Cooney: No Review Of Clare Hurling Until Season Comes To An End

Chairman of Clare GAA Joe Cooney says any official review on Clare’s inter-county teams will not be held until after the season comes to an end.

It comes as concerns were raised at this week’s county board meeting over recent results for the Clare senior hurling team which have left them fighting for their championship lives ahead of this weekend’s showdown with Cork in Cusack Park.

Ruan’s Ger Lyons called for a review to be held to assess what has gone wrong in 2019.

“Firstly I want to wish Clare the best of luck in their remaining game against Cork. As delegates to this board, I think it would be remiss of us not to be very concerned about the decline in their fortunes and their form in the past 6-8 months. When we consider the average standard of our intermediate and senior club championships and the outcomes of our minor and U-21 over the past five years, I think we have to be seriously concerned. I think we are at some sort of a crossroads and we cannot slide into 2020 and expect a major turnaround in our fortunes. I think the time is opportune to have a very focused review of things to examine our coaching methods, the way we recruit inter-county players, the level of expenditure and the bang for our buck. I think that could be done in about three months and under an independent chairperson. I think it is that serious now and I think we need to reflect on it at some meeting and that is all I would say about it. I think we also need to wish our footballers well because they have been a breath of fresh air and we should wish them well in Leitrim” he said.

Kilmaley’s Niall Romer also called for discussions and expressed his disappointment that more delegates on the night had not engaged in the conversation.

In reply, Mr. Cooney stated: “All our teams bar the minor footballers are in competition. At the end of the year, managers come in here and talk to the delegates. We want to wish our management and panels at senior, minor and U20 the best of luck in the rest of their competitions and there will be other occasions to have discussions on that”.