NEW WATERFORD HURLING manager Michael Ryan has confirmed that Eoin Kelly has been dropped from the county’s senior panel because of fitness concerns.
But he has left the door open for the two-time All-Star to return – should his condition improve.
“We met with Eoin Kelly in October – as we did a number of other players,” the new coach told local station WLR FM.
“He was then brought in for a fitness assessment and a gym programme for seven weeks. At the end of seven weeks, he was called in, as the rest of the players were, and given a fitness test by Pat Flanagan.
“The results of that test were disappointing, to be honest. I then contacted Eoin and I said to him that we were going to invite him to join the panel for the month of January and see would that make any difference, on one condition that he came in and met us.
“He refused to meet us and I said to him very specifically ‘Eoin, do you realise by not meeting us the consequences of your decision?’
“He said ‘I do’. I said ‘Okay, will you think about that overnight and I’ll come back and talk to you tomorrow.’ So I rang him again the following day and again, Eoin said that he hadn’t changed his mind. That was exactly as he felt.
“So, in effect, Eoin Kelly has effectively ruled himself out of the squad for the moment.”
