Offaly hurling row rumbles on

The Offaly County Board have confirmed that they will respond to the issues raised this week by senior hurling manager Joe Dooley - but only after Offaly's All-Ireland SHC campaign has ended.

Details of a letter written by Dooley to County Board Secretary Martin Boland emerged yesterday, in which he expressed his annoyance at his panel's treatment at a training session in Tullamore last Saturday.

Preparing for Saturday week's qualifier clash with either Laois or Cork, Offaly's senior hurlers were prevented from training at O'Connor Park in Tullamore last Saturday morning, with some players denied access ahead of their scheduled training time.

Dooley argued in his letter that "as a result of the way we were received, from gates being locked all over the place, to players and mentors being asked to leave the field, to not being allowed walk across the field, to the threat of cars being removed from outside the ground, we had no choice but to call off training."

"It is very clear to all involved that we are not wanted in O'Connor Park. Every reason seems to be used to keep us out of the pitch or off the pitch during training sessions," it added.

The letter was also signed by selectors, the team coach, the team secretary and team captain Shane Dooley and vice-captain Joe Bergin.

The redevelopment of O'Connor Park was completed in 2006, to the tune of €7.2m, and since then has been home to all of Offaly's inter-county teams.

But it is now obvious that the majority of hurling people in the county want the players to use St. Brendan's Park in Birr as their training base and home venue for games - especially when the squad cannot train as they want to in Tullamore.

Dooley wants the Offaly County Board to stage some of Offaly's Allianz Hurling League matches in Birr next year, and feels that they should request that clubs in Offaly make their facilities available for county training sessions.

But the County Board have said that they will not deal with the concerns of Dooley and his players until they are knocked out of this summer's Championship.

A statement issued by the County Board read: "The Offaly GAA Management Committee met last night and decided they will issue a full and frank response to the issues concerning the senior hurlers when, and only when, the county complete their current Liam MacCarthy Cup campaign."