Antrim chairman denies attempt to remove Fitzgerald as county’s senior hurling manager

Antrim chairperson Seamus McMullan has rejected claims that any move was made to remove Davy Fitzgerald as senior hurling manager, stating unequivocally that no such decision was ever taken.

Speaking in an official statement, McMullan said the matter had been clarified at a County Committee meeting on April 27, while also recognising the concerns outlined by members of the playing panel.

He explained that prior commitments prevented him from meeting the squad at short notice but added that he is engaging with player representatives and is taking the situation seriously, with a view to resolving the issues collectively. He also acknowledged that a run of poor results this season has contributed to frustration within the camp.

Tensions between the players and the county board executive were evident on Tuesday night when the Antrim senior hurlers did not proceed with a scheduled training session.

Antrim hurlers request urgent meeting following Fitzgerald position concern

The players had sought a meeting with officials following an approach made to Fitzgerald on Sunday, when a member of the executive reportedly asked him to step down. That meeting did not go ahead.

The development came in the wake of Antrim’s second defeat in this year’s Joe McDonagh Cup, a Round Two loss to Laois. Although Fitzgerald — who took charge at the end of 2024 — had been asked to step aside, that request was subsequently withdrawn.

In correspondence sent to the board, the squad voiced their dissatisfaction with how the situation unfolded, particularly highlighting that no consultation had taken place with players before the alleged approach was made.

The letter from the players referred to a sense of “confusion and frustration” within the group, pointing to what they understood to be a decision to remove Fitzgerald that was later reversed. They also raised concerns about being told that no such action had occurred, despite confirmations from Fitzgerald and members of his backroom team that the sequence of events had taken place. This discrepancy, they said, had led to uncertainty and eroded trust.

Additional concerns were raised over delays in players receiving their full allocation of training gear, as stipulated under the GAA-GPA agreement.

They had indicated they would not train on Tuesday evening without engagement from the county board. With no meeting taking place, the session did not go ahead.