# 2017 Down Senior Football Championship

The 2017 Down Senior Football Championship was the 109th official edition of Down GAA's premier gaelic football tournament for senior clubs in County Down. 16 teams compete with the winner representing Down in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.
The tournament operated 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.
Kilcoo Owen Roe's were the defending champions after they defeated Clonduff 3-11 to 0-9 in the 2016 final. On 1 October 2017 they successfully defended their title to claim a "6 in a row" of Down S.F.C. titles when defeating Burren 0-13 to 0-11. The final was broadcast live on TG4.
An Ríocht return to the senior grade after claiming the Down I.F.C. title in 2016. Bredagh make their senior comeback after breaking into the top 15 ranked teams in the Down football leagues for 2016.
Ballymartin and Bredagh are relegated to the 2018 I.F.C. after finishing outside the top 15 ranked teams in the Down football leagues for 2017. They finished 9th and 5th (ranked 21st and 17th overall) respectively in Division 2. Rostrevor and Carryduff will replace them after finishing 2nd and 3rd (ranked overall 14th and 15th) respectively in the Down ACFL Division 2 in 2017. Loughinisland gained a reprieve from relegation after finishing overall ranked 16th, however due to Rostrevor claiming the I.F.C. title, they were permitted to remain senior.

## Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2016 championship season.

## Round 1

All 16 teams enter the competition in this round. The 8 winners progress to Round 2A while the 8 losers progress to Round 2B.
| 10 August 2017 19:45 Round 1 | St. Peter's Warrenpoint | 0-13 – 0-8 | Bryansford | Mayobridge |
| 10 August 2017 19:45 Round 1 | Ross McGarry 0-4 (0-2f), Jamie Grant and Ryan Mallon 0-2 each, Ryan Boyle, John Boyle, Donagh McAleenan (0-1f), Niall McGovern, Aaron Magee 0-1 each | Report | Danny Savage 0-4 (0-2f), Timmy Hanna, Philip Bonny, David McKibben (0-1f), Packie Downey 0-1 each | Mayobridge |
| 11 August 2017 18:30 Round 1 | Saval | 0-21 – 2-14 | Ballymartin | Pairc Esler |
| 11 August 2017 18:30 Round 1 | Pat Havern 0-9 (0-7f), Keelan Rice and Niall Devlin (1 '45) 0-3 each, Curtis Sands and Eamonn Magee 0-2 each, Niall Madine and Brendan Turley 0-1 each | | Ciaran O'Hare 0-6 (0-4f), Cathal Doyle 1-1, Peter Fitzpatrick 1-0, Ryan O'Hare 0-3, John Caldwell 0-2, Adrian Doran and Ross Cunningham 0-1 each | Pairc Esler |
| 11 August 2017 20:00 Round 1 | Mayobridge | 0-19 – 1-9 | Longstone | Pairc Esler |
| 11 August 2017 20:00 Round 1 | Cathal Magee 0-7 (0-1f), Benny Coulter 0-4, Conleth O'Hare 0-3, Caolan Gallagher 0-2, Ryan Brady, Kevin McClorey, Rory Hughes 0-1 each | | Mark Poland 0-4f, Conor Poland 0-3 (0-1f, 1 ' 45), Ryan McDowell 1-0, Colin Burden and Barry Doran 0-1 each | Pairc Esler |
| 12 August 2017 15:45 Round 1 | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 4-14 – 1-10 | An Riocht | Castlewellan |
| 12 August 2017 15:45 Round 1 | Ruairi Quinn 1-3, Johnny Bell, Sean Bell, Garret Trainor 1-1 each, Anthony Doherty (0-1f, 1 '45), Conor McGrady (0-2f), Jarlath Branagan (0-1f) 0-2 each, Taylor Louden and Neil Cunningham 0-1 each | Report | Noel McArdle 0-6 (0-5f), Rory Cunningham 1-1, Declan Doyle 0-2, James Colgan 0-1 | Castlewellan |
| 12 August 2017 18:45 Round 1 | Ballyholland | 0-15 – 2-8 | Loughinisland | St. Patrick's |
| 12 August 2017 18:45 Round 1 | Patrick Quinn 0-6 (0-3f), Tony Havern 0-3, Ronan Murtagh 0-2, Patrick McAteer, Tiernan Rushe, Joe Murphy, M Walsh 0-1 each | | John McCarthy 1-1 (0-1f), Dean McLaughlin 1-0, Stefan Mason 0-3 (0-1f), Rory Deegan, Jonny Flynn, Declan McClements, Aaron McClements | St. Patrick's |
| 13 August 2017 15:45 Round 1 | Castlewellan | 1-17 – 1-8 | Bredagh | Downpatrick |
| 13 August 2017 15:45 Round 1 | | | Benny Hasson 1-0 | Downpatrick |
| 13 August 2017 20:00 Round 1 | Kilcoo | 0-14 – 1-10 (A.E.T.) | Clonduff | Pairc Esler |
| 13 August 2017 20:00 Round 1 | Paul Devlin 0-4 (0-1f, 2 '45), Darragh O'Hanlon 0-3 (0-2f), Conor Laverty 0-2, Felim McGreevy, Aaron Morgan, Ceilum Doherty, Ryan Johnston, James McClean 0-1 each | Report | Stephen McConville 0-4 (0-2f), Conor Murray 1-0, Darren O'Hagan, Aidan Carr, Conor Og O'Hagan, Rian Brannigan, Shane Ward, James Killen 0-1 each | Pairc Esler |
| 14 August 2017 20:00 Round 1 | Burren | 4-17 – 0-12 | Glenn John Martin | Clonduff |
| 14 August 2017 20:00 Round 1 | Donal O'Hare 1-5 (0-3f), Shay McArdle 0-6 (3 '45), Ryan Treanor 1-1, Ciaran McGovern and Cathal Foy 1-0, Kevin McKernan 0-2, Conor Toner, Sean Murdock, Stevie Fegan 0-1 each | | Stephen Clarke, Dylan Bagnall, Mattie Bagnall (0-2f), R Millar (1 '45), Cormac Clarke 0-2 each, M Turley and Tiarnan O'Brien 0-1 each | Clonduff |

## Round 2
### Round 2A

The 8 winning teams from Round 1 enter this round. The 4 winners enter the draw for the quarter-finals while the 4 losers play in Round 3.
| 19 August 2017 15:30 Round 2A | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 2-12 – 0-18 | St. Peter's Warrenpoint | Castlewellan |
| 19 August 2017 17:00 Round 2A | Castlewellan | 5-17 – 0-8 | Saval | Pairc Esler |
| 19 August 2017 17:00 Round 2A | Rory Burns 2-1, Gareth McKibben 1-3 (0-1f), Sean Dornan 1-2, David Gilmore 1-1, Donal McKibben (0-1f) and Liam McKibben 0-3 each, Daniel Morgan 0-2, Colm Flanagan and Sean Hardy 0-1 each | | Pat Havern 0-3 (0-1f), Daniel McCarthy 0-2, Chris Quinn, Keelan Rice, Niall Madine 0-1 each | Pairc Esler |
| 21 August 2017 18:45 Round 2A | Burren | 4-12 – 0-9 | Mayobridge | Pairc Esler |
| 21 August 2017 18:45 Round 2A | Conor Toner and Sean Murdock 1-1 each, Ryan Treanor and Eamonn Toner 1-0 each, Kevin McKernan 0-3, Cathal Foy, Shay McArdle (0-1f, 1 '45), Donal O'Hare (0-1f) 0-2 each, Jamie McGovern 0-1 | Report | Cathal Magee 0-5 (0-2f), Benny Coulter and Caolan Gallagher 0-2 each | Pairc Esler |
| 21 August 2017 20:15 Round 2A | Kilcoo | 2-7 – 0-6 | Ballyholland | Pairc Esler |
| 21 August 2017 20:15 Round 2A | Dylan Ward and Eugene Branagan 1-0 each, Paul Devlin (0-1f) and Ceilum Doherty 0-2 each, Darragh O'Hanlon (0-1f), Martin Devlin, Conor Laverty 0-1 each | | Ronan Murtagh 0-3f, Ruairi Campbell, Patrick Quinn (0-1f), Tiernan Rushe 0-1 each | Pairc Esler |
| 23 August 2017 19:00 Round 2A Replay | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 2-15 – 0-12 | St. Peter's Warrenpoint | Kilcoo |

### Round 2B

The 8 losing teams from Round 1 enter this round. The 4 winners go into Round 3 while the 4 losing teams exit the championship.
| 17 August 2017 20:15 Round 2B | Bryansford | 2-17 – 0-6 | An Riocht | Pairc Esler |
| 17 August 2017 20:15 Round 2B | Packie Downey 2-4, Danny Savage 0-6 (0-1f), Conor Maginn 0-3, David McKibben 0-2 (0-1f), Jack Maginn, Patrick Sheridan, Peter Brannigan 0-1 each | Report | Deaglan Morgan and Noel McArdle (0-1f) 0-2 each, Conor Clarke and Declan Doyle 0-1 each | Pairc Esler |
| 18 August 2017 20:15 Round 2B | Bredagh | 0-9 – 0-8 | Ballymartin | St. Patrick's |
| 19 August 2017 18:30 Round 2B | Clonduff | 3-19 – 2-14 aet | Longstone | Pairc Esler |
| 19 August 2017 18:30 Round 2B | Conor Óg O'Hagan 2-3, Stephen McConville 0-9 (0-7f), Conor Murray 1-0, Shane Ward 0-2, Paul Lively, Jayme Gribben, Charlie Carr, Aidan Carr, Rian Branagan 0-1 each | | Conor Smyth 1-2, Mark Poland 0-7f, Conor Poland 0-2 (0-1f), Ryan Kelly 1-0, Michael Ireland 0-2 (0-1f), Cormac Poland 0-1, | Pairc Esler |
| 21 August 2017 20:15 Round 2B | Loughinisland | 1-11 – 0-13 (A.E.T.) | Glenn John Martin | St. Patrick's |
| 21 August 2017 20:15 Round 2B | | Report | | St. Patrick's |

## Round 3

This is the final qualifier round. The four losing teams from round 2A (who won a match and lost a match) play the four winning teams from round 2B (who lost a match and won a match).
| 25 August 2017 20:00 Round 3 | Ballyholland | 2-7 – 0-10 | Bredagh | St. Patrick's Referee: Gavin Corrigan |
| 25 August 2017 20:00 Round 3 | Ronan Murtagh 2-1 (0-1f), Joe Murphy and Tiernan Rushe 0-2 each | | Donal Hughes 0-5 (0-3f), Kealan Devlin, Michael Robinson, Joe Shieds, Emmet Costello, Benny Hasson 0-1 each | St. Patrick's Referee: Gavin Corrigan |
| 26 August 2017 18:30 Round 3 | Bryansford | 1-20 – 0-8 | Saval | Clonduff Referee: Ciaran Branagan |
| 26 August 2017 18:30 Round 3 | Peter Sheridan 1-0, David McKibben (0-5f) and Danny Savage (0-2f) 0-6 each, Peter Brannigan and Packie Downey 0-2 each, Marc Reid (1 '45), Niall O'Higgins, Luke Kelly 0-1 each | Report | Niall Devlin 0-3, Keelan Rice and Oisin McEvoy 0-2 each, Philip Madine 0-1 | Clonduff Referee: Ciaran Branagan |
| 27 August 2017 19:30 Round 3 | Mayobridge | 1-12 – 0-13 | Clonduff | Pairc Esler Referee: Ciaran Mooney |
| 27 August 2017 19:30 Round 3 | Kevin O'Rourke 0-7, Conleth O'Hare 1-0, Cathal Magee 0-2f, Benny Coulter, Conor Garvey, Rory Hughes 0-1 each | | Stephen McConville 0-5 (0-2f), Aidan Carr (1 '45), Conor Óg O'Hagan, Shane Ward 0-2, Shane McGreevy and Lorcan Branagan 0-1 each | Pairc Esler Referee: Ciaran Mooney |
| 28 August 2017 19:00 Round 3 | Loughinsisland | 1-11 – 1-10 | St. Peter's Warrenpoint | Kilcoo Referee: Adrian Sharvin |
| 28 August 2017 19:00 Round 3 | Conor Megoran 1-0, Rory Deegan 0-2f, Stefan Mason (0-1f), Dan Gordon, Ryan Stranney, Rory Mason (0-1f) 0-1 each | | Ryan Boyle 1-0, Ross McGarry and Donagh McAleenan 0-2, Niall McGovern and Ruairi Cowan 0-1 each | Kilcoo Referee: Adrian Sharvin |

## Quarter-finals

The 4 winners from Round 2A play the 4 winners from Round 3.
| 1 September 2017 20:15 | Burren | 0-14 – 0-12 | Mayobridge | Páirc Esler Referee: Paul Faloon |
| 1 September 2017 20:15 | Donal O'Hare 0-5 (0-3f), Kevin McKernan 0-4, Cathal Foy 0-2, Mark McKay, Conor Toner, Padraig Poland 0-1 each | | Cathal Magee 0-7 (0-4f), Conor Garvey 0-2, Conleth O'Hare, Benny Coulter, Ryan Brady 0-1 each | Páirc Esler Referee: Paul Faloon |
| 2 September 2017 15:30 | Castlewellan | 1-14 – 0-13 | Loughinisland | Downpatrick Referee: Con Reynolds |
| 2 September 2017 15:30 | Daniel Morgan 0-8 (0-5f), Cathal Crilly 1-0, Liam McKibben 0-2, Colm Flanagan, Kevin Duffin, Donal McKibben, Gareth McKibbin (0-1f) 0-1 each | Report | | Downpatrick Referee: Con Reynolds |
| 2 September 2017 19:00 | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 1-9 – 1-9 | Ballyholland | Newcastle Referee: Ciaran Mooney |
| 2 September 2017 19:00 | Patrick Quinn 0-6 (0-2f), Jack Grant 1-0, Tiernan Rushe, Joe Murphy, Pat Havern 0-1 each | | Johnny Bell 1-3, Jarlath Branagan and Conor McGrady (0-1f) 0-2 each, Anthony Doherty (0-1f) and Tommy McElroy 0-1 each | Newcastle Referee: Ciaran Mooney |
| 4 September 2017 20:15 | Kilcoo | 2-13 – 0-11 | Bryansford | Páirc Esler Referee: Brendan Rice |
| 4 September 2017 20:15 | Jerome Johnston 2-2, Ceilum Doherty, Martin Devlin, Donal Kane (0-1f) 0-2 each, Darragh O'Hanlon (0-1f), Daryl Branagan, Conor Laverty, JJ McLaughlin 0-1 each | | David McKibben 0-7 (0-6f), Marc Reid (1 '45), Aaron McDonald, Ruairi Wells, Conor Maginn 0-1 each | Páirc Esler Referee: Brendan Rice |
| 6 September 2017 19:00 Replay | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 1-9 – 0-11 aet | Ballyholland | Newcastle Referee: Neill Cousins |

## Semi-finals

| 15 September 2017 20:15 | Burren | 1-12 – 0-7 | Castlewellan | Pairc Esler Referee: Ciaran Branagan |
| 15 September 2017 20:15 | Conor Toner 1-0, Donal O'Hare 0-5 (0-3f), David McEntee and Ryan Treanor 0-2 each, Sean Murdock, Cathal Murdock, Declan Rooney 0-1 each | | Sean Dornan 0-3, Colm Flanagan, Cathal Crilly, David Gilmore, Fintan McGreevy 0-1 each | Pairc Esler Referee: Ciaran Branagan |
| 16 September 2017 17:15 | Kilcoo | 0-13 – 1-5 | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | Pairc Esler Referee: Ciaran Mooney |
| 16 September 2017 17:15 | Paul Devlin 0-6 (0-4f, 1 '45), Martin Devlin 0-2, Daryl Branagan, Aaron Morgan, Conor Laverty, Ceilum Doherty, Gary McEvoy 0-1 each | Report | Micheal Magee 1-1 (0-1f), Anthony Doherty (1 '45), Jarlath Brannigan (0-1f), Jonathan Bell, Conor McGrady (0-1f) 0-1 each | Pairc Esler Referee: Ciaran Mooney |

## Final

| 1 October 2017 3:00 pm Final | Kilcoo | 0-13 – 0-11 | Burren | Páirc Esler Referee: Paul Faloon |
| 1 October 2017 3:00 pm Final | Dylan Ward and Paul Devlin (0-4f) 0-4 each, Jerome Johnston 0-2, Darragh O'Hanlon (0-1f), Aaron Morgan, Conor Laverty 0-1 each | Report | Donal O'Hare 0-6 (0-3f), Cathal Murdock 0-2 (0-1f, 1 '45), Ryan Treanor, Kevin McKernan, Daniel McCartan 0-1 each | Páirc Esler Referee: Paul Faloon |

## Last Eight

| Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Final | Final | Final |
| Burren | Burren | 0-14 | | | | | | |
| Mayobridge | Mayobridge | 0-12 | Burren | Burren | 1-12 | | | |
| Castlewellan | Castlewellan | 1-14 | Castlewellan | Castlewellan | 0-7 | | | |
| Loughinisland | Loughinisland | 0-13 | | | | Kilcoo | Kilcoo | 0-13 |
| Kilcoo | Kilcoo | 2-13 | | | | Burren | Burren | 0-11 |
| Bryansford | Bryansford | 0-10 | Kilcoo | Kilcoo | 0-13 | | | |
| Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 1-9 (1-9 R) | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick | 1-5 | | | |
| Ballyholland | Ballyholland | 1-9 (0-11 R) | | | | | | |