Cork and Down are fallen stars since 2010 football final

Eight years on since Danny Hughes claimed an All-Star in Down’s improbable and glorious run to an All-Ireland final against Cork, he is still angry with football.

This week, he went to the gym on Tuesday night. He ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes and did some CrossFit work. 2018 marks the year of a comeback for his club Saval. For the last two years he sat it out, managing Newry Shamrocks instead.

Football had eaten him up. He found himself being a pain in the arse for his clubmates as frustrations mounted up, so he stepped aside and waited for a serenity to come again. He’s not quite there yet.