The Antrim senior hurling squad has cancelled a training session after a requested meeting with the county board failed to take place, deepening the rift between players and administrators.
Players sought the meeting on Tuesday to address what they describe as "significant concern" over conflicting reports about manager Davy Fitzgerald's future. In a letter to the county board, seen by BBC Sport NI, the players claim they were led to believe a decision had been made to remove Fitzgerald after last weekend's Joe McDonagh Cup defeat by Laois, only for that decision to be reversed.
The squad says they were later told "that no such action had taken place." When they raised the matter with Antrim GAA chairman Seamus McMullan, he "indicated that he had no knowledge of it." The players find this particularly troubling because Fitzgerald himself confirmed the sequence of events did occur.
"The contradiction between what occurred and what has been communicated has created uncertainty and a lack of trust among players," the letter states.
The players warned they could take further action if the county executive did not meet them on Tuesday. BBC Sport NI has contacted Antrim GAA for comment.
Despite poor results fueling unrest among players and some administrators, Fitzgerald has indicated he wishes to remain in charge.
The letter also complains that some players have yet to receive their full allocation of training gear, citing the GPA Players' Charter. The squad requested a meeting with McMullan at their Dunsilly base to clarify Fitzgerald's situation and address the gear issue.
Fitzgerald, who led Clare to an All-Ireland title in 2013, took over Antrim in August 2024 on a two-year deal with a possible third year. He kept the Saffrons in Division One B of the Allianz Hurling League last season but could not avoid relegation from the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.
This season, Antrim lost league matches to Wexford, Clare, Kildare, Dublin and Down, with a sole win over Carlow enough to avoid relegation on points difference. After opening Joe McDonagh Cup losses to Down and Laois, they face London on 10 May before home games against Westmeath and Carlow.