Kelly: GAA sick of being 'easy targets

GAA president Sean Kelly responded angrily to claims by Health Minister Micheál Martin’s that it is irresponsible and wrong to have the hurling championship sponsored by Guinness.

"It wouldn't be the first time the GAA was singled out this way," a fuming Kelly said. "We welcome the initiatives and measures taken by both the Health Minister and the Justice Minister to tackle this awful scourge in our society. But I feel using the example of our Guinness sponsorship and not using any other examples is being very unfair to us."

It has transpired that neither the minister nor any Department of Health officials have approached Croke Park privately to voice their concerns about the sponsorship. The GAA president feels the association is again being made an easy target for batting practice.