Limerick board hope to resolve impasse

THE LIMERICK County Board executive met the hurling panel last night in an attempt to iron out the current stand-off with manager Justin McCarthy.

The board was represented by chairman Liam Lenihan, secretary Michael O’Riordan and treasurer Owen Hayes.

McCarthy’s lack of communication when removing nine veterans from the panel and the subsequent support from the county board led to a further eight hurlers leaving the panel in a show of solidarity for the excluded.

These are Brian Geary, Damien Reale, Séamus Hickey, Donal O’Grady, Wayne McNamara, James O’Brien, James Ryan and 2007 All Star goalkeeper Brian Murray. Hickey and Murray, two players expected to feature strongly in Limerick’s on-field future, are the most recent departures from the panel.

The hope at board level is to find a solution to the conflict between McCarthy and his panel before next Thursday’s full county board meeting when all 69 club delegates will provide their opinion.

The board do not expect a vote on McCarthy’s future at the meeting. No player representatives are expected to attend but the hurling management may be present to answer questions from the floor about the conflict.

The board have already admitted McCarthy’s decision to inform players about trials and training via text, and not the omitted, was regrettable and poor communication by McCarthy.

In 2008 McCarthy was forced to step down as Waterford hurling manager after the players voiced their opposition to his methods midway through the championship. The 64-year-old Cork native was appointed Limerick manager the following season guiding them to the All-Ireland semi-final, where they were heavily defeated by Tipperary 6-19 to 2-7.

“We are hopeful the ongoing problem can be sorted out before the December 3rd meeting,” said a county board source. “It is in everybody’s best interest that a solution is found.”

The Limerick Leader yesterday noted problems with holding the county board meeting in Ballygagran community centre at 6.30pm next Thursday and the decision to exclude the media. Two items will be on the agenda: “The current state of play in Limerick hurling” and a general discussion on the newly announced “GPA/GAA partnership”.

Despite the current ban of intercounty panels training collectively in November and December, McCarthy is due to host a second trial match this Sunday.

The other winter hurling crisis, in Clare, could take a step forward this weekend when county board chairman Michael O’Neill along with two mediators – one is former sponsor Pat O’Donnell – seeks to solve the current stand-off that saw the hurling panel vote 26 to one in favour of the removal of manager Mike McNamara.

Meanwhile, Wexford GAA board have come out in support for the proposed agreement between the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA).

The board at their monthly meeting on Tuesday night held a very brief discussion after which they gave the interim agreement their approval. While some delegates questioned the fact they had only received the four-page document on the agreement announced in Croke Park on Saturday last, the day of the meeting, the board still decided to hand down their approval.

County chairman Ger Doyle eased delegates concerns when he said that delegates will have an opportunity to discuss the agreement.

This decision only decides on how Central Council delegate Joe O’Shaughnessy should vote on the GAA/GPA deal at Saturday week’s meeting in Croke Park.

Doyle said: “This will only give approval to enable a motion be tabled for All-Ireland Congress next year. We will have another opportunity to discuss it when dealing with the Congress motions.”

However, only three delegates made a contribution to the short debate, when questioning the lack of notice to study the document and discuss it with the clubs.

Davidstown-Courtnacuddy delegate Joe O’Shea said he had only received the four-page document that day. “I told my club secretary I would be voting against it. The club’s have not had an opportunity to discuss it,” he said.