Limerick officials blast GAA and GPA chiefs

LIMERICK GAA chiefs have slammed the GAA and GPA for failing to help in resolving the hurling standoff in the county with one official claiming the Players’ Association ‘have held up progress and undermined the negotiations.’

Though the majority of the 2009 senior squad steadfastly refuse to play under manager Justin McCarthy, both national associations refused to become involved in any mediation.

And officials and delegates at this week’s county board meeting in Claughan were united in their displeasure at the lack of action from the capital on the matter.

Senior selector John Touhy, appointed by the board last December to act as mediator between the disaffected players and the management team, submitted a letter to the meeting which was read by county board chairman Liam Lenihan.

In that letter, Touhy took issue with both organisations, but with GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell in particular.

“From the outset I believed that all the players want to play for Limerick, and I still believe this to be true,” wrote Touhy. “It’s unfortunate Croke Park didn’t take the opportunity to sit down with the county board officers, the management team and the players.

“I know some players were ready, but not all and unfortunately it did not happen. I have always worked on the on-going development of player welfare and would have supported the GPA in their quest for many things.

“This was an important issue for the GPA and the GAA. I pointed this out to Mr Dessie Farrell over a couple of conversations. However, I would have to say that on this occasion the GPA has not been helpful to our situation in any way – in fact I would go so far as to say, they have held up progress, undermined the negotiations.

“All situations are resolved, eventually. I pray the day will come in our county when players play, managers manage, and administrators administer. The Limerick hurling public deserves an honest and committed Limerick hurling team who will deliver the success they have craved for so long.”

While Liam Lenihan expressed disappointment at Croke Park’s decision not to get involved (the reason given, according to county secretary Mike O’Riordan, was that Croke Park felt it would be ‘futile’), delegate Richard Burke from the Galbally club was more forceful.

He said: “What’s most disappointing for me is that the president (Christy Cooney) and the chief executive (Paraic Duffy) of the GAA have decided that wouldn’t bother coming down to Limerick.

“If you were the head of a trade union, or if you were running a business, you would instruct people to come in and try to find a solution. This county voted for this president at Congress, but he and the chief executive are paying scant regard to what is their business.

“There’s going to be a loss of funds in Limerick this year because of this. I think it’s terrible that those people at national level are not getting involved. There was an incident in a club game in Galway last year, after which people had their suspensions reduced from 52 to eight weeks, and Croke Park got involved. This is a far more serious issue, but they won’t get involved, pay us that much respect. Dessie Farrell is on the other side, representing the players, he should be contacting them, getting involved, it shouldn’t be left to our county secretary.

“I’m disgusted with the president, disgusted. He made reference to Nemo Rangers, who allowed the Irish rugby team to train in their facilities during the recent frost; he was prepared to get involved there, suggested they were breaking the rules and would have to pay a price – this is a far more important issue.

“I think we should send him that in writing; our delegates voted for him to be our servant, to give leadership – (instead) they have washed their hands of it, without even coming down. A very big fence has been broken; he would want to remember that he’s the head of a national organisation.”