Controversy over Laois footballers is resolved

THE controversy surrounding the Laois U-21 footballers was finally resolved last night with confirmation that all of the players who travelled to Kerry with the seniors last weekend will, after all, be on the panel for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Cork.

It was rumoured that Donie Brennan had been dropped completely from Sean Dempsey's underage squad, while Colm Kelly (Stradbally) and Colm Kelly (St Joseph's) would be included next weekend, but only on the bench.

There was also the suggestion that U-21 selector John Mulligan had resigned in protest when the three players were included in Mick O'Dwyer's panel for the NFL semi-final, but officials insisted last night that the Portlaoise man is still firmly on board for the remainder of the campaign.

"Everybody is happy," Football Board chairman, Joe O'Dwyer said last night, "The lads were never really suspended. There was a lot of loose talk going around, but we had a meeting with Sean (yesterday) and it was all sorted out. It was never his intention to suspend them it wasn't in his power to suspend them but he had never intended that."

The Football Board had arranged a meeting for last night to discuss the problem and it is believed that this helped in speeding up the process of finding a solution, which came about early yesterday evening after discussions between Dempsey and the players involved.

"It was kind of a cross communication of wires," said Joe O'Dwyer. "He met the players individually and they're in the panel for next Sunday. We didn't push it as to who would be on the team. We will leave that to the management. That's their prerogative. The thing is that they are back in now. There are 24 on the panel. Everything is hunky dory."

Another Laois official described the episode as "a storm in a teacup" but, if it was, it was one of the county's own making as it was widely known for the last six months that there was a lingering issue between the U-21s and seniors over the availability of certain players.

Mr O'Dwyer demonstrated perfectly the sense of exasperation, felt by many in the county, over what was an easily avoidable sideshow, when speaking a few hours before the clear-the-air-meetings finally found a resolution.

"There is nobody suspended from the U-21 panel. The fact of the matter is that, no one can be suspended for playing senior football.

"There are young footballers disappearing and giving up the game every year. Now we have lads who want to play and we want to suspend them. Are we gone mad?"