Down senior football captain Barry O’Hagan has responded to recent criticism of the team’s set-up.

After picking up the Club Footballer of the Year award, Kilcoo star Eugene Branagan said that he had “no ambition” to play with Down and criticised the Mourne men over what he described as a lack of "winning mentality”.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, O’Hagan responded by saying that “county football isn't for everyone”.

"You might be a good club player, but sometimes good club players don't make it at county level," he stated.

"If a boy wants to play football, then the door is always open for Down and if he doesn't want to play then it is fully his decision. We respect that.

"At the end of the day, if he is at the other side of the street I'm going to go and say hello. I'm not going to be like 'he's not playing for Down so I'm not going to acknowledge him'."

Tweet

Most Read Stories