Cork GAA chiefs respond to strike Tuesday

CORK GAA chiefs will respond in full to criticism from the county’s striking hurlers at a Board meeting tomorrow night.

The Board's executive met for an hour last night to discuss the crisis and have indicated they will deal with the furore in public at tomorrow night's meeting at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

The decision coincided with a call from the Gaelic Player's Association to deal openly and honestly with the hurling issues, and not "hide in the committee room".

Also, last night, 17 of the Cork footballers met to discuss the crisis. Captain Colin Corkery described the meeting as "constructive".

"Because there were at least a dozen players unable to attend at such short notice, it's our intention to meeting again on Wednesday after which a more detailed statement will be issued," he said.

Three Cork hurlers Joe Deane, Fergal Ryan and Mark Landers briefed the footballers at last night's meeting on their historic decision to strike.

Meanwhile, the GPA claim the plight of the Cork hurlers is not as isolated in the GAA "as some would have us believe".

Chief executive Dessie Farrell said last night: "Cork County Board's response to the list of demands outlined by the players has been disdainful and we would urge the wider GAA public in the county to engage with their representatives to ensure a change of attitude.

"While we will not attempt to pre-empt the County Board's response to Friday's action at their meeting on Tuesday, we must caution that a refusal to budge from the obstinate stance taken to date could have serious ramifications for the whole GAA."

Hurling legends DJ Carey and Brian Whelahan also warned GAA chiefs yesterday they will go "as far as they have to" to support Cork's hurling rebels.

"The Cork players have our full support," Whelahan said. "Players will support players, and that's the way it should always be."

Carey added: "If Cork County Board went as far (as selecting another team), it would show what they think hurling means to their own people, that they think they can ignore their own best players, for the sake of a few individuals.

"But if it happened, I can certainly see players backing the Cork lads. It will go as far as it has to go. Players are important. No player wants to take this route. The GPA started out of absolute pure frustration. The Cork players held on for as long as they possibly could, in fairness to them, but it just got to the stage where they couldn't hold on any longer."