McCarthy hopes players get message

GAELIC GAMES:CORK SENIOR hurling manager Gerald McCarthy has sent a letter to each member of the 2008 intercounty squad to ascertain their availability for the coming season.

McCarthy is hoping for a swift response from the players so that he can finalise plans for the 2009 Waterford Crystal Tournament and the National Hurling League.

"I have written to the 30 players that were there during the 2008 NHL and during the championship," McCarthy told the Evening Echo newspaper yesterday. "I have outlined my plans for 2009 and I was also in a position to inform them that Dr Con Murphy and physio Declan O'Sullivan would be on board next season, joining Aodhán MacGearailt and Martin McSweeney in the backroom team.

"It's important that things start moving quickly as we will be back into the thick of things from the first day of January getting ready for the Waterford Crystal and the league.''

McCarthy admitted the "strike" by the players had affected everyone in Cork hurling. "Everybody has been affected, but we can move on and if the will is there, that can happen. It is, after all, a sport not a war. I would sincerely hope that everybody I have written to makes themselves available, but if they don't I would hope they won't stand in the way of others who want to play.''

Meanwhile, Google have joined forces with the GAA, as part of the strategic vision and action plan 2009-15, to implement a series of technology projects across the association.

"The implementation, which will be supported by Baker Security and Networks, will initially see the development of a more effective and easy to use email system," read a Croke Park press release yesterday.

"The second phase will involve the creation of an intranet site to enable club, county and provincial officers, as well as staff, to communicate more effectively with Croke Park and each other.

"The final phase will see the redevelopment of the GAA website using the latest technologies from Google to enable our association to deliver current and relevant information to all our members and the public in a modern and user friendly manner."

John Herlihy, vice-president Google EMEA, added: "Technology, and in particular the internet, can make it easier for members to communicate with each other and access advice, experiences and initiatives held by other groups."

Finally, the GAA director of games, Pat Daly, was asked this week about the proposed Meath motion to Congress calling for the introduction of an Aussie Rules-style mark in Gaelic football.

"I think the introduction of a mark is something the association has to look at," Daly conceded.

"There are two schools of thought on that. If you introduce a mark for a kick-out you are rewarding, you mentioned Meath, the Mark Ward type of players, the guy who is six-foot six. That's giving him an undue advantage over the guy who is not 6ft 6in."

The mark being proposed would only apply to kick-outs that pass the 45-metre line.