'Politics has won again' - Limerick hurling goalie's Mum is not a happy woman

IT APPEARS THAT Barry Hennessy has won the race to play in goals for Limerick in next Sunday’s Munster senior hurling semi-final…if a tweet from the mother of his main rival for the position is anything to go by.

Margie Murphy is mother of Aaron Murphy, the Hospital/Herbertstown goalkeeper who was vying for the coveted position with Hennessy after regular first choice Nickie Quaid was ruled out through injury.

And Mrs. Murphy, in a tweet that has since been removed, vented her fury by claiming that her boy is a “victim” of Limerick GAA “politics”.

The42 understands from a Limerick source that Murphy was between the sticks for the B selection in a recent A v B trial match on his home pitch in Hospital, heightening the family’s sense of injustice.

And with manager TJ Ryan expected to confirm this week that Hennessy will line out against Clare, Murphy will find himself in a difficult position.

Quaid’s return to fitness would effectively relegate Murphy to third-choice goalkeeper and with minor star Eoghan McNamara tipped to link up with the senior panel next year, Murphy could find himself well down the pecking order.

Mrs. Murphy wasn’t happy, urging GAA reporters to tell the story of her son’s expected omission from the team, while also suggesting that a player’s club of origin and surname have roles to play in whether a player is picked or not.

Margie Murphy's tweet, which has since been removed

At the conclusion of the Allianz Hurling League campaign, Murphy appeared to be second-choice goalkeeper behind Quaid, with Hennessy one of only two players on Ryan’s panel who didn’t sample any League action.

But Hennessy was a member of the Kilmallock team but that went all the way to an All-Ireland club hurling final, limiting his opportunities to impress at intercounty level.

That cuts no ice with Mrs. Murphy, however, who has used the most public social media vehicle of them all to vent her frustration.

Why did Alan Brogan decide to return for another season with Dublin?

Whenever it gets deeper down into family history, girlfriends and wives, it gets a bit malicious.’