Kevin Galvin
The GAA has rearranged the Allianz Hurling League meeting of Kilkenny and Wexford for this Sunday from 3pm at The Marble City's Nowlan Park.
The game was originally due to take place last weekend but it was called off less than 24-hours before throw-in, after the discovery of a third COVID case in the Wexford squad. That was after Wexford GAA Chairman Michael Martin said he was 'confident the game would go ahead a few days earlier, after the initial discovery of two positive cases.
The GAA’s CCCC has confirmed that the AHL Division 1B game between @KilkennyCLG and @OfficialWexGAA has been rescheduled to take place this Sunday subject to the Wexford players currently isolating being deemed safe to play by the HSE later in the week. #AllianzLeagues
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 25, 2021
In the county board's statement confirming that last Sunday's match would be off, they confirmed they would be seeking a meeting with the CCCC on Monday to request a re-fixture.
However, with the association publishing their weekend fixtures this morning, there has yet been no confirmation of if or when the refixture would take place.
The email says the CCCC "are continuing to liaise with the HSE and will provide clarity on the fixture as soon as possible."
It's as the war of words between Wexford and Clare camp continues, after the nomination of two Banner players as close contacts, following their 1-21 to 2-19 defeat to the Yellowbellies at Cusack Park.
"Certainly there was a whole lot of anger amongst our set-up"
Clare manager Brian Lohan speaks about the circumstances that led to two of his players being unavailable for selection after being deemed "close contacts" of Wexford players: https://t.co/lqMuWaG9Hu #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/bjCFKmXAax— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 23, 2021
“We were contacted by the HSE to say that two of the Wexford players had nominated two of our players as close contacts,” Clare boss Brian Lohan said after Clare's victory over Laois at the weekend.
“In one instance in particular, where a substitute came on for Wexford, he named one of our players as a close contact so I find it very unusual that that would be the case.”
“I don’t think that we have to learn anything from it..." he concluded "...we follow the rules, whatever the rules are. But certainly there was a whole lot of anger amongst our set-up as a result of what happened.”
However Wexford Chairman Martin hit back at the comments yesterday, calling them "ill-informed and quite frankly outrageous".
“At no time did Wexford GAA or players of Wexford GAA nominate close contacts. That simply doesn’t happen" Martin told local radio. "The only people that decide whether you’re a close contact or not is public health and the HSE.
“I’m disappointed to have to address it this morning and the insinuation that our players nominated is completely inaccurate.”
He added that Lohan’s comments were “quite hurtful to the players involved.”
