Kelly hits back at former Déise boss McCarthy
McCarthy is quoted in a new book as describing the Waterford players he coached as “bluffers” who were “irrational” off the field, adding that they were unwilling to give him credit for their success.
Yesterday Kelly, who won three Munster SHC titles under McCarthy’s management, commented on the Corkman’s opinions.
“It’s a bit disappointing to read that,” said Kelly.
“All of us in Waterford would be well aware of Justin’s contribution to our success in recent years.
“I don’t think we were unwilling to give him credit for the games and titles that we won.
“I remember in 2002, when we won the Munster hurling title after a gap of 39 years, Fergal Hartley praised Justin at length from the podium in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, for instance.
“I’d say you could go back through the records and find plenty of other examples of players praising Justin and his management team after games.
“I know it ended badly between Justin and the team but a lot of people in Waterford would have good time for him and would give him plenty of credit for all that he did for the county.”
Kelly also disagreed with McCarthy’s suggestion that he didn’t think “they (the Waterford players) enjoyed it as much as me,” when referring to his time with the Déise hurlers.
“That’s not accurate,” said Kelly.
“If we weren’t enjoying the training there wouldn’t have been good turn-outs for the sessions, and I think Justin would have to say that he had good attendance from players.
“I don’t understand why he’d make a comment like that, given that we got on very well with him for years.”
Kelly also took issue with McCarthy’s comment that players had to “grow up and learn for themselves, and many didn’t”.
“That’s a bit unfair,” said the Passage clubman.
“The obvious response to that is that we were grown-up enough to win three Munster hurling titles and a national league. And that we were able to make it to an All-Ireland final as well, even if Justin wasn’t involved at that stage with us.”
McCarthy’s comments are in a new book, ‘The Ecstasy and the Agony: The Real Story Behind Waterford Hurling’, by Damien Tiernan, which is released this week.
