THE CORK County Board have responded to what they describe as a “serious misrepresentation” of the process surrounding the controversial appointment of senior hurling manager Gerald McCarthy and regret the lack of engagement by players in the mediation process initiated by December’s county convention, reports Seán Moran.

In a statement issued yesterday evening the board set out their version of the process leading to the appointment, which triggered the stepping down of the entire senior hurling panel of 2008.

The statement points out that in accordance with the arbitration decision that ended last year’s dispute between players and county officials, two players were included on the committee to select a manager.

“The Hurling Appointment Committee had five meetings over a three-week period. At the first of these it was decided unanimously that Gerald McCarthy would be asked if he was interested in being reappointed as manager.

“His interest in being reappointed was conveyed to the second meeting of the appointment committee and was well received by the players’ representatives present. It was only at the third meeting, when a motion to recommend the reappointment of Gerald McCarthy was proposed and seconded, that a suggestion of opposition to him first arose.”

The statement goes on to state that the players on the committee wanted candidates for the position to be interviewed but adds that “the members of the county committee on the Appointment Committee were not favourable to this”.

“At the fifth meeting,” the statement continues, “the motion to recommend the appointment of Gerald McCarthy was taken. Although the names of other people had been mentioned briefly at a previous meeting, no other candidate was proposed, although the chairman invited other proposals. Gerald McCarthy received five votes. The players’ representatives did not vote and left the meeting.”

The statement also draws attention to last year’s arbitration, by the LRC’s Kieran Mulvey, which stipulated that the players “agree not to invoke any “strike” process in future where it is clear that the terms of this Arbitration Memorandum have been adhered to”.

The players dispute that the appointment committee adhered to the binding arbitration.

The full county board statement together with an account by county chair Jerry O’Sullivan of the failed mediation process initiated by December’s county convention is available on www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaa