DURROW CLAIMED THE Offaly senior B football title on Sunday afternoon following a public dispute between the club and the county board over the decision to play the game.
Durrow were eight-point winners, 2-13 to 2-5, against Gracefield in O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
But they did so without manager Shane Curran after the former Roscommon stopper refused to attend due to what he said was “blatant disregard” for the health of the players involved.
The Offaly county board defended the decision to go ahead with the game after one of the players on the Durrow panel was identified as a close contact of a confirmed Covid-19 positive test.
“This player was subsequently tested and received a negative result,” the county board said in a statement on Sunday morning. “As per HSE guidelines, this player must restrict his movements for 14 days.”
But Curran challenged the accuracy of the county board’s information and said that a second player had also been identified as a close contact and had not yet received the result of their test.
“This statement is completely totally false,” he tweeted. “If your [sic] going to make a statement ensure it’s factual.”
Presentation of the Senior B Cup to @DurrowGAA joint captains Kevin McDermott and Oisin Cusack by County Board Chairman Michael Duignan and Philip O'Brien from @Tullamore_Court, sponsors pic.twitter.com/QQKOLcH0S4
— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) October 4, 2020
Curran drew attention to the situation on Saturday when he confirmed that he would not be present for today’s final.
The decision to play the game was “reckless endangerment with little or no respect for players,” he wrote in what he said was “without a doubt the most difficult tweet I’ve ever had to publish”.
“No club should be put in this position on eve of a final.”
Offaly GAA responded with a statement of their own on Sunday morning, saying that they “fully respect the individual choice of a person to step away at any time if they have a concern”.
“Offaly GAA would like to clarify the situation regarding Durrow GAA following speculation on social media overnight,” the statement read.
“No member of the Durrow senior football panel has tested positive for Covid-19. Offaly GAA were made aware of a positive case connected with the Durrow club that resulted in one senior panel member being identified as a ‘Close Contact’. This player was subsequently tested and received a negative result. As per HSE guidelines, this player must restrict his movements for 14 days.
“At all times through this pandemic, Offaly GAA has strictly followed HSE and GAA guidelines in relation to Covid-19 and has consistently encouraged our clubs to do likewise. Since GAA activities restarted in June, we have advised that the ‘Safe return to contact sports is the personal responsibility of each player and backroom member’. We fully respect the individual choice of a person to step away at any time if they have a concern.”
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