Déise halt training as board puts clubs first

The Waterford County Board have taken the extraordinary decision to cancel all of the senior hurlers’ training until after the May Bank Holiday weekend.

A source close to the board informed the Irish Examiner the county executive made the bold call on Monday night in order to switch focus to the club championships.

The hurlers have been told they can recommence training on Tuesday, May 6, just 19 days prior to their Munster quarter-final against Cork in Thurles.

The move comes as the county are one week into four consecutive weekends of club championship football and hurling fixtures. The executive are determined to put clubs first and cut out distractions.

In the past, senior hurling panel members not involved in the club football championship have been permitted to train with Waterford. However, it is understood they are not allowed on this occasion.

Contacted last night, manager Derek McGrath refused to comment on the matter while players were also remaining tight-lipped.

Board sources confirmed Waterford’s last collective session was a challenge game against Wexford last Thursday. That means by returning on May 6, the panel will be idle as a unit for 27 days.

In contrast to Waterford, their provincial opponents Cork enjoy a clear run of six weeks without club championship games.

Although the decision is aimed at providing clubs with a sufficient window in the season, the county board’s financial difficulties are no secret, with the management and panel embarking on several fundraising initiatives this year to facilitate their training fund. The cost of their warm weather training camp in Portugal earlier this month was covered by their efforts.

Waterford’s decision couldn’t be more different to the Donegal clubs, who have suspended their entire championship until their senior footballers have exited the All-Ireland championship. This week, they postponed league fixtures scheduled to take place tomorrow as Jim McGuinness’s panel only returned from a training camp and they faced the prospect of playing two club games in three days.

Incidentally, the executive decision came on the same evening as Shane O’Sullivan unsuccessfully contested a red card in front of the Central Hearings Committee in Croke Park. The midfielder, who was sent off in the Division 1 relegation play-off defeat to Dublin for a Category Three offence, could yet bring his case to the Central Appeals Committee but is set to miss the Cork clash.

Last month, Waterford secretary Timmy O’Keeffe revealed the board’s debt stood at €490,000 although they have since had a €600,000 bank loan over seven years accepted.

Meanwhile, Tipperary secretary Tim Floyd admits he was likely responsible for the hurlers’ missed drugs test last year.

Floyd said he believes he didn’t alert the Irish Sports Council of the team’s change of training venue on March 13. The board had to cough up €500 for the expense of the testers travelling to Tipperary.

He told Tipp FM yesterday: “Take last week, for instance. Our senior hurlers did not train last week. Eamon (O’Shea) and the management team left them back to their clubs.

“We would have notified the Sports Council — there is a text line or email where you are supposed to notify them that we wouldn’t be training or would have changed location.

“I’d probably have to put my hand up — it was probably my fault last year that I didn’t notify them.

“But maybe I didn’t know either that they would have called off training on a particular night and I think that was the night the Sports Council happened to arrive down to do a test. The €500 fine covers their costs in coming down from Dublin to do the test.”

Floyd confirmed that three players were tested out of competition on April 11, 2013, and two more were tested after the Allianz Hurling League final against Kilkenny.

He also revealed: “To explain the procedure, at the start of the year a designated person, which is the county secretary, will set up what is aptly called a whereabouts form. This form states the nights that you are training each week and at what location you are training. That would normally be Tuesday and Thursday night and we would put down Dr Morris Park as the location.”

Floyd insisted that Tipperary have “no problem” with drug-testing and accepts that while top level GAA players are amateurs, they are still expected to adhere to ISC guidelines.

He added: “These guys just appear in the dressing room when you arrive at a venue. Before the match, you have to hand them the panel and they number those 1-26, and draw out three of them for the test.

“The minute they come off the field, a urine sample is taken. After a match, that’s not very convenient, they’re normally very dehydrated at that stage and often have to wait two or three hours.

“But we want the GAA to be as clean as anybody else. We have no problem with it.

“Whether you’re amateur or professional, you have to comply with the whole anti-doping procedures.”