Busy week on the club and county GAA scene

​The coverage starts here.

Highlights include victories for the Down men and women’s teams.

Men’s report on pages 30 and 31.

More on the ladies to follow below.

Meanwhile, Dromara GAC has asked us to pass on congratulations to their U16 star Lorcan McNeill, who played for St. Colman's, Newry, who defeated neighbours, St. Paul's High School, Bessbrook, in the final of the 4th Year Oisin McGrath Shield.

St. Colman’s 3-13 St Paul's Bessbrook 1-8.

Lorcan scored 1-03.

Also, a brilliant achievement by Dromara GAC juvenile members who attended The Sports Inspire Awards at the MAC, Belfast, receiving their 100/200 Hours Volunteering Certificates.(Pictured, right).

The club is also hugely proud of their St Malachy's footballers and Assumption camogs who both lost out in their respective All-Ireland Schools finals after thrilling games.

Meanwhile, Annaclone GAC says club stars Niamh McClory and Lucy Connell have been impressing as part of Down ladies’ senior and minor teams respectively.

The senior team made it four in a row with a fine display in Ardglass, defeating Louth 4.12 to 2.06 with Niamh pointing in a great game.

Minor star Lucy Connell was also on target against Fermanagh, with victory over Derry continuing their winning run.

“The duo have done Down and Annaclone ladies proud. Well done girls,” says the club.

Down 4-12 Louth 2-6Down had to beat Louth and hope that Antrim would do them a favour by taking points from joint leaders Clare, to have any chance of keeping their promotion dream alive this season.

While Louth were still looking over their shoulders and needed a win to secure their Division 3 status.A last minute switch of venue saw in-form Down, who had won their last three games, entertain Louth in Ardglass.Ardglass GAC did a fantastic job to host this game with little notice, as it was a bumper crowd that made the journey on St. Patrick's Day for a highly-anticipated fixture.

Those in attendance were thoroughly entertained.Down had the better of the opening with Annaclone's Niamh scoring a point.

Half-time 2-9 to 1-4.

Louth came out in the second half firing, but for three great saves by the outstanding Amy McGivern they would have been right back in this game, but it was Down who got the first score of the second half through Laoise Duffy.Then a Mulvenna pass picked out Ferris who released King with a bit of magic, with an over the shoulder box kick.Although the Down back line had done an amazing job shackling Louth's Niamh Rice, its impossible to keep a quality player like this out of the game.

She picked up the ball on the 20 meter line and turned her marker.

Aine Smyth did well after coming on as a sub for Down, getting two well taken scores to seal the win and a impressive team performance.

Down had done their part beating an extremely dangerous Louth side. However results elsewhere went against Down.

With Clare’s victory over Antrim, it means that even if Caoibhe Sloan's and Peter Lynch's Down team beat Clare next Sunday, it will still leave them one point behind the joint leaders.

​

Down Scorers:

N King (2-4), N Ferris (1-2), V McCormack (1-1), A Smyth (0-2)., A Greene.(0-1), L Duffy (0-1), N McClory (0-1)