Arles-Killeen manager Nicky McGrath has jumped to Donie Brennan's defence in the wake of his axing from the Laois football panel. The former Kilmacud Crokes boss has written a strongly-worded letter to Laois manager Sean Dempsey, as well as to members of the Laois county board executive and the local Leinster Express newspaper, in which he asks why the livewire forward wasn't told "in a proper manner" he was dropped from the squad. McGrath alleges that the Arles-Killeen clubman was given conflicting reasons for being dropped, including for breaches in discipline. He also claims that the Laois players were told by the team management that Brennan was dropped because he wasn't "the complete player". McGrath also claimed that if Brennan was drinking on the night before Laois played Offaly in a challenge match on the May Bank Holiday Monday then "at least 50 per cent of the panel should have been dropped". The Arles-Killeen manager pointed out that the Laois management allowed the players to drink in a "supervised" manner during their recent training camp in Clare. "Everyone is entitled to fairness and it's not right for a player to be dropped in this way," he blasted. "This lad is working with Laois GAA as a coach and is very good at it and how does it look when he's made a villain of in this way? "He wasn't drinking; he's a young guy and of course he enjoys himself but drinking isn't a big part of his life. I think he has been hard done by and there is something radically wrong when he is being made a villain of. He's a good young guy, a great footballer and he has creativity and a brain on the field. I haven't had any problem with him and in the league games against Portlaoise and Stradbally he was the star performer." McGrath also highlighted the former All-Ireland minor winner's dedication to his club. "He was training with us every time he was available. I don't think there's many clubs can say that about their county players. Look, we want Laois to do well and Donie Brennan should be part of that," he added. Tweet

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