Tom Walsh has stepped down from the position as Fermanagh's senior hurling manager after two years in charge, claiming to have received verbal abuse from some of his own players. After a recent Lisbellaw club game, Walsh explained that he had come under "outrageous verbal abuse" from some of the players over his involvement with Cavan champions Mullahoran St Joseph's, who Lisbellaw defeated in the first round of the Ulster Junior Hurling Club Championship last month after a replay. Walsh, who is a native of Wexford but now resides in Cavan, explained that he had been "giving a bit of a hand with coaching" to St Joseph's and that a volley of abuse had been aimed towards him after the game, which has caused him to forward his resignation to the Fermanagh County Board. "After the game I was very badly abused by some of the Lisbellaw players," Walsh admitted. These were educated guys and you might say that it was in the heat of the moment but after what I had to listen to my position as county manager became impossible," said Walsh. "I put everything I had in to my time with Fermanagh and I can walk away saying that I gave it 100 per cent but the simple fact was that I could not work with those players after the things they said to me after that game." However, Lisbellaw chairman Benny McManus has totally dismissed the allegations. "It is simple," said McManus. "It is easy to make allegations but we want to be quite clear, we are denying these allegations completely. "No Lisbellaw officials or players heard the abuse which Mr Walsh is alleging." Walsh, meanwhile, has wished the Lisbellaw players the best of luck in their pursuit of provincial honours but admits that some decisions will need to be taken by the next county manager in order for Fermanagh hurling to progress. "It was a great result and fair play to them. It is fantastic for the club. "Fermanagh hurling is at a crossroads. There has been great strides made but there needs to be tough decisions taken. Some people's attitude will have to change or they should be shipped out but that is not a decision for me, I have given my team. That is something for the next manager to deal with." Tweet

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