Tyrone County Board chief apologises to McKenna

THE chairman of Tyrone County Board has issued an impassioned public apology to Eugene McKenna and his family for the hurt and anxiety they have suffered as a result of the controversy over the county management saga.

In the course of a press conference to introduce new manager Mickey Harte, chairman Liam Nelis said that a number of people had been hurt during the past few weeks, but singled out McKenna.

McKenna had accepted another term in the job along with Art McRory on October 2, but less than three weeks later, McRory announced that he was to step down due to health reasons. The county board, rather than ask McKenna to continue alone, then declared the position vacant.

McKenna reapplied for the position, but last week, the board announced that Harte was to be the new Tyrone manager, leading to widespread disgust at their handling of affairs.

“As county chairman, I would like to apologise to all of the people who have been hurt over the last few weeks,” said Nelis.

“It was never our intention that this should happen. I would like to apologise in particular to Eugene McKenna and his family for the hurt and anxiety caused to them. Eugene has brought great honour to Tyrone as a player and as co-manager with Art McRory, and is held in high esteem throughout the county. This will not change, nor should it.”

The county chairman appealed to certain sections of the media to call a halt to negative coverage of the Tyrone management controversy.

“Things have been written and said and are still being written and said, which are making a difficult situation worse, and extending the hurt to other people. I would like that to stop.

“As county chairman, I have to accept responsibility and I have to accept criticism, fair or unfair, from various sources. I have no difficulty with that, it is part of my job. However, as county chairman, I am accountable to the management committee, the county committee and ultimately to myself.

“I have access to confidential information in discussions with individuals and committees. We must accept that such information cannot and should not be divulged.”

Nelis stressed that it is now time to move on, and urged unity throughout the county in support of new manager Mickey Harte, who yesterday named sports science specialist Paddy Tally as his assistant.

But Harte could be forced to cast the net wider to complete his backroom team, following the withdrawal of Tony Donnelly from the set-up due to pressure of work.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD Tony Dempsey has announced that he is stepping down as Wexford’s representative on the Central Council of the GAA.

Dempsey has represented his county on the Central Council since 1980, having previously served as county chairman from 1976. In a statement issued yesterday, Dempsey cited his heavy workload as the reasoning behind his decision, which also forced him to abandon hopes of a third term as Wexford senior hurling manager, a post now held by Rathnure’s John Conran.

During his involvement in Wexford GAA, Dempsey has managed and trained Wexford hurling and football teams in all grades from minor right through to senior, while also carrying out his duties as Central Council representative.