O’Loughlin lands top job as Banner boss row ends

AFTER nearly two months of turmoil, the player/manager controversy that rocked Clare GAA reached its conclusion at the county’s annual county convention last night when, in a departure from the official Clár, former star Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin was endorsed as the new manager of the senior hurling team.

O’Loughlin will take over for a term of what full-time secretary Pat Fitzgerald stated “I expect will be at least two years,” replacing Mike McNamara, who resigned earlier this week.

O’Loughlin, currently manager of three-in-a-row Limerick senior hurling champions Adare, had already been put forward for approval at a regular county board meeting last Tuesday evening, but the delegates had asked that the decision be postponed until last night. Without discussion and without dissent, the appointment was ratified.

While Ger’s appointment didn’t attract any comment, the same could not be said for the controversy itself. Chairman Michael O’Neill was succinct: “Much has been said and written,” he said, “However, it must be pointed out that no effort was spared in the preparation of our teams by the mentors, the players or the board. We need to learn from 2009, if we made mistakes – and we did – and move on.”

Secretary Pat Fitzgerald, however, considered the most powerful figure in Clare GAA, led off with it in his report: “What has disappointed me in all of this is the manner in which it has been dealt with,” he stated, “The whole business should not have been transacted through the media... a much less confrontational and acrimonious approach should have been adopted.

“I am a firm believer in keeping the lid on internal sensitive issues. I feel that they should be dealt with in-house, in a private and confidential fashion and that such matters should be prevented, at all costs, from reaching the public domain.

“One can only suggest that it is time for everybody concerned from top to bottom to reflect on what has contributed to this current impasse and to set about putting a structure in place which will ensure that Clare GAA never again encounters such a dilemma.”

This is the second time in only three years that Clare hurling has been wracked by public controversy, with manager Tony Considine caught in the headlines in 2007, though on that occasion, ironically, most of the moves (including in mid-season) came from the county board itself.

A timely warning, then, from the secretary, who continued: “Player revolt is a potentially explosive issue... (but) player power cannot dictate. Certainly, they can have a voice but their input cannot be the final dictate.

“An unhealthy atmosphere and environment has manifested itself... It is my very strong belief that the lines of demarcation should be adhered to. In real terms players should play, managers should manage and administrators should administrate. That is not to say that players should not have an input into the decision-making process that effects (sic) their playing careers. But issues of concern and opinions and views of a general nature should be channelled through and dealt with in a constructive and positive way, and certainly not in a confrontational and provocative manner.”

One delegate, PJ Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge) however, challenged that perception. “I see this as a strong attack on the actions of the players,” he said, “But the manner in which it was handled by the board and officers – in hurling terms, we wouldn’t be left on the panel for next year. Did we box the players into a corner? We should have seen the signs earlier, sorted it out. It ill becomes us to lacerate players, the same players we jump the fence to acclaim, the same players we expect to give their blood again.

“Forming demarcation lines is not the way, leads to trouble, is too authoritarian; good management should be about constant consultation.”

Fitzpatrick’s comments received a fine ovation, in marked contrast to the silence that greeted the secretary’s reply, in which he stated that he wasn’t in any way castigating the players. “The pity is that we do our business in public, that’s my regret,” he repeated.

On the financial front, treasurer Bernard Keane reported a healthy balance sheet, with a surplus of income (€1,663,321) over expenditure (€1,454,022), despite a drop in overall income of €91,747. Total assets of the board improved to €6,448,124, up by €148,084 from last year.

On the election of officers, there was only one election, Ger Hickey beating PJ McGuane for the position of Central Council delegate.

On the motions, the recent Central Council experimental proposals for the National Leagues on the ‘mark’ (football), changed penalty for the puckout taken from outside the square (hurling), the decision on the use of Croke Park to be taken by Central Council, were all carried; no extra-time in the first round of championship games was sent to Munster Council.

OFFICERS FOR 2010: President – John Hanley; Chairman – Michael O’Neill; Vice-chairman – John Hill; Secretary – Pat Fitzgerald; Assistant Secretary – Des Crowe; Treasurer – Bernard Keane; Assistant Treasurer – PJ Kelly; Youth Officer – Sandra Randall; PRO – Syl Barrett; Irish & Culture Officer – Thomas Burke; Development Officer – John Fawl; Coaching Officer – no candidate; Central Council delegate – Ger Hickey; Munster Council delegates – Robert Frost and Tom Downes; Congress Delegates – Noel Walsh, Robert Frost, John Hill, PJ McGuane, Bernard Keane; U-21 Congress Delegate – Christopher O’Looney; Munster Convention – Bernard Keane, Pat Frawley, John Hill, Sean O’Sullivan.