Limerick hurling manager John Allen isn't getting embroiled in the Paul Ryan row.

The Treaty County have questioned the legitimacy of Ryan's appearance for Dublin against them in last month's Division 1B final, where the Dubs appear to have inadvertently fielded the attacker without knowing he was suspended.

But Allen isn't about to try to turn the screw on Anthony Daly's charges:

"Quite simply, the match was played in early April, we lost it. End of story," he says in The Irish Examiner.

"I'm not going to say anything more about it because it would be seen as sour grapes if I say anything derogatory.

"We lost the game on the night so that's the end of the subject. Paul Ryan was probably hard done by being sent off in the previous game, which probably turned that game."

Allen goes on to add that the league structure is elitist:

"I've probably said too much on it and the powers-that-be are fed up with the same fellas making the same noise but I just think the league as a structure is just marginalising too many teams.

"There are certainly a number of counties who would hugely benefit from playing in Division 1A. I accept that 1A as a structure is great for the teams in 1A and good for the public.

"But it's not good for hurling in my estimation in the broader sense where you're trying to develop counties or you're trying to keep it alive in counties and Limerick are certainly good enough to be play in it and so are Dublin and so are Cork.

"Offaly and Wexford and Antrim are maybe falling behind a small bit. The fact that they're out of playing teams of that quality is not very good for those counties.

"I do think the league as a structure is too elitist and is not good for hurling from a development view in the counties." Tweet

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