Big guns move in to try to end Cork strike

GAA director general Páraic Duffy and Kieran Mulvey were last night engaged in discussions to try and resolve the ongoing dispute between senior players and the Cork County Board.

There was some surprise when the announcement was made by Duffy in Croke Park earlier yesterday before he flew to Cork to assist in attempts to broker a breakthrough in the deadlock that threatens the county's participation in both National League competitions.

Although Mulvey had made himself available to return to Cork to resume the talks that he adjourned late on 26th January, he had also let it be known that unless there was a shift in the parties' positions he wouldn't be making the journey.

With no noticeable movement in the impasse the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission has, nonetheless, agreed to return.

Duffy's intervention is a major move by Croke Park, particularly less than a week into the new DG's term of office.

At his first media conference in office, Duffy revealed his intention to get involved, but emphasised he had no specific grounds for confidence. "I don't know. I would love to say that I can see it being resolved.

"I suppose, as with any dispute, it will eventually be resolved because that's the way disputes go. Will it be resolved quickly in the coming week? I don't know.

"It's extremely difficult, intractable. Kieran Mulvey has worked very hard the weekend before last and has had contact with the parties in the past few days and we're hoping to resume discussions this evening.

"Kieran is going to Cork this afternoon and I'm going with him to see if we can move this along. Kieran felt it would be helpful and obviously I'm happy to do that. I have to say we're going to Cork with no magic solution in our pockets. We're going down to talk and see if there's a way out of this. That's as much as I can say."

The director general brings a few things to the table in the talks. Mulvey - although approached by Croke Park to act as a facilitator - is not a representative of the GAA and not empowered to speak on their behalf in terms of national policy.

Duffy obviously is and also brings the authority of his office to bear on a local impasse that is already impinging on the National Leagues.

Thirdly, Duffy came to his current position having been player welfare manager in Croke Park and successfully negotiated the awards scheme with the Gaelic Players Association and the Government. He is understood to have a good working relationship with Cork hurler and player negotiator Donal Cusack.

Asked did he believe Cork would be removed from the National Leagues, he reiterated the GAA's stance that failure to fulfil two fixtures would result in disqualification from the competitions. "No one wants to see a county with Cork's traditions and the contribution it's made to the games (in this situation). There's no point in me saying that - that's obvious; the question is, can we change that?"

Having been granted a postponement by the Central Competitions Control Committee in respect of last weekend's scheduled NFL fixture against Meath, the county is running out of time ahead of next Sunday's opening NHL engagement with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.

"We have to sort this out Wednesday-Thursday. There's short-term urgency in terms of next Sunday because no one wants a situation where points are conceded because games aren't played, but, longer term, it gets much more serious."