Board up in arms at Heslin 'tweet'

Frank Roche

IN a bitter postscript to Westmeath's season of footballing woe, a row has erupted over the payment of player expenses.

County board chiefs have vehemently disputed John Heslin's claim that some senior footballers have not been paid expenses for the past four months.Heslin tweeted: "€3.5m for new stand in Cusack Park?

Westmeath players are four months without expenses and no access to gym.

"However, Westmeath chairman Seán Sheridan countered: "I would be very disappointed with John Heslin's remarks. Expense payments to players are all paid up to and including the month of March. The most we have ever been behind has been two months.

"While conceding that "sometimes we don't be flush with money coming in", Sheridan maintained every player will get their expenses.

He added: "We are still waiting on the sheets for May and June expense claims from many players.  How can we pay the players when they don't put in their claim? Players have to take their responsibility.

"NIALL MORAN The 31-year-old from Ahane retired last December but has done a U-turn, with manager TJ Ryan revealing: "Niall's been training with us since before the Tipperary game.

"CORK The upheaval prompts several positional switches.  Thomas Clancy moves to centre-back, Patrick Kelly and John O'Rourke shift from half-back to more familiar half-forward roles while Barry O'Driscoll switches to the corner.

Andrew O'Sullivan, Mark Collins and John Hayes all miss out while Colm O'Neill is also held in reserve.CORK (SF v Kerry): K O'Halloran; M Shields, E Cadogan, N Galvin; J Loughrey, T Clancy, D Cahalane; A Walsh, F Goold; P Kelly, P Kerrigan, J O'Rourke; D Goulding, B Hurley, B O'Driscoll.