Fitzmaurice irked as sideline confusion continues

Munster GAA officials are to confer this week with Croke Park on the continuing confusion over sideline access for team selectors and medics.

Despite the intervention of GAA president Liam O’Neill in Saturday’s Irish Examiner, Kerry again opted to have their selectors Mikey Sheehy and Diarmuid Murphy in the stand for Saturday night’s win over Waterford, having failed to secure permission from Munster Council officials in Killarney.

“We sought clarification before the game and were told that the Munster Council were seeking guidance from headquarters,” explained Kerry coach Eamonn Fitzmaurice, who has been vocal in his opposition to the regulations.

“Despite what Liam O’Neill said in the paper on Saturday, we didn’t seem to have the clearance for the two lads so we had Plan B ready. Otherwise it was another cold war on the sideline.

“I’d prefer to have my selectors on the sideline. There’s more subtlety to a conversation than through a dugout and over a wire. If Mikey Sheehy wants to say something to me it’s through Diarmuid Murphy to Cian O’Neill to me. That’s hardly right.”

Kerry now have a five-week wait for a provincial final against Cork or Clare, and can only watch as the squad return to their clubs and divisions over the next two weekends. Fitzmaurice is one of half a dozen inter-county managers now off from their secondary teaching jobs for the summer, giving them, in theory at least, more time to prepare.

“Yes, it’s fantastic that I’m off over the summer,” said the Kingdom coach, who has been double-tasked as player and coach with his club and school since the turn of the year. “I’ll have a lot more time on my hands to think about things and meet players one on one.”

Fitzmaurice agreed that wing-back Peter Crowley was “making hay” in recent weeks in terms of nailing down a Munster final starting spot, and challenged others like Darran O’Sullivan and Bryan Sheehan to do the same.

“There are lot of the lads putting their hands up.

“Bryan did well when he came on. He knows that free-taking alone isn’t going to get you on the team. We need fellas pushing everywhere and Bryan going well will give an edge to Johnny Buckley and Anthony Maher’s game.”