Donegal GAA want Karl Lacey to return after committee crisis meeting

"We are hopeful that they will reconsider their positions."

Donegal GAA want Karl Lacey to return after a committee crisis meeting was held on Thursday night to try and resolve issues within the county.

Donegal's struggles off the filed mirrored those on it, as the senior team are doomed for relegation, while the underage set-up is in disarray following the departure of Lacey who was head of the academy.

Lacey and other coaches resigned and released a statement saying that they did not have any faith "in the governance of Donegal."

As tings continued to spiral, the senior players held a meeting with manager Paddy Carr, which resulted in him handing in his notice, leaving the county with a manager.

With so much going on, the county board held a meeting to try and address these issues, and have since related a statement calling for Lacey to return.

"It is the express wish of our county committee that Karl and the coaches would return," said Donegal GAA.

"We are working hard and are hopeful that they will reconsider their positions.

"We look forward to working through the recent issues with our academy personnel and building on the great work achieved until this point.

"We once again thank Karl Lacey for his outstanding and exemplary efforts to date, as a strong role model for all that is good in our games."

Donegal's statement following Thursday's meeting, which the media was not allowed to attend, said that an "agreed pathway forward" had been formulated following "a difficult period" for the county.

"As has been widely acknowledged in recent months by many in Donegal GAA circles, our academy has been one of the most innovative in terms of coaching and athletic development in Ireland."

The statement added that "all finances and governance of the academy have always been the sole responsibility of the county committee."

Related links:

• Kevin Cassidy throws down the gauntlet to Jim McGuinness on Donegal return
• Paddy Carr resigns after 'discussion with senior members of Donegal team'
• Shay Given talks about GAA, supporting Donegal and 'sweeper keepers'