GAELIC GAMES: The sensational rows in Clare hurling took another turn yesterday when former manager Ger Loughnane called on the county chair Michael McDonagh to correct what he alleged was an error in the latter's version of the events that led to McDonagh reporting Loughnane to gardaí.

This happened on foot of an overheard phone call in which the former manager was alleged to have said that he was using images of the head of current Clare selector Fr Harry Bohan during target practice.

In an interview with Cian Ó Síocháin on Clare FM's Morning Focus, Loughnane denied having mentioned anyone's name, maintaining that he had said: "I imagined 'a certain person' and hit the target six times." He added that if McDonagh didn't correct the alleged error he would release further information into the public domain.

"It comes down to Loughnane's word against the chairman's and maybe the chairman's and his wife. I don't know this chairman at all. I never spoke to him for any length personally - I just know him to see.

"I don't want to embarrass him by stating right now what that error was but he knows what it was. It was fatal as regards listening in to my telephone call. I'm calling on him to admit the truth. If he doesn't I will fill you in with the final piece of the jigsaw later on today or on Monday morning."

This was one of a number of contentious statements made during the course of the interview.

Clare hurling has been rocked by rows this week, beginning with the revelation in The Irish Times on Tuesday that long-serving team physio Colum Flynn and his friend, the internationally respected Ger Hartmann, had left the Clare back-room team after a disagreement involving Fr Bohan.

Loughnane also expanded on another row, his omission from a special awards ceremony organised by the county board, by explaining his opposition to those who were honoured. Among the awards winners was Fr Bohan - who Loughnane consistently declined to name.

"I strenuously objected," he said of a conversation with McDonagh. "I told him they had honoured a man I considered to be an absolute traitor to this county for his part in the Jimmy Cooney incident in 1998 when he betrayed the interests of county Clare on that day." He then added: "(I told him) If I ever got the opportunity I'd expose him for what he'd done. He asked if I was threatening him. I said that the last time I was slighted by the Clare County Board was in 1992 and it took me three years to get revenge but I said I got it by playing a small part in Clare winning the All-Ireland in 1995, an event that seemed to have eluded him.

"I warned him that he was never again to insinuate my name in relation to anything to do with awards."

Loughnane also reiterated his claim that certain members of the 1995 All-Ireland winning Clare team had recently travelled for free on a special commemorative holiday that he himself had declined to join. This claim had been previously denied by the holiday organisers.

On the same programme Clare hurling manager, and captain during the Loughnane years, Anthony Daly called for the rows to be settled and put behind the county.