Clare chairman O’Neill is unfazed by possible strike

CLARE County Board Chairman Michael O’ Neill is adamant that the stand-off between the Clare senior hurlers and county manager Mike McNamara will not result in a Cork-style players strike.

However, the county chairman has re-affirmed his and the board’s backing for the current manager.

“I don’t see this as being similar to any other situation in the country. It’s an internal problem that we have in Clare at the minute,” the Ballyea man told The Clare Champion on Wednesday.

“That would be hypothetical. There certainly is no fear in my mind of that happening,” he added, with reference to the threat of a players strike if the board continue to support McNamara despite the fact that 26 players have sent a signed letter to the county board seeking his removal from his post.

“The secretary has received the signed letter. I wouldn’t even comment on that to be honest,” Michael O’ Neill said.

However he stressed that his support for McNamara at the October 27 county board meeting remained intact.

“Nothing has changed. What I undertook to do at the county board meeting last Tuesday night week is still the same,” he stressed.

McNamara was assured that his extended two-year term would not be cut short. O’Neill confirmed however that he is in talks with the manager and some Clare panellists this week.

“I’m still in negotiations with the different parties and that will be ongoing for a few more days. I will have discussions with the players and the management as I undertook to do last week,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, former Mayo footballer Liam McHale is part of Kilmurry-Ibrickane manager Micheál McDermott’s proposed management team to take the helm of the Clare senior footballers.

McDermott will be joined by McHale and former Clare footballer Colm Clancy if he is appointed Clare manager at next Tuesday’s county board meeting. Unconfirmed reports in Clare have also suggested that Doonbeg footballer Philip Smith may complete McDermott’s management team.

The county hasn’t had a county senior football manager since Frank Doherty resigned on July 11 after Clare were beaten by Donegal in the All-Ireland qualifier. One of four shortlisted managerial contenders will be named as the Galway man’s successor on Tuesday.

While Micheál McDermott is favourite to be handed the role, Cooraclare manager Aidan Moloney, Laois man Ger Lawlor, who is involved with the Cratloe intermediate team and Cooraclare native Michael Lillis, who lives in Laois, are the remaining three contenders.

Initially Micheál McDermott was believed to have acquired former Dublin footballer Jim Gavin as part of his managerial team but in an unconnected development, Gavin has been posted to Chad in Africa, with the Irish army from next March.

A host of former Clare footballers have been contacted by one or more of the shortlisted candidates in recent weeks. The candidates have struggled to convince people to come on board with them in a task which was made more difficult given that four potential managers were seeking mentors.