Burns living in the here and now

Eamonn Burns has defied the odds to lead Down to Sunday’s Ulster final against Tyrone

DOWN boss Eamonn Burns says he won’t be harping back to his own playing days in the lead up to Sunday’s Ulster final bout with Tyrone.

With the odds stacked against him, Burns has guided his side to victories over Armagh and Monaghan to set up a repeat of the ’94 final against Tyrone, a game Down won 1-17 to 1-11.

The Bryansford man played a starring role in Down’s All-Ireland triumphs in 1991 and 1994 but says that’s of little relevance to his players.

“I would very rarely, if at all, go back and talk about my own career because some of the boys I’m dealing with weren’t even born when I was playing football,” said Burns.

“It’s akin to the people in the ‘60s talking to us when we were playing, so I don’t go back to it.

“In the current panel there’s maybe half a dozen or seven who were involved in 2010 (All-Ireland final), so they use their experience to relate to their own peers and keep lads on an even keel and get them properly prepared for the game.”

The full interview and our Ulster Championship supplement is available in store today or online here.