Portlaoise snub convention

LAOIS FOOTBALL:THE PORTLAOISE GAA Club decided not to send delegates to last night's Laois GAA Convention at the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise.

The Leinster senior football semi-finalists – who are due to meet St Brigid’s of Dublin this Sunday – failed to send delegates due to their displeasure over the handling of the suspension of manager Mick Lillis following a fracas in the Laois football quarter-final against Arles/Kilcruise last September.

A letter issued to the media at the convention by Portlaoise club chairman Vincent Dowling outlined the reasons behind the non attendance by delegates from the club.

“Portlaoise C.L.G. will not be attending annual convention this year as we feel very aggrieved by the treatment of one of our senior football managers, Michael Lillis, by Laois County Board,” the statement read. “We fail to understand how Laois Co Board can justify how two men involved in the same incident can get treated differently.

“Both men got proposed six -month suspensions, with one individual getting his suspension reduced to three months by Leinster Council as they deemed that is what the incident warranted.

“What makes it worse is the fact that Laois had the opportunity to rectify the situation but refused, not once but twice.

“Mick Lillis has served Laois as a player and manager, he is also the holder of an All-Ireland club medal with Portlaoise.

“He has managed teams at every level in this county in a voluntary capacity and does not deserve this treatment.”

Meanwhile Laois received positive financial news, with treasurer Martin Byrne reporting a €96,000 profit for 2011.