The ongoing Cork hurling crisis will not figure prominently when the GAA’s Management Committee convenes on Thursday evening, despite the likelihood of a series of meetings in the county this weekend bringing the matter to a head.
Over the coming days, the striking 2008 panel will look to solidify the support of clubs across the county for their efforts to remove Gerald McCarthy as manager and overhaul the delegate county board system.
Although Cork county board chairman Jerry O’Sullivan has repeatedly stated he won’t take any more motions on the issue, it has emerged that the Clonakilty club have invited chairmen from all junior, intermediate and senior clubs to attend a meeting in their Community Hall on Friday evening, for a joint discussion on the issue.
The striking players will not be present at the meeting.
By the time the players meet the club representatives on Sunday, at Maryborough House Hotel, there should be a much clearer indication as to the lie of the land, but it now seems likely they will be backed by the clubs.
The players maintain they will disband if they do not get the support they seek.
Whatever the outcome of the weekend's events, and after two unsuccessful attempts to bring about a solution, the GAA appears satisfied to allow those in Cork resolve the issue themselves.
A second march in support of the panel is planned for Sunday and will meet at Kennedy Park next to Pairc Ui Chaoimh at 2pm, before marching to the grounds just prior to the National Football League game against Fermanagh.
An estimated 10,000 people attended a protest march in Cork city centre on February 7th.