McConville hails Davy’s honesty

Former Armagh footballer Oisin McConville has praised Davy Fitzgerald for his dramatic revelations this week.

McConville, an addiction counsellor who successfully battled gambling, said: “My immediate reaction was that this is refreshing and fair play. We have a problem in society and sport is going to mirror that problem.

“It’s great that somebody is open enough to say it and somebody has an actual working example of it. It’s not something that the guy has plucked out of the sky.

“It’s probably not something he meant to chat about but it was one of those things and he felt open enough and comfortable enough to talk about it.”

Clare manager Fitzgerald made his claims during an emotional address to teenagers in Limerick, when he also spoke again about being bullied as a child.

But the All-Ireland winning boss sparked a frenzy when he opened up about some Clare players from the mid-2000s on using “harder stuff than drink.”

McConville, 38, added: “I was in Croke Park on Tuesday night for the launch of the post primary schools competitions and that’s where I heard it.

“My instant reaction was that it didn’t frighten me or phase me. It’s a case of we all know what’s been going on and at last somebody’s come out and said it.

“It can be a positive thing in the long run and all you can hope for is that it raises some awareness.”

Crossmaglen legend McConville also insisted that in his experience, he has not come across an episode of recreational drug use with an inter-county player.

“None at the highest level. I’ve seen it sparsely at club level but nothing at all at intercounty. The threat of being caught is a big part. There are repercussions with their sport and job.”