The Offaly County Board has responded to a letter sent to them, and then made public, by members of the Offaly senior hurling team regarding their treatment at O’Connor Park when they arrived for a training session.
The letter explains how the hurling team was barred entry from the grounds, that they were mistreated by ground staff and that they were told that their cars would be removed if they did not leave the grounds.
The board has stated that the ground had been booked for a children’s training event until after midday on the morning in question, but the senior team started arriving at 10:45am, with one player running through the area where the training session was taking place while he warmed up.
The squad was denied entrance to the pitch by the caretaker for fear that they would disrupt the children’s session.
The board also stated that only was car was told it would be removed from the grounds, and this is only because it was parked dangerously.
“It was causing a blind spot for pedestrians and on-coming motorists while children as young as six were entering and exiting via the gate where it was parked,” claimed the board.
The board have also stated that a request to meet with team manager Joe Dooley the following day to resolve the issue was turned down.
“Those requests were refused,” added the board.
“They (officers) also correctly predicted to him that it (the letter) would lead to Offaly GAA receiving unnecessary and unwarranted negative public attention.”
With regards to the team returning to Birr stadium, the board have stated that the GAA has yet to approve the ground as a secondary county ground as it has undergone development work.