Clare hurler identified as a close contact by the ‘colour of their helmet’

Clare GAA have now come out in support of the comments made by the county’s senior hurling manager Brian Lohan on Sunday

Clare players warming up ahead of the league game with Wexford earlier this month. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

One of the two Clare hurlers designated as a close contact of a Covid-19 positive Wexford player was identified not by name but by the colour of his helmet, Clare GAA have revealed.

Clare GAA, having yesterday issued a statement which sought to cool tensions between Clare and Wexford, have now come out in support of the comments made by the county’s senior hurling manager Brian Lohan on Sunday when he questioned how two members of his panel had come to be identified as close contacts following the county’s League fixture against Wexford on May 16.

Today's Clare GAA statement has warned that if the “process” which led to the designation of two Clare players as close contacts is repeated going forward, it will have ramifications for club and county games for the season ahead.

Following Sunday’s League win over Laois, Lohan said “everything that we do, all of the protocols, is so that if there is a case that you'd be deemed as a casual contact rather than a close contact”.

He added that there was “a lot of anger” within the Clare set-up at two members of the panel being identified as close contacts of a Wexford opponent.

An Irish Examiner query to HSE Mid-West as to what were the determining factors in the designation of the two Clare players as close contacts was acknowledged by public health officials on Tuesday, but a response had not been finalised at the time of going to print.

The Clare GAA statement reads: “The HSE designated the Clare players as close contacts which is their function and was never disputed. The issue is how they were identified as close contacts. The HSE in the Midwest region were informed by the contact tracing team in relation to the decision that was made.

“Brian Lohan as manager of the Clare team contacted the HSE locally when he was informed of the identification of two senior hurlers as close contacts. The HSE informed Brian Lohan that two players were identified on foot of discussions between the contact tracing team of the HSE and the Wexford players involved who were positive cases. The HSE did confirm that for one of the players, they were identified not by name but were identified by the colour of their helmet.

“This has led to two players having to self-isolate and if this process continues without clear clarification regarding Close and Casual contact from Croke Park it will have ramifications for the season ahead for club and county games.” 

The Clare statement lists “potential close contact scenarios” as outlined in the GAA’s Covid-19 return to training and play guidelines which “require careful planning and the implementation of strict control measures”.

They are use of a gym or other indoor training facility; use of dressing rooms (including showers); pre and post match/training meals; meetings for tactical analysis or game preparation; collectively travelling to and from games/training, and overnight accommodation.

“None of the above refer to on field playing activity,” the Clare statement continued.

“Brian Lohan stands by his comments made last Sunday in relation to the incident and there remains much disappointment and frustration in our county in relation to why the Clare players were identified. We have already made representations to Croke Park on this player welfare issue, and we will be making further representation through the GPA.” One of the Clare hurlers identified as a close contact was on the Cusack Park pitch with one of the two Wexford players in question for a total of 19 minutes during the league game in Ennis the Sunday before last.

This Clare statement and Wexford’s insistence that their two Covid positive players did not name any Clare hurler when dealing with contact tracing personnel leaves unanswered the question of how the remaining Banner player came onto the radar of public health experts and their subsequent designation as a close contact.

The GAA, meanwhile, has confirmed the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B game between Kilkenny and Wexford has been provisionally rescheduled for Sunday, May 30 (UPMC Nowlan Park, 3pm), subject to the Wexford players currently isolating being deemed safe to play by the HSE this Thursday.

Where a county is unable to fulfil a fixture due to issues related to Covid, the game will be awarded to the opposing team, but without any further penalty being imposed. The exceptions to this are: where there is a clear 13 days between the original fixture and the next scheduled round of the competition or any game where relegation would be a direct consequence of the walkover.

- Updated at 10pm.