Burns hotly tipped to be Down boss

Burns hotly tipped to be Down boss

28 October 2015

BRYANSFORD’S Eamon Burns is expected to be named as Down’s new football manager tomorrow night.

Speculation is rife that the former 1991 and 1994 All-Ireland winner has all but agreed to take over from Jim McCorry after being interviewed recently. 

Burns has previously managed his native Bryansford as well as Ballymartin, Darragh Cross and Tullylish.

Fellow Bryansford man Aidan Brannigan is set to be part of the schoolteacher’s back room team.

Mayobridge’s Michael Walsh was a frontrunner, but it is believed that he pulled out of contention at the weekend.

The appointment has come as a surprise to many as Burns was not originally touted as one of the contenders.

He earned legendary status as a player and was an integral part of Pete McGrath’s All-Ireland double winning side.

He made his first foray into management in the early 2000s when he steered Bryansford to a county U-21 title.

He was the trainer of the successful Bryansford Senior Championship-winning team in 2003 before he progressed to various managerial roles within the county.

He also has inter county experience with Down as he led the U-21s for a number of years.

Burns will be faced with a massive task in 2016. He will need to bring together a fractured unit of players while also trying to convince others to return to the Down fold.

Keeping Down in Division 1 of the NFL will be a gargantuan challenge and an away trip to Monaghan in the Ulster Championship isn’t an entirely attractive proposition. 

In terms of a back room team Burns will likely want to keep his trusted lieutenant and club man Brannigan close by.

A team trainer and another selector will be required. Ciaran Sloan is expected to be retained as strength and conditioning coach.

This appointment should also leave the door open for Frank Dawson, who has just left Bryansford to take over as manager of Mayobridge, to stay on as county U-21 manager.