Former Clare referee chief McMahon 'deeply upset and hurt' by removal from post

The experienced ref was voted in as match officials administrator by the county’s clubs in March 2022.

Thu, 13 Feb, 2025 - 11:26

John Fogarty

Former Clare referees administrator Seánie McMahon has expressed his “deep upset and hurt” at being removed from the position he was elected to in 2022.

In a statement seen by the Irish Examiner, the 2004 Munster SHC final referee claimed he was last month told to vacate the role by county chairman Kieran Keating and head of operations Deirdre Murphy.

McMahon was voted in as match officials administrator by the county’s clubs in March 2022 but “was removed from the post in a move which was done without consulting the whole County Committee or the clubs who gave me their backing”.

According to a Clare Echo report, delegates from five clubs at last Tuesday’s monthly board meeting questioned Keating and Murphy’s decision. Keating confirmed Rory Hickey was the preferred choice to replace McMahon and he was later proposed and has succeeded McMahon. Hickey lost to McMahon in the 2022 vote.

The county safety and facilities officer Ambrose Heagney said the matter “has been handled so poorly, I’m sure you [Keating and Murphy] will reflect and think it could have been done better”.

Delegates from McMahon’s own club Newmarket-on-Fergus as well as Clonlara, Ruan, Sixmilebridge and Tubber raised issues with McMahon’s removal. Ruan delegate Michael O’Regan said: “I do feel that it was unfair on Seánie McMahon, it’s difficult to comprehend for a man that was always present, always available and if he wasn’t available he made damn sure somebody was to bring the board.”

In the statement which was read out at the meeting, McMahon detailed that he had sought to be briefed on payments to referees and their method in an email to Keating and Murphy. He was invited to attend an online meeting on January 27 by Murphy but was informed when he couldn’t log-in that it had changed to an in-person meeting in the Clare GAA offices in Clareabbey.

McMahon was able to attend it where he stated Keating raised the matter of payments to referees and the method. “Kieran proceeded to say that was not the reason they wished to meet me. The chairman said that he wanted to make his mark…

“I quote the next comment made by the chairman, ‘I want a young and vibrant person as administrator who is highly proficient in IT and that when the CCC (competitions control committee) meet that the appointment of referees will be done automatically on the laptop.’

“It was obvious to me that Kieran had his mind made up to remove me as administrator in advance of the meeting and I believe this was the reason for switching from a virtual to an in-person meeting.”

In response to the Irish Examiner, Keating explained memberships of sub-committees as per rule were appointments by the county committee on the recommendation of its management committee.

He stated: “Nobody is 'removed' by that process, but I would expect that change in personnel (i.e. volunteer personnel) must happen regularly, whether that's by retirements or because we would like to see what someone new might bring to a role or to a sub-committee.”

McMahon chronicled some of his achievements as administrator, highlighting 24 people took part in foundation courses he set up with 14 new match officials now active. A “mentoring system” was also established. “This is acknowledged as a huge success within the province. I would like to thank all the volunteers who did massive work as part of this,” he remarked.

McMahon thanked the county’s referees and umpires and wished his successor the best but added: “I’m deeply upset and hurt by the manner that I was removed from my position by the Chairman and Head of Operations of Clare GAA.”