THE CLARE HURLERS and management have released a statement this evening declaring they are a ‘united’ group and that all parties are happy with how the furore last week surrounding the departure of Davy O’Halloran and Nicky O’Connell from the Banner panel was handled.
The statement was issued to The42 this evening from Clare county board PRO Sean O’Halloran on behalf of Clare joint-captain Cian Dillon.
The42 understands that the Clare players and management held a meeting before training yesterday in Sixmilebridge where it was decided to release a statement.
Clare claimed their first league win of the season last Saturday at the end of a turbulent week that saw O’Halloran and O’Connell leave the setup. O’Halloran claimed in an interview with The Irish Times that they had been ‘humiliated’ by management and that another senior player had not been punished for a breach of discipline.
But the Clare squad are now seeking to draw a line under the incident and move forward.
Statement
The statement reads in full:
“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 happy to move forward, united and to continue to enjoy working hard for Clare hurling.”
Signed:
Pat Donnellan on behalf of the players.
Cian Dillon behalf of the players.
Michael Browne on behalf of team management.
Davy Fitzgerald on behalf of team management.
Louis Mulqueen on behalf of team management.
So all involved are happy. Except the two players involved !!
Generally when a team has to release a statement to say they are happy it more than likely means there is something up.
Something tells me this issue isn’t going away. I’d say it was more a meeting detailing what can or can’t be mentioned to the media regarding disciplinary issues.
The Clare players have let themselves down here. Clearly management have issued this statement and the players have been instructed to tow the party line and sign it. The players have proven themselves to be weak – they’ve hung O’Halloran and NOC out to dry here by going along with this charade of a statement. So much for unity and togetherness in the panel….
I heard off a few Clare lads that they were actually caught drinking. Also that halloran would the live attention of the media and was at the Irish times within 12 hours. Just their opinion, but the main thing is they sided with Davy. Could end up strengthening Clare, couldn’t get much worse after a winless year.
Davy doesnt do meetings. He dictates
It’s a managers job to dictate. I’d say you’re bright.
No it’s a managers job to manage fairly and under Davie, flanked by his fathers position I don’t think we are going to reap the rewards that this talented team of hurlers are capable of producing
No it is not a managers job to dictate. It is a managers job to manage situations. Davy did that badly.
This is bullying of the highest order. If it happened in a school or the workplace and the actions outlined ( nor denied ) occurred then there would be serious consequences especially in the absence of a grievance procedure.
Clearly it’s Davey playing out his own manic personality and his pronouncements on the issue confirm this. It’s sad that a good group of young fellows are manipulated in this way. Nobody believes that the players united to make that statement without some subtle coercion
How dare anyone accuse Davy Fitz of writing that statement himself and getting the players to sign it……….sure there’s no way he’d be able to spell some of those big words!!!
Davy is clearly a tactically astute manager and he’s not the only problem with this Clare team (they’re not big enough, too easy to bully) but for over a year now there has been something rotten in the camp and all of the rumour and departures have the finger pointed in the same direction. Of course his Dad is the county board secretary so it’d probably take a mass team walk out to get him out of the job
Any hope the 2 boys would come over to us in Limerick
Take the pair of them no problem !
it’s hard to believe that one of the players would come out with his statement that said a senior player breached discipline and wasn’t punished the same as the two players that left the panel.either way one of the two parties is telling a bare faced lie.thats what makes the whole thing rotten to the core.its going to cause a split,statement or no statement.
Pig of a man that davy
It a matter of the bullied becoming the bullie
So it is.
Seems like the easier thing to do would not make a statement and let the story fizzle out, by making a statement surely the story will rumble on. If what happened to the players that left is true or part of some “code of conduct and punishments” surely the GPA need to intervene or is this just going to be seen as acceptable behaviour when working with young athletes in the prime of their life.
…and the beatings will continue until the morale improves!
For all the Davy bashers why don’t yee you tube Pat Donnellans speech after he lifted the McCarthy cup in 2013.
So, hopefully the way is now open to encouraging these two valuable men of unquestionable talent and proven senior inter-county hurlers to seeing their way to accepting the verdict and returning to the panel.
Under proper management this cup should should have been lifted at least one more time. After all the majority of this team have won three under 21 all Ireland’s
To a Clare person, some of you have no idea how absolutely stupid ye sound.
Clare hurling is fine. End of.
As a Corkman I genuinely thought that All Ireland winning Clare team would go on to dominate for a few years. Some of the best young hurlers in the country and some of the best of a generation in Clare and where have they gone ? Backwards ! How can you honestly say Clare hurling is ok ? Is it that you are happy with winning an All Ireland once every now and then ?
I would say something if the team was lucky but it was awash with talent. Look at them now ? If I was from Clare I wouldnt be happy, I would be wanting another few All Irelands but maybe that’s the difference between the likes of Kilkenny and Cork.
Clare people should have expected this team to go on an win more but they have failed miserably and dont look a shadow of themselves.
Paul you need to get over 2013. I know if I was a Cork man I’d be more worried about jbm and that collapse against Tipp last year. I also think the way John Gardiner was treated was a lot worse than what happened the lads last week.
Get over 2013. I am paying Clare a compliment. They deserved to win. But if you read what I wrote properly you would see that I thought that this Clare side were good enough to go on and win another couple. Maybe you are happy with once in a blue moon wins. I’m saying you shouldn’t be especially considering what talent is or more appropriately now was available.
I read what you wrote, the point I’m making is no team has a divine right to win an all Ireland just because they won the year before. I can’t understand how you can write this Clare team off with an average age of 24 or 25. The way your going on you’d think it was 50 years ago whey they won it last. Their record since 2013 is one all Ireland out of a possible two. I think you’re being short sighted. Time will tell.
I agree no team has a divine right but a team like that had every right to expect to be challenging at least. Cork, Kilkenny and Tipp don’t have a devine right but they all go into it expecting something even when they wouldn’t have a team as talented as that Clare team. Just maybe a different mentality and attitude.
@Paul O’mahony. Honestly you thought that Clare would go on to dominate for a while? They beat (back door) laois, Wexford , Galway limk and a very poor by their own standard Cork team. 2013 was s freak year with Tipp and kk crashing out early leaving the door open. How often does that happen? Proof in point last year while some like yourself thought Clare would dominate,some like myself saw it for what it was..a fluke year that happens once in a blue moon. Any hurling man who thinks a sweeper system (puke hurling) with a hand passing up to 5 times to get a ball out of defence would win a minster even knows nothing about hurling.
Fair enough. They beat a Galway team that threw away the All Ireland the previous year, an improving Wexford and a Cork team that won the Munster title the following year. I personally think that they had plenty of talented players. And Kilkenny and Tipp being knocked out werent flukes. Kilkenny were well beaten. Both All Ireland finals that year too were up there with the best. Great games with some incredible hurling played on both occasions. Maybe I just don’t have a clue. Sorry.
Fair play to you Paul you have hit the nail on the head
Evidently judging by their results, and strictly by their results they haven’t won anything since (not a tap) and are now a week away from relegation to div 1b. So when you say obviously you don’t know much in sarcasm you actually are right.
Small man syndrome .
People seem very quick to take the two ousted players word for gospel. We already know that most of the country dislike Davy and need very little excuse to give him a bashing. Davy helped these boys win an All Ireland final against an incredible opposition and do you really think if these lads were scared or frightened of his methods that they would have put their heart and soul and also be mentally strong enough to come through the championship and win in 2013. Haters gonna hate!!!!!
Davie was lucky with the wealth of talent he was handed and any other manager would have got same results if not more
Davy & that group have came along way in such a short space of time. If they hated him as much as ppl were saying they’d have spoke out & had a player revolt. They haven’t because they have a great manager who loves Clare hurling & Clare hurling is passionate. Ppl love to see Davy doing bad because he was such a great arrogant player who was successful & ppl hate that. In Davy we trust. Clare Munster Champions 2015. Wait till ye see. Hon The Banner