Carlow hurling boss Kevin Ryan has denied reports that there is a crisis in the squad at present.

Rumors of a rift in the camp have circulated after the withdrawal of five Mount Leinster Rangers players from the panel and speculation has mounted over the reasons for their absence.

However, Ryan has brushed aside the accusations.

"John Coady was thinking about it for a long time and spoke to me before Christmas," Ryan told the Carlow Nationalist newspaper.

"He is working on the farm and he just can't give the time needed to commit. Frank Foley was in doing the training and told me from the end of last year that he was considering retiring.

"Willie Hickey I don't know but I believe it is personal. Derek Byrne is the biggest disappointment. Basically his story is that he has no appetite whatsoever and he says he is not interested. He is in for the Under 21s but whether we can pull him back from there I don't know," speculated the Waterford based coach. He was amazed to hear that there were stories in circulation about discontentment.

"When the Under 21 football is over Denis Murphy is coming back," he added.

Ryan has admitted that he is pleased with the attitude of the Rangers players he has in the squad and also afforded the absent Robbie Foley some slack

"The way it is that there are five lads from Rangers in there already. It is not true to say that five lads just didn't turn up."

"He (Foley) is very busy building his house. We gave him another six weeks but he still has a target to aim for when he comes in. With his age come the summer we want to have him fresh," he explained. Tweet

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