Antrim secretary Jim Murray has moved to clarify that his remarks about Dessie Farrell in his report to county convention were not a personal attack on the GPA chief executive. Farrell was reported to be considering taking legal action against Murray after the former referee used his report to next week's county convention to slam the player's body. He wrote: "The threats of strike action and the continued unreasonable demands of their chairman do not surprise me. "Players are being looked after better than ever now and that has more to do with the forward thinking and positive attitudes of county boards." But the outgoing secretary has moved to diffuse the situation, pointing out that his comments should not be perceived as an attack on the former Dublin star. "I'd like to make it clear that I wasn't casting any aspersions on Dessie Farrell," Murray said. "In fact, I have great respect for him and what he has done and achieved in the game and also for what he has done for the GAA as an administrator, a player and with the GPA. "Dessie and the GPA were behind us and helped when Antrim were looking to get into the Leinster championship. They were totally supportive of us then and we appreciated that. "So I have the utmost respect for the GPA and what they are doing for players. I might not agree with their stance on a lot of things but they have done a lot of good too." Murray, who is not seeking re-election to the position which will become full-time in the near future, continued by saying that the GPA play an important part in the GAA. "This is not a personal vendetta on my part towards Dessie or the membership of the GPA. The GPA have a role to play and it's everyone's right to be a member if they so choose. "I certainly don't claim to see eye to eye with them on all issues but there is nothing personal in those remarks. It was an opinion I expressed." Farrell has welcomed Murray's clarification and stated that was "the end of the matter" as far as he was concerned. Tweet

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