Calls to dropped Kerry stars 'fell through the cracks'

Kerry GAA chairman Tim Murphy has accepted criticism from the Kerins O’Rahilly’s club for the way dropped Kerry players found out about their exclusion from the senior football panel, admitting "things fell through the cracks".

And Kerins O’Rahilly’s delegate Dan Walsh highlighted at a County Board meeting the fact that several Kerry senior players from last year’s squad — who appear to be surplus to requirements for 2019 — were not directly informed of their omission from new manager Peter Keane's panel.

Established players such as former captain Fionn Fitzgerald and Barry John Keane were among those left out of pre-season plans for the new campaign.

And Walsh said: "I am expressing my club's dissatisfaction at the new Kerry senior management in the way that Kerry players (from last year’s squad) that were not called in by the Kerry management were not even notified and it was remarked upon in a national paper as well last week.

"Some of the players have been involved with the Kerry senior squad for a long time and not even getting a text or phone call meant that they did not know whether they were in or they were out. I think going forward for all Kerry teams — minor, U-20, senior or whatever, because it’s a big commitment and every young footballer has aspirations of wearing a Kerry jersey - that there must be more respect shown to them.

"We see from reports that there were a number of Kerry senior players from last year not selected for 2019 but it’s the way they were treated and not communicated in a proper fashion that makes it paramount going forward that a system be put in place and they would be communicated with and told what was happening rather than being left in limbo.

"I want to clarify that the club has no issue whatsoever on who is called up and who is omitted.”

Board chairman Tim Murphy agreed with the contention there had been a breakdown in the lines of communication.

“I accept what you are saying. I know heretofore the senior manager and the management team were the people who were charged with calling in players or not. Probably a few things fell through the cracks there all right and going forward as heretofore there was never a policy on how that was to be dealt with.

"But yes, I agree with your sentiments that from now on we will put some system in place that will address this issue.”