GAELIC GAMES/Roscommon row: An intervention by Frankie Dolan's club, St Brigid's of Kiltoom, has failed to get the Roscommon forward reinstated for the round two qualifier against Louth this Saturday. A delegation from the club met county board officials on Monday night in an attempt to change the decision by manager Val Daly to omit Dolan.
Dolan was thrown off the panel after an altercation with one of Daly's selectors, Séamus Killoran, after the loss to Mayo in the Connacht semi-final on June 19th.
Dolan was a substitute in that game, which marked his return from exile since Tommy Carr also dismissed him from the panel for disciplinary reasons during the National League. The resulting clamour for Dolan to return contributed to Carr's stepping down as manager.
The arrival of Daly appeared to resolve any conflict as he welcomed Dolan back to training in late March. Yet problems have plagued the county this year. The county board faces serious financial difficulties while on the pitch they almost collapsed in their opening championship match, against London on May 29th, winning 0-12 to 1-8.
Player indiscipline has been a trend in Roscommon, and Conor Beirne was also removed from the panel lately, after an off-field incident unconnected with Dolan.
"When Val came in he drew a line in the sand and said anyone who crossed that line would go or else he would," said county board secretary Frank Dennehy, one of three people to meet the St Brigid's members on Monday.
"We had a frank and cordial discussion but on the remit, which we made quite clear beforehand, that Frankie Dolan would not be returning to the panel. That decision is up to the management. We listened to them and will again but nothing really came out of it."
There had been a rumour St Brigid's were threatening to withdraw their other county players, including goalkeeper Shane Curran, Karol Mannion and Darragh Donnelly, if Dolan was not reinstated. But Dennehy confirmed the club denied this. He also left the door open for Dolan to eventually return to the fold.
"As soon as they arrived, they said they were not going to pull their players," Dennehy continued. "I wouldn't say never to Frankie returning but that is up to the management. It's an extremely difficult situation as he is a talented footballer but for Saturday he will not be involved."
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Dolan issued an apology to Killoran, via his club, but the fact he is a repeat offender makes it difficult for Daly to change his mind as it would make Killoran's position untenable.
Also, St Brigid's released the apology with a rider: "While the club respects the right of the county senior team management to make necessary decisions regarding players' behaviour, it must strongly state that it has serious misgivings about the handling of this decision to omit Frankie Dolan on this occasion."
Daly would not comment but held a training session last night before picking his team (to be named today). Roscommon are expected to have enough talent to progress past Louth, the early-season stutter in London now an advantage.
Meanwhile, Kildare's veteran defender Glenn Ryan is out for the rest of the championship having sustained a broken jaw playing for his club. Pádraig Nolan must also plan for Saturday's trip to Sligo without Stuart McKenzie-Smith, while Derek McCormack and Eamon Callaghan are further injury doubts.
Carlow manager Liam Hayes has to plan for Saturday's televised game against Limerick in Dr Cullen Park without Willie Power, who broke a leg after just seven minutes of the win over Offaly, and Thomas Walsh, who has a fractured jaw.
