Rift between Kelly and Mount Sion deepens as players back management

THE split between Waterford All-star Eoin Kelly and Mount Sion bosses deepened last night with Kelly’s fellow players coming out in support of their club management team.

Kelly has had a stormy relationship with the club this year after serving a three-month ban for being sent off in Waterford’s NHL game against Offaly.

He was left out of the starting fifteen for the county semi-final against Stradbally and while he lined out for the final against arch rivals Ballygunner he was clearly unimpressed when substituted in the second half.

On Sunday he was omitted from the lineout for the Munster club championship semi-final against Toomevara.

Kelly travelled with the official party but sat out the game on the substitutes bench with team management refusing to introduce him even in the closing stages.

Kelly left seconds before the final whistle, stating subsequently in a newspaper article that he did so to avoid any kind of confrontation with team management. He has denied missing an important training session on the previous Sunday for anything other than work commitments, and insisted that he is now “fed up to the back teeth” with hurling.

Last night, Mount Sion senior captain Eoin McGrath issued a statement of support and backing for the manager and selectors on behalf of the players.

In the statement McGrath said that in response to the allegations made by Kelly in some newspapers earlier this week concerning his omission from the team last Sunday he wished on behalf of all the players to thank the manager (Paraic Fanning) and fellow selectors Kelly and Flynn for their dedication and total commitment to the team not just last Sunday but throughout the year.

“They stated from the start that teams would be selected on the basis of performance on the field, in matches, and in training as well as overall commitment. They stuck to their principles throughout and that was reflected in the team selection last Sunday,” McGrath said.

“We lost our last big game of the year in conditions that always meant that the game would be decided on a bad break or a poor decision where either side was concerned.”

The statement concludes: “As a manager and coach Paraic Fanning’s record with our club and with WIT speaks for itself and he is held in the highest of esteem for his ability and integrity by all, including many top players in other counties who have played under him”.