Donegal board threaten to suspend Setanta hurling club

DONEGAL County Board have threatened to suspend their second largest hurling club for six months. The threatened suspension of Setanta hurling club is the culmination of a two-year row between the club and the county board.

The dispute is over the former's refusal to adhere to an agreement to name Ulster GAA secretary Danny Murphy as a trustee of the club and grounds.

The club, one of the most successful hurling sides in the county have been given a week by the board to resolve the matter, or else face suspension.

"At a county board meeting on Monday evening, we have given Setanta seven days to start and sort out their affairs," said Donegal county chairman Charlie O'Donnell. "It is not the intention of this county board to suspend any club, but we have given Setanta every opportunity to get their affairs in order.

"Our whole aim in Donegal is to develop hurling and football, but our affiliated clubs must adhere to the rules of the association."

Danny Cullen, representative of the Setanta club, denies that the club is trying to play outside the rules of the association. He contends that the issue of Murphy's appointment is not a factor. He claims that the dispute began when a Central Council grant was given to Red Hughes, the sister football club of Setanta, while the hurling club received nothing.

In a heated exchange at this week's county board meeting, Setanta delegates claimed that board officials have reneged on an agreement made between both parties in 2002."The bottom line is this," Cullen said. "If the county board want to suspend people in the club for some perceived wrong, they should suspend the officers, but they should not suspend the players, who have been training all winter and now can't play with their club."

Delegates from other clubs proposed a seven-day grace for Setanta.