The 2023 Down Senior Football Championship is the 115th official edition of Down GAA's premier Gaelic football tournament for senior clubs in County Down. 16 teams competed, with the winning team representing Down in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. The tournament operates a double elimination format for the opening two rounds of the championship, with the winners and early round losers rejoining at the quarter-final stage.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| County | Down |
| Province | Ulster |
| Year | 2023 |
| Trophy | Frank O'Hare Cup |
| Sponsor | Morgan Fuels |
| Teams | 16 |
| Defending champions |  Kilcoo |
| Qualify for | 2023 Ulster Club SFC |
Kilcoo come into the competition as defending Down champions.
Team changes edit
The following teams have changed division since the 2022 championship season.
To S.F.C. editPromoted from 2022 Down I.F.C. |
From S.F.C. editRelegated to 2023 Down I.F.C.
|
Participating teams edit
The following teams take part in the 2023 edition of the Down Senior Football Championship.[1]
| Division One | Division Two | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 Bredagh
|
Round 2B |  Ballyholland Harps
|
Quarter Final |
 Bryansford
|
Round 2B |  Castlewellan
|
Round 3 |
 Burren
|
Final |  Glenn
|
Semi Final |
 Carryduff
|
Quarter Final | RGU Downpatrick
|
Quarter Final |
 Clonduff
|
Semi Final |  Saul
|
Round 2B |
| Kilcoo
|
Final | Saval
|
Round 2B |
 Longstone
|
Round 3 | ||
 Loughinisland
|
Round 3 | ||
 Mayobridge
|
Quarter Final | ||
| Warrenpoint
|
Round 3 | ||
Bold denotes a team still active in the competition
Round 1 edit
The 16 participating teams were placed into an open draw. The winning teams advance to Round 2A, while losing sides proceed to Round 2B.
| 24 August 2023 Round 1 | Saul
|
0–12 – 0–13 | RGU Downpatrick
|
Darragh Cross | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: St Mochai's Park | ||||
| Report | Referee: Brian Higgins
|
| 25 August 2023 Round 1 | Bredagh
|
2–06 – 1–14 | Clonduff
|
Downpatrick | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Tomás Ruséil | ||||
| Report | Referee: Colm Gribben
|
| 25 August 2023 Round 1 | Ballyholland Harps
|
0–13 – 2–15 | Loughinisland
|
Castlewellan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: St Malachy's Park | ||||
| Report | Referee: Darren O'Hare
|
| 26 August 2023 Round 1 | Mayobridge
|
3–10 – 1–04 | Bryansford
|
Kilcoo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Eoghan Rua | ||||
| Report | Referee: Ronan Barry
|
| 27 August 2023 Round 1 | Glenn
|
1–11 – 1–09 | Saval
|
Burren | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: St Mary's Park | ||||
| Report | Referee: Micheal Moore
|
| 27 August 2023 Round 1 | Longstone
|
2–08 – 1–11 (a.e.t.) (5–4 pen) |
Castlewellan
|
Newcastle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: St Patrick's Park | ||||
| Report | Referee: Kevin McGrath | ||||
| Penalty shootout | |||||
| 27 August 2023 Round 1 | Warrenpoint
|
1–05 – 0–12 | Burren
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Report | Referee: Ciaran Branagan
|
Round 2 edit
Round 2A edit
Round 2A features the eight winning teams from Round 1, with an open draw to determine the fixtures. The winning teams progress directly to the quarter-finals, with the losing teams proceeding to Round 3.
| 2 September 2023 Round 2A | Burren
|
4–10 – 0–10 | Loughinisland
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Referee: Colm Gribben
|
| 3 September 2023 Round 2A | Longstone
|
2–08 – 1–17 | Glenn
|
Rostrevor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Pettit Park | ||||
| Referee: Brian Higgins
|
| 3 September 2023 Round 2A | Kilcoo
|
1–10 – 0–05 | Mayobridge
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Referee: Darren O Hare
|
| 4 September 2023 Round 2A | Clonduff
|
2–12 – 0–11 | RGU Downpatrick
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Referee: Micheal Moore
|
Round 2B edit
Round 2B sees the eight losing teams from Round 1 compete for a place in Round 3. The losing teams from this round will be eliminated from the competition.
| 2 September 2023 Round 2B | Warrenpoint
|
1–10 – 1–10 (a.e.t.) (6–5 pen) |
Bryansford
|
Ballymartin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Cois na Farraige | ||||
| Referee: Gavin Finnegan | |||||
| Penalty shootout | |||||
| 2 September 2023 Round 2B | Castlewellan
|
1–08 – 0–08 | Bredagh
|
Tullylish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc na nÓg | ||||
| Referee: Ronan Barry
|
| 3 September 2023 Round 2B | Ballyholland Harps
|
4–11 – 0–07 | Saval
|
Newcastle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: St Patrick's Park | ||||
| Referee: Conor Curran
|
| 4 September 2023 Round 2B | Carryduff
|
1–13 – 0–09 | Saul
|
Liatroim | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Fontenoy Park | ||||
| Referee: Ciarán Branagan
|
Relegation Semi-finals edit
The 4 losers of Round 2B play each other in the Relegation Semi-finals. The 2 winners will secure their Senior status for 2024, while the 2 losers will face-off in the Relegation Final.
| 17 September 2023 Relegation Play-Off Semi-final | Bryansford
|
0–17 – 2–12 (a.e.t.) |
Saul
|
Drumnaquoile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Pairc Naomh Eoin | ||||
| Referee: Ronan Barry
|
| 17 September 2023 Relegation Play-Off Semi-final | Bredagh
|
1–13 – 1–08 | Saval
|
Tullylish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc na nÓg | ||||
| Referee: Darren O Hare
|
Relegation Final edit
The winner of the Relegation Final will maintain their Senior status into 2024, while the loser will be relegated to the 2024 Down I.F.C.
| 23 September 2023 Relegation Play-Off Final | Bryansford
|
2–17 – 2–05 | Saval
|
Atticall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Holy Cross Park | ||||
| Referee: Gavin Finnegan
|
Saval relegated to 2024 Down Intermediate Football Championship
Round 3 edit
Round 3 is a supplementary round for teams to have a second chance at reaching the quarter-finals. This round features teams that have lost once so far in this year's competition, either winning in Round 1 and losing in Round 2A, or losing in Round 1 but winning their Round 2B fixture. The losing teams in this round are eliminated from this year's competition.
This round is seeded, meaning that in each fixture a Round 2A losing team will face a Round 2B winning team.
| 8 September 2023 Round 3 | Longstone
|
0–06 – 3–08 | Ballyholland Harps
|
Kilcoo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Eoghan Rua | ||||
| Referee: Micheal Moore
|
| 10 September 2023 Round 3 | RGU Downpatrick
|
1–14 – 3–04 | Castlewellan
|
Newcastle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:45 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: St Patrick's Park | ||||
| Referee: Ronan Barry
|
| 10 September 2023 Round 3 | Mayobridge
|
1–11 – 0–10 | Warrenpoint
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Referee: Brian Higgins
|
| 11 September 2023 Round 3 | Loughinisland
|
1–09 – 0–13 | Carryduff
|
Liatroim | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Fontenoy Park | ||||
| Referee: Darren O Hare
|
Quarter-finals edit
The quarter-finals see the two brackets rejoin, with the earlier Round 2A winners facing a Round 3 winner for a semi-final spot.
| 16 September 2023 Quarter-final | Clonduff
|
1–12 – 0–05 | RGU Downpatrick
|
Liatroim | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Fontenoy Park | ||||
| Referee: Colm Gribben
|
| 17 September 2023 Quarter-final | Kilcoo
|
0–09 – 0–05 | Carryduff
|
Downpatrick | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Tomás Ruséil | ||||
| Report | Referee: Micheal Moore
|
| 17 September 2023 Quarter-final | Burren
|
1–09 – 1–03 | Ballyholland Harps
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Report | Referee: Gavin Finnegan
|
| 18 September 2023 Quarter-final | Glenn
|
1–12 – 0–08 | Mayobridge
|
Kilcoo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Eoghan Rua | ||||
| Referee: Conor Curran
|
Semi-finals edit
The semi-finals will see the four winning sides face off for a place in this year's final. This round is an open draw from the four quarter-final winners.
| 29 September 2023 Semi-final | Burren
|
2–12 – 0–08 | Glenn
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Páirc Esler | ||||
| Referee: Brian Higgins
|
Final edit
The final will be played between the two semi-final winning teams, and will take place at Páirc Esler, Newry.
| 15 October 2023 Final | Burren
|
0-09 – 2-12 | Kilcoo
|
Newry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue: Páirc Esler | |||||
| Report | Referee: Brian Higgins
|
References edit
- ^ "2023 Down GAA Senior Football Championship". downgaa.net. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.