Dónal Óg to quit Clare hurling role
DÓNAL ÓG CUSACK is stepping down as coach to the Clare senior hurling team. Under mounting pressure after writing a letter of support for paedophile Tom Humphries, news broke last night of his departure from the backroom team of joint managers Gerry O’Connor and Donal Moloney.
Only last week, as the three-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper with Cork found himself increasingly under the spotlight for his action, Clare defender David Fitzgerald
insisted he was still part of the set-up. ‘Dónal is still involved with us,’ he confirmed. In a statement 10 days ago, Cusack identified himself as the second person who gave a character reference to Humphries, the former Irish
Times journalist who faces sentencing for grooming a 14year old girl and two counts of defilement of a child under 17 when he sexually assaulted her two years later. Cusack said he had shown a ‘lack of judgement’ and apologised for any hurt or offence caused by his action. But the Irish Daily Mail revealed yesterday that Sports Minister Shane Ross was unhappy with Cusack’s letter of support given the coach is a director of Sport Ireland, the body responsible for setting guidelines on child safety in sport. Ironically, the news of his departure came on the same evening that his nemesis in Cork Frank Murphy — who locked horns with Cusack repeatedly during the bitter civil war on Leeside that lead to repeated strike action by the county team — received a one-year extension to his term as Cork County Board secretary. Last night at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, members of the media were asked to leave for a segment of the meeting termed as ‘staffing matters’ on the agenda. During that part, a proposed extension for Murphy — in the role of secretary since 1973 — was passed by delegates. Murphy was due to retire at the end of 2012 but the board oextended his contract due to his importance in redeveloping Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Meanwhile, Sligo have ratified Tyrone native Cathal Corey as the county’s senior football manager.