Davy O’Halloran, who left the Clare hurling panel in controversial circumstances a few weeks ago, has accepted an invitation to join the county senior football panel. He linked up with the squad this week as they resumed training, having taken a week’s break after the conclusion of their league campaign recently, a campaign that ended with Clare retaining Division 3 status for next season. Together with the O’Connell brothers, Nicky and Cathal, the All-Ireland U-21 medal winner was disciplined for a breach of the senior hurlers’ strict code of conduct. Both O’Halloran and Nicky O’Connell opted to leave the hurling panel as a result. Football manager Colm Collins confirmed that O’Halloran is now part of the football panel. “He is an excellent footballer and worthy of his place in the squad,” the Cratloe team boss commented. O’Halloran played at centre-forward for Éire Óg last season, when they progressed through the championship to the final, where they went under to Cratloe. …
Read More »GPA to take no further action on Clare dispute
The Gaelic Players Association is to take no further action in relation to the issues raised about the disciplining of Clare hurlers, Davy O’Halloran and Nicky O’Connell. The GPA, in a statement released on its website, said, “Having looked into the situation in Clare and having consulted with parties involved, the Gaelic Players Association’s dealings in this matter are and will remain of a confidential nature. “We have outlined to the players involved that GPA support is available to them through our progammes and services. In respect to all parties, the GPA will be making no further comment.” Nicky O’Connell and Davy O’Halloran had been disciplined for socialising and both left the panel, with O’Halloran, saying he felt “humiliated” by their treatment and claimed that there had been double standards applied to similar cases involving other players. In a brief statement last week, the Clare panel refuted O’Halloran’s claim and said that matters had been “dealt with fairly”. Clare manager, Davy Fitzgerald …
Read More »Comment: A mess of Clare’s own making
ANYBODY who has been involved in a team sport, be it at elite or grassroots level, understands and accepts that if an agreed disciplinary code is breached, those who breached it must be dealt with. Otherwise, why have a code of conduct at all? Punishments applied can vary wildly, depending on the level the particular group play at. Most clubs will not get rid of a player who is their main man, for example, simply because a manager knows that he needs him on the field. Therefore, clever club managers won’t back themselves into a corner by announcing, often early in the season, what measures they will apply if somebody is caught illicitly socialising later in the year. If the manager tells players what action he will take, prior to any infringement, then he has to follow through. Otherwise he will be undermined in front of the rest of the players. The problem for the manager arises when a player, …
Read More »GAA chair willing to mediate in disciplinary dispute
CLARE GAA County Board chairman, Michael McDonagh, said he would have made himself available to mediate between players and management in the disciplinary dispute that has rocked the local hurling scene. On Wednesday evening, the Clare senior hurling management and panel issued a brief statement in response to the controversy surrounding the disciplining of Davy O’Halloran and Nicky O’Connell. “The Clare senior hurling panel and management have met on the recent disciplinary issues that have been aired in the public domain. All involved are happy that the matter was dealt with fairly. “While there are numerous inaccuracies reported in the media, on social media and in a former player’s statement, the matter is now closed and we, as a group, are all happy to move forward united and to continue to enjoy working hard for Clare hurling.” The statement was signed by Pat Donnellan and Cian Dillon, on behalf of the players and the management trio of Davy Fitzgerald, Michael …
Read More »Two departures from Clare panel
Nicky O’Connell and Davy O’Halloran have turned their backs on the Clare senior hurling panel. Clonlara’s O’Connell, an All-Ireland senior and U-21 medal winner and O’Halloran, from Éire Óg, also an U-21 All-Ireland medalist, left the panel last week after they were punished for an alleged breach of discipline. O’Connell’s brother Cathal (Tots) was also disciplined by the team management but he has not withdrawn. He was with the squad for last Sunday’s league tie with Tipperary. It is understood that the trio were given a three-week programme of physical training and informed that they would not play any part in three league games as a result of a breach of the strict discipline guidelines put in place by the team management. The alleged breach is understood to have occurred on the Friday prior to the opening league game against Galway. Davy O’Halloran and Nicky O’Connell have played key roles in the Munster and All-Ireland successes that Clare have enjoyed …
Read More »Minors can no longer play senior county
The days of playing for one’s county while still eligible for the minor grade will end this season. At last weekend’s GAA Congress, delegates voted in favour of a motion, put forward as a result of the Minor Review Group’s report, which bars any player still eligible for minor grade from playing either at U-21 or senior inter-county level. This will certainly mean there are players who will miss out on playing, particularly at U-21 level for their county, until they have passed their 18th birthday. Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s Keelan Sexton is currently a member of the county minor, U-21 and senior football panels. Over the past few years, the Clare U-21 hurling panels have included players who were eligible for minor grade. Amongst those that were called up to the county U-21 squad, while still eligible for minor, were current senior panelists Conor McGrath, Patrick O’Connor, Tony Kelly and Davy O’Halloran. Players must now be over 17 before they can play …
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