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17 signs you're a sports fan from... Down

Football, fashion icons, surfing and survival skills. Each one a certainty to identify a Mourneful soul.

1. If your name is McCartan, Linden or Carr, the pressure is on to deliver silverware

©INPHO

2. And you’re the only county who actually hope to draw Kerry in the Championship

Benny knows the score against the Kingdom, it’s 5-0. ©INPHO/Donall Farmer

3. When you were a toddler in Donaghdee, you dared a young Bear Grylls to eat something disgusting

He did, and he never looked back since. Mark J. Terrill/AP/Press Association Images

4. You know (at least) one person who went to watch the Great Sean O’Neill and co. lift Sam in ’61

Well, with a record 90,565 crammed into Croker to see Offaly beaten, your chances are half decent.

YouTube credit: Aidan Mallon

5. You taught Craig Gilroy how to spin out of a tackle on the streets of Bangor before he went away to Belfast

6. You joined your county in grief after the death of Nevin Spence

Spence in action with Ballynahinch in 2009, evading Gilroy who crossed the border to play his AIL games with Dungannon. ©INPHO/Presseye/Angus Bicker

7. You were forced to learn this song off before spending a penny of your communion money

YouTube credit: Bryansford Gael

8. Long before Gerry Kelly came along with his washing machine, you spotted this swing stance at the Pitch & Putt up the road

YouTube credit: Rory McIlroy

9. You’ve never understood all the hype around Armagh and their one All Ireland

‘We’ve won it five times…’

Brendan Grant has Ronan Clarke just where he wants him now ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

10. You’re a a multi-talented bunch

Conor Deegan is a divil for the golf… ©INPHO

… And award-winning farmer, Lions captain and a surfer extraordinaire? Stop it, Rory. You’re showing up the mortals. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

11. Throughout the 90′s, Pete McGrath was your fashion icon

Tracksuit over regular clothes and socks over tracksuit. Got it.

The meticulous McGrath even made sure the balls went in the bag in the right order.

©INPHO/Tom Honan

12. You know the barbershop where ‘The Pat Jennings’ haircut was invented

©INPHO/Billy Stickland

13. You’re part of a tough breed, capable of inflicting serious injury…

Like that time Peter McPartland knocked Ray Wood out of the 1957 FA Cup Final. Accidental, we’re sure…

The broken cheekbone comes at the 7 minute mark.

YouTube credit: G1S1W

14. … and yet, possess some of the smoothest skills imaginable

15. Not just in football

YouTube credit: mattconlhotmailcom

16. The smaller the ball, the better

YouTube credit: pgatour

17. Don’t play coy, you know your county possess the coolest jerseys in the country

Black and white, black and yellow… whatever.

Liam Austin 1991 ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

21 signs you’re a sports fan from Waterford

16 signs you’re a sports fan from Cork

19 signs you’re a sports fan from Kerry

22 signs you’re a sports fan from Cavan

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14 Comments
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
    Favourite Jamie McCormack
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 8:39 PM

    First team to take Sam across the border

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    Mute ThomasFrancisMeagher
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 11:53 PM

    There may be 7UP but there is only 1 Down. Fair play to Down’s hurling parishes for keeping plugging away in a successful football county.

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Jun 23rd 2013, 1:09 AM

    Interesting thing, two hurling teams in Down.. South Down and Down.. Down is the southern part of the Ards peninsula, they have to travel up and around the coast to play or get a boat!, and Down is the south of the county.. Boys from Down explained it to me.. Up Down anyway

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Jun 23rd 2013, 3:27 AM

    You make

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    Mute Leonard Annett
    Favourite Leonard Annett
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 8:55 PM

    An Dún Abú!

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    Mute Aisling Morgan-Hoare
    Favourite Aisling Morgan-Hoare
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 9:53 PM

    OMG, ” the boys in red and black” bring back some great memories…. :) An Dún Abu

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 9:17 PM

    I know guy from Down, always angry about something

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    Mute David Campbell
    Favourite David Campbell
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 11:02 PM

    Up Down! Their sausage rolls are nicer up there

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    Mute Darren Bates
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 10:42 PM

    No mention of Newry City? Come on Journal/Score that club’s been through hell and high water.

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    Mute Apu Mohammed
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 9:59 PM

    Your a downer

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    Mute Mícheál Ó Liatháin
    Favourite Mícheál Ó Liatháin
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    Jun 23rd 2013, 12:49 AM

    Was George Best from county Down?

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
    Favourite Jamie McCormack
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    Jun 23rd 2013, 1:00 AM

    Georgie, Georige they call him the Belfast boy! More Antrim though..

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    Mute Mícheál Ó Liatháin
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    Jun 23rd 2013, 2:07 PM

    I think George Best is from co Down, being from cregagh south east Belfast which is co Down as far as I have learned. But I’m not sure if this is addressed as just belfast… I would like to be corrected though if this is not recognised.
    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cregagh

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