Henry Downey


Henry Downey is a former dual player of Gaelic games, who played as a Gaelic footballer at senior level for the Derry county team in the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, where he usually played in at centre half back.
Downey captained Derry to the 1993 All-Ireland SFC title. He won two Ulster Senior Football Championship and four National League medals during his inter-county career. He also played hurling.

Playing career

Downey played club football and hurling with Erin's Own GAC Lavey, with whom he won the 1990–91 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. He was one of very few players in Ireland to complete this unique double of club and inter-county All-Irelands and almost did the extreme rarity of winning both competitions in the same year in 1993, but Lavey were defeated in the All-Ireland club after winning the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship for the second time. Downey also won four Derry Senior Football Championship and 12 Derry Senior Hurling Championship medals with Lavey.
Some of his key attributes included his leadership qualities and his surging runs up the field from the half back line.

Inter-county

Downey was part of the Derry side which won four national leagues in eight years, captaining the team in 1992 and 1996. Downey and Derry finished runners-up to Offaly in the 1998 National League decider.
In addition to his All-Ireland Club medal and two Ulster Club Championship medals he had massive success at Derry Championship level. He won four Derry Senior Football Championship, two Derry Minor Football Championships and twelve Derry Senior Hurling Championships.
Downey won an All-star in 1993 at centre back and was named 1993 Texaco Footballer of the Year. He also won Footballer of the Year at the 1993 Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards.

School/college

Downey attended school at St Patrick's College, Maghera, for whom he won two consecutive MacRory Cups. The school went on to be runners-up in the 1984 Hogan Cup final. He attended Queen's University Belfast, where he won the Sigerson Cup.

Hurling career

Among Downey's hurling honours was winning the Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship with Derry in 1986, defeating Antrim and Down along the way. He scored 0–12 against Antrim in the semi-final at Loughguile, with his brother Seamus scoring 1–3 in a 2–20 to 1–6 victory. They beat Down in the final after a reply; 3–9 to 1–2.

Honours

Football

County

County

  • Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship - Winner : 1986, 1987?????

    Club

  • Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship - Runner up: 1986?, 1988?, 1994?, 1997?, 2001?
  • Derry Senior Hurling Championship - Winner : 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002
  • Derry Senior Hurling Championship - Runner up: 1993?, more?
  • Numerous underage awards

    Individual

  • Combined Universities - Winner : Year?
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.