Kerry GAA chair Tim Murphy dismisses 'lowest of the low' accusations as Jack O'Connor ratified

Wholeheartedly dismissing claims in the media on Monday that Jack O’Connor’s appointment was “a done deal” prior to last Friday week when he was proposed for the position, Tim Murphy also lashed out at suggestions questioning the integrity of the selection sub-committee.

Jack O’Connor has been ratified as the new Kerry senior football manager despite questions being raised by a number of clubs about the selection process at this evening’s county board meeting.

O’Connor along with selectors Diarmuid Murphy and Micheál Quirke were given a two-year term in the wake of strong support being expressed for Peter Keane, who had hoped for his time as manager to be extended beyond his initial three-year agreement.

Chairman Tim Murphy emphatically rejected claims Keane was treated with disrespect, highlighting he was in constant contact with him throughout and made him fully aware that it was the executive’s decision for the manager from 2022 to be decided by “a competitive process”. Murphy said Keane had expressed no issue with that stance only that it be concluded quickly.

Wholeheartedly dismissing claims in the media on Monday that O’Connor’s appointment was “a done deal” prior to last Friday week when he was proposed for the position, Murphy also lashed out at suggestions questioning the integrity of the selection sub-committee. Describing those accusations as "disgraceful" and "the lowest of the low", he highlighted the group’s decision to propose O’Connor was not made until the morning that his recommendation was announced.

“The suggestion that it was a done deal going back three weeks ago, four weeks ago, is totally erroneous, totally untrue, and totally unfounded. It’s put out there by individuals in the media who want to undermine us as a selection committee, who want to undermine us as a county committee, and who want to undermine us as an executive.” 

While not referring to Keane’s statement on Friday in which he claimed he had the support of all players, Murphy stressed on a couple of occasions that players were consulted during the appointment process. 

In order to make an informed and objective assessment, the selection committee considered a wide range of constructive views from the county executive, from the clubs in the county, and from the Kerry senior players.

“I’m not going to discuss what they said or they didn’t say to me because all those communications from everyone were treated with the utmost confidence on my part and on the part of the selection committee.

“Everybody’s view, whether it was clubs, the county executive, or players, was clearly communicated to the selection committee. Any decisions or conversation that took place were in full knowledge of the information being available.” 

Without mentioning names, a couple of clubs had raised the matter of conflicting interests in the five-person group - vice-chairman Eamonn Whelan had previously been a minor selector with O’Connor.

Murphy responded: “As far as I’m concerned, everyone that was on that committee are people of the highest integrity and have the utmost respect around the county. No matter where you go in the GAA, everybody has some connection with somebody and to try and make the inference that there is a conflict of interest I would reject as totally out of hand. Erroneous, I would go as far as to say that.

“I would stand over the integrity of the sub-committee. Everything we did wholeheartedly from start to finish and I would stake my own reputation on that. I hope people recognise me as somebody that has integrity, that has the strength of character to convey to people how business should be done.” 

There was stout support for Keane from his club St Mary’s Cahersiveen along with Laune Rangers and Listry, both of which Keane has connections with.

Reading out a statement, St Mary’s delegate Christy O’Connell said: “We feel strongly that our two members Peter Keane and Maurice Fitzgerald and their colleagues were treated in a disrespectful way. It is universally accepted among the GAA fraternity that this issue has been dealt with in a most unsatisfactory manner.” 

Mentioning that one of his club’s greats Stephen Stack went for the role, Listowel Emmets’ David O’Brien raised the matter of conflicting interests, while Listry’s Jerome Kennedy said Keane should be provided another 12 months after completing “two half-years” as a result of Covid.

After O’Connor’s ratification was confirmed shortly after 9pm, Murphy paid a glowing tribute to Keane for his commitment to Kerry over the three previous seasons, reaching the 2019 All-Ireland final, as well as the three consecutive All-Ireland minor titles he guided the Kingdom to 2016 to ‘18.

Earlier, former Waterford captain Stephen Molumphy was also ratified as the Kerry senior hurling manager for the next two years. The ex-Déise and Wexford selector will be assisted by Pat Bennett, Shane Briggs, and Brendan O’Sullivan. James Costello will also continue as county minor manager for a fourth season in charge.