Clare hurlers were allegedly using drugs before Davy arrived.

[Asal Mor]

My auld fella, who's a bit cracked, always reckoned Meath were on drugs under Sean Boylan. "I'm telling ya, you watch them, he's definitely giving them something at half-time, how else would they finish so strong? Herbalist my arse."

Is he from Cork? Your auld fella, not Sean Boylan.

From Laois deiseach, which probably explains it.

[deiseach]

My auld fella, who's a bit cracked, always reckoned Meath were on drugs under Sean Boylan. "I'm telling ya, you watch them, he's definitely giving them something at half-time, how else would they finish so strong? Herbalist my arse."

Is he from Cork? Your auld fella, not Sean Boylan.

From Laois deiseach, which probably explains it.

Probably. There was an awful lot of bad blood between Cork and Meath back in the day. It was poignant to read Martin O'Connell saying that few of the players on the late 80's teams were on speaking terms and it took the death of John Kerins to get people to disregard that crap. But the Laois thing with Meath...

[Asal Mor]

Probably. There was an awful lot of bad blood between Cork and Meath back in the day. It was poignant to read Martin O'Connell saying that few of the players on the late 80's teams were on speaking terms and it took the death of John Kerins to get people to disregard that crap. But the Laois thing with Meath...

It's nice that they get on well now. I wonder if the Galway / Tipp players of the same era are as friendly as that? Always seemed a spiteful rivalry too.

[deiseach]

Clare hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald has said he wasn't aware he was being recorded when he made comments last night about Clare's off-field activity.

Jaysus Davy, that's lame.

[deiseach]

Probably. There was an awful lot of bad blood between Cork and Meath back in the day. It was poignant to read Martin O'Connell saying that few of the players on the late 80's teams were on speaking terms and it took the death of John Kerins to get people to disregard that crap. But the Laois thing with Meath...

It's nice that they get on well now. I wonder if the Galway / Tipp players of the same era are as friendly as that? Always seemed a spiteful rivalry too.

They all participate in the John Denton Golf Classic each year.

[Asal Mor]

I'm sure you've seen it but Finnerty spoke about Denton on Tony Keady's Laochra Gael. "People said he was either a sh!te ref or he was biased. He was both".

[Crete Boom]

Probably. There was an awful lot of bad blood between Cork and Meath back in the day. It was poignant to read Martin O'Connell saying that few of the players on the late 80's teams were on speaking terms and it took the death of John Kerins to get people to disregard that crap. But the Laois thing with Meath...

It's nice that they get on well now. I wonder if the Galway / Tipp players of the same era are as friendly as that? Always seemed a spiteful rivalry too.

They all participate in the John Denton Golf Classic each year.

God that fella certainly made a game entertaining as long as you were a neutral fan. He would put Marty Duffy's circus in the shade come to thing of it .

[waterfordlad]

Davy Fitzgerald was very foolish and naive to think he could have made these comments and them not to create headlines in the media. Even if he didn't think he was being recorded there were probably hundreds there at his speech and the bit about the substance abuse was always going to come out. It is also a smear on all Clare players from that era. He should know how the media works by now. If I was a Clare fan I wouldn't be too happy with him now.

[orangeman]

There'll not be a word about it next week. It will pass. But FR Egan is impressed. I love the way Davy is being referred to as Mr. Fitzgerald.

A priest has applauded Clare hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald for highlighting the scourge of bullying in society, after the All-Ireland winning boss revealed yesterday that he had been severely bullied in school.



Mr Fitzgerald told students at a mental and physical health awareness seminar, that sport had saved him after he had became "low" when he was the victim of a sustained campaign of bullying while attending secondary school in Ennis, Co Clare.

He encouraged young people to have dreams and, if possible, to get involved in sport. He said sport would help "sharpen" their minds, boost their communication skills, and help them "focus" on leading a happy life.

Today, Rector of the Redemptorists Order in Limerick, Fr Adrian Egan praised Mr Fitzgerald for helping to bring the problem of bullying further out into the public arena.

He told local radio station Limerick's Live 95FM that high-profile personalities are in a position to break taboos about sensitive subjects.

"Because people, who are successful, especially in sport these days, (which) attracts a lot of attention, they become a role model (for young people). And when somebody breaks taboos on anything -- especially somebody that is well-known and respected -- about anything that people might have been anxious to speak (publicly) about in the past -- it's always good," Fr Egan said.

"It allows other people the freedom to open up and share their experiences as well, which they might otherwise not be able to do. So, somebody like Davy Fitz talking about been bullied -- and others who've done it as well -- absolutely, it's very important," Fr Egan added.

[AQMP]

There'll not be a poppy harvested in Clare for a week!