Armagh-Down Gaelic football rivalry

Armagh-Down

Crowds attending the 2023 Ulster Semi-final between the counties
Location	County Armagh County Down
Teams	Armagh Down
First meeting	Down 1-6 - 0-4 Armagh 1906 Ulster Quarter Final (6 May 1906)
Latest meeting	Armagh 0-13 - 2-6 Down 2024 Ulster Semi-final (13 April 2024)
Stadiums	Athletic Grounds (Armagh) Páirc Esler (Down)

The Armagh-Down Gaelic football rivalry concerns the Ulster teams of Armagh and Down. The two counties are neighbours and, between them, they have won 26 Ulster Senior Football Championships and 7 All-Ireland Senior Football Championships.

Armagh and Down first met in the Ulster Senior Football Championship in 1904.

The rivalry has been described as a derby.^[1][2]

The first Ulster Senior Football Championship final between Armagh and Down in 1961, with subsequent finals in 1981 and 1999.

In the National Football League, 1983 National League Final and the 2010 National League Division 2 Final.

• The sides have met a number of times in the All-Ireland Qualifiers, notably being the first two teams drawn out for the first qualifier series in 2001.^[3]
• Down's home ground, Páirc Esler, is located in County Armagh.^[4]
• James McCartan Jnr, an All-Ireland winner with Down in 1991 and 1994, attempted to switch his allegiance to Armagh in 2001.^[5]
• Paddy O'Rourke, who captained Down to the All-Ireland title in 1991, managed both Down (2002–06) and Armagh (2009–12).^[6]