Brennan claims seeding return mooted in May

Plans to reintroduce a seeded Munster SFC were mooted by Munster Council chairman Robert Frost earlier this summer, according to Clare footballer Gary Brennan.

The Banner midfielder alleged Frost told him in May that a restructuring of the Munster championship wasimminent, citing the poor attendance at the 2012 provincial decider. Frost declined to comment on this when approached by the Irish Examiner.

Brennan explained: “I had never spoken with the man before. I asked him [at the Munster SFC launch] if the rumours of a seeded draw were true and in reply he quoted the attendance at our Munster final in 2012 and the attendance at the previous Munster final. He mentioned the difference and said ‘we can’t keep going the way we are going’.

“You’d definitely be wondering was there something going on. We had this conversation and it subsequently happened so people can make their own assumptions from that. It is fairly clear to see.”

The Munster Council chairman yesterday expressed disappointment at the threat to boycott the 2015 Munster championship.

“There is nothing we can do about it at this stage,” he said.

“If the decision was all that wrong... we are talking about three Division 4 football teams and one in Division 3. I mean they can prove everybody wrong. It is only for a 12-month period and will be revisited again next year.

“We are unfortunate in Munster that we have two very strong teams and four others. This might improve it in the next 12 months and I hope it does.”

Claiming each of the respective county boards had been well informed of September’s Munster championship review, Frost conveyed surprise at the reaction of the Tipperary, Waterford, Clare and Limerick panels.

“Since Adam was a boy the Munster championships have been reviewed every year.

“It is normal practice to review the championships each year, we review the hurling championship, we review the football championships. We have all our minutes and the review of the 2014 championship was well flagged.”

Pointing to the alleged conversation between Brennan and Frost, outgoing Limerick football captain Seanie Buckley said it is obvious the Munster Council were going to exhaust every avenue to reintroduce the seeded draw.

“Winks and nods as far as I’m concerned. It’s clearly obvious what’s gone on, promises or whatever, I don’t know.

“It’s disappointing, a kick in the arse but we’ve dealt with it and we move on as best we can.

“We’re not blind to the thing either. There was a push on for it. They say it was transparent but if it was, why didn’t any squad members know about it on any side?

“We never knew anything until the night it was announced. And then to hear that our own county board not only backed it, but proposed it, was very disappointing.

“The second meeting called then by the Munster Council was farcical. It was an ambush.

“The All-Ireland series is open to all teams on a level playing field, but this is not the case with the Munster championship.

“Our league status is completely irrelevant. You’ll end up playing Cork and Kerry st some stage. What difference does it make. The only thing the system serves to do is give an advantage to two counties.”

Buckley revealed the Limerick panel informed County Officers yesterday they would be unavailable for selection for the 2014 McGrath Cup, with the Clare squad to follow suit, according to Brennan.

“An email on behalf of the Limerick footballers has been sent to the County secretary seeking them to pull us out of the competition,” continued Buckley.

“The squad are making themselves unavailable. Whether we are entered or not we won’t be playing. It might be seem like a small step, but we are left with little option at this stage.

“We have made it clear that we won’t be participating in the Railway Cup either. In the last couple of years we have had a good number of lads on the inter-provincial team. We have backboned it to an extent. It has been a great honour for anyone who played on the provincial team. Look, it seems the only means available to us at the minute.”

Frost said the Munster Council will decide in the coming months whether to push ahead with next year’s McGrath Cup given the absence of the aforementioned counties.