Off Field Matters In Clare GAA Must Be Corrected If On Field Success Is To Return – COMMENT

There may not be any on field action to look forward to for some time yet, but if the pace at which off field matters in Clare GAA is hurtling along is matched once the first ball is thrown in, we will be in for an exceptional summer.

Last week’s online gathering of delegates ended in a fairly amicable conclusion with the board opting to weigh in on the support for the Eire Óg motion to establish a committee which will carry out a review, which this time should include the ‘warts and all’ which was once promised but never materialised. It was also agreed that clubs would be contacted to ascertain if they had someone they wished to be nominated for consideration, with that communication coming this week from the county secretary.

Just when it seemed that the furore had dissipated and all was beginning to heal, the national focus that came last weekend did little to replenish the ointment. Reports that the Clare senior hurling team were forced to effectively break into Cusack Park for training in the lead up to their qualifier clash with Laois would do little to help paint the picture of unity. As if that was not farcical enough, the revelation that Brian Lohan was forced to foot the bill for a post match meal after the league clash in Wexford left many people scratching their heads at how this could have unfolded. If a manager of an U-14 team at club level was asked to foot the bill for a team meal, then serious questions would be asked of the club executive. For that to happen at intercounty level is simply inexcusable.

There were also issues around GPS units and the suitability of the pitches in Caherlohan, and any of those problems in isolation are cause enough for concern. When they are packaged and presented in black and white, it paints a picture of a county in disarray. A county that had the potential at the start of the last decade to build the foundations for an unprecedented period of dominance. It is going over old ground to question what happened to prevent that, but it is a question that needs to be asked all the same.

Maybe Judge Judy could be consulted?