Rumours of division in Wexford dismissed

GAELIC GAMES/ News round-up: Wexford hurlers and management have closed ranks after a few days of alleged controversy in the county. Local reports had indicated the players were deeply unhappy because of the dropping of former captain Darragh Ryan for last weekend's match against Dublin.

Ryan is widely seen as the team's natural leader and the perception was he had been targeted unfairly because of poor performances by the defence in general.

But a statement from the players has strongly denied this unrest as well as a number of other allegations including that a motion of no confidence in the management of John Conran, Martin Quigley and Dickie Murphy had been tabled.

"Wexford senior hurlers angrily refute the allegations made in a selection of national daily newspapers. The facts as presented are not true.

"Yes, we did have a meeting on Friday night to organise a presentation to our recently-retired colleagues Liam Dunne and Larry O'Gorman. Yes, of course we discussed the upcoming game against Dublin, as it was vital for us to win that game in order to avoid relegation, and we availed of the opportunity to commit ourselves to that task.

"Our selectors and we, the players, also met after the game on Sunday to discuss preparations for the Leinster Championship. When the selectors left, the squad remained on to finalise plans for the presentations and to reaffirm our commitment to up our efforts and to do everything possible to win back the Leinster title."

The statement was issued by the team's Players Committee, a representative and liaison group comprising Darragh Ryan, Declan Ruth, Damien Fitzhenry and Rory McCarthy. Ruth confirmed later the statement "represented all the players' views" and denied there had been any discussion of confidence in the management.

"Absolutely not. This is a lot to do about nothing. Every team struggling for results has differences of opinion and we're no different but we've had no falling-out with management and we're moving forward from here."

He denied there was anything unusual about two full players' meetings being convened to discuss presentations to former team-mates. "No. That's the way we've always done it with team meetings. Everyone gets a chance to speak and air their opinions on anything that's on their mind."

The suggestion that the players had boycotted the official team meeting in the Ferrycarrig Hotel prior to the match was also dismissed by Ruth.

"That's completely untrue. There's no set arrangement before matches. Sometimes we go to the hotel but not always. When we played Kilkenny we went straight to the dressing-rooms and as a panel, including management, we decided to do the same this time."

Manager John Conran was also angry about the situation and asked had players voiced unhappiness about the dropping of Ryan.

"No one said anything to me," said the manager. "Darragh Ryan wasn't happy but he took it on the chin and was there on Sunday. He's a strong character and proved it when he came on in the second half and made an excellent contribution.

"We as selectors have to have the right to take decisions and make changes as we see fit. We make decisions that often aren't popular. But we're not the players' friends, we're mentors and wouldn't be true to ourselves if we acted otherwise. Players appreciate that and we feel that they're behind us and can't understand this campaign of unsubstantiated controversy."

He acknowledged the flow of players out of the panel for a variety of reasons hasn't looked good to outsiders but says the departures have been a matter for the individual players and didn't involve animosity.

"I feel frustration about it because of the way it looks but if a player wants to leave the panel because his heart isn't in it I've no problems with that. Everyone's life is different and intercounty hurling is a lifestyle commitment. Players have the right not to make that commitment."

On South East Radio this morning, on the Ellen Lynch programme, there will be interviews with Conran, county chairman Seán Quirke and a players' representative, still to be nominated but possibly goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry. The discussion is expected to air at around 9.30.