Disillusioned Clarke ends Down career

DOWN’S hopes of making progress in this year’s All-Ireland qualifiers have been hit by the decision of attacker John Clarke to retire from senior inter-county football.

The 28-year-old An Ríocht player, older brother of star forward Marty, informed manager James McCartan of his decision earlier this week and revealed he grew disillusioned with the barrage of criticism from some supporters after Down’s recent Ulster championship loss to Armagh.

“The Armagh defeat made me think a lot. You get a lot of criticism. You don’t mind people criticising you to your face, but you do have your critics who sit behind computer screens and are on discussion boards, which is cowardly. Players and managers alike take a lot of abuse on those things. That’s not the reason I’m retiring, but there’s criticism and there’s criticism.