Westmeath minor hurling jersey row rumbles on

 

A war of words has erupted between Westmeath minor hurling manager Johnny Greville and the county board.

The Westmeath County Board released a statement last night (Tuesday) in relation to the county not taking part in the All-Ireland Minor ‘B’ championship - and Greville then responded by issuing a statement of his own.

It has been claimed that Westmeath decided to withdraw from the ‘B’ competition after jerseys went missing following the team’s defeat to Dublin in the semi-finals of the Leinster MHC.It appears that jerseys were either kept by players or swapped after that game - a situation that the county board has described as “unacceptable”.

Westmeath had been listed to play Donegal in the All-Ireland ‘B’ championship on August 1. However, the county board has insisted that it never entered the ‘B’ competition.

Greville has claimed that he was unaware that Westmeath was not going to take part in the competition.

The whole episode has detracted from the progress Westmeath has made in minor hurling this year, with the county achieving a famous win over Wexford in the Leinster championship.

The statement from the Westmeath GAA County Committee was as follows:

“Westmeath GAA would like to take this opportunity to clarify matters as the items discussed on Twitter contain inaccuracies which require correction.

“Westmeath GAA are very pleased with the progress made by Westmeath Minor Hurlers this year under the stewardship of Johnny Greville, who has brought a new dimension of professionalism to the preparation of the team.

“All of us were naturally disappointed that our team exited the Leinster Championship at the semi-final stage but we do know that the base for progress is through the highest grade of championship proper.

“To that extent, Westmeath GAA did not enter a Minor team in this year’s B Championship and this matter was discussed thoroughly through County Management Committee and the decision communicated accordingly.

“Hence the question of us pulling out of a Championship that we did not enter is disingenuous and we are very disappointed with the manner in which this has arisen in the media through twitter today.

“We appreciate that people become passionate about matters in which they believe strongly in but we do expect everyone to have their facts correct.

“In relation to the matter of jerseys & appropriate gear for the Minor team and for all of our teams in both hurling and football, Westmeath GAA do like all our fellow County committees endeavour to fully support all the players who don our county colours.

“Certainly after the Leinster Minor Hurling semi-final, a set of jerseys went missing which was unacceptable. There has to be pride in wearing one's colours and we expect all players who represent Westmeath to have the pride in them to retain their colours at all times.

The statement subsequently issued by Johnny Greville reads as follows:

“In response to the statement released from Westmeath GAA County Committee, I would like to take this opportunity to further clarify matters as they were communicated to me during my tenure as Westmeath Minor Hurling Manager.

“Prior to the start of the season I informed the Minor Board to enter us in both the Leinster League and the All-Ireland B Championship and as far as I was aware we were entered into both on foot of my request. At no point was it ‘communicated accordingly’ to me that we were not competing in the All-Ireland Minor B Championship. I received no email, phone call or letter or any form of communication to relay this information to me. Therefore the County Board may have to revise their communication strategy as I’m not yet equipped for telepathy/mindreading!! I would hate for people to think I was being disingenuous but I can only work with what is communicated to me.

“I as Manager of the Minor Hurling Team surely should have been included in this decision if not being solely responsible for the decision to enter this Championship whether with a Development Squad or out Full Squad – (for) these players that have put in so much effort all year to be treated like this does not bode well for the future.

“With regard to the ‘jersey’ debacle it was relayed to me by a club delegate who attended a Minor Board meeting on the 9th July that a Minor Board official was quoted as saying ‘we will not be playing in the Minor B as we do not have any jerseys’.

“Insinuations of lying and heaping blame on the Minor Players is not what I consider ‘endeavouring to fully support the players who don our county colours’.”

*This matter was also discussed at last week’s county board meeting, held in Páirc Chiaráin, Athlone – see report in this week’s Westmeath Independent.