Down like tweet calling for Burns to 'pack his bags'
February 14, 2017
Down manager Eamonn Burns.
©INPHO/Presseye/Andrew Paton.
by Orla Bannon
Down GAA chiefs were left red-faced after the county's official Twitter account 'liked' a tweet calling for manager Eamonn Burns to resign.
In another sign of unrest, several players also quit the panel last week ahead of Sunday's league defeat away to Clare.
Ryan Mallon, Damien Turley and Kilcoo's Paul Devlin, are among the latest withdrawals and no player from Kilcoo, the five-in-a-row county champions, started Sunday's 2-11 to 0-11 defeat by Clare.
The club's PRO Michael Kane's tweeted during the game: "Down getting beat by ten points at half time. Time to pack your bags Burns, that's a disgrace!"
The tweet was 'liked' by the Official Down GAA twitter account on Sunday.
It was subsequently deleted on Monday afternoon.
Sunday's defeat by Clare was a 10th league defeat in a row, and they have not won a game in league or championship since April 2015.
There is unhappiness over the exclusion of Mark Poland, perhaps Down's most consistent performer in recent seasons, who has been overlooked on match day and was not asked to travel with the squad to Ennis at the weekend.
The tweet which was liked by the Official Down GAA twitter account
Kilcoo trio Darragh O'Hanlon, Ryan and Jerome Johnston were introduced in the second half, helping Down fight back from a 13-point deficit before losing by six.
Former All Star Kevin McKernan also didn't start, although he had played in St Mary's Sigerson Cup extra-time win over DCU four days earlier.
Having lost their opening two fixtures by a total of 15 points, the Mourne men are in danger of dropping down to Division Three.
Their next game is at home to Meath on Saturday week in Pairc Esler.
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