and university student Rachel.

Meanwhile, Tommy enjoyed equally thrilling days on the county and provincial fronts during his prime.
For instance, in 1981 he captained his county to victory over Armagh in the Ulster SFC final although he shared the grave disappointment of his brother and team-mate Brendan when the side subsequently lost out to champions-elect Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final.

"Brendan missed a penalty that day but I've long since forgiven him," Tommy quips.
Three years earlier, the disappointment was no less intense as Tommy featured on a Down team which made it through to the All-Ireland semi-final where they led Dublin by four points early on only to be pegged back by the metropolitans.

"That was a great Dublin team. You had men like Brian Mullins, Jimmy Keaveney and Tony Hanahoe. There was no shame in losing out to them."

No shame either was attached to Tommy being named as a replacement All-Star on the trip to the USA in 1978/79. The visit then to New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles is a memory Tommy says he will never forget.

Now 45 years of age, Tommy is feeling the aches and pains that are inevitable by-products of amassing so many miles on the playing fields of Ireland.

A nasty and 'oftimes recurring virus brought an untimely end to his playing career in 1988 when he was just 33. He has worked at Warrenpoint Docks for the past 26 years as a supervisor which has kept his body and his mind occupied. Sometimes talk at work does come around to All-Irelands. Sore point? Not a bit.

[T O Hare]

Gerard McGrattan

Down history maker unknown outside the Ards in early 1992. Nowadays the Portaferry All Star is a household name in hurling Ireland

Twelve months ago the name Gerard McGrattan was totally unknown outside the Ards Peninsula. Today he is a household name not only in his native county down but throughout the whole of Ireland. The twenty year old employee of the aircraft manufacturers Shortts has set the hurling world alight with his performances during the last six months or so and his rise to fame is synonymous with the recent and dramatic rise of Down hurling.

By his build, McGrattan is an impressive figure, standing 6'2” in height, with broad muscular shoulders and weighing some 13 stone, his very physique is enough to grab attention. His tremendous strength, his long looping stride and his exceptional hurling skills make him a player of renown and one who no doubt, will continue to capture the headlines in the years ahead.

It may seem strange to some but it is fact that Gerard McGrattan had never worn a Down senior jersey prior to the 1992 championship. He had represented Down at minor and under 21 levels, winning Ulster Championship medals in both grades, but due to examination commitments, he was unable to join the down senior hurling panel for the 1991-1992 Royal Liver Assurance National League.

Injuries to a number of key players gave Sean McGuinnes the opportunity to give Gerard his chance and he made his debut for the Down senior hurling team on July 5th 1992, in the Ulster semi-final against Derry at Casement Park. Down scored a whopping nine goals and eighteen points that day and while it was other forwards such as Noel Sands and Michael Blaney who grabbed most of the limelight that day, young McGrattan had got his first taste of senior action and he was ready to do battle with Antrim in the Ulster Final a week later.

“Down's glorious twelfth was also Gerard McGrattan's twelfth.” Time and time again he pierced the Antrim rearguard with darting runs and when not scoring himself, he was creating space and setting up scoring chances for his colleagues. Gerard McGrattan remembers that famous July day vividly. “It was a great occasion, It was fantastic to beat Antrim but to beat them in an Ulster Final made it all the more sweeter. While obviously delighted to have my Ulster medal, I was particularly delighted for some of the longer serving members of the squad who for years played their hearts out and won nothing. It was good to see players like Noel Keith and Gerard Coulter finally collect their Ulster medals.”

Down's reward for winning their first Ulster senior hurling title since 1941 was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with the mighty Cork. History was made on that August 9th day when Down, in their changed strip of amber, played the Rebel County, in that the men from the Mourne County were playing in an All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final for the first time. After winning the Ulster senior hurling title in 1941, Down were regraded and playing in the All-Ireland junior hurling semi-final where they lost to Galway.

Like he was in the Ulster final, Gerard McGrattan was the star of the show in the All-Ireland semi-final and his performance that day won him the Telecom Eireann Man of the Match award. Time after time during the first half, he cut through the Cork defence, piling the points on at will and from an early stage the Cork mentors were forced to move Cathal Casey to mark him, in a bid to minimise the effect McGrattan was having on the proceedings.

“It didn't worry me who was marking me,” said Gerard. “I always play my own game and that occasion was no different. Cathal Casey is a final hurler but all opponents must be respected. I just treated him like any other hurler and continued to do my own thing to the best of my ability.”

Down lost nothing in defeat that day - indeed they gained many new admirers. They had tasted the big time and like the footballers who had gone before them, were in no way overawed by the task. “Knowing that we can compete with the best has given us the desire to return again and do even better. We must aim even higher. People say that with only three strong hurling clubs we can never hope to win an All-Ireland. I disagree. Offaly have shown the way. They had only four or five more hurling clubs than us when they won the All-Ireland in 1981, so it can be done. We must now set our standards even higher and aim to do even better and if we do this, who knows what might be the outcome,” said Gerard.

Recent National League results show that Down are not intent on resting on their laurels but do intend to aim even higher. The league began with a victory over Offaly at Ballycran before losing narrowly to Limerick but the year was rounded off magnificently with another famous victory over Antrim at Casement Park. With four points out of six, Down now stand an excellent chance of qualifying for the league play-offs, though difficult assignments against Tipperary (home) and Kilkenny (away) remain.

The current league has been a good education for the Portaferry clubman - it has quickly taught him the price of success. So conscious were Offaly of the threat he posed that it took two men to mark him for most of the hour, but the resulting gaps created by this play did not go unnoticed by the other Down forwards and they carved the way for Down's third victory over Offaly in four outings.

“Against Limerick we played well but were unlucky to lose,” stated Gerard, “while I don't remember much of the Antrim game, having been injured early on. Thankfully, the injury was not as serious as first feared and I am now back training and expect to be fit for the game against Tipperary on 7th March.”

The success of Gerard McGrattan's first year in senior intercounty hurling can be judged by his trophy cabinet. A winner of the TSB/Gaelic World consistency award, he was voted Hurler of the Year in Ulster in a Sunday Press GAA players poll and he was also named on The Sunday Independent hurling team of the year. On the night of Friday 18th December however, he made history when he became the first Down hurler to win an All Star award. Selected in his favourite position at right half forward, his honour has placed Down among the elite counties of gaelic games, one of only eight which have had All Star winners in both hurling and football.

“I was really delighted with the All Star award. I don't only see it as a personal award but one which I won on behalf of the team. I felt that we deserved one or two other All Stars but the selection committee obviously had other ideas. Our goalkeeper Noel Keith for one, definitely deserved an award but he didn't even get a nomination,” stated Gerard. He added “I was also pleased with the players award. It is nice to be honoured by those who you rub shoulders with every time you put on a jersey. That award is one which I will really cherish.”

Gerard McGrattan comes from the Portaferry club and together with Ballycran and Ballygalget, they form the bulk of player representation on the Down senior hurling squad. Only two members of the 1992 championship panel came from outside the 'Ards', one coming from the Leitrim club and the other from the Kilclief club. None of these players actually played in the championship but one of them, Jerome McCrickard, has subsequently played in the league.

Since 1960, the Ards clubs have competed in the Antrim league but they continue of course, to play their championship hurling in Down. The rivalry between the clubs is intense and indeed often families have split loyalties. Gerard, for example, is a cousin of fellow county player Gary Savage, who plays his club hurling with Ballycran (both representative mothers being sisters), while his sister Angela is married to Down's star corner back Kevin Coulter, and “Cody' as he is affectionately known, plays his club hurling with Ballygalget.

It was Ballygalget who halted Portaferry's bid to win their third Down senior hurling championship title in four years last September. Gerard McGrattan had won championship medals with Portaferry in 1989 and 1991 but in 1992 they lost out to Ballygalget in the first Down final since 1973 which did not involve Ballycran. Portaferry won the 1992 county final everywhere but on the scoreboard. In Gerard McGrattan's words “we dominated the game for long periods but failed to take our chances and Ballygalget made a great comeback in the final minutes to snatch victory by a point. Graham Clark was superb in goal for Ballygalget but we still had enough chances to win. You can't afford to waste scoring opportunities when playing against Ballycran or Ballygalget.”

For many years this intense rivalry of these three great clubs spilt onto the county team, consequently Down teams did not always perform to their capabilities. No doubt, many opportunities of success at inter county level were lost because the correct team spirit was missing. Gerard McGrattan agrees that the appointment of Sean McGuinness as Down senior hurling team manager has been the key which unlocked these barriers and the affable Antrim man has instilled a new pride in wearing the red and black among the Down hurlers.

“There is great spirit in the camp under Sean. He has instilled a new spirit into us. He gets away with things that perhaps an Ards man might not get away with. He is a great character and his great sense of humour and camaraderie makes training enjoyable. He has instilled a new belief in us and I know that we can continue to go from strength to strength,” said Gerard.

There is little doubt that today once a Down hurler puts on a jersey, he is almost willing to die for the other fourteen men in red and black on the same field. This might not always have been the case in the past. The past few years however, have witnessed a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of Down hurling and the Down stars of today will perhaps inspire a new generation of Down hurlers to even greater success in the years to come. That's in the future however. For the present, the Down hurlers can reflect on a triumphant 1992 and look forward to the coming season with great optimism and few can be more optimistic than Gerard McGrattan. It is doubtful if anyone has grabbed more headlines in their first season at senior level than the tall Portaferry man. If he can continue to hurl like he did during 1992, then a glittering career is in prospect for Gerard McGrattan.

[T O Hare]

They do not come much bigger than Mayobridge Star Tom O'Hare


On September 22nd 1968, Down won their third All-Ireland Senior football title when they defeated Kerry in the decider on a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-13, having already overcome Galway at the semi final stage five weeks earlier by 2-10 to 2-8. One of the heroes of that Down side from 25 years ago was Mayobridge man Tom O'Hare. Starting the game in the left corner back position, Tom was switched to centre half back after fifteen minutes to curtail the advances of rampant Kerry pivot man and captain Pat Griffin who was running the Down defence ragged. O'Hare did a good marking job on Griffin and even found time to move upfield and kick two priceless points from frees as the Down men collected their third All-Ireland title of the 60's. It is not surprising to learn that time has somewhat dulled Tom's memories of the big occasion - but one vivid memory from that September day sticks out in his mind to this very day. "I remember when the final whistle went a crowd of spectators jumped on my back and nearly killed me!", he recalls humourously. The achievement of the Down team of '68 was hammered before this year's All-Ireland final and the special commemorative occasion brought the memories rushing back for Tom and his team-mates. "It was a lovely day and it was very enjoyable", he says. "As usual All-Ireland final day was a great occasion which was greatly enhanced by Derry winning. I felt that the best team definitely won on the day". Yet another subscriber to the idea that Ulster football has never been healthier.

Not many players who start the All-Ireland final at corner back can claim to have scored two points - and with Down finally winning by only two point those scores couldn't have been more decisive. Down's normal free taker Paddy Doherty had taken one long free which dropped short when Tom decided to take on the responsibility for any further long frees. His first attempt split the posts, his second missed, and his third went over . and the rest, as they say, is history. To this day many people in Down will tell you that, even without taking the two points into consideration, Tom's contribution to Down's third All-Ireland victory was all important. The switch from corner back to centre back to cover Kerry danger man Pat Griffin was a gamble which paid off. If Down were ever going to leave Croke Park with Sam Maguire it was vital that Griffin be kept quiet. For most of the game O'Hare had the unenviable task of watching him and he passed the test with flying colour. The Mayobridge man's intercounty debut was just a distant memory at that stage.

When Tom first pulled on the Red and Black jersey it was a bizarre occasion. "It was a sort of traumatic experience", he recalls. "I played Minor in 1960 and a couple of years later, just after Down had won the All-Ireland, I was brought into the Senior panel. Down were playing the rest of Ulster and I went to the game and the manager handed me the number eleven jersey because James McCartan was injured. When I saw the jersey I thought he had made a mistake and I handled it back to him!", Tom mightn't have been ready but he pulled on the county shirt that day and never looked back. He played exceptionally well in his Senior debut and was a model of consistency for his county over the next decade or so. As well as playing for the Senior team, Tom also performed for the county Minors, Under 21's and Junior, and during his playing days he picked up quite a healthy collection of medals. In '68 Down did the clean sweep, winning both Championship and League. To go with those two prestigious medals Tom also picked up an Ulster Minor medal in 1960, six Ulster titles, three Railway Cup medals and a number of Dr. McKenna Cup honours. After years of performing in the Down jersey with distinction Tom's intercounty playing days came to a close in 1973. One of the last games he played in was the 1973 Ulster final. The opposition was provided by Tyrone and Down were beaten on a scoreline of 3-13 to 1-11. The Mayobridge man was marking Frank McGuigan that day and looking back he concedes that the O'Neill county legend gave him something of a "roasting" that day.

Throughout his playing career Tom O'Hare always managed to stay relatively injury free. The worst injury he picked up was during the 1966 All-Ireland semi final defeat against Meath. "I was going for the ball and Marty O'Sullivan ran into me", he recalls. That particular injury kept the Down man out of action for almost six months. But he bounced back and two years later was in Croke Park collecting his All-Ireland winners medal. There was no way the man often described as the Franz Beckenbour of Gaelic football was going to retire from the game without making his mark - and collecting at least one All-Ireland medal. A real leader on the field of play. O'Hare always used the ball well and he was, without doubt, one of the top players of his era. A member of the Mayobridge club - the first G.A.A. club to be established in Down -Tom spent a couple of years playing for Clonduff in Hilltown when Mayobridge were out of action. Tom represented the club for a total of thirty years, first playing Underage as a fresh-faced thirteen year old. "I first played for the Senior team when I was fifteen and my last game was a reserve Junior final about seven years ago". He explains. "I won a Division 4 and Division Three medals and a Junior Championship until after I retired. I won a Senior League medal with Clonduff though".

It's a long time now since Tom O'Hare played for Down but his exploits in the red and black jersey will never be forgotten in the northern county. And the legacy, as they say, continues -his nephew, Shane McMahon has broken into the Senior county team and lined out for Down's 1993/'94 Church and General National League opener against Donegal. Manager, Peter McGrath is obviously intent to bring in some new blood in an attempt to inject hunger back into his side and reach the same dizzy heights they reached three seasons ago and young McMahon no doubt features in his re-structuring plans. Another nephew of Tom's, Paul O'Hare, played a few League matches for Down in early '91 and as it turned out he would have won an All-Ireland medal had he stuck at it! He no longer plays but Tom remains involved with the Mayobridge club in a big way. He is one of their trustees and he also trains the Under 14 side -to great effect! The Mayobridge Senior team are putting together a good run in the League this year and looked hot favourites to finish top of the pile as we went to press. Married to local Hilltown girl Eileen, Tom is father to six children - Cathy, Padraig, John, Tomas, Bridgeen and Joseph.

Since winning the 1991 All-Ireland Championship Down football has been on something of a low. They didn't even manage to kick off their '93/'94 League campaign in winning fashion. What has gone wrong with Down football since that glorious September day of just over three years ago? Tom O'Hare has his own theory. "They were celebrating too much for a start. The rest of the counties in Ulster wouldn't be that much stronger. There's not a hell of a lot between the top four teams here. To be honest, we were lucky to beat Derry in 1991. At the moment it would be very tight in Ulster Between Donegal, Derry, Down, Tyrone and even Armagh are looking strong. All-Irelands aren't won at this time of year but the manager had to introduce new blood. He has done it and now we're going to have to be patient", explains the Mayobridge man.

What Tom feels is working against the Down team is their lack of big players. "One thing I would find fault with is that there isn't enough physical presence in the team while there are a lot of big mobile men in the Derry and Dublin teams", he observes, years of involvement with the G.A.A. has provided Tom O'Hare with many great friends. Amongst his many close friends would be John Keenan who won three All-Ireland medals with the great Galway three in a row team and Brendan Doyle who used to play club football for Clonduff. For any soccer fans reading. Tom tells us that he is an avid Manchester United supporter and he feels that the Republic of Ireland team "won't have it easy in Belfast". At the end of the day though Tom O'Hare's forte and main area of excellence always was, is and always will be Gaelic football. And aren't the good folk of Down glad of it!

[T O Hare]

Paddy O'Rourke
Down's captain fantastic

September 15th, 1991, is a date which will, no doubt, be remembered forever by present and future generations of Down people, for it is on that date that the famed Red and Black will be appearing in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final for the first time in twenty three years. It will be a proud day in the annals of Down GAA history and no Down man will be as proud as the man who will lead them onto the famous Croke Park that day, team captain Paddy O'Rourke.

An All-Ireland Senior Football medal will complete an amazing collection of medals for the Burren Building Contractor. He is already the holder of two Railway Cup medals, a National Football League medal, All-Ireland Minor and Under 21 Football medals and two All-Ireland Club Championship medals. He now has a golden opportunity of adding the most prestigious medal of the lot to his impressive tally.

From an early age, it was clear that Paddy O'Rourke would be an outstanding athlete. Under the expert guidance of the late Sean Murdock, O'Rourke competed in both Gaelic Football and track and field athletics with his native Burren club. He could have made it in either code but chose Gaelic Football. Paddy O'Rourke was an outstanding Juvenile club footballer and his first taste of Championship success carne when he won a Down Minor Football Championship medal at the tender age of fourteen in 1974. This team was incidentally managed by Barney Treanor, who is, of course, a selector with the current Down team. The following year he played on the Burren side which lost to Newry Bosco in the Down Minor Championship Final, but in 1978 he was to add a second Down Minor Championship medal to his collection, captaining the Burren side, which easily defeated Newry Mitchels in the final. In 1976 he also won a Down Under16 Championship medal with Burren.

At school level, too, he was making an impression and he played a significant role in helping St. Mark's of Warrenpoint to win All-Ireland Under 16 Vocational Schools medals in 1975 and 1976. Things were happening very quickly for the young O'Rourke and much more was still to come.

In 1977, the legendary Sean O'Neill, who won an Alllreland Senior Football medal with Down in 1960, 1961 and 1968, took over the mangership of the Down Minor Football team. They progressed to the Ulster final where they met near neighbours Armagh. It took a late Down point to force a draw in the first encounter at Clones, but in the replay a fortnight later in Castleblayney, Down got home by two points, on a 0-11 to 1-6 scoreline. Mayo were accounted for in the All-Ireland semi-final and Paddy O'Rourke had arrived at his first inter-county All-Ireland final.

Down's opponents in that 1977 All-Ireland Minor final were none other than Meath, and the game was played in Croke Park as the curtain raiser to the Dublin V Armagh All-Ireland final. Included on the Meath team that day were Michael McQuillan and Liam Harnan, but even footballers with such great potential as these could not prevent the Mournemen from landing their first ever All-Ireland Minor Football title. It was a proud Down captain John McCartan who lifted the Tom Markham Cup that day, but it was not to be a "Northern Double" as Dublin put paid to Armagh's hopes in the Senior game which followed.

Paddy O'Rourke had the honour of captaining the Down Minor team in 1978, but their Ulster and All-Ireland crowns disappeared as Down lost to Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final. More All-Ireland glory was to come Paddy's way the following year however, when he played centre half back on the Down team which defeated Cork by 1-9 to 0-7 in the All-Ireland Under 21 Football final, also played at headquarters. Indeed, Burren players comprised the Down half back line on that occasion as Paddy O'Rourke was flanked by Gerard Murdock and Brendan McGovern.

Following the defeat by Tyrone in the 1978 Ulster Minor semi-final, Paddy O'Rourke was called into the Down Senior squad by team manager James McCartan. Down proceeded to defeat Cavan in the Ulster final and in the All-Ireland semi-final Down were drawn against the mighty Dubs. Such was the confidence that the Mourne management had in the young O'Rourke, that at half time he was thrown into the full-blooded battle of Senior County Football for the first time in his career. His performance during his thirty five minutes of play clearly earmarked him as a star of the future.

O'Rourke from that day has been a permanent fixture of the Down team, and in 1981 he captured his second Ulster Championship medal playing a leading role on the team which beat Armagh by 3-12 to 1-10, in an action packed final played at Clones. Armagh were again the victims in 1983, when Down won their fourth National Football League title and Paddy O'Rourke collected his first and, to date, only National inter-county award at Senior level. Indeed, that was a real time of celebration for Paddy, as just prior to Down winning that National League title he married Warrenpoint Lady, Una Powderly, and they spent their honeymoon on tour with The Bank of Ireland All Stars in the U.S.A. (Paddy toured as an All-Star replacement).

After winning two Ulster Championship medals in three years, it took Paddy O'Rourke and Down a further ten years to win another one. In 1982, Paddy was elected captain of Down, but, unfortunately, his Championship debut as captain was not a happy one as the Anglo-Celt Cup, which had been received by his club mate and good friend Tommy McGovern the year before, was lost at the first defence, Down succumbed to the challenge of Tyrone.

The remainder of the eighties did not bring much success at county level for Paddy O'Rourke, but he more than compensated for this on the domestic front. The Burren club of the 1980's will be remembered as one of the greatest ever club sides to grace the Gaelic fields of Ireland and Paddy O'Rourke played a monumental role in helping them to achieve this glory. Between 1981 and 1988 inclusive, Burren won seven Down Senior Football Championship titles, five Ulster Club Championship titles and All-Ireland Club titles in 1986 and 1988, the latter having been achieved with victories over Castleisland Desmonds (Kerry) and Clann Na nGael (Roscommon), respectively. Unfortunately, an accident at work - which certainly would have been much more serious but for the combination of Paddy's athletic ability and the prompt actions of a crane driver - ruled the All-Star out of that
1988 All-Ireland Club final, but he as much as anyone had played his part in getting Burren there, and in particular, he will have fond memories of their great semi-final victory over Nemo Rangers in Middleton.

When the father of three - Orla (7), Ciara (3) and Pauric (1) - leads Down onto Croke Park on Sunday, Paddy O'Rourke will have fulfilled a lifetime ambition. "It is a dream come true to play in an All-Ireland final," he said. "Nothing compares to it. In my early day I was blessed ~, with a lot of success and when I won Minor and Under 21 medals, I thought that getting to All-Ireland finals was easy. Now, I know different, but I have learned the hard way. There were times when I thought that this day would never come, but now that it has I can hardly believe it. It's certainly the best thing that has happened to me in my football career. To play in an All-Ireland final is a great honour for any footballer, but to captain that team is a real bonus. I am really looking forward to the game."

Meath will be difficult to beat and Paddy knows it. Time after time this year the Meath team have shown great character in refusing to accept defeat. Having got to the All-Ireland final they will not throw in the towel easily. Paddy O'Rourke knows that nothing, but the best from Down, will be good enough. At the end of the day it will all come down to whichever team adopts best to the occasion, and if it so happens that Peter Quinn becomes the first Ulster GAA President to present the Sam Maguire Cup to a winning Ulster captain, then come Sunday evening Croke Park will belong to Down and to Paddy O'Rourke.

[T O Hare]

DOWN'S AMBROSE ROGERS

As graceful as the South African Springbok, blessed with the vision of a Dutch midfielder and housing the heart of a lion. That's Down's Ambrose Rogers in a nutshell. There are few more animated characters in gaelic games these days. The Longstone utility man is a character alright, easily the most distinctive and arguably the most colourful footballer operating at the very highest level in G.A.A. circles.

It must be said that the Down farmer is a natural born crowd – pleaser, one of a small breed of amateur sports people who can actually make turnstiles click without even stripping off. Long after colleagues Peter Rooney and Colm McAlarney had decided to give the opposing defences a well earned break. Rogers continued to tease, thrill and titillate Gaels across the country. Long before livewires like Mickey Linden and James McCartan began to electrify the crowds, Rogers was causing shockwaves among defensive formations.

For one so frustratingly omitted from the mainstream of things over the last eighteen months, the near 33 year old schemer is still as popular, still as identifiable province-wide as when first he began to strike a chord of appreciation among the purists of the game. Twelve years on from the day he made his debut in a League match against Monaghan, Ambrose Rogers has had every right to feel slightly hard done by as he reaches the twilight of his career. Injuries and not the ravages of time have bedevilled Rogers in his quest of one mighty, lengthy and memorable curtain call. A walk-on role last season, many felt, cheated him of his more rightful central role in the scheme of things. The quality and success of the production justified Peter McGrath's casting however. That said and with all due respect to his blissfully talented attacking colleagues. Rogers is a man for the big stage. A bit-part would suit Laurence Olivier better, one would suggest.

Married to Bronagh (nee Brown) from Hilltown near Clonduff, the versatile Rogers has fitted in surprisingly well in his new found supporting role on the all conquering Down senior side. A lover of the game and a Longstone devotee, the 1981 and 1991 Ulster senior medallist has had no choice but to knuckle down and bide his time in the hottest race for places in the Down team for decades. “I've been working as hard as I've ever done on the training field but with this present Down squad, it's so tough just to maintain your place on the panel”, acknowledged one of the game's most approachable activists.

In light of his recent injury trouble, some would say that Ambrose 'ought to be glad he's reached the stage that he's now on the periphery of first team selection, a recent All Ireland winner and an integral part of the possee hunting for it's second prize catch. He is glad, but luck has had nothing to do with his recovery from an injury suffered last April which had swansong written all over it for the Down veteran.

Playing against Donegal in a National League tie at Newry last April Rogers contested a floated centre but fell awkwardly. His right knee locked, immediately. Stricken years before with cartilage trouble in his other knee, big Ambrose realised the seriousness of the trouble, or at least he thought he did. He never imagined that almost five months of recuperation under the supervision of Irish Rugby team medic Dr.O'Shaughnessy would be his lot. Nor did be ever expect “to enjoy the best year, the best memories I've had with the Down team”. A paradox? Not if one is familiar with the Rogers Psyche.

A product of Saint Columban's Primary School in Kilkeel and now a full-time farmer with 50 acres and another 30 leased, Ambrose hasn't much spare time to think on things that might have been. After his dreadful injury he expresses his gratitude that for two minutes against Kerry and another four in the final against Meath, he had the opportunity to “earn” his one and only All Ireland medal. He had only rejoined the panel after the Ulster final and he faced up to the prospect of a long spell bike-riding. It proved an experience for him. One which was to make his September reward even sweeter. He admits to being a good spectator, a factor which helped him through his agony on the sideline. His club duties broke the monotony, provided a distraction too. They were duties close to his heart anyway. A most loyal servant of Longstone, people will tell you there that on the evening that Down won last year's Ulster final, Rogers was serving tables at the ceile organised in the local hall that night. On the previous Wednesday, he had walked to the same venue from his home two miles away to clear the hall after Bingo, to make way for a playgroup on the following morning. Skilful, enterprising and one of the most intelligent readers of a quick-fire action sequence, he's well-liked in Longstone and further afield. A pleasant character, locals would tell you

Needles to say, he played a key role in his club's progression to this year's County Senior Championship quarter final. His performance as an emerging defender in his side's defeat of Newry Shamrocks was typical of the man. Fielding underneath the crossbar and then delivering a succession of intelligent passes to relieve the situations of danger. It was a display which had all the hallmarks of a double Railway cup medallist and long-time perfectionist of the game of football.

Along with his father Hugh (Club Treasurer for 38 consecutive years now) and brothers Sean and Hugh Lawrence (a County Senior panelist in '78) Ambrose Rogers is very much a True Blue Longstone clubman. As dedicated a servant of the 1982 Division Two League winners as his uncle, Emmet Hughian, another man synonymous in setting up the Down Supporters Club prior to last year's provincial Championship match against Armagh, Emmet has the distinction of lining out with his son Emmet junior in the Longstone colours during the Senior County Championship campaign of 1988. Now assisting team manager Martin Slevin, Emmet describes Ambrose Rogers as “one of the most loyal clubmen that I've ever heard about or known”.

An SDLP Counciller in Newry, Emmet Haughian, former chairman of the South Down Board is still agog at the level of fanaticism and interest generated in Down footballing circles in the aftermath of the County's 1991 All Ireland success. “Before last year the kids around the County would have a lot of soccer stars for idols” Now it's men like Ambrose Rogers. Paddy O'Rourke and Mickey Linden that they all want to be seen with”, remarked the long time club secretary who still enjoys recalling the celebrations which took place in Portmarnock, Dublin among some two thousand people on the night of last year's All Ireland final.

As the fundraising and underlying support for the Down team garnered by men like Emmet Haughian has grown, Ambrose Rogers believes that the current Down panel has grown in stature in leaps and bounds. The money raised by Emmet and Co. in the Supporters Club has been well spent. Booklets printed, daces organised, membership cards sold have all contributed to the business of raising standards all round in Down G.A.A. circles. A sort of semi professional approach is Rogers is one player who feels “it is inevitable and a good thing as long as there's no rip-off along the way”.

An All Ireland minor Championship winning medallist alongside fellow survivors Pat Donnan and Paddy O'Rourke, the 6 feet 2 inches and 13 stone sure-footed marksman shares with the clans of the Haughians, the Treanor's and the Burdens, a great family G.A.A. tradition in Longstone. Ambrose's uncle John represented his county and club with distinction in the early sixties and he and his brother Hugh Lawrence formed integral parts of the Longstone team beaten by a Tommy McGovern – powered Buren side in the County Championship final in 1986. Ambrose Rogers has a good pedigree alright. He's a thoroughbred, that's for sure.

Comparing the current Down team with the county provincial winning side of 1981. Ambrose firmly believes that the 1992 model has a better pedigree. He even goes as far as to suggest that this year's panel is stronger than last year's unit. With fully fit operatives like Austin, Donnan and Rogers in the wings, the point is well- founded but still not in any way subjective. As for winning back-to-back All Ireland's the self admitted “late developer” and 'erstwhile double provincial under 21 medalist, believes that the Down set-up are looking no further than Ulster at present

“Sure the squad have ambition and the hunger to win this year again, but it's to win the Ulster Championship semi final. Any other talk of hunger is in the minds of the media. It's not part of the players thinking at the minute”, explained the maker and executioner of some of the best scores seen over the last decade and more. Curiously, when pressed, Ambrose admits that he personally thought that 1990 would have heralded the Down breakthrough. Injuries to messrs. O'Rourke, Blayney and Kane against Armagh that year, he added, put a spanner in the works though.

Twelve years on from his emergence on the inter-county scene and twenty-four years on from the never-to-be forgotten Down All Ireland win in 1968, Ambrose Rogers is a veritable colossus among his people in tiny Longstone. A hero to all men and a model sportsman to all impersonators. He remembers specifically waiting for five hours in Newcastle to catch a glimpse of the returning 1968 heroes, men like Colm McAlarney and Danny Kelly, of whom he managed to catch a glimpse of as they descended from the team bus. The memory is still fixed in his mind. It was an inspiration. Just like 33 year old Ambrose Rogers!

[T O Hare]

JOHN “ SHORTY “ TREANOR

A DISTINGUISHED CAREER WITH DOWN AND BURREN

Can he inspire the Mourne Champs to a sixth Ulster Title?

One of the best known names in Gaelic football circles over the past ten years or so is that of John “Shorty” Treanor. The twenty-nine year old star has had a distinguished career at both club and county level and he has had a trophy cabinet filled to overflowing to prove it.

From an early age it was clear that John Treanor was destined to be a footballer of top class proportions. As a youngster he was so good that he benefited little from playing with kids of his own age group. Hence, he played with the older boys but, of course, he was much smaller than them so they called him “Shorty.” The name has stuck with him ever since and indeed he is much better known as “Shorty” than John.

Years later “Shorty Treanor is still outclassing his peers. Only last week a local sports journalist had this to write following Burren's 1- 14 to 0 –2 annihilation of great rivals Downpatrick in a top of the table League clash. “More than 1,500 crowded into Dunleath Park to watch and anticipated thriller with the First Division Title at stake. They saw no thriller but at least the neutrals can console themselves that they witnessed one of the very special individual performances of the year. Fifteen minutes of “Shorty” brilliance was all it took to flush away Downpatrick's ambitions of retaining that League title. In that fifteen minute spell midway through the first half “Shorty” ran riot scoring 1-5, his goal coming when he retrieved a seemingly hopeless ball close to the sideline before beating three defenders and shooting an unstoppable shot to the net from the tightest of angles. When John Treanor is on form he is a treat to watch and this eel-like livewire is virtually impossible to mark, as he plays in no defined position and covers virtually every blade of grass on the park. This was one such occasion

Before he had reached the age of sixteen John “Shorty” Treanor was the proud possessor of three All – Ireland medals. He won those medals at Vocational Schools level with St.Mark's, Warrenpoint and among the other well known names to have such medals in their collection are clubmates Paddy O'Rourke and Brendan McGovern.

“Shorty” has represented Down at Under 16, Minor, Under 21 and Senior Football Championship medals. This came after an epic tussle with near neighbours Saval with Burren winning out in extra time in a reply. From 1983 to 1988 inclusive the “Burren Machine” won a record six consecutive Down Senor Football Championship titles with “Shorty” Treanor playing an instrumental role in many of those successes. Indeed, in the Championship Finals of 1986 and 1987 when Burren defeated Longstone and Bryansford respectively, “Shorty” won the Man of the Match Award for his outstanding performances in those finals. A further Down Senior Football Championship medal followed in 1992

Apart from his collection of Down (and, of course, Ulster and All-Ireland) Club medals, “Shorty” also has a couple of other Championship medals in his collection. Like many other well known footballers, “Shorty” has spent a number of summers playing in the U.S.A. and on one such period during the mid-eighties he won both Chicago and North American Board Championship medals while playing with the Wolfe Tones Club in Chicago.

Burren's record in Ulster is second to none. Every year they have annexed the Down crown they have at least reached the final of the Ulster decider. No other Down club with the exception of Bryansford in 1970 and 1971 have ever played in an Ulster Club Final. Burren's first Ulster Final appearance was in the final. Burren's first Ulster Final appearance was in 1981. They defeated Antrim champions St. John's in a gripping semi final at Corrigan Park but they had to wait almost five months for the final to be played and unable to repeat their early campaign form Burren lost out to Ballinderry (Derry) in the decider.

Two years later it was a happier story for Burren. A point in the last minute earned Burren a replay against defending champions St. Galls (Antrim) and second time around Burren made no mistake thanks to a Tony McArdle goal midway through the second half which set Burren up for a famous 1-5 to 0-6 victory. That day was a day of ”mixed” emotions for “Shorty” as he was sent off by referee Damien Campbell for a second personal foul during that match.

The Down champions proceeded to win three Ulster titles on the trot and following that third success went all the way to the ultimate glory. On a bitter cold February day at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, the Down and Ulster Champions completely outclassed their illustrious Leinster opponents and defeated Portlaoise by a whopping 2-13 to 0-6 final scoreline. Sunday 16th March 1986 is red letter day in the history of the G.A.A. in Burren. On that day on the famous Croke Park sward they won the first of their two All-Ireland Club titles and brought the Andy Merrigan Cup to County Down for the first time.

Like their first Ulster Club title success Burren defeated the reigning champions in the final. Kerry and Munster champions Castleisland Desmonds were Burren's opponents on that famous 1986 day and inspired by Captain Tommy McGovern, Burren turned in a memorable performance winning by four points, 1-9 to 1-5. Burren's goal came in the eighth minute of the second half and was scored by none other than John “Shorty” Treanor. It was a goal right out of the handbook of classic goals, a scorcher from twenty meters which left the Castleisland Desmonds goalkeeper Charlie Nelligan helpless on his goal line.

Two years later Burren won the Andy Merrigan Cup for a second time, Clann na nGael at Roscommon being their victims in the final. The loss of Paddy O'Rourke only inspired Burren to greater things though midway through the second half the sides were level with Burren playing into a strong wind. The character of the Burren team however, shone through and four late points won the day, one of them coming from an excellent long range free by John Treanor. The following year Clan na nGael got their revenge however. Burren had just won a record fifth Ulster Club title and were drawn to play the Connaught Champions in the All-Ireland semi-final. The game was played at St. Mary's Park, Burren but from the midpoint of the first half playing conditions became almost impossible. However, in almost blizzard conditions both teams served up a memorable game of football, in the end the Westerners winning through on a 1-6 to 1-5 scoreline.

On Sunday Burren go for their sixth Ulster Club Championship success. Standing in the way of them are the Derry Champions Lavey, who won the All-Ireland Club title the year before last. This indeed, is the Battle of the Giants of Ulster Football, the All-Ireland champions of 1986 and 1988 playing the All-Ireland champions of 1991.

John Treanor agrees that while many of the great Burren names of the eighties like Tommy McConvile have retired that some of the young Burren stars are showing the enthusiasm and character necessary to gain success at the highest level. Players like Jimmy McAlinden and Gavin Murdock have been tormenting defences all season with their great scoring ability – Jimmy for example scored 2-5 against Newry Bosco in the Down Championship semi final – while young half back Garret McFerran has been playing “out of his skin” all season. The twenty year old teaching training student who attends St. Mary, Belfast was voted “ Man of the Match” in this year's Down Championship Final and only last weekend won the prestigious South Down Footballer of the Year Award.

In both their Ulster Club Championship games to date Burren have looked most impressive. In their first outing at Casement Park they were always in complete control against Antrim champions Lamh Dearg and recorded a convincing thirteen point victory. They found the challenge of Scotstown (Monaghan) in the semi final a much more difficult assignment but with John Treanor once more in scintillating form, the Monaghan men finally had to bow out to the free flowing Burren men. Treanor scored a person tally of 2-3 on that occasion, his goal coming from a first half free from all of forty metres and a second half penalty.

Lavey will be formidable opponents for Burren in Sunday's Ulster decider at the Athletic Grounds Armagh. They may have struggled for spells in their encounters against Ramor United (Cavan), Moortown (Tyrone) and Killybegs (Donegal), but they have reached the final on merit. Spearheaded by Henry and Seamus Downey and John and Colm McGurk they are a team who play the game in an uncompromising manner but with a lot of skill and precision. Having won the All-Ireland Club title twenty months ago, they know they have the ability to not only defeat Burren but to go on the lift a second All – Ireland

But will they? The answer to that might well lie with one John “Shorty” Treanor, who incidentally is a son of current Down Selector and former intercounty referee Barney. If Lavey curtail “Shorty” on Sunday they might well go a long way to dash Burren's dreams of a sixth Ulster title. If however, “Shorty” is on song, then the chances are that Seamus McFerran Cup will be back in Burren on Sunday night and that Burren will be on the plane to London to play Tir Connail Gaels on 6th December

[amallon]

Some great players there.  Its a pity Shorty and Pete couldn't have patched things up in 91.

[amallon]

Anyone hear that Ross got his suspension over turned?

[Lecale2]

Good stuff T O'Hare. Where did you get all this?

[Dannymcfella]

Tom has nothing better to do, he should do something productive with his time and quit daydreaming about how his own footballing career passed him by while he was down factory lane or out the back of the downshire hotel in hilltown with young girls gettin up to all sorts

[T O Hare]

Found it on the Hoganstand.com/down site under Gaa immortals!
Aidan, where did you hear that rumour, Grants?

[T O Hare]

Jesus, take it someone does nt like me factory lane, oh the memories

[Dannymcfella]

Every1 loves you, we were just jealous of your womanising ways

[amallon]

Someone texted me with the news asking did I hear anything.