*Donal Moloney. Photograph: Martin Connolly
Donal Moloney has been ‘disrespected’ by the manner in which the process of appointing Clare’s next senior hurling manager has been carried out, members of his backroom team have stated.
First appointed as Joint Manager with Gerry O’Connor in October 2016, Moloney has been left in limbo since O’Connor stepped down last month which was first reported by The Clare Echo. Their three year term ended when Clare failed to progress out of Munster this year and in August, the Scariff man put his name forward for the post of manager when Gerry resigned.
No selection process has been outlined by the County Board with club delegates told in September that they will be presented with further information at their October meeting while in an interview days after O’Connor’s exit, Chairperson Joe Cooney stated they were “keeping their options open”.
On Tuesday, Mark Dunphy who has been a member of the backroom team since 2015 publicly criticised the way the situation has been handled.
“One person has publicly confirmed their interest in the Clare Senior hurling job. County Final coming up and still no management appointed or an indication of what the selection process is. Massively disrespectful to Donal Moloney and the players who deserve better,” the communications officer tweeted. Wing-back David Fitzgerald and Shannon’s Aaron Cunningham were among those who liked Dunphy’s tweet.
One person has publicly confirmed their interest in the Clare Senior hurling job. County Final coming up and still no management appointed or an indication of what the selection process is. Massively disrespectful to Donal Moloney and the players who deserve better.
— Mark Dunphy (@Mark_Dunphy) October 1, 2019
Niall O’Connor, a maor caman during the Moloney and O’Connor underage set-ups has been part of the senior backroom team. He also took to social media to voice his disapproval. “I have seen the sacrifices the man vying for the Clare senior hurling job has given to Clare over the last two decades. The way he has been treated in the past few weeks is awful basically kept on a piece of string, listening to rumours and looking at false newspaper articles. Players and clubs should be asking questions how this is been handled and look how our competitors are conducting their business. Regardless of who is over them I’m sure we will rise again but that man deserves more than what he’s getting now.
