Feud puts future of hockey interpros in jeopardy

A LEADING hockey official has warned that the future of the Irish game’s interprovincial series is in jeopardy as the feud between the Irish Hockey Association (IHA) and the Munster branch shows no sign of abating.

Munster have reiterated its refusal to take part in the Interpros at the end of the month in protest at late format changes decided on by the national ruling body without consulting the individual branches.

The alteration, "foisted" upon the branches less than five weeks ago involves asking all three teams to play four games in just two days.

This was unacceptable to Leinster and Munster amid claims that such exertions would put their players at a needlessly increased risk of injury.

"My concern is that the IHA will go ahead with the tournament one way or another," said Leinster official Paul Foster yesterday.

"I have already told my branch president Des Byrne that I am deeply concerned that the IHA will exclude Munster from the Interpros this year and that might spell the end of the Interpros as we currently know them."

The IHA declined to comment on the matter yesterday, merely stating that Munster's abdication from the tournament would be discussed at their next management meeting this Sunday.

However, three options remain open the first, that Munster will back down and take part under the current structure, is a virtual non-runner.

The second would see Munster play Leinster and Ulster only once while the other two would go head to head twice. In effect, a complete fudge. The third would see Munster taking no part and their slot being taken by a President's XI.

The crisis could have been even more acute for the IHA had Leinster president Byrne not relented to a request from IHA President John Smith last week to reverse their original decision to also pull out of the event.

Byrne felt that, as hosts of the tournament, Leinster should accede to the IHA's proposals. No management committee meeting was adjourned to discuss this.

Instead, Byrne personally telephoned six of the seven membersand then informed an unhappy Foster that a majority had changed their minds and that Leinster would play after all.

While the prospect of the Interpros being scuppered is a serious one in itself, it is merely the latest battleground between the IHA and the branches.

Relations have been strained for a number of years, particularly over the national body's refusal to even countenance the possibility of an All-Ireland league which the branches feel could give the sport a much-needed shot in the arm.

Another official involved in the game in Leinster yesterday described men's hockey as being at a "crisis point", saying the ramifications of the latest disagreement would go far beyond the Interpros.

Munster president John Rose remains adamant the current dispute strictly surrounds the Interpros, although his annoyance at what many perceive to be the IHA's dictatorial manner of doing business was clear.

"The format of this year's Interpros is our only objection," Roe claimed.

"There is no other, hidden agenda in all of this. We decided two weeks ago that we would not be competing in the Interpros under the present format and informed the IHA of our decision.

"On Monday night, the council of the Munster branch met at the request of the IHA to reconsider our decision and we again informed the IHA that we stood by our original decision."

"If there was some discussion in all of this between the IHA and the branches, and then it was still the decision to proceed with the present format, then we could probably go along with it then. As it is, the change in format just landed in our laps without any consultation.

"Had we done that, all this could have been avoided. I still hope the situation will be resolved to everybody's satisfaction but, at present, it is too hard to call. The next step for us is to sit back and await developments."