[1][2] Downey later studied at University College Cork and was added to their Fitzgibbon Cup panel in 2020, having earlier lined out with the freshers' team.
He won a Fitzgibbon Cup winners' medal that year after lining out at full-back in UCC's 0–18 to 2–11 defeat of the Institute of Technology, Carlow in the final.
He had success in the minor grade in 2017 when the Glen won the Cork Premier 1 MHC title after beating Midleton in the final.
He was an unused substitute when Glen Rovers won the Cork SHC title after beating Erin's Own by 0–19 to 2–10 in the 2016 final.
[13][14] Downey made his first appearance for the senior team in a pre-season Munster SHL game against Clare in December 2018.