Four players have been dropped from the Offaly under-14 development squad after playing in a soccer match last Saturday.
The game, an under-14 SFAI Cup quarter-final in which Edenderry Town were playing Shamrock Rovers, clashed with an Offaly training session.
The Offaly under-14 panel is headed up by Declan Kelly, who managed the county’s under-20 side to Leinster and All-Ireland titles last year. Kelly was also recently confirmed as the county’s director of football.
The Offaly Express reports that the four players, three from Rhode and one from Edenderry, were dropped for missing the session rather than the fact that they were playing another sport.
A code of conduct and rules produced by Offaly GAA for their development runs to 11 points and states that “should a player fail to adhere to any of the following Offaly Development squad rules, they and their parents may be invited to a meeting to discuss their conduct with the Offaly Coaching Officer”.
The rules state that players should “attend the trainings punctually, behave with self-discipline and give notice to Coaching Officer of and reasons for any absence” and that “full attendance at your club football/hurling matches and trainings” is expected, with “reasons for any absence also required”.
It is reported that reasons for the four players’ absence were provided and that the subsequent repercussions came as a surprise.
A statement from Offaly GAA issued to Offaly Express said that “a fundamental aspect of our Development Squad pathway program is that the players on the squads must commit to attendance at our training sessions and matches”.
It added: "Offaly GAA’s prime objective is to promote Gaelic Games in Offaly with many dedicated volunteers working very hard to promote participation and improve skill levels in our clubs in conjunction with raising the playing standards at county level.”
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