THE CLUB versus county friction between Knockmore and Mayo has continued with All Ireland club finalists Kevin O'Neill, and Peter Butler declining invitations to join the county panel. A third Knockmore player, Declan Sweeney, has also been invited, but must first undergo surgery.
On the way to last week's All Ireland final, the club withdrew its players from the county panel and there was friction with county manager John Maughan over the refusal to release Butler and O'Neill for a NFL match against Laois.
Weakened by suspensions and withdrawals, Mayo must now win a relegation play off on Monday against Clare if they are to survive in Division Two.
Former All Star O'Neill is taking a break from inter county football to concentrate on his job. He denied that his decision had anything to do with the rift between the club and Maughan, adding that he felt he could take no more time off work after an exhausting year which saw him involved with two teams which reached All Ireland finals. "To play inter county football now is almost a full time job," he said.
The player was at the centre of controversy last year when Maughan dropped him as a substitute before the All Ireland replay.
