Burke hits back at Loughnane

Date Published: 23-Dec-2008

FORMER County Board Chairman Frank Burke dismissed recent comments by outgoing hurling manager Ger Loughnane as “total nonsense” during an impassioned speech to delegates at the County Board Convention in Claregalway last Wednesday night.

Burke told delegates that he wanted to refute the attacks on some of the Board’s former officers by Loughnane, which were widely reported after appearing in the Clare Champion newspaper.

Burke said that he was particularly hurt that the hard work which former Hurling Board Secretary Phelim Murphy put in to developing Kenny Park, Athenry, was not “honoured or respected” by the Clare native during his outburst concerning his two years as Galway manager.

He was unhappy with Loughnane’s criticism of the GAA grounds within Co. Galway after the ousted boss had claimed that some training sessions at Kenny Park had to be abandoned due to fears over player safety.

“I have worked since 1982 with Phelim Murphy, who turned Kenny Park into one of the most popular venues in the country for local sport,” said Burke. “A venue that …