Fitzgerald hits back at Keane

LIMERICK County Board chairman Pat Fitzgerald last night hit back at the county’s former hurling manager Dave Keane.

Fitzgerald was reacting to Keane’s assertion following his sacking last week that County Board Officers did not give a balanced view to the meeting that took the decision to change the management team.

Fitzgerald said: “We did give a balanced view and the management team did not stand or fall on one issue.

“This is a new, sad chapter in this episode,” he continued.

“What Dave Keane did for Limerick hurling can never be repaid and we issued a statement to this effect.”

The County Chairman added: “Dave Keane worked very honourably with us and nobody is more disappointed than I at the way events have turned out.

“The County Board would like to thank Dave and the management team for the loyalty and outstanding contribution to Limerick hurling.”

It was at the September meeting of the Limerick County Board last week that Keane had his two-year contract as manager terminated.

In a letter read out at that meeting Keane flatly rejected the notion that Under-21 players received preferential treatment.

However, he did claim that some members of the panel had failed to adhere to the code of discipline put in place.

He also listed 15 points on his stewardship as ways to get Limerick hurling back on track next year.

But he suggested he would only continue as manager with his other two selectors John Meskill and Dave Punch and trainer Pat O’Callaghan.

After a two-hour debate, a motion to remove Keane from office was proposed by Mungret delegate Anthony McCann and that proposal received the necessary two-thirds majority on the count of 61 votes to 18.