# Cork Hurling Crisis



## Lex Foutish (20 Jan 2009)

I just heard on the late news that there's a further breakdown between Gerald McCarthy and last year's hurling panel and that they won't be part of his plans this year.
Is there any chance that, if Frank Murphy (Cork Co. Board Sec.) came up with a few bob, that Kaka and Robinho would come and play with The Rebels for the summer (which is the closed season in soccer) in the same way that Becks is playing with AC Milan at present?


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## Padraigb (21 Jan 2009)

You would be better off with people who could swing a stick. How about Tiger Woods, as he seeks to work his way back to form? Perhaps Maria Sharapova, too: she would help the gate receipts enormously.


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## Niall M (21 Jan 2009)

Padraig Harrington as well, isnt he originally from Cork.


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## Betsy Og (21 Jan 2009)

I think Harrington's Da is from Cork. I would have thought one of their own sons, Graham Norton, would be more in keeping with the antics of late.


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## Caveat (21 Jan 2009)

Normally I couldn't care less about any sport and it's only this morning that I actually heard what this is all about. Contrary to widespread opinion, it's apparently not the case that Cork players want a 'special say' when other counties don't get one - it's that they claim that they were promised that they could have this 'say' which has now been reneged upon. 

If this is true, in principle, I can see how they would be annoyed alright.

But as I say, I couldn't care less really


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## TarfHead (21 Jan 2009)

*Cork Hurling Crisis*

Someone on the radio said that President Obama used the word 'crisis' 28 times in his speech yesterday.

The grievances of the Cork Hurling team *have* to be in there somewhere  ?


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## z104 (21 Jan 2009)

They should just get on with it. You don't see the manager togging off to play so why should they have a say in how the team is managed.


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## Niall M (21 Jan 2009)

this all stems back to the county board, when the appointment of the manager was up for discussion, there were 2 players on the panel of 5 to find a new manager. no other canidate was spoken to or approached, so i can kinda understand the players grievences. however, being from kerry i think we have a great chance in munster this year in the stick fighting competition...


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## Betsy Og (21 Jan 2009)

seems the players didnt put forward anyone either.

and then about 90% of clubs voted for Gerald, so either Frank Murphy is omnipotent or it was a resounding approval of the appointment


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## The_Banker (26 Jan 2009)

Full Statement as released by the Cork player at tonights press conference

We have decided to call this press conference to try and make our position clear for people, given that we have now been left behind by the Cork Senior Hurling management with the full backing of the Executive of the Cork County GAA Board. 
The last time such a conference was held was in 2002 and then it involved only seven of the representatives of the 2002 panel. 
You can see before you this evening the entire Cork Senior Hurling panel from 2008, who will be available for questions after this statement, which I am reading on behalf of us all. 
That we feel it necessary to be here and to attend in such numbers, is a reflection of how things have gone since that first press conference over six years ago. 
The truth is that in the eyes of some, we committed an unforgivable act of treason at that time, and they have taken every opportunity since then to undermine us, divide us and deride us. The fact that not all of those involved in 2002 were on the panel in 2008 has not made any difference. 
For those of us who have been hurling for Cork for a long time, it is a sad and bad time. For those who have just started out it is doubly so. 
That the younger members of the panel are here, and clear in their hearts and heads, as to why they are, is a testament to them and a source of enormous hope for the future of Cork Hurling. 
If we have men with convictions, and the courage to match them, then we will always have a chance. 
Over the years, the Cork Hurling public have been kept in the dark, not represented and misguided, in the furtherance of the agenda of taking back control at all or any cost. 
We are here to set the record straight. 
We hope that in doing so, people can make up their own minds based on the reality, not the spin we have heard for months. 
In the terrible turmoil of the world at the moment, the one good thing which is becoming clear is that people are being forced, and are willing, to decide what really matters to them. 
People are rejecting the old ways that got us in the various messes we find around us. 
Cork Hurling is sacrosanct to us and to those involved in it throughout the County at grassroots level. 
It involves a trust, a search to be the best, a belief in confidence with humility, a tradition to be revered and many traditions to be created. 
The trust has been abused, the standards have fallen and the members of our organisation are in despair at what is happening. 
We believe that the time has come to speak plainly and directly. 
We, as things stand, have nothing to gain by doing so. 
If we don't, we as the leading County in the G.A.A. will continue to lose our way.
We want to put the record straight in relation to the current Cork Hurling management;
We did not object to or in anyway undermine the management for 2007 and 2008. 
We assisted in every way possible with any difficulties as regards team management during that period. 
We were given a role in the selection process for the Hurling manager for 2009 by Kieran Mulvey in his arbitration findings in early 2008. 
In good faith, our representatives took part in a number of meetings on behalf of the panel, until it became clear that there was no process really involved. The Board Executive clearly viewed it as a vote, in which they would always have a majority. This was obviously not a "process" by any interpretation of the word. 
In spite of the views of our panel as regards the outgoing management, the Board Executive decided to force a vote on the only candidate put forward by them. 
There was no process either for the selection of candidates or for their assessment. It has been our view since, that when we had left the "process", it could not legitimately conclude its business without us. 
The Board may argue that they have technically complied with the process in the usual "rule book" way but then certainly did not comply with the spirit of it. 
Accordingly, we have always maintained that the appointment of the current manager was flawed. 
Despite this, and out of respect for the man on a human level, and given the actions of other inter-county panels last year, we decided to send an urgent delegation to meet him to explain our position, in private. 
We set out the lack of confidence in him within the panel and the fact that he was, in our view, being used by the Board Executive to further their longstanding agenda. 
He rejected our views outright despite a further meeting, again in private and with a larger representation. 
The manager was then duly ratified by the Board, even though he was the only person in Cork who the panel had definitively stated that they did not want as manager, having had two years of his management. 
Since then unfortunately, because the man has been in a compromised position he has spent the winter flip flopping between closing the door on the panel and opening it, between criticising and antagonising our panel and praising it. He has taken the good name of some of our best and has persuaded other young players to put themselves in equally difficult positions. 
We recognise that he has been supported in full and in writing by the Board Executive in all these endeavours. 
We have resisted the temptation to comment on the manger personally. We have been left with no option but to comment on his ability, in our view, as a coach or manager. We would not have had to unless the Board Executive insisted on ramming his selection through. 
It should be remembered that no Cork player publicly criticised the manager after the defeat in the All Ireland Semi-Final and we would never have commented at all unless forced to do so. 
Furthermore, we have never at any time spoken of his business activities or interests or his personal traits, even though he did comment on ours. 
The promises of a development system, involving a centre of excellence, made by the manager were obviously an attempt to show that there is some sort of plan. 
To be fair to him, he was not responsible for such a plan and we cannot hold him responsible for having forgotten about it over the last few months. 
Ironically, such a plan was proposed by our representatives, in the failed process to appoint the new manager. 
The fact that no such plan exists or is being implemented in Cork is a damning indictment of those responsible. 
This statement, as you know, is being made on behalf of the entire panel of 2008, which you see in front of you. Everyone has had an opportunity to contribute to this statement and fully supports every word of it, of their own free will. 
Some of us might like to be more radical in what we say, but the principle which we have adopted since 2002 is that we will act as one and speak in one voice. 
To get to that one voice on any given issue or to decide how we will present ourselves, prepare ourselves or behave ourselves, has often involved long and difficult debate and argument among us. 
Only when everyone has freely given their view does everyone take a decision. 
The fact that some of the voices may have been heard for twelve years and some for only twelve months is important only to the extent that experience is beneficial on or off the field. Otherwise we are equal and we are strong. 
We have on occasions too numerous to mention been accused of being said and led by Donal Óg and Seán Óg or whoever and for once and for all we want to make it clear that we find that notion deeply insulting to us all. 
Are we expected to be sheep in meetings and suddenly turn into wolves on the field? 
Are we to ask these people what to do in the split second heat of inter-county championship hurling? 
If there is such a culture in Cork Hurling, it is elsewhere. 
You can ask any player here about this issue and you will see from the reply you get and from the other questions you will pose, whether the answers are representative of the whole panel or not. 
The other point about this is that it presumes that the elder statesmen on the panel would actually want to force young players to do their bidding. That is deeply insulting to them and we all reject it absolutely. 
We do not have to try to intimidate anyone, as has been scurrilously alleged, despite that fact that it has been done to us since 2002. 
We were not hurling for Cork in 2008 because we have turned up longer than anyone else or because we were prepared to do the bidding of anybody else. 
We are aware that the perception exists in some quarters that we are a troublesome group; that we are difficult to deal with; that we behave like spoiled children as opposed to the role models for future generations of hurlers we would aspire to be. 
Certainly the promotion of that perspective has been the intention of Gerald McCarthy since last autumn and of the Board Executive since 2002, in our view. 
All media efforts have been concentrated or reaching the point, which was reached last Tuesday, of throwing the hands up in exasperation at the unreasonableness of this group and seeking to curry the support of the Cork Hurling public on the basis of this untruth. 
We are passionate about our hurling, about our clubs, and about winning for Cork. This may lead to a lack of perspective occasionally! It may lead to us having to take tough decisions and get involved in battles many of us have fought over and over. 
Where there is a genuine intention in Cork to work together for one purpose, even if mistakes are made or games lost, we have no complaint. 
There was no complaint from us from 2003 to 2006. We contested all eight available championship finals and won five of them over those four seasons. We haven't contested a final since. 
One occasion when we might have spoken out and didn't was the initial appointment of Gerald McCarthy. We refrained in the hope that the candidate of choice of Frank Murphy (who according to Gerald had to be very persuasive) might somehow work out. 
We hoped that the structures of the previous four years which came from us, together with the managerial choice of the Board might be the marriage to end the ongoing hostility and mistrust. 
Of course, it transpires that we were naïve, in that we supposed such an intention existed on the side of Frank Murphy and the Board Executive. 
We feel that there is a sickness at the heart of the organisation in Cork which must be healed. It is not for us to apportion blame as to how that happened. We believe that the cure can only come from within this great organisation. In the meantime, we refuse to take part further in the latest manifestation of that sickness. 
If that makes us difficult, then that is regrettable. We would all, to a man, prefer to be labelled as difficult than as cowards; to be seen as fanatical rather than morally weak; to be seen as acting above our station rather than subservient and self-serving. 
We have no fear of the laws of the world; when there is a better player he must take our place; when there is a better team against us we will be defeated; when there is a better idea or ideal for Cork Hurling, we will be irrelevant. 
It is for the Board Executive to push what it sees is best for the G.A.A. in Cork and to seek to guide and lead the Board and the organisation. 
Where those present at Board meetings have no time, capacity or incentive to seek or promote the views of their own clubs, there is little need for invention or persuasion. 
In theory the Executive should answer to the Board of Delegates; in reality the Board of Delegates answers to the Executive. 
Where there is no room for real debate the people involved become despondent and where this happens you have only one result; A dead system. 
Only those who believe that the Board is active or representative, or those who don't care whether it is or not, could be happy to perpetuate the situation. 
It's been this way for so long, that clubs have had to decide that if they want any representation, they have to take it as it is. 
Because of the systemic problems, the organisation has no capacity to reflect the wishes of those it is elected to serve. The incentive for people who might like to actively try to do so is negligible. 
One rarely hears of hotly contested elections for the role of Board Delegate. This should not be so. It should be among the most important jobs in a club. We should all be grateful to and inspired by the ambassadors of our club who should be actively able to represent us in a real way. 
If you were to ask any Club member who runs the GAA in Cork, whether he or she is for or against him, they would all, if being honest, reply "Frank Murphy". 
This is the truth of a situation which is a long time in the making and cannot be healthy. We all agree that Mr. Murphy is a thoughtful and capable man, but he needs, as do we all, to serve this organisation and he shouldn't be expected to have to continually lead it. 
Cork needs strong and capable leaders, whose agendas, ideals and plans emanate from the membership, through the rigours of lively and fearless debate. 
We, as GAA people, who believe in a living democratic process, should accept no less than this. 
If the Cork Hurling public really preferred the ways of the Board Executive, this argument would have ended rather quickly in 2002. 
Despite the Board Executive enjoying ringing endorsements from its delegates time and again, the will of the hurling people in Cork has always shone through in the end. 
This time it is needed more than ever. If the ways of the Board Executive are now the wishes of the Cork GAA public then so be it; we will disband as a group and face that reality. If not, they now, surely, deserve the change that will end this ridiculous series of altercations for once and for all. 
The solution to this situation, like all the others, rests with the Cork Hurling public. 
We do not want to choose our own Manager; we do not want to cause trouble or difficulty; we do not want to delight our opponents around the country with stories of division in the proud County of Cork and its Clubs. 
We want to do our very best as totally committed amateurs for Cork Hurling. 
We call on the members of our clubs to take back control of their organisation and to accept that the responsibility for a resolution of this situation actually resides with them. 
Things have been left get out of hand again and again by those elected to manage this organisation. 
We do not want to manage this organisation. 
Staying quiet and hoping that some inspired third party will come in to paper over the chasm that exists in our County, is no longer an option. 
Are we or the 2009 panel destined to spend next winter in another ridiculous shambolic waste of time? 
We are calling on the membership to mobilise and to decide what they want for the future. 
As a start and as repeatedly requested by them, we are issuing invitations to the Chairpersons of all the Clubs of Cork to meet with us as soon as possible to discuss the situation further.
We will await developments generally but let us be clear;
If we do not have the support of the Cork Hurling public in our actions, we will disband. 
We do not and will not hold any ill feeling personally towards any of the people involved in Cork Hurling, including any player currently with the Cork set up or who might return should we so disband. 

If this is it for this panel, then so be it. We have unbelievable memories and friendships to recall and take with us. 
We have been proud to represent our Clubs and County with the very best of our efforts. 
Whether those efforts should include the stand on our principles we have repeatedly felt obliged to take, is for the Cork people to decide. 
We have genuinely tried to honour a tradition of honesty and integrity bigger than us, by taking those stands. 
We have tried, by doing so, to make things better for future generations of Cork hurlers. 
We want to thank, from the bottom of our hearts, those supporters of Cork Hurling who stood by us through thick and thin and hope that they will carry equally fond memories of this team. 
We will close by reading to you what each player wrote to Gerald McCarthy in response to his recent letter to us all asking us to return under his stewardship; 
"Dear Gerald, 
We acknowledge receipt of your letter. Given the seriousness of the issues at hand and the fact that the thirty players in question remain steadfast in their stand, this correspondence does not alter the situation in any way.
In fact, the haste with which the letter was leaked for publicity purposes has, if anything, merely compounded matters.
Can we remind you that our passion for the Cork jersey remains as strong as ever. There are no men within our County more committed to that jersey than the thirty players who received your letter and I can assure all involved that the anguish they are suffering at the moment is intense and real. 
However, our commitment to the principle by which we took this stand, is total, and the pain being felt by the players serves only to deepen their resolve. 
We want to play for Cork and we want to win for Cork. We will not stand in the way of any player who wishes to play for Cork in those circumstances but our loyalty to each other, to our County and to our cause will not be tested."


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## sidzer (26 Jan 2009)

ya can come up and play for Louth lads - no problem with picking your own manager and we will get you a nice bag a chips from mullens not like those greasey suds on oliver plunket st....


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## Marathon Man (27 Jan 2009)

Betsy Og said:


> Frank Murphy is omnipotent


 
You got that one spot on!!



sidzer said:


> ya can come up and play for Louth lads - no problem with picking your own manager and we will get you a nice bag a chips from mullens not like those greasey suds on oliver plunket st....


 
Now there's an idea. My Dad was from the wee county. Way to go Roche Emmets!

MM (Corkman)


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## Guest116 (27 Jan 2009)

Sounds to me like the players want to choose the manager, this is a crazy notion. They should get on with the hurling.

On one hand they say "We call on the members of our clubs to take back control of their organisation" and then they say "We do not want to manage this organisation."

They should disband, can you imagine any premiership team doing this? Yet they keep going on about how professional they are bla bla bla.


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## Rigoletto (27 Jan 2009)

what is it with cork and its "sportsmen"
the hurlers are on strike and wont play for their county because they want to pick the manager (D'ya know)
the footballers last year went on strike and refused to play for their county.

Stephen Ireland is from cobh county cork and wont play for his country and is making up dead grannies to get out of playing for his country. 

Roy keane is from Cobh county cork and walked out on his country and then walked out on his club (after spending more money than Real Madrid and winning nothing)

sonia o sullivan is from...you guessed it...cobh county cork and in 2006 applied for dual citizenship so she could run for australia and then in 2008 managed one of australia's cross country teams.


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## Purple (27 Jan 2009)

History has shown us that Cork people are a bolshie bunch (maybe it’s a combination of the chip on their shoulder and their inferiority complex). Look at the last time a Cork man was sent to a negotiation; we ended up with a civil war!


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## gillarosa (27 Jan 2009)

Rebels...without a cause


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## DerKaiser (27 Jan 2009)

How many of us honestly think that ourselves or indeed our bosses don't make mistakes.  I am not going to refuse to work if I think my boss could be better, that's being professional and getting on with things and hopefully wielding as much influence as I can.  

This is a bunch that are supposedly committed to being as professional as possible.  That does not mean you get to pick your boss and throw tantrums if that is not allowed.


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## DavyJones (27 Jan 2009)

Roy Keane is from Mayfield, Cork city. But I take the point.

This "crisis" is getting old, I think the players relise that nobody outside Cork really cares.


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## z104 (27 Jan 2009)

Cork is becoming a laughing stock. It's cringeworthy listining to Sean Óg.


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## Ceist Beag (27 Jan 2009)

Niallers said:


> Cork is becoming a laughing stock. It's cringeworthy listining to Sean Óg.



They were a laughing stock for a long time now. After last night they are just embarrassing themselves - it really is pathetic. There are a lot more important things for people to worry about than this bunch of self obsessed eejits.


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## Sunny (27 Jan 2009)

Ceist Beag said:


> They were a laughing stock for a long time now. After last night they are just embarrassing themselves - it really is pathetic. There are a lot more important things for people to worry about than this bunch of self obsessed eejits.


 
Totally agree. Do they seriously think people care who is right and who is wrong anymore? Actually I never cared. Got tired of Cork GAA politics a long time ago.


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## MrMan (27 Jan 2009)

> Roy keane is from Cobh county cork and walked out on his country and then walked out on his club (after spending more money than Real Madrid and winning nothing)


 
Is from Mayfield, got us there and was sent home, resigned after winning championship and staying in the Prem, but don't let the facts get in the way.


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## Niall M (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> what is it with cork and its "sportsmen"
> the hurlers are on strike and wont play for their county because they want to pick the manager (D'ya know)
> the footballers last year went on strike and refused to play for their county.
> 
> ...


 
Roy Keane is not from Cobh. He is also one of Irelands greatest sportsmen. 

Whats the problem with Sonia. She is also one of Irelands greatest sportswomen.


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## demoivre (27 Jan 2009)

Niall M said:


> Roy Keane is not from Cobh. He is also one of Irelands greatest sportsmen.



Yeah , a role model for kids.


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## Niall M (27 Jan 2009)

*In Newry's experience Cork's Senior Hurlers are true Gaels*

A chara,
            I hope you will permit me a few lines to publicly thank members of the Cork Senior Hurling team of 2008 for their continued support for hurling development in Newry and indeed Co Down in general. At the outset I want to state that I'm no apologist for the GPA or with an axe to grind with GAA officialdom as I sit myself on both the Down Hurling Board and Ulster Hurling committee thus I'm fully aware of the valuable role that administrators play within the GAA. However,I have been prompted to write this in the wake of continued attempts, bordering in some cases on character assassination, to portray this group of players as self-centred, interested only in themselves and on some type of ego trip to destroy the fabric of the GAA. I want the Cork hurling public to get some understanding of the true nature of these players and the often unseen efforts they make to promote hurling in the "backwaters" that have been continually ignored by the powers that be whose job it should be to develop hurling!  Only last week we had the pleasure of once again hosting Diarmuid O 'Sullivan in Newry for our annual juvenile hurling awards and to launch the building of our hurling wall as part of our continued progress on our ten year development plan. In the past four years Donal Og Cusack and Diarmuid O'Sullivan have been regular visitors to our club, helping to launch our schools coaching initiative four years ago which has proved to be the springboard for the rejuvenation of juvenile hurling in Newry. Before their first visit hurling in Newry was on its last legs but over the following years with their continued support we have reached the situation where our juvenile hurlers are meeting and beating the Ards clubs at U12/10 level and matching the best in Ulster ,not for one moment am I suggesting this is the sole reason but the publicity they create coupled with hugely increased numbers attending training in the wake of their visits to the local schools is a significant factor. When you read all the press reports about senior Cork players being egotistical, interested only in themselves and in some way seeking to undermine the ethos of the GAA I can assure the public of Cork that the reality as borne out by their efforts is Newry couldn't be further from the truth, indeed I genuinely believe that if the GAA hierarchy was as interested in promoting and developing hurling in weaker counties as these two players and their colleagues hurling would be in a significantly stronger position across the country.

Not only have they helped promote hurling in Newry but throughout Down. I have had the privilege of coaching the Down minor hurling team in the past and both players have taken time out to help coach these players on more than one occasion particularly on our visit to Cork in 2006. This visit was almost singly organised by Donal Og, he organised the challenge match for us, the talk with Sean Og who also arranged to take time out to speak to the players along with a training session which Donal Og conducted himself, basically he gave up his whole weekend to help a group of hurlers from over 200 miles away, those actions say more about the true nature of this fellow gael than any number of press statements or media interviews to the contrary. Anytime we have asked Donal Og or Diarmuid to visit they have always agreed often at short notice, last week was a case in point where at very short notice Diarmuid agreed to travel north again not only to visit schools in the locality and conduct our awards night (with over 70 juveniles attending our U14-U8 awards on Saturday) but on the Friday night he also went to Ballycran an additional round trip of a hundred miles to present the medals at their juvenile awards, surely those are the actions of a player genuinely interested in helping promote hurling and what is best for the game we all love. 

It is always simple to look at the headlines in the papers or the spin being created by others for their own agenda without looking beyond this at people's actions on a regular basis away from the glare of the cameras and certainly if you asked the young hurlers of Newry and Down their opinion of the Cork Senior hurlers and in particular Donal Og Cusack and Diarmuid O'Sullivan it would be one of fellow gaels committed totally to the promotion and good of hurling who are always willing to take time out for the people that really matter, not administrators or all stars but the youth of Ireland who want to play the greatest game on this earth. Like all genuine hurling people I hope to see these great servants of our game return to the arena they belong in and ensuring that Cork regain their rightful place at the top of the hurling role of honour.

Is mise le meas
Cumann Iomana Iuir Cinn Tra

A chara,
Finally catching up on emails and text messages. I was sorry I missed Diarmuid because the feedback from all at the club was that they thought him an absolute gentleman and everyone enjoyed meeting him. They were particularly appreciative of the interest he took in all the kids and his willingness to chat and to pose for photographs.
I've copied Eamonn and Paul in to this note because of the kind offer Diarmuid made to spend time with the County Development squads in the Spring/Summer. We will galdly take him up on that offer. 
My personal thanks to you for helping arrange the visit. 

Seamas O hAonais
Cathaoirleach
Naomh Sheosamh Baile Crann


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## car (27 Jan 2009)

> They were a laughing stock for a long time now. After last night they are just embarrassing themselves - it really is pathetic. There are a lot more important things for people to worry about than this bunch of self obsessed eejits.



I think Ive been in cork 2-3 times in my life but anyone whos ever been involved in team sport at even half the level those boys are at will understand what theyre going through.    
Would you commit yourself to all thats involved with being an intercounty player and put up with what they have?  If you dont know whats involved, try and find out and then comment.


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## Rigoletto (27 Jan 2009)

MrMan said:


> Is from Mayfield, got us there and was sent home, resigned after winning championship and staying in the Prem, but don't let the facts get in the way.


 
yes he is from mayfield. he played for Cobh. we went from cobh to nottingham forrest. he ran out on his country. he left his country like all the other so called sportsmen from cork that i mentioned. 

got us there? are you having a laugh? what a gutless cowardly traitor he turned out to be, running out on his country then running away from his job. 
sure cork man stephen Ireland learnt it from the best with keane. two cork traitors together.


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## Guest116 (27 Jan 2009)

car said:


> I think Ive been in cork 2-3 times in my life but anyone whos ever been involved in team sport at even half the level those boys are at will understand what theyre going through.
> Would you commit yourself to all thats involved with being an intercounty player and put up with what they have? If you dont know whats involved, try and find out and then comment.


 
Please enlighten me. From what I can see they just want to pick their own manager.


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## Rigoletto (27 Jan 2009)

Niall M said:


> Whats the problem with Sonia. She is also one of Irelands greatest sportswomen.


 
Ireland's ? might want to run that by her. as i said she got an oz passport so she could run for them. another fine cork traitor. 

plus she was a joke at the olympics. cry me a river o sullivan. how many olympic medals has she got?


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## Niall M (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> Ireland's ? might want to run that by her. as i said she got an oz passport so she could run for them. another fine cork traitor.
> 
> plus she was a joke at the olympics. cry me a river o sullivan. how many olympic medals has she got?


 
she has an olympic medal, how many do you have?


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## Sunny (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> Ireland's ? might want to run that by her. as i said she got an oz passport so she could run for them. another fine cork traitor.
> 
> plus she was a joke at the olympics. cry me a river o sullivan. how many olympic medals has she got?


 
And the award for the most most ridiculous post of the year goes to....


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## BoscoTalking (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> two cork traitors together.


 get off the stage man - what were they going to do? not go abroad and make a living doing what they are best at - or do you think they would have been following in Jacks footsteps and changing from Gaa to the presidency? Typical begrudger attitude that stinks but is so prevalent in our lovely country. 

Same for Sonia - the girl got to the Olympics - what an achievement! or do you do it every second Sunday yourself? I am proud of her achievements which were based on  a fairly humble start in Mosney. 

What is it that you do yourself?


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## Rigoletto (27 Jan 2009)

she has more passports than jason bourne as well.


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## Rigoletto (27 Jan 2009)

pennypitstop said:


> get off the stage man - what were they going to do? not go abroad and make a living doing what they are best at - or do you think they would have been following in Jacks footsteps and changing from Gaa to the presidency? Typical begrudger attitude that stinks but is so prevalent in our lovely country.
> 
> Same for Sonia - the girl got to the Olympics - what an achievement! or do you do it every second Sunday yourself? I am proud of her achievements which were based on a fairly humble start in Mosney.
> 
> What is it that you do yourself?


 
what? i dont begrudge them leaving cork to ply their trade in england. I hate the fact that stephen Ireland wont play for his country. the fact that roy keane ran out on his country. that miss o sullivan saw fit to get another passport so she could run for another counry.


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## DerKaiser (27 Jan 2009)

aristotle25 said:


> Please enlighten me. From what I can see they just want to pick their own manager.


 
There's no answer to that!  

As aristotle points out, the issue is not about what they have achieved or how lovely they are, it's a black and white issue of players wanting to pick their own manager because _they_ think the current manager is not up to it.


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## Sunny (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> what? i dont begrudge them leaving cork to ply their trade in england. I hate the fact that stephen Ireland wont play for his country. the fact that roy keane ran out on his country. that miss o sullivan saw fit to get another passport so she could run for another counry.


 
She never actually ran for Australia. She wanted to compete in the Commonwealth games at the end of her career on a once off occasion. She made it clear she would compete for Ireland at every other event so I fail to see what your problem is. Are you saying anyone with duel nationality is less Irish than you or something?


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## car (27 Jan 2009)

aristotle25 said:


> Please enlighten me. From what I can see they just want to pick their own manager.



So youre saying they should be subservient?  this isnt the 60's or 70s  where you trained 2 nights a week and went to play in All Ireland finals after travelling to the game on a bus with supporters.

I say again, find out the level of commitment required with being an intercounty player, not just with a challenging county like Cork where the pressure is intensified as theres an expectation you will be challengin for honours.    
Then see how youd react if you were part of a group that could challenge and you get landed with a manager who doesnt match your standards.  What do you do, still give the same commitment?   Theres no room for error at that level.  If theres a weak link in the team be it on the pitch or at management level, you get axed or else you fail.  
According to those players who have won All irelands, McArthy isnt up to it and they want someone in who is.   Sounds fair enough to me.
(maybe its just that name that Cork sports people dont like).


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## BoscoTalking (27 Jan 2009)

its more to do with not being GAA politics. Kilkenny don't suffer this - they operate under an accepted dictatorship, alas to their advantage.


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## Marathon Man (27 Jan 2009)

DerKaiser said:


> How many of us honestly think that ourselves or indeed our bosses don't make mistakes. I am not going to refuse to work if I think my boss could be better, that's being professional and getting on with things and hopefully wielding as much influence as I can.
> 
> This is a bunch that are supposedly committed to being as professional as possible. That does not mean you get to pick your boss and throw tantrums if that is not allowed.


 
They aren't working, they are amateur and they have decided that they (only) will not play under the current set-up. Cork is still fielding teams, however the first choice 56 (as I am given to understand) are not making themselves available. Dublin are due to play Cork in Cork. What odds on a Dublin win? Pretty good I reckon. Now that'd be one for the books - Dublin hurlers winning in Cork.

Other posters comment that Cork are becoming a laughing stock. They were already a laughing stock before. Every so often on TV programs like "A Question of Sport", we have the "What happened Next?" question about a certain football game involving Cork and Dublin. Cork refused to come out for extra time. The ball was thrown in with only one team on the pitch. they duly scored. Who decided that Cork weren't coming out for the extra time. I'll give you two guesses. Strong hint: It wasn't the Cork hurlers! - and he's still carrying on the same.

WRT picking the boss; that is exactly what was agreed with Kieran Mulvey. The players were given 2 voting position on the selection committee and the Cork bureacracy reneged on that. They were to be allowed consider only candidates nominated by the board. What option did the players then have? IMHO, none. 


We'll just have to wait and see how many of the public turn out to see Cork's 4th string play Dublin.


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## MrMan (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> yes he is from mayfield. he played for Cobh. we went from cobh to nottingham forrest. he ran out on his country. he left his country like all the other so called sportsmen from cork that i mentioned.
> 
> got us there? are you having a laugh? what a gutless cowardly traitor he turned out to be, running out on his country then running away from his job.
> sure cork man stephen Ireland learnt it from the best with keane. two cork traitors together.


 
Well it is documented that McCarthy sent him home, but we can leave that aside for now. Do you think that we would have qualified without him for 2002? Plenty of people resign from their jobs its generally not considered running away from it. Managing soccer is a job not a vocation so don't lose the run of yourself.


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## MrMan (27 Jan 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> Ireland's ? might want to run that by her. as i said she got an oz passport so she could run for them. another fine cork traitor.
> 
> plus she was a joke at the olympics. cry me a river o sullivan. how many olympic medals has she got?


 
I presume that McCarthy, Houghtan, McGeady, Townsend, Aldridge, even Big Jack all fall in to your category of traitor then seeing as they all (bar Jack as his job didn't require a passport) played for us under the 'Granny rule'.


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## Rigoletto (27 Jan 2009)

mc carthy you say... would that be teddy or gerald!?


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## MrMan (27 Jan 2009)

I guess you were stumped on that one then.


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## TarfHead (27 Jan 2009)

Sunny said:


> And the award for the most most ridiculous post of the year goes to....


 
.. and there is room on the mantlepiece for another award, Troll of the Year  ?


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## Sunny (27 Jan 2009)

TarfHead said:


> .. and there is room on the mantlepiece for another award, Troll of the Year  ?


 

Indeed.


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## The_Banker (27 Jan 2009)

I can understand people being against the Cork hurlers (08 Panel) because generally people outside of Cork do not understand what they have put up with over the last number of years.
Like all County Boards the Cork CB is made up of committees and individuals who are elected to various positions. However, as eluded to in the statement by the Cork players last night despite the veneer of democracy protrayed to the outside world, the Cork County Board has been led and said by one man since 1973. This is the sickness they spoke about and anyone from Cork will know who is being spoken about.
Anyone who knows anything about GAA in Cork will know that the standard of selector in place for the "developement" squad is appalling. The (real) players won't stand for it anymore and it appears neither will the Cork public (see below)

March in Support of Cork Hurlers

A supporters march will take place in Cork city in support of the 2008 Cork hurling squad on Saturday February 7th. 

Rebels are being asked to assemble at Emmet Place, outside Cork Opera House before 3pm after which a march will take place in the city centre. 

The march is being organised by well known Cork supporter Tom ‘Bomber’ Roche, who organised last year’s successful marches, and PeoplesRepublicOfCork.com 

Fans are asked to bring as much colour as possible and to spread the word to as many Corkonians as possible. 

Just hours after the hurlers’ press conference and statement, a 96FM poll has showed overwhelming support for the hurlers with 2,909 texts in favour of the players and 309 against. 

Beir bua.


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## csirl (27 Jan 2009)

GAA is a voluntary organisation. If these players dont like the management, then they dont have to play - nobody is forcing them. 

In general terms, players in team sports picking their own coaches is a bad thing. It undermines the authority of the coaching staff - how are they expected to impose rules and discipline if the players have the power to "vote" them off if they dont like the rules. 

They also have to remember that this team belongs to all members of Cork GAA, not them.

The management should just get on with things and pick a team from those players who want to play.


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## The_Banker (27 Jan 2009)

csirl said:


> GAA is a voluntary organisation. If these players dont like the management, then they dont have to play - nobody is forcing them.
> 
> *Management is not the issue. Leadership is the issue. If the leadership was right, Cork GAA would not have the present manager.*
> 
> ...


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## DerKaiser (27 Jan 2009)

The_Banker said:


> the Cork County Board has been led and said by one man since 1973. This is the sickness they spoke about and anyone from Cork will know who is being spoken about.
> 
> Just hours after the hurlers’ press conference and statement, a 96FM poll has showed overwhelming support for the hurlers with 2,909 texts in favour of the players and 309 against.
> 
> Beir bua.


 
I got to the bottom of this on another board.  

Evidently Frank Murphy, Chairman of the county board, is a cross between Mugabe and Tony Suprano.  

For reasons only known to Cork people he somehow has the office for life, despite clear GAA rules on officials being prevented from staying in the same role for more than a set number of years.

Also despite the "fact" that 90% of Cork's 96fm radio station support the players, a meeting of club representatives voted against the players in an even greater majority.

Evidently Frank Murphy has some means of making these club officials lives not worth living (in a literal sense!) in the event they vote against his wishes.  I can't say I understand it but that was what came out of literally hundreds of posts on another (GAA) board


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## DavyJones (27 Jan 2009)

When do you think the movie will hit the cinema?


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## csirl (27 Jan 2009)

The GAA is a voluntary members organisation. 

If there is genuine unhappiness with the management of the team, then there are ways to address this. The actions of the players is the wrong way and, from an outsiders point of view, seems to be at odds with the wishes of their members. If the members genuinely wanted to change the management they can raise the issue in their clubs, the clubs can raise the issue to the county board  etc. and ultimately the management would be changed. 

I dont know anything about Cork GAA politics, but it does seem like the wishes of the players are at odds with the wishes of the members.


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## Guest116 (27 Jan 2009)

car said:


> So youre saying they should be subservient? this isnt the 60's or 70s where you trained 2 nights a week and went to play in All Ireland finals after travelling to the game on a bus with supporters.
> 
> I say again, find out the level of commitment required with being an intercounty player, not just with a challenging county like Cork where the pressure is intensified as theres an expectation you will be challengin for honours.
> Then see how youd react if you were part of a group that could challenge and you get landed with a manager who doesnt match your standards. What do you do, still give the same commitment? Theres no room for error at that level. If theres a weak link in the team be it on the pitch or at management level, you get axed or else you fail.
> ...


 
What a load of crap. 

No players in any team in any sport in the world choose their own manager. 

What you are saying is that players should be allowed to pick their own manager, why? Are Cork players somehow special?


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## The_Banker (27 Jan 2009)

csirl said:


> The GAA is a voluntary members organisation.
> 
> *If there is genuine unhappiness with the management of the team, then there are ways to address this.* The actions of the players is the wrong way and, from an outsiders point of view, seems to be at odds with the wishes of their members. If the members genuinely wanted to change the management they can raise the issue in their clubs, the clubs can raise the issue to the county board etc. and ultimately the management would be changed.
> 
> I dont know anything about Cork GAA politics, but it does seem like the wishes of the players are at odds with the wishes of the members.


 
Under normal circumstances I would agree with you. However, the CCB is not run as a normal County Board is. Under normal circumstances the County Board Executive would be answerable to the delegates. In Cork the delegates are answerable to the executive and the executive answerable to one *paid* unelected official. It has been that way since 1973.


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## The_Banker (27 Jan 2009)

aristotle25 said:


> What a load of crap.
> 
> No players in any team in any sport in the world choose their own manager.
> 
> What you are saying is that players should be allowed to pick their own manager, why? Are Cork players somehow special?


 
Again, either you are not aware of the facts or you don't believe in anyone questioning the authority of the unelected paid Cork County Secretary.

The players do not want to appoint the manager. They don't want to play under this manager.


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## Guest116 (27 Jan 2009)

The_Banker said:


> The players do not want to appoint the manager..


 
Really?

Quote from the players:
"The manager was then duly ratified by the Board, even though he was the only person in Cork who the panel had definitively stated that they did not want as manager, having had two years of his management"

"We were given a role in the selection process for the Hurling manager for 2009 by Kieran Mulvey in his arbitration findings in early 2008." - something they saught

"In spite of the views of our panel as regards the outgoing management..."

"It has been our view since, that when we had left the "process", it could not legitimately conclude its business without us. "

"Accordingly, we have always maintained that the appointment of the current manager was flawed"

Then again, they later say "We do not want to choose our own Manager."

Maybe I dont know the facts, or maybe the players are not getting their message across. Please explain so...

If then dont want to appoint the manager on one hand they can't then turn around and say they dont want this manager or that manager, because thats the same thing!


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## car (27 Jan 2009)

> Maybe I dont know the facts, or maybe the players are not getting their message across. Please explain so...
> 
> If then dont want to appoint the manager on one hand *they can't then turn around and say they dont want this manager or that manager*, because thats the same thing!



Its just mcarthy they dont want.   And theyve already played under him for 2 years and know how good or bad (as the case seems to be) he is as a manager.    From reading the players points over the last few months, hes apparently not just a bad manager, a bad coach and a bad man manager but also untrustworthy as a confidant by releasing personal information to the media tha tplayers shared with him.

Its up to the county board to put the best man in place to get the best out of the squad that the selectors pick.  Now if hes not doing that for whatever reason, how can he stay?

I cant understand why he doesnt stand down, he's on a hiding to nothing.  He's proved he's not good enough to win anything for last 2 years while he had an all ireland winning squad playing for him, what does he and the county board think hes going to do when he doesnt even have those players available.     Memories of Steve Staunton coming back for all the wrong reasons.


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## Ceist Beag (28 Jan 2009)

car, The Banker, the point is tho, every other county is able to get on with things and resolve any difficulties themselves. However Cork seem to think that the rest of the country cares or should get behind one side or the other in their disputes. I don't doubt the sincerity of the players, nor their sense of grievance. But really this idea of holding a national press conference to air their grievances is just embarassing - if you have a problem lads sort it out within the confines of your own county please - the GAA has already bent over backwards in previous years to try and help sort it out so how about you all grow up and sort out your own problems from here on without bleating to the nation that we're right and they're wrong. As I said earlier the rest of us have more important things to worry about.


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## DerKaiser (28 Jan 2009)

car said:


> Its just mcarthy they dont want.


The footballers didn't want Teddy Holland, there's a trend emerging




car said:


> I cant understand why he doesnt stand down, he's on a hiding to nothing.


Because he has principle and backbone and will not be stared down by the people he's been given the duty of managing




car said:


> He's proved he's not good enough to win anything for last 2 years while he had an all ireland winning squad playing for him.


This is where you clearly don't know your hurling. The Cork hurlers had 4 very good years but the 2008 panel reached their peak in 2004 and 2005. They lost to kilkenny by 3 points in 2006. kilkenny have come on in leaps and bounds in the last two years and in 2008 Cork were their nearest rivals losing by 9 points. Cork also managed to beat Galway in 2008, a team with the potential to win this years all ireland. They've done quite well with an ageing squad. 

Their main problem is lack of younger talent coming through. Do you think the 2008 squad would be interested in getting rid of 6/7 of their members and bringing in new blood? I don't think so. By rights maybe 20 of them should be staying on in 2009, chosen to play for Cork by a manager appointed by the county board, not themselves or a manager answerable to them!!!


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## csirl (28 Jan 2009)

> Under normal circumstances I would agree with you. However, the CCB is not run as a normal County Board is. Under normal circumstances the County Board Executive would be answerable to the delegates. In Cork the delegates are answerable to the executive and the executive answerable to one *paid* unelected official. It has been that way since 1973.


 
There is no such thing as an unaccountable unelected official in a voluntary members organisation. The paid unelected official is employed by the County Board and is ultimately answerable to his employers i.e. the membership?


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## Padraigb (28 Jan 2009)

csirl said:


> There is no such thing as an unaccountable unelected official in a voluntary members organisation. The paid unelected official is employed by the County Board and is ultimately answerable to his employers i.e. the membership?



Even I, living a long way from Cork and with only a limited interest in GAA matters, know that does not apply to Cork.

There is one game that is played in the GAA that is not covered in the association's rules: the accretion of power and influence. It's an individual game whereas most GAA sports are team games. Were there an all-Ireland championship in it, Cork could send out Frank Murphy and the representatives of the other counties would simply go home.


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## Sunny (28 Jan 2009)

Surely if the players enjoyed the widespread support that people claim, Mc Carthy wouldn't be able to put together any sort of panel as no-one would play for him. The fact of the matter is that he does have a panel that includes club team mates of the striking players who have decided that playing for Cork is a honour that they can't refuse. Cork supporters should get behind these players for a very difficult year ahead and forget about anyone not willing to play for the County.


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## The_Banker (28 Jan 2009)

csirl said:


> *The GAA is a voluntary members organisation*.
> 
> If there is genuine unhappiness with the management of the team, then there are ways to address this. The actions of the players is the wrong way and, from an outsiders point of view, seems to be at odds with the wishes of their members. If the members genuinely wanted to change the management they can raise the issue in their clubs, the clubs can raise the issue to the county board etc. and ultimately the management would be changed.
> 
> I dont know anything about Cork GAA politics, but it does seem like the wishes of the players are at odds with the wishes of the members.


 
csirl, well it is and it isn't.. See article below taken from The Kerryman newspaper

*GAA's amateur ethos undermined by president's €150,000 salary*

*By allowing a situation come to pass whereby the president of the Association will be paid five times the average industrial wage the GAA has badly undermined its amateur ethos, argues Damian Stack (The Kerryman)*

Wednesday January 21 2009
GENERALLY speaking what a FAS employee earns won't make news in the back pages of newspapers. Until, that is, the employee in question is the soon to be President of the GAA. President-elect Chirsty Cooney earns a substantial € 158,000 a year for his work at the government training agency.
So what you might ask? Isn't that his own business? Well no actually, because as of January 1 last Mr Cooney's generous salary will be paid from the coffers of the GAA. That means that over the lifetime of his three year tenure as GAA President the GAA will have to find almost half a million euro to keep paying his salary, according to a report last week in the Irish Independent. 

"In the first year of my Presidency, we will launch the Annual Volunteers Forum. We will put in place a process to address the issues surrounding the amateur status and implement a clear framework to maintain it at the core of the Association... The role of our volunteers and our amateur status has been key to the success of our Association." Chirsty Cooney, GAA President Elect, in ' The GAA Strategic Vision and Action Plan 2009-2015' 

While serving as president Mr Cooney's salary will continue to be paid by FAS, but as he is offically seconded to the GAA they must pay FAS back the full value of what they have paid to the Youghal native. This is nothing new. Previous GAA presidents have been beneficiaries of the very same system, including the present office holder Nickey Brennan and Kerry's Sean Kelly. 

The present system of secondment for the President was introduced in 2000 in recognition of the increasingly full-time nature of the position and hasn't generated any controversy until now. Mainly because none of the previous Presidents were in receipt of such an large salary. 
It is outrageous to think that the GAA should have to pay such an extravagant fee to a "volunteer". It's important to stress that Mr Cooney isn't doing anything wrong. He earns what he earns and is fully compliant with the GAA rulebook, but that doesn't mean it's right that he should continue to be paid that salary while GAA President. 

It has been noted again and again by people in the upper echelons of the GAA, including Mr Cooney (see above), that it is an amateur organisation with voluntarism at its core. How can an amateur ethos be upheld when the President of the Association is drawing more than five times the average industrial wage from its coffers? 

How can the President of the Association call on players to retain their amateur status when he is in receipt of monies that mean he is anything but an amateur? How can a President of the Association call for an end to the practice of illegal payments to club and intercounty managers while in receipt of a six figure salary paid for by the GAA? 

By having such a large salary paid for by the GAA a President cedes a great deal, if not all, of his moral authority when it comes to the 'amateur' issue. It's also problematic when one considers the current financial positions of county boards and clubs throughout the country. 
Here in Kerry the County Board is looking at a very grim financial situation over the next couple of years, while clubs up and down the country are struggling to break even year on year. Cash-strapped clubs will have every right to question how much of their affiliation fees will go towards paying Cooney' salary. Club volunteers who sell lottery tickets to help keep their clubs afloat will have every right to question it too. 

The GAA's finances at national level do look a great deal healthier, but the rents paid by the IRFU and the FAI for use of Croke Park are artifically inflating the GAA's bottom line. When Lansdowne Road is built neither the IRFU or the FAI will be using Croker any more and the GAA's finances won't be looking as rosy. 
Allowing a situation exist whereby the President of an amateur association can be paid such a high figure probably won't be sustainable and will have to be looked at. 

Instead of seconding the president from his place of work the GAA should consider a fixed salary, much lower than Mr Cooney's FAS salary, for the position. It is a full time job and nobody should be expected to do it for nothing, but a situation shouldn't be allowed develop whereby the president is getting a salary of five times the average industrial wage. 

The argument against a fixed salary and in favour of the secondment arrangement is that a salaried position would undermine the GAA's amateur ethos, but when a situation occurs like the one that presently exists that argument becomes redundant.


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## purplealien (29 Jan 2009)

There's a site where you can send messages of support to the players -www.upderebels.com


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## Sunny (29 Jan 2009)

purplealien said:


> There's a site where you can send messages of support to the players -www.upderebels.com


 
Presume it can be messages of abuse as well??


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## Purple (29 Jan 2009)

Sunny said:


> Presume it can be messages of abuse as well??



Very Good


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## The_Banker (6 Feb 2009)

The Cork Footballers have now issued a warning to the Cork County Board to sort it out or else. The pressure is slowly being turned up on the CCB Executive.

Taken from Breakingnews.ie

Cork's footballers are threatening to join in the strike being undertaken by their hurling colleagues unless the dispute is resolved in the coming weeks.

The footballers issued a statement last night saying they would refuse to play after the end of the National Football League if the stand-off is not resolved to the players' satisfaction.

The hurlers have been refusing to play under manager Gerald McCarthy as part of a long-running dispute with the County Board.

The footballers say they fully support the stance being taken by their hurling colleagues, which has led to McCarthy drafting in a team of newcomers for this year's National Hurling League.

Last night's statement was highly critical of the County Board executive, accusing it of not acting in the best interests of Cork GAA.


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## Lex Foutish (6 Feb 2009)

The size of tomorrow's protest/support march will give a good indication of the depth of feeling amongst the general public in Cork. The media are indicating that their opinion polls show huge player support but that doesn't come across as strong when you talk to people about it. The next few weeks will be very interesting, starting with the march tomorrow and the hurling match against Dublin on Sunday.

In truth, regardless of the outcome, Cork GAA is a bit like Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe. There won't be any long term peace or solution until Frank Murphy has gone.


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## The_Banker (6 Feb 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> In truth, regardless of the outcome, Cork GAA is a bit like Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe. There won't be any long term peace or solution until Frank Murphy has gone.


 
That about sums up the situation. Even the people who are against the stance taken by the players have nothing good to say about Frank Murphy.

One man in charge of Cork GAA for 35 years can't be good for the organisation. Even if he was universally loved (which he certainly isn't) no organisation would prosper under one mans rule for that long.


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## Lex Foutish (7 Feb 2009)

I heard there were about ten thousand at the march in Town today and that Brian Corcoran and John Gardiner addressed the crowd. Any AAM members there? 
Marion Finnucane had Gerald and Donal Óg on her show today for about half an hour. 
Did anyone get the impression that Gerald knew more about the "leaked" document than he was admitting?


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## leesider29 (7 Feb 2009)

There were between 10 and 15 thousand at it, can't remember in my life time anyway, that number of people coming out in protest against anything political or otherwise in Cork.

I don't expect people from outside the county to understand or care about what is going on with GAA in Cork. The only reason the national media is being used is to get the info from both sides out to everyone in the county. It is not really our concern what anyone thinks outside the county and I don't mean that in a bad way.

But to inform those that don't know this dates back to the strike of 2002, the county board and a certain dictator will never forgive the players for the loss of power they experienced back then. Roll on four years, four all-ireland finals, and the county board decide to go with a manager from outside the setup that was going so well.....fair enough. This man comes in and looses 5 championship matches in 2 years and then is selected again as manager for the next 2 years. Now you might say those players are over the hill but when he took over everything went down hill from food before matches, to training, to team selction (anyone who knows their hurling just look at the changes made during the Tip game last year). Now you have to ask yourself why would he be re-elected as manager??? Power my friends, power, the county board are trying to get back the power they lost in 2002. I know this is unbelieveable to people who live outside the county but that is exactly what is going on. And it is unbelieveable that the delegates from the clubs that vote would not overthrow this man. Last week there was a motion brought forward by Cloyne in which they requested that before votes are taken each delegate goes back to his club so a decision can be made on what way they will vote.....it was rejected as out of order and our esteemed chairman addressed the delegates and asked them "do you want the power to leave this room?". So if that doesn't explain how it is all about power with the county board nothing will!!

Some people have suggested that the players should get on and play but why should they deal with this crap when they have jobs, girlfriends, wives (not neccessarily both but some may  ) and families and they are sacrifcing them to go training 4 nights a week and head to matches at the weekend and all for what.....they want to win but how can they with a setup like this??

And to those who say Cork is a laughing stock and always were, come back to me when you have achieved what Cork did in 1990 and we can talk! ;-)

Oh and on an aside note if we had enough people in this country who stood up for what they truly believed in we might not be in the economic and political mess we are in at the moment....ah cher it all be grand!!


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## The_Banker (7 Feb 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> I heard there were about ten thousand at the march in Town today and that Brian Corcoran and John Gardiner addressed the crowd. Any AAM members there?
> Marion Finnucane had Gerald and Donal Óg on her show today for about half an hour.
> Did anyone get the impression that Gerald knew more about the "leaked" document than he was admitting?


 
I was there Lex....
I estimate a crowd much higher than the 10,000 quoted in news reports. About 13,000 I would say. 
The mood from the platform was more pro the 08 players than anti Frank Murphy or anti Ger Mc. The MC stated at the start that it was all about a show of support for the players and nothing else.
To be honest I would have preferred if the speakers were more militant. I don't think the CCB will take much notice of marchers on the street... Now if 10,000 were to march on Pairc Ui Chaoimh when the CCB are in session I would be more impressed. The crowd were more militant than the speakers and would have welcomed a bit more rabble rousing speeches!

The turn out tomorrow in Pairc Ui Chaoimh for the developement side will be interesting. If might be the first time in the history of Cork GAA that the County Board will actually inflate the "official" size of the crowd. 

I was listening to Donal Og and Ger Mc this morning on Marian Finucane and yes, I though Ger sidestepped to question of the leaked document. 
To be honest these debates between Ger and the players have been done to death here in Cork and achieve nothing. Ideally the man who is paid to lead Cork (The County Secretary) should be debating with the people and players rather than doing it by proxy with Ger Mc. But then that has been the situation throughout his 35 year reign and through all the issues and contraversies of those 35 years.


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## Lex Foutish (8 Feb 2009)

Good synopsis Leesider29. And Banker, your reference to what they'll claim the attendance was, is hilarious. You know them very well! I remember being on the terraces in Páirc Uí Chaoimh for Munster finals when you couldn't squeeze a sardine more into the stadium and hearing what the "official" attendance was later!  

(Unrelated to all this, something that really used to got me going was the way Croke Park spokesmen never, ever mentioned *soccer* unless they were justifying the high prices they were charging for GAA match tickets!)  Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of ticket prices, did you hear Gerald in his post match interview refer to the patrons who had paid €15 (!) to see the match today?  Did you know the CCB had a sense of humour? Did either of you hear what kind of a crowd was at it?

The result brings a much greater urgency to the whole situation now. Today's panel probably won't be a threat on the Munster or national stage for 2 to 3 years at least. Will the Cork hurling public hang around for that long? I think not. Something will have to give shortly.

As Leesider29 said, it's hard to explain the current situation fully to someone outside of Cork. Many club members tell me that their delegates to the CCB can't express an opinion contrary to the official line as they feel their clubs would suffer or pay a price in some way.

A final thought.... I saw the trailer of Valkyrie at the cinema last night. One character in that film (a guy with a moustache) looked very like someone who's been the voice of the CCB for the last 35 years.


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## The_Banker (8 Feb 2009)

I didn't go to the game today as I just couldn't justify paying €15 to keep the paid county secretary in the manner to which he is accoustomed. 

The "official" attendance today was 2,000. This figure was released by the CCB. Local radio stations in Cork were reporting the attendance at between 500 - 800.


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## Padraigb (8 Feb 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> ...As Leesider29 said, it's hard to explain the current situation fully to someone outside of Cork...



Do you think they would be interested other than in the way rubberneckers like to have a good look at car crashes?


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## leesider29 (9 Feb 2009)

Padraigb said:


> Do you think they would be interested other than in the way rubberneckers like to have a good look at car crashes?


 
Got it in one!!

Don't leave the facts get in the way of a good **** take! ;-) BTW Frank Murphy was born in Kilkenny.....it was all part of their grand plan I tell you!!


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## A.Partridge (9 Feb 2009)

Rigoletto said:


> what is it with cork and its "sportsmen"
> the hurlers are on strike and wont play for their county because they want to pick the manager (D'ya know)
> the footballers last year went on strike and refused to play for their county.
> 
> ...


 
Yeah...and now 'Santy' seems to be getting in on the act.

[broken link removed]

I think Sean Og phoned him and told him he should consider a STRIKE...wuh wuh wuh.


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## The_Banker (10 Feb 2009)

The logistics man presently working with Gerald McCarthy and the Cork 09 squad resigned last night and has given a damning interview with the Examiner. 

The story below was taken from the Examiner website.

Blow for McCarthy as Cork backroom member quits By Michael Moynihan

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/ideykfojau/

EMBATTLED Cork hurling manager Gerald McCarthy suffered another setback yesterday with the resignation of Martin Walsh, the team's logistics manager for the last two seasons. 

Walsh said yesterday that McCarthy's ongoing criticism of the 2008 senior hurling panel was the reason he was stepping down. "I thought Gerald's interview on Saturday was very unfair," said Walsh. 

"Anyone who ever worked with Donal Óg Cusack knows he'll listen to you. He wouldn't make you feel uncomfortable, no matter what you're saying; he'd do anything for you. He, Sean Óg and John Gardiner, as player reps, did everything they could to help Gerald over the last two seasons. 

"The reason I'm stepping down now is that it's hard enough listening to things being said about the players, what they're getting out of the game and so on. Babs Keating's attack on Diarmuid and Paudie O'Sullivan last week - and on their father Jerry - was very unfair as well. Babs probably has a hidden agenda, maybe he's getting back at modern players. 

"Donal Óg Cusack is an easy target for fellas to have a go at, an easy man to blame. As is Frank Murphy on the other side, in fairness. But to me Donal Óg is the ultimate professional - he, Sean Óg, Tom Kenny, they're lads who'll go to any lengths to get that extra one per cent out of themselves. To say Donal Óg doesn't want to be coached and so on - I know he'd row in 100% behind anyone who could improve things. That's the way he is - he's a great man for the organisation. So is Sean Óg." 

Walsh credited facilitator Cathal O'Reilly with improving the atmosphere in the group last year, but agreed with the players who felt the quality of training had slipped. 

"Cathal did fantastic work with the group - you could see them pulling together. He got them to gel and to build trust. But the one thing is that respect is a two-way street. You see what's being written about the players and you have to ask is there respect there? If there's no respect in the dressing-room, you have no business being there. 

"Were things as bad as people say? Yes, they were. Jerry Wallace put in fierce work to keep things going last year, so did Brian Roche, but the players came from a background where Declan Kidney was watching them train, where people involved with Kilkenny would watch the sessions. The players are doing the training and if they feel that it's gone from up here to down there, then it must have gone back. People forget the work the two trainers, Jerry Wallace and Seanie McGrath, put in under Donal O'Grady and John Allen." 

Walsh was involved with the 2009 team up to Sunday's defeat to Dublin at Páirc Ui Chaoimh but had also continued to work with the 2008 panel. 

""I felt this would be resolved, and that it was my duty to help the (2008) lads and make sure they could come back to play for Cork. 

"You talk about pride in the jersey. These players have the ultimate pride in the jersey. 

"Part of my job was to collect jerseys after games, and not one of them would throw the jersey to you. They hand the jersey back. 

"They wait to sign autographs, to stand for photographs - I was at training for them at quarter to five, they'd start arriving at quarter past five and the last man would leave at ten o'clock. 

"They're superb men and they're being dragged through the dirt here, when all they want is to get back to where Kilkenny are, to win All-Irelands." 

Walsh acknowledged the pressure on the new panel and on the county board. 

"There are good men in the board - (chairman) Jerry O'Sullivan and (PRO) Ger Lane are friends of mine and they're good men. 

"Jerry is a sound man, he has club men and sons involved and it's difficult for him. 

"I got on well with Gerald as well, but he's being left out on a limb here. 

"It's difficult for the 2009 players. There are grand guys there who could be developed, but they're getting tarred with this thing. 

"I'm a players' man and I wouldn't knock them, they answered the call, but they'll probably be easy targets." 

Walsh, chairman of Ballinacurra GAA club, refuted suggestions the players were motivated by personal gain. 

"At least 10 Cork players have been down there to help us in Ballinacurra, and all it cost us was a lunch for Shane O'Neill and some crystal we gave Sean Óg after he presented trophies. 

"All the talk about money for them is rubbish. 

"How come nobody is talking about Donal Óg and Kevin Hartnett working for Alan Kerins in Zambia, or about the fact that they're getting 20 people to go out there again in October?" 

Walsh sees more pressing problems for Cork GAA. 

"If the board can leave their greatest asset, the players, on the outside, have another 30 footballers threatening to go - and maybe another 50 players who won't play - then something has to give. 

"It's grand saying people are looking after underage teams and so on, but we're not promoting ourselves. 

"I'm my club's East Cork Board delegate, and I see clubs amalgamating at minor, pushing for twelve-a-side at U21. 

"We're holding our own but stronger clubs are coming back to our level. 

"You'd wonder just how strong the GAA is in Cork. 

"We should be pushing our inter-county hurlers and footballers, not knocking them. 

"Rugby and soccer motor away at their own thing. Why can't we?"


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## Ron Burgundy (10 Feb 2009)

The_Banker said:


> I didn't go to the game today as *I just couldn't justify paying €15 to keep the paid county secretary in the manner to which he is accoustomed. *
> 
> The "official" attendance today was 2,000. This figure was released by the CCB. Local radio stations in Cork were reporting the attendance at between 500 - 800.


 
What manner is that. I believe he is a power freak but what else is going on down there ??

Great interview with both sides on Radio 1 at ther weekend.


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## Lex Foutish (12 Feb 2009)

Is this good or what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfMFSU2zAW0


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## The_Banker (12 Feb 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Is this good or what?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfMFSU2zAW0


 
Brilliant.... The innuendo may be lost here on some of the non Cork people but still very good non the less.


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## leesider29 (12 Feb 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Is this good or what?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfMFSU2zAW0


 
Excellent stuff and oh how true!!


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## Mel (13 Feb 2009)

Some of the hurlers are speaking with Neil Prendevill on 96fm at the moment.


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## The_Banker (13 Feb 2009)

Yes, making interesting listening.
Ger Mc rang in, made a point and hung up.

Its more or less turning into a civil war with a sort of schism brewing. While the public seem to be broading behind the players the various heads on the CCB appear to be against them.


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## The_Banker (23 Feb 2009)

The Cork 08 panel met the clubs tonight in The Maryborough Hotel.. Listed below is a brief synopsis of the meeting....

Players entered to a huge standing ovation. Of the 400plus in attendance, only about 10-20 stayed sitting.
John Gardiner said that the agenda was really up to the clubs, but maybe they'd start with questions from the floor, then talk about clubs' and players' proposals and solutions.

Alan White spoke - explained himself very well in fairness. Said that his information came from an ex-player (non-200, that he asked the CCB if the players could agree to any of the Croke park document. The Executive told him they agreed with all of it except point 2. White said that, as this seemed to confirm what he'd heard, he thought nothing of stating that he'd heard such. At this, he said, the top three officials all feigned surprise, despite the fact that they'd just said much the same thing, and despite the fact that Frank Murphy had at that moment in his briefcase a letter from Gerald McCarthy saying exactly the same thing. Frank later said that he hadn't intended reading out the letter but he may as well now, which he did. White said that had the letter been been read out first that he wouldn't have spoke at all, that he was sorry he had, and he apologised for any confusion or hindrance he'd caused. John Gardiner told him it was alright, and White got considerable unsolicited applause for showing up and for being honest.

The vast majority of the speakers that followed spoke in favour of the players' stance, with only a few urging a return to playing. Most urged them to continue, and urged fellow club folk to continue the fight.

Most of the speakers, it seemed to me, were from Junior clubs and there was incredible anger at the lack of representation, or the absence in a lot of cases. Many intermediate and Senior clubs joined in, again overwhelmingly in favour of the players and anti-CCB

Many speakers stated that their clubs had held EGMs, many more said that EGMs were planned, urging others to follow. One member backed the players but urged them not to suggest EGMs as this would split clubs in two, and got some applause. Another asked why anyone would be in favour of democracy, and insisted that clubs should hold EGMs. This near brought the house down.

At this stage, the meeting seemed to be controlled almost entirely by the clubs. Enough anger had been vented so the next step seemed to be to ask for proposals. Proposals from the floor included holding an annual such meeting of all club people (warm applause), suggesting further dialogue (muted response), that the 'kids' should go home and talk to their parents (a lot of rage and an indignant response from Cathal Naughton that he found the suggestion insulting and that, besides, if he went home and told his parents that he was going to play under Gerald Mc that he wouldn't wake up in the morning). Most though were curious as to what the players were proposing, so Gardiner read out their two suggested motions for clubs to consider within their clubs and act upon if they saw fit (these will be in the papers, but I'll give them to ye as best I can):-

1) Save in relation to routine matters such as fixtures, venues etc that delegates to the CCB do not vote on any matter without having time to talk to their clubs' Executives as to how they should vote (requires 70/30 majority)

and

2) That Gerald McCarthy and his management team resign as the 2009 Senior Hurling Management Team (requires 51/49 majority)

There seemed little doubt that both votes would have carried comfortably had they been put to the room, and the discussion that followed mirrored that.

At that stage the meeting was, as the players thought, winding to a close. However some member intervened strongly and suggested two further actions for the night.

Firstly, that the members go back and talk to their clubs, and that a follow-up meeting be called. The players hadn't seemed to have bargained on this but said they were available whenever suited. It was fixed for Sunday the 8th March.

Secondly there was a fear that the huge turnout, the spread of the attendance throughout the grades, and the overwhelming support might not be credited or recorded. A roll-call of the clubs present, and their grades was proposed, and quickly agreed upon. This was done. I couldn't put an exact number on it, of course, but clearly the vast majority of clubs were present, which led to the obvious conclusion that the vast majority of clubs are now pro-the-players and Anti-CCB.

Nearly there now!

Only fair to say that the meeting was extremely decorous, and that all members were allowed time to finish their questions/comments. Those in the minority had their say, and I was proud to be a part of such a dignified meeting held in such controversial times.

Finally, I hope everyone believes me when I say that I've been as honest as I can be, and I've tried to report it free of spin. I'll think of more, I'm sure, but that will have to wait until the morning. I'll finish with what seemed to be a consensus of actions among the clubs

1) Those clubs that haven't already to set the wheels in motion to call EGMs as soon as the constraints within the rule-book will allow
2) Clubs to discuss both motions, and gain a consensus
3) Meet players again on Sunday the 8th March


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## Betsy Og (23 Feb 2009)

I suppose the proof of the pudding will be whether:

a) all the egm's happen
b) the motions get carried
c) the delegates (some prob against) will carry successful motions to the CCB and vote as mandated (presumably) by their clubs. 
Sombrero man and all this clap happy stuff isnt the business, if you have the support then prove it where it counts.

I have sympathy for McCarthy & am generally anti GPA or players overstepping their remit. I'm all for minding layers but where is the GPA on player burnout, coherent club championships etc. etc. The "elite" factor has gone to the heads of many players IMHO, they want more and more and better and better, such will be the demands of all this professionalism that, hey, they'll have to be made professional. I'd rather if their focus was on curtailing lunatic training demands on inter-county players, giving oxygen back to the club scene over the summer etc, but that doesnt gel with the elite bit.

Anyway, back to relevant matters, if they are going to create such a fuss why dont they go for the juggular, and try to get rid of Frank Murphy or get agreement for maximum tenure for any official. If ultimately successful in the crucifiction of McCarthy it will be a hallow victory.

They say they dont want the right to appoint the manager? If not then make the best of the one you have, or take on the board and not the man if that is the real problem.


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## Lex Foutish (23 Feb 2009)

Betsy Og said:


> Anyway, back to relevant matters, if they are going to create such a fuss why dont they go for the juggular, and try to get rid of Frank Murphy......


 
Hi Betsy. Does a suitcase under the table spring to mind?


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## Betsy Og (24 Feb 2009)

I gather they'd prefer to do a Goodfella's on it - Donal Og could do the Joe Pesci role !! Seriously though, with all the whingeing going on do players really think that McCarthy exiting is going to fundamentally change anything? Why wouldnt the CCB get another "yes man" (if that's how you view McCarthy) by outvoting the 2 players on the selction panel of 5.

Regime change is really what the players want (& probably loads more) so if they're not bould enough to look for it they'll never get it.


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## Niall M (25 Feb 2009)

Was watching prime time, ger lane said the county board were democratic and so on. Then i hear the chairman one hour later saying they will not discuss anything else in relation to the current hurling crisis! Surely all they should be discussing is the hurling crisis!


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## Teatime (25 Feb 2009)

The_Banker said:


> Its more or less turning into a civil war with a sort of schism brewing.


 
Yeah Sean Óg should avoid Béal na Blath - they like to shoot their own down there...


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## Lex Foutish (3 Mar 2009)

Teatime said:


> Yeah Sean Óg should avoid Béal na Blath - they like to shoot their own down there...


West Cork might save the day yet!

Big *democratic* meeting of clubs, delegates etc. in Clonakilty next Friday night.

And full discussion will be allowed. Won't that make a nice change?


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## The_Banker (4 Mar 2009)

The main website forum in Cork where most of the posters were organising another protest in Pairc Ui Chaoimh next Sunday was served with an injunction last night by solicitors acting for the CCB so it is presently off the air.

The war is hotting up!!!!


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## PaddyW (4 Mar 2009)

RebelGAA is it, the banker?


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## The_Banker (4 Mar 2009)

No, peoplesrepublicofcork.com 

RebelGAA were not involved in the organisation of the march last month or in the one next Sunday but they didn't block any posts advertising it.

However, some of the main posters on peoplesrepublic were heavily involved in the organisation of the first march and in the fortcoming one. Accounts set up for funding advertising, banners etc...

This is a big blow.


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## The_Banker (4 Mar 2009)

PROC is now back up with its hurling forum.


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## Betsy Og (5 Mar 2009)

tis great soap opera, I'm impressed that the players have managed to rally the clubs in an official way and I presume this will represent itself at the appropriate forum of the CCB ...still dont agree with them though re McCarthy/the players picking the manager.

Any further demands arising?? A lost opportunity if the only outcome is McCarthy going, is Frankie in the cross hair yet?, are CCB procedures going to be reformed or applied more fairly?


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## Sunny (5 Mar 2009)

The_Banker said:


> The main website forum in Cork where most of the posters were organising another protest in Pairc Ui Chaoimh next Sunday was served with an injunction last night by solicitors acting for the CCB so it is presently off the air.


 
Seriously, you are all freaks down there!


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## The_Banker (5 Mar 2009)

Betsy Og said:


> tis great soap opera, I'm impressed that the players have managed to rally the clubs in an official way and I presume this will represent itself at the appropriate forum of the CCB ...still dont agree with them though re McCarthy/the players picking the manager.
> 
> Any further demands arising?? A lost opportunity if the only outcome is McCarthy going, is Frankie in the cross hair yet?, are CCB procedures going to be reformed or applied more fairly?


 

Betsy Og, the end is nigh for the CCB Executive. All clubs that have met in advance of the next meeting with the players in the Maryborough Hotel on Sunday have overwhelmingly backed the players in there votes. A lot of clubs that are pro CCB have refused to take a vote but the members are going through correct procedures to ensure that it will happen.

A big victory for the players (and democracy) was the over whelming support they got from the Youghal club (incoming GAA President Christy Cooneys club) despite his brother trying to bring in a vote of confidence in Ger Mc. 

Nicky Brennan has called a meeting tonight to discuss the Cork issue which is seen as undermining the CCB.

Clonakilty GAA Club have called a meeting on Friday night of all GAA Clubs in Cork to discuss the present situation despite being told by the CCB Executive that "it has no standing in CCB rules". This is a de facto uprising against the CCB by the clubs.

On Sunday, Cork Supporters are marching to Pairc Ui Chaoimh for the Cork V Fermanagh football game to show support for the hurlers on strike and the footballers who threaten strike before championship. A month ago when between 10 and 12 thousand supporters marched through Cork City they were dismissed as "shoppers" by the CCB. They will find that hard to do on Sunday in front of newspaper reporters, RTE radio reporters and RTE TV cameras.
Last Sunday, a mere 600 turned out to support Ger Mc and the CCB 'development' squad. There will be in excess of 10,000 at the game next Sunday, all calling for the heads of the CCB Executive and especially Frank Murphys. However, there is a fear amoung the protesters that they will be locked out of the ground, or that the CCB will only open one gate and cause a crush outside. Therefore, organisers have informed Gardai in Cork of the big numbers expected so that they will imposed safety procedures on the CCB ahead of Sunday. Remember, Pairc Ui Chaoimh is a safety nightmare at the best of times.

On Sunday night again club chairmen will meet the players ahead of the next CCB meeting on Tuesday night.


The feeling in Cork is that revolution is in the air. When the hurlers went on strike last October I would say they had the support of 40% of the GAA going Cork public. But in recent weeks it has snowballed and turned into an avalanche, supported by the clubs, GAA Supporters, media in Cork and also the Cork public in general. This I believe was due to the 1950s attitude of the CCB went using the terms "We rule Cork GAA and thats it" "We are the law here" and the worst of all "The Club meeting have no standing" which really alienated the clubs. 

The CCB and Frank Murphy have now lost support of almost everyone in Cork (and in GAA Headquarters, judging by tonights meeting called by Nicky Brennan) and I believe it is only a matter of time before they are swept away.


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## The_Banker (5 Mar 2009)

Irish Times today (written by John Allen, former Cork manager)

Pray democracy is finally coming to the Cork GAA
Thu, Mar 05, 2009

The players group have made a brave stand and are leading the way. They deserve the support of every follower and club that value the truth, writes JOHN ALLEN 

THE LAST time I wrote on the topic of the striking Cork hurlers I finished with what might now be a very telling sentence, “Maybe a proper revolution is needed this time”. This revolution has been needed for years but no individual or group has been brave or maybe foolish enough to attempt change in the Cork GAA board.

The older members of the group of striking players were never on for settling for second best and at the end of 2002, after a very bitter stand-off with the board, they brought about a change in, to use a topical term, terms and conditions which helped smooth the way to a period of high achievement over the following four years.

These were special years for the very loyal Rebel supporters. A new generation of Cork follower began to acknowledge the beauty, grace, skill and speed of this wonderful Irish game.

The players blossomed and gave some outstanding displays. For all those lucky enough to be involved, these were the “days of our lives”. The performances, victories and losses (even) were much appreciated by the very enthusiastic support that travelled in their thousands – with or without tickets.

Who will ever forget the scramble for tickets before the Munster finals? Who will forget the delays getting to Killarney in ’04 or that legend Brian Corcoran putting the final nail in the Kilkenny coffin, while on his knees that same year?

The loss to the Déise in that year’s Munster final epic will long stay in the memory, as will the resurrection against Clare in the ’05 All-Ireland semi or the wonderful save from above the crossbar by Dónal Óg in the following year’s semi-final. Yes, these were the days of our lives.

From the first post-strike session with the players on a bitterly cold January 2003 morning it was very obvious that, while manager Dónal O Grady was a strict disciplinarian, he was also very sensitive to the players’ needs. Let me also add there were never any outrageous demands.

I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved with many successful teams over the past 30 years but this group of hurlers, in my opinion, ticked all the boxes. They are diligent, hard working and people of honour. Whatever needed to be done to play and win for Cork was always the priority. They are the most self-motivated group you’re ever likely too meet.

They treated all in the management with the utmost respect, a respect that was reciprocated. The group worked well together and enjoyed four quite successful years even though Kilkenny did undo our three-in-a-row dream.

At various times the rumour and innuendo mill carried stories of the players running affairs in 2005/’06 and this was part of the reason they couldn’t buy into the new regime of Gerald McCarthy .

Yes, the players were given an input into the tactics for the championship games. Yes, Dónal Óg had an input into the plans for the pucks out (after all he did take these very important free pucks). Yes, we were always sensitive to player concerns.

No, the players never had any input into who was on the panel. No, the players never had any input into team selections. No the players never had any input into changes made on match days. No the players hadn’t any input into the training drills, either devising or executing them.

So how did it all come unstuck?

Well, the decision not to continue with members of the previous management for season ’07 was the beginning of what now looks like the end. That has been well documented as has the next major stand-off last winter.

But here we are again in a similar position. I’ve already laid the blame at the board executive’s door. It’s still lying there though, unacknowledged.

They, the board executive, five in number, sat down with the players, two in number, to decide on who would wear the mantle of Cork senior hurling manager for 2009. The five, who must have known all wasn’t well in the camp over the previous two years, decided the previous incumbent would be contacted to ascertain his further interest in the post. Having received a positive response the five decided his name would be top of a list of potential candidates. He would then be offered the post and if he accepted (which they knew he would) then the job was his. Now I know there were five meetings but that is the essence of what took place, as far as I’m aware.

In other words there was no point in the players nominating candidates. In fact, with the total lack of courtesy and respect shown to the same players, the meetings were a waste of time and an insult to the people of integrity representing the players.

All that has been played out in the media since is a result of that decision to totally disregard the wishes of the players. This split in Cork GAA is the board’s legacy. They have engineered this crisis and nurtured it.

McCarthy, the 30 Cork players and the development squad have come in for scathing comment from all quarters. Did the board learn any lessons from last year’s stand-off? Obviously not.

I’ve said before I don’t think the players should have any representative on the committee which chooses the manager. Of course their wishes should be considered – as is done in most clubs and counties.

Are the board executive, now, going to preside over this Pyrrhic victory and feel democracy was upheld to the letter of the law? What is democratic about not allowing any other candidate be interviewed for the job? Why were the board delegates not made aware the players’ representatives had a major problem with the reappointment of Gerald McCarthy? What was the point in having two players’ reps on the committee if the strongly held wishes and opinions of the squad they represented would be totally ignored?

But maybe the tide is beginning to turn. The clubs of the county might be about to take back the power which they have been without for many years now.

It’s gone on long enough. The charade has to stop. We’ve waited long enough for a solution. The board executive is responsible for this calamity but Gerald McCarthy is the fall guy.

This is not about player power. It’s about integrity, honesty, truth and transparency. Sadly these now don’t exist between the players and the executive. Gerald McCarthy has been used. He has lost the dressingroom and cannot hope to succeed with a team who don’t want to play for him.

The revolution is gathering momentum. The malaise that is eating away at board level needs to be addressed before it does any further damage. The ’08 players group have made a very brave stand and are leading the way. They deserve the support of every follower and club that value the truth. Gandhi said: “Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.”

The time for change for the better is now.

© 2009 The Irish Times


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## PaddyW (5 Mar 2009)

The easy way to rid ourselvesof this Cork hurling fiasco, is to rid ourselves of Cork. They're a self proclaimed Peoples Republic of Cork, so let them have it as they want. Simply cut Cork off from the rest of the country and let them drift out to sea. Would solve more problems than just the hurling, less people for the country to support, less PS workers etc. I think it's a great idea.......


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## Sunny (5 Mar 2009)

For God's sake, they are quoting Gandhi now!


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## The_Banker (5 Mar 2009)

Sunny said:


> For God's sake, they are quoting Gandhi now!


 

So?


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## Sunny (5 Mar 2009)

The_Banker said:


> So?


 
So, the sooner that people in Cork understand that nobody cares the better. We have more serious issues to be concerned about. I went to the Cork V Dublin game and what I saw was a Cork team trying their bloody best while their so called supporters turned their backs on them. (The supporters there were a credit to Cork GAA with the support they gave). So you don't want the manager there. Join the long list of supporters everywhere who don't agree with who is in charge of their team. They don't turn against the team and they don't support players who couldn't be arsed to play at the expense of people who are willing to play for the jersey never mind who is in charge. So they don't win an All Ireland with him in charge. Big bloody deal. There are another 30 counties that won't win it either and then Gerald McCarthy can walk away with some dignity. I would have thought that's the least that a man with 5 All Ireland medals for Cork deserves. And don't try and bring in some noble argument that this is against Frank Murphy and the Board. There are ways to take on the board without resorting to this sort of crap 

Someone should ask these 10,000+ so called supporters who are taking to the streets in protest, where were they when their heroes were playing? There wasn't many league attendances of over 10,000 when the 2008 players were playing.

Its a joke and an embarassment for everyone involved in Cork hurling. 

Rant over!


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## Lex Foutish (5 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> The easy way to rid ourselvesof this Cork hurling fiasco, is to rid ourselves of Cork. They're a self proclaimed Peoples Republic of Cork, so let them have it as they want. Simply cut Cork off from the rest of the country and let them drift out to sea. Would solve more problems than just the hurling, less people for the country to support, less PS workers etc. I think it's a great idea.......


 
Aaaww, Paddy! What would be the Capital of Ireland then? Dublin?


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## Niall M (6 Mar 2009)

Sunny said:


> So, the sooner that people in Cork understand that nobody cares the better. We have more serious issues to be concerned about. I went to the Cork V Dublin game and what I saw was a Cork team trying their bloody best while their so called supporters turned their backs on them. (The supporters there were a credit to Cork GAA with the support they gave). So you don't want the manager there. Join the long list of supporters everywhere who don't agree with who is in charge of their team. They don't turn against the team and they don't support players who couldn't be arsed to play at the expense of people who are willing to play for the jersey never mind who is in charge. So they don't win an All Ireland with him in charge. Big bloody deal. There are another 30 counties that won't win it either and then Gerald McCarthy can walk away with some dignity. I would have thought that's the least that a man with 5 All Ireland medals for Cork deserves. *And don't try and bring in some noble argument that this is against Frank Murphy and the Board. There are ways to take on the board without resorting to this sort of crap*
> 
> Someone should ask these 10,000+ so called supporters who are taking to the streets in protest, where were they when their heroes were playing? There wasn't many league attendances of over 10,000 when the 2008 players were playing.
> 
> ...


 
How can you take on a board that rules every motion they like out of order? The same board that didnt even allow their clubs to vote when the opening of croke park issue was up for debate? Every club that has voted at their sgm has voted unanimously to support the players.


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## Sunny (6 Mar 2009)

Niall M said:


> How can you take on a board that rules every motion they like out of order? The same board that didnt even allow their clubs to vote when the opening of croke park issue was up for debate? Every club that has voted at their sgm has voted unanimously to support the players.


 
If all the clubs are so against the board, simply stop playing at all levels from underage up. Bring the entire GAA to a standstill in Cork. This isn't some noble fight of good honest GAA people against the dark forces of the Cork County Board. Are people really telling me that someone like Jerry O' Sullivan doesn't care passionately about Cork GAA? Does he enjoy seeing his two sons on strike? This is about the Cork senior panel and Gerald McCarthy. Nothing else.


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## The_Banker (6 Mar 2009)

Sunny said:


> *If all the clubs are so against the board, simply stop playing at all levels from underage up*. Bring the entire GAA to a standstill in Cork. This isn't some noble fight of good honest GAA people against the dark forces of the Cork County Board. Are people really telling me that someone like Jerry O' Sullivan doesn't care passionately about Cork GAA? Does he enjoy seeing his two sons on strike? This is about the Cork senior panel and Gerald McCarthy. Nothing else.


 
It could come to that yet.

Like I quoted previously, this started with the 08 players but now it has gone beyond that. Supporters/clubs/players/mentors all want change.


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## PaddyW (6 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Aaaww, Paddy! What would be the Capital of Ireland then? Dublin?



Haha, sure Dublin has always been the second city and once the "first" city is gone it's only right that the second city should take it's place!!

Or we might just make my home county the ruling county, sure it's always been the Kingdom!!


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## The_Banker (6 Mar 2009)

Sunny said:


> So, the sooner that people in Cork understand that nobody cares the better. We have more serious issues to be concerned about. I went to the Cork V Dublin game and what I saw was a Cork team trying their bloody best while their so called supporters turned their backs on them. (The supporters there were a credit to Cork GAA with the support they gave). So you don't want the manager there. Join the long list of supporters everywhere who don't agree with who is in charge of their team. They don't turn against the team and they don't support players who couldn't be arsed to play at the expense of people who are willing to play for the jersey never mind who is in charge. So they don't win an All Ireland with him in charge. Big bloody deal. There are another 30 counties that won't win it either and then Gerald McCarthy can walk away with some dignity. I would have thought that's the least that a man with 5 All Ireland medals for Cork deserves. And don't try and bring in some noble argument that this is against Frank Murphy and the Board. There are ways to take on the board without resorting to this sort of crap
> 
> Someone should ask these 10,000+ so called supporters who are taking to the streets in protest, where were they when their heroes were playing? There wasn't many league attendances of over 10,000 when the 2008 players were playing.
> 
> ...


 
True, its rare that 10,000 would turn up for a league game. However, there will be 10,000 at the Cork V Fermanagh game on Sunday all looking for the heads of the CCB Executive.

At the Cork V Galway game last Sunday 600 supporters turned up. Miserable attendance. More people are turning up in Mourneabbey and Na Pharsaigh GAA clubs to watch the 08 panel train.

The footballers have stated that they will not play in The Championship in June if the CCB don't rectify the situation with the 08 hurlers. 
For a team of players to come out and say that must show the level of dissatifaction that is out there.

Clubs are presently voting on motions to get GMC to stand down and also on having major votes at the CCB meetings referred to clubs. In the clubs that have voted so far, all have passed unanimously. 

True, no one outside of Cork cares.


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## Niall M (6 Mar 2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h54Dxwbq2Uc


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## Padraigb (6 Mar 2009)

Sunny said:


> ...This is about the Cork senior panel and Gerald McCarthy. Nothing else.



Even I, who was never involved in the GAA and who has little connection with Cork other than the occasional enjoyable recreational visit, know better than that.

Gerald McCarthy is a proxy.


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## Mucker Man (6 Mar 2009)

Why don't they get rid of Frank Murphy, he seems to be the root cause of all this? 

But with Frank gone who would get the red carded players off on technicalities?


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## Sunny (6 Mar 2009)

Padraigb said:


> Even I, who was never involved in the GAA and who has little connection with Cork other than the occasional enjoyable recreational visit, know better than that.
> 
> Gerald McCarthy is a proxy.


 
A proxy for what? A power stuggle between good and evil?

Even if that is true, it makes it even worse then that a legend of Cork GAA can be treated and portrayed as if he is some incompetent baffoon by a bunch of players if what they are trying to achieve has nothing to do with Gerald McCarthy. 
And he is as bad for the personal attacks he has made on the players.

Banker, you obviously care deeply about Cork GAA so I wish you luck but I just find the whole thing really disappointing.


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## Niall M (6 Mar 2009)

it would make you wonder why Gerald McCarthy is staying on, if i was in charge of a team and i wasnt wanted i would be gone so fast!


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## Lex Foutish (6 Mar 2009)

Niall M said:


> it would make you wonder why Gerald McCarthy is staying on, if i was in charge of a team and i wasnt wanted i would be gone so fast!


 
Niall, the word around Town is that Gerald has a big contract with the CCB to supply trophies to them and that Frank has told him that if he walks, he'll lose it.

Creid é nó ná creid.


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## Lex Foutish (6 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> Haha, sure Dublin has always been the second city and once the "first" city is gone it's only right that the second city should take it's place!!
> 
> Or we might just make my home county the ruling county, sure it's always been the Kingdom!!


 
Nice one, Paddy! And Jackie Healy Rea as High King of Ireland!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## PaddyW (6 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Nice one, Paddy! And Jackie Healy Rea as High King of Ireland!!!!!!!!!!!!



I was thinking Jack O' Shea myself!


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## Lex Foutish (6 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> I was thinking Jack O' Shea myself!


 
Definitely the greatest footballer of his generation, in my humble opinion. 

What a pity his grandmother wasn't from Cork and that Jack Charlton wasn't the Manager of the Cork Football Team at the time. Who knows what might have happened!

Anyway, back to reality. I can't be seen to be saying nice things about people from Kerry. I have a reputation to live up to!


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## PaddyW (6 Mar 2009)

Your secret's safe with me!


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## Lex Foutish (6 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> Your secret's safe with me!


 
Phew! No one will find out so!


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## PaddyW (6 Mar 2009)

Ya better believe it!


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## The_Banker (7 Mar 2009)

The clubs have spoken....

*Saturday, March 07, 2009*

*Cork clubs vent anger at County Board
By Brendan Larkin *

A DRAMATIC call was made by John O’Brien, Servicing Officer of the Cork and Munster Vocational Schools Councils, for a root and branch analysis of the Cork County Board, at a meeting of all clubs at the Community Hall, Clonakilty last night.

Over 250 representatives (102 clubs, 52 juniors, 50 senior/intermediate) gathered to hear harsh criticism of the officers of the County Board and in particular secretary Frank Murphy, by a host of speakers who expressed their sheer frustration at the impasse involving the 2008 senior hurlers and their coach Gerald McCarthy. 

Mr O’Brien said he understood the county secretary will be 65 years old this year and the clubs needed to know what his intentions were regarding the job. 

"We also need to know what Mr Murphy’s contract is and I will be asking that at Tuesday night’s meeting at the Rochestown Park Hotel. 

"We have been beating around the bush long enough on this issue and getting nowhere. It’s time for courageous decisions to be taken; hard questions need to be asked. 

"The Director General Padraic Duffy and President elect Christy Cooney referred to a root and branch analysis needing to be done and I would certainly endorse that." 

Clonakilty official John McCarthy said there was a huge communication gap between the County Board and the club. 

"There appears to be only a one way track. It’s a shocking way to be treating people who are working extremely hard on the ground promoting the games." 

Referring to the recent address of a county board meeting by Gerald McCarthy the Clon delegate said asking the delegates to vote by a show of hands was not the way to conduct business. 

"It’s time for the clubs of this county to take back control of our association. I would applaud the players who said they would accept whatever decision the clubs made and would disband. 

"If Gerald McCarthy decided to take a similar stand this matter would be over by now. We need new delegates with fresh ideas to represent us at the county board. 

"I’m not including the Clonakilty delegate in that but the majority of the present delegates do not reflect the views of their clubs at county board meetings." 

‘We reneged on responsibilities and we need to address that’ 

The Randal Óg delegate said it was time to call a spade a spade. "I cannot understand how a group of people could sit around a table and pick Gerald McCarthy as manager of the senior hurling team know full well that he was not wanted by the players. 

"Gerald McCarthy was given two years as coach and he failed miserably. If that happened in my club the manager would be kicked out the door." 

The Blarney delegate said it was not as hard as people thing to change the county board. "We have reneged on our responsibilities over the years and we need to address that now, but it can only be done through the structures of the association." 

The St Mary’s delegate called on every senior and intermediate club present to force this issue onto the floor at next Tuesday night’s meeting, and put the wishes of their clubs forward. 

"I would also call on all divisional officers to hold a meeting and instruct their delegates to vote according to the wishes of the clubs." 

The Banteer delegate called for a withdrawal of all clubs from playing activity from the first of April saying that it was one way to get the players back playing. 

"It would be interesting to see what the reaction of the board would be if we took that kind of action. 

"The county chairman is the man to solve this impasse and he should do what he was elected to do. Gerald McCarthy is being used as a pawn in this struggle." 

At the conclusion of the meeting which lasted almost two hours, it was unanimously agreed that the host club would send the following motion to the County Board: "We the Clonakilty GAA Club call on the Cork County board to call a special convention to deal with the present impasse." 

irishexaminer.ie

[broken link removed]


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## Lex Foutish (9 Mar 2009)

Does anyone else see the parallels between how communism died in Eastern Europe and the way things are going for the Cork County Board over the last few days? 

Frank Ceausescu has a certain ring to it, methinks!


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## The_Banker (9 Mar 2009)

The events are certainly playing out like Christmas 1989 alright.


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## Guest128 (9 Mar 2009)

I cant believe this rubbish was the first topic on Sunday Sport last night on RTE 2. There was full round of NFL games and this crap was given first preference. I'm sure the gardaí that were policing their march could have been deployed elsewhere in Cork.


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## The_Banker (9 Mar 2009)

FLANDERS` said:


> I cant believe this rubbish was the first topic on Sunday Sport last night on RTE 2. There was full round of NFL games and this crap was given first preference. I'm sure the gardaí that were policing their march could have been deployed elsewhere in Cork.


 
There was no need to have any Gardai at the march because the march organisers provided stewards. The Gardai were involved because it was felt that people may have been refused entry to Pairc Ui Chaoimh. However, the majority of the protesters dispersed after the march because they didn’t want to give money to the CCB.

All marches are deemed unnecessary by those who don’t agree with the marchers motives. However, in a true democracy marches are allowed as long as they are peaceful. If protest wasn’t allowed then the status quo would never change. Just what the CCB board wants as it happens. 

Des Bishop gave the marchers a good send off with a rousing speech and John Allen (former manager) was warmly greeted by the marchers as he marched with them.


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## Guest128 (9 Mar 2009)

Yes but when it takes precedence over the actual _games_ that the rest of the country want to see I take issue with the marches. March all ye want, march from Skib to Balbriggan if ye want but I dont want to have to wait for the march to be reported on before the Galway/Tyrone highlights.

*BTW, before any smart A$$ comes in with "Why, were you not at the game....?", I was at the Tyrone/Galway game but wanted to see the highlights anyway.


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## The_Banker (9 Mar 2009)

FLANDERS` said:


> Yes but when it takes precedence over the actual _games_ that the rest of the country want to see I take issue with the marches. March all ye want, march from Skib to Balbriggan if ye want but I dont want to have to wait for the march to be reported on before the Galway/Tyrone highlights.
> 
> *BTW, before any smart A$$ comes in with "Why, were you not at the game....?", I was at the Tyrone/Galway game but wanted to see the highlights anyway.


 
I take your point Flanders' but I think your issue is with RTE rather than the actual marchers. If RTE decide to show the march then that is an issue for them rather than the actual marchers????


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## Lex Foutish (9 Mar 2009)

Flanders', you have a fair point but I agree with The Banker. It is an RTÉ issue. And anyway, the march was almost as good as most of what was on the programme last night. 

I have an idea of how you're feeling when I think of all the crap the rest of us will have to put up with later in the year when Dublin are knocked out of the Football Championship again and life as we know it will come to an end for another year!


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## Guest128 (9 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Flanders', you have a fair point but I agree with The Banker. It is an RTÉ issue. And anyway, the march was almost as good as most of what was on the programme last night.
> 
> I have an idea of how you're feeling when I think of all the crap the rest of us will have to put up with later in the year when Dublin are knocked out of the Football Championship again and life as we know it will come to an end for another year!



LOL if that was supposed to be a dig at me it backfired badly as you should have gleaned from my last post that I am from either Galway or Tyrone, the former being the case! My current AAM location is temporary only to make my fortune on the east coast 



The_Banker said:


> I take your point Flanders' but I think your issue is with RTE rather than the actual marchers. If RTE decide to show the march then that is an issue for them rather than the actual marchers????



Yes I agree its an RTE issue and I will actually email them as well to complain but as regards the football quality vs the marching in Cork, I would prefer to watch any game that the usual "Another vote of no confidence in blah blah".


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## Mpsox (9 Mar 2009)

If we assume McCarthy will be gone over the next couple of weeks, 2 questions remain
Who will replace him?
What will the reaction of the 08 panel be when the next manager drops one of them for valid hurling/management reasons?

Everybody out, again??????


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## Lex Foutish (10 Mar 2009)

FLANDERS` said:


> LOL if that was supposed to be a dig at me it backfired badly as you should have gleaned from my last post that I am from either Galway or Tyrone, the former being the case! My current AAM location is temporary only to make my fortune on the east coast  quote]
> 
> No Flanders', in fairness, I copped that you weren't a Dub from that post. Not only are Corkonians humble, we're very intelligent as well! Glad you got a laugh out of it though. We could all do with a few more.
> 
> ...


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## Lex Foutish (10 Mar 2009)

Mpsox said:


> If we assume McCarthy will be gone over the next couple of weeks, 2 questions remain
> Who will replace him?
> What will the reaction of the 08 panel be when the next manager drops one of them for valid hurling/management reasons?
> 
> Everybody out, again??????


 
Interesting post, Mpsox. I haven't an answer to any of the above. Maybe Roy might be interested in taking over from Gerald! 

On a serious note, the whole thing has been a sad affair. I know Gerald (not very well) and I've had trophy dealings with him and he's a very nice, decent man, He's been the meat in this sandwich from day one. The root of the problem for years has been the Sec. of the County Board. He gets well deserved praise for many things over the years and has played a leading role in making the CCB one of hte richest, if not the richest, in the country.

But he has ruled Cork GAA with an iron fist. It appears he has been able to make decisions on his own that seem to totally defy logic. Remember the day he refused to allow Cork out to play extra time against Dublin in the National League Final? The Cork players were heading for the train when Barney Rock took the ball from the throw in and scored a winning goal into an empty net! And he kept his job!  Would you or I have been kept on if we had done something similar in our line of work?????????? 

The story around Cork for years has been that he wrote his own contract when he took up the job and that there's a clause stating that he cannot be fired or removed.

Many friends of mine have played minor and senior football and hurling for Cork and every single one of them regard him as a dictator and the root cause of most of the unrest in the Cork camp down through the years.

As I stated in a previous post, like Mugabe and Zimbabwe, there won't be any long term peace in Cork GAA till Frank Murphy has left the stage.


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## PaddyW (10 Mar 2009)

Just put ye're money on Kerry and Kilkenny this year. Safest bet of the lot


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## Lex Foutish (10 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> Just put ye're money on Kerry and Kilkenny this year. Safest bet of the lot


 
Be careful, Paddy. This could be Dublin's year!!!!!!


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## Mpsox (10 Mar 2009)

In fairness I think most people involved have what they perceive to be the best interests of the GAA in Cork at heart. I've seen Donal Og give up his time for nothing to do medal presentations and travel up to the North to give clinics. Ger Mc was a great hurler and captain and genuinely thought he was doing the right thing

As for Frank, he was a great man to have in your corner, think back to Semplegate for example when he was the guy battling to get those suspensions lifted. I just think his cuteness has backfired on him and I dread to think what it would cost to pay him off.


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## Guest128 (10 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Best of luck in the Leinster Championship. We might bump into ye at some stage and it's looking more and more like we might be able to put up a reasonable fight (Cork humility again) if we do.
> 
> Lex.



We are just going to put all 15 jerseys on Joe Canning and send him out with 15 hurls, our best starting 15!!


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## The_Banker (10 Mar 2009)

Reports coming in that Ger Mc has resigned.

Lets hope this resignation doesn't deflect fron the Cork County Board. Those guys on the top table have to go also IMO.


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## Mucker Man (10 Mar 2009)

He's gone alright. He said in his statement that he was concerned for his safety and the safely of his family, after he received a death threat.


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## Lex Foutish (10 Mar 2009)

Yeah, Gerald has definitely gone. The edited version of his statement is below.

[broken link removed]


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## Lex Foutish (10 Mar 2009)

The_Banker said:


> Reports coming in that Ger Mc has resigned.
> 
> Lets hope this resignation doesn't deflect fron the Cork County Board. Those guys on the top table have to go also IMO.


 
Agreed Banker. But should we be calling them the Cork County Politburo?


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## PaddyW (11 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Be careful, Paddy. This could be Dublin's year!!!!!!




Haha, funny man


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## Betsy Og (11 Mar 2009)

I think the interesting bit starts now. What changes ahead (if any), the clubs should keep pushing for meaningful change (I dont think Ger going is that meaningful).


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## Caveat (11 Mar 2009)

Mucker Man said:


> ... after he received a death threat.


 
WTF?!

Seriously?  I don't like any sport so hard for me to be worked up in any way about this whole thing but I can't believe that someone would actually go as far as to make a death threat - are they utterly mad?

I'm delighted this seems to be all over, because (and sorry to all you GAA fans) I was sick and tired beyond belief of hearing about it.


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## PaddyW (11 Mar 2009)

Caveat said:


> WTF?!
> 
> I can't believe that someone would actually go as far as to make a death threat - are they utterly mad?



It's Cork. Of course they're mad......


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## Betsy Og (11 Mar 2009)

I dont think its unprecedented. I know Jimmy Cooney (the Galway ref who blew up early in the Clare V Offaly game) got dogs abuse, including phone calls which, if I'm correct, promised to burn down his house etc. 

I wouldnt take any of it that seriously, but it does temper any temptation for the players to "celebrate" the result since Ger attributes very despicable factors to his decision to go (and I'm not for a minute linking the players to eejits making death threats).


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## Mpsox (11 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> It's Cork. Of course they're mad......


 

 a village pub where I come from in Cork was largely boycotted for 18 years after their sons went off to play for the next parish. Quite right too

Mind you, no country can say they are exempt from the madness, in Wicklow they've locked refs in the boots of cars for example. 

Joking aside, no one can condone what was said to Ger Mc and his family. Appaling but there are plonkers everyhere


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## Lex Foutish (11 Mar 2009)

PaddyW said:


> It's Cork. Of course they're mad......


 
Ah, Paddy!!!!!!!!!! You're at us again! Madness is all relative really. Like looking for hairs growing on the palm of your hand or trying to slap a wasp away from a referee's notebook!


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## PaddyW (11 Mar 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Ah, Paddy!!!!!!!!!! You're at us again! Madness is all relative really. Like looking for hairs growing on the palm of your hand or trying to slap a wasp away from a referee's notebook!



I know.. sure those pesky wasps get everywhere!!


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## Lex Foutish (11 Mar 2009)

All very quiet on the Southern Front!

Any talk around the place about who might replace Gerald?


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## Betsy Og (13 Mar 2009)

I had a laugh when I read this on Hoganstand:

"The county board's recommendation was to hand over the power of appointing the new manager to the GAA's Central Council. "

There's outsourcing and then there's abdicating one of your central roles. Isnt this type of admission enough to illustrate that the CCB has lost the confidence of the county (& maybe its own confidence) and should go?

Sure with Nicky Brennan (Kilkenny) still wielding influence at central council they might recommend some starlet manager from Donegal hurling !!


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## Lex Foutish (16 Mar 2009)

Passed by Páirc Ui Rinn earlier tonight. The lights were on and I took a quick look inside. 15 a side game going on. Couldn't stay too long but John Gardiner looked very sharp while I was there.


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## Lex Foutish (22 Mar 2009)

Yes, boy! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FmPhJkdTwU

The first two lines say it all!


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## Lex Foutish (23 Mar 2009)

Just saw on peoplesrepublicofcork.com that TV3 are showing a programme tonight called "Rebellion-The Story of the Cork Hurling Crisis." 

Checked the schedule. It's on at 9 pm.


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