Gary Savage

Gary Savage (born 1970 in Ballycran, County Down) is an Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Ballycran and was a member of the Down senior county team from the 1990s until the 2000s.

Playing career Club Savage played his hurling with his local club in Ballycran and enjoyed much success. He first came to prominence on the club’s senior team in the late 1980s, however, Ballycran were going through a hugely unsuccessful period at the time, after losing five county finals in-a-row. Savage won his first county senior championship winners’ medal in 1993, following a defeat of Ballygalget. He later lined out in the Ulster club final with Cushendall providing the opposition. A 2-10 to 0-12 victory gave Savage his first Ulster club winners’ medal. Ballycran were subsequently defeated by Toomevara in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Savage added two more county titles to his collection in 1994 and 1995. After more than a decade out of the limelight Ballycran bounced back in 2007, with Savage adding a fourth county winners’ medal to his collection.

Inter-county Savage first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Down senior hurling team in the early 1990s. It was the beginning of the county's most successful period ever.

In 1992, Savage won his first Ulster SHC winners' medal following a 2–16 to 0–11 defeat of provincial kingpins Antrim. The 'Mourne' men later made their first-ever championship visit to Croke Park. The All-Ireland SHC semi-final pitted them against Cork. The game saw Savage's side nearly cause an upset; however, in the end Cork won by 2–17 to 1–11.

After surrendering their provincial title to Antrim in 1993 and 1994, Savage added a second Ulster memento to his collection in 1995 following a thrilling draw and a replay of the provincial decider. The team, however, have failed to build on this in recent years.

Inter-provincial Savage has also lined out with Ulster in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He has enjoyed little success with his province as Ulster have failed to even qualify for the Railway Cup final in recent years. Savage's most successful year with Ulster came in 1995 when the northern province took on Munster in the final. That game turned into a closed affair with Munster narrowly winning by 0–13 to 1–9.

International Savage represented his country in the Shinty–Hurling International Series. He was a member of the panel in 2006 as Ireland lost by 2(5) to 2(13) to Scotland at Croke Park.

Managerial Savage was manager of Ballycran in 2009 when they won the Down Championship in a defeat of Ballygalget. He worked as assistant manager to Stephen McAree, when they secured the 2015 Down Senior Hurling Championship.

Honours Player Down Senior Hurling Championship (5): 1993, 1994, 1995, 2007, 2009 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship (3): 1992, 1995, 1997 National Hurling League Division 2 (1): 2004 Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship (1): 1993 Manager Down Senior Hurling Championship (3): 2011, 2015, 2018

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