NEW OFFALY MANAGER Kevin Martin has confirmed that James Dempsey won’t be part of his squad for the 2018 season.
Kinnitty goalkeeper Dempsey has been a mainstay between the posts for the Faithful since his debut in 2010 and he made 66 appearances for the county between league and championship.
But Dempsey, who was Leinster’s goalkeeper in the 2016 Interprovincial final, has opted out for the coming season.
“He is definitely not coming in this year,” Martin told the Midland Tribune. “He is living up in Dublin and he has been coming up and down for eight or ten years now and he has a life outside hurling. We have to respect that; he was a great servant for Offaly hurling.
“It was a bit of a shock I have to say. I wasn’t expecting that but we have good goalkeepers. Conor Slevin, Conor Clancy and Eoghan Cahill are all top ‘keepers as well, while he is a loss, he is replaceable.”
On a positive note, Martin has managed to lure experienced players Dan Currams, Conor Mahon, Colin Egan and Derek Molloy back into the Offaly set-up.
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