Derry chairman rejects talk of player withdrawal

DERRY chairman Seamus McCloy has played down suggestions the Ballinderry club is threatening to pull its players from the county squad.

James Conway was dropped from the panel last week after his reported involvement in an incident in a club game where fellow county panellist James Kielt was left with a broken jaw.

It was claimed yesterday that Ballinderry are contemplating the withdrawal of Kevin McGuckin, Niall McCusker and Enda Muldoon.

“That’s the first I’ve heard,” said McCloy. “I spoke to the Ballinderry chairman on Friday and there was nothing mentioned about it then or since. The manager is the man who decides who he puts on his panel. James Conway hadn’t played all year because he had been injured. Somebody can’t just break somebody else’s jaw and then come into the dressing room and say ‘right boys, tea and buns for everyone’.”