Allstar Browne considers his future with Tipperary

THERE is increasing speculation that Tipperary football Allstar Declan Browne's career with the county may be in jeopardy.

Browne, who is in hospital receiving treatment for a knee injury, is understood to be considering his future with the county in the wake of the catastrophic resignation of team manager Andy Shortall and the subsequent refusal of the Tipp panel to play in this weekend's qualifier against Fermanagh.

A prominent Tipperary GAA official was yesterday quoted as saying: "If I was Declan Browne, I'd strongly consider my future with the county."

The Moyle Rovers sensation has many admirers in the game, not least Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer. Furthermore, it is known that he has been approached on several occasions with offers from other counties, mainly in Leinster.

Heretofore, he has resisted all offers, preferring to stay with his native county, but there is a widespread belief that this week's debacle may finally encourage him to move.

In the meantime, the Tipperary County Board expect to be heavily fined for failing to fulfil their All-Ireland SFC qualifier against Fermanagh tomorrow. They took the unprecedented step after their entire squad made themselves unavailable following the resignation of Shortall and the selectors.

County Board PRO Ed Donnelly said every effort was made to try and resolve the problem but said they must now await the GAC's punishment.

GAA PRO Danny Lynch said he could not comment at this time, but Tipp PRO Ed Donnelly said: "Our hands were tied, as it was a game outside our jurisdiction.

"Unlike other counties, the Tipperary County Board, asked by coach Andy Shortall to postpone the match, didn't have the authority to do so. "The fixture was under the jurisdiction of the Mid-Tipperary Divisional Board and, while they are not an autonomous body in the complete sense, they do run their own affairs.

"While the County Board did make representation to them, the Mid Board decided that because fixtures were beginning to pile up and, more importantly, because the two clubs involved, Loughmore/Castleiney and Thurles, wanted the game to go ahead, they had no alternative but to go ahead with the match. The problem was exacerbated when the county senior football coach rang the county board chairman and said he would resign if the game wasn't postponed.

"Whatever chance there was of a postponement, the ultimatum hardened everyone's position.

"The Mid Tipp divisional chairman, John Doyle, agreed to convene a meeting on Tuesday of their GAC to discuss the fixture.

"Everything was put on the table to the 19 clubs represented, and that included the implications of Andy Shortall's resignation and the upcoming inter-county fixture schedule.

"It was unanimously agreed that the game should go ahead as planned.

"Loughmore who are successful at both codes, have a player on every inter-county team with the exception of the minor hurling, and if the game was postponed it could have gone back four to six weeks, which in turn would cause fixture congestion down the line."

Earlier this year the Tipperary County Board sought to change the structure of their senior hurling championship and met very stiff resistance, eventually being forced to shelve the proposals.

However the clubs were informed that as a consequence, they would have to accept that fixtures would have to be played in mid-week, at some of the most inconvenient times and that there was bound to be clashes.

That has now come to pass with dire consequences.