Cork in deeper crisis as footballers strike

CORK GAA has been plunged into further crisis as the senior footballers last night withdrew their services in sympathy with their hurling colleagues.

The decision was reached following a two-hour meeting attended by 28 of the 30-strong panel.

Team captain Colin Corkery stressed that he and his teammates were taking this action in sympathy with their hurling colleagues, adding that the footballers had no problem with the team selectors but were in agreement with all the requirements of the hurlers.

“We consider that all these requirements should be provided to every player included on the Cork senior football panel,” Corkery said.

“As these have not today been agreed by the board we fully support the actions of the hurlers and confirm that accordingly we are withdrawing our services until further notice.”

The team captain said that the footballers were left with little option as the county board did not go far enough last night to resolve the hurling impasse.

He added that the footballers’ requests were similar to those of the hurlers, but they had three extra requests which they wanted addressed. However, he refused to elaborate on what they were.

“We will get to them at a later date,” he said.

Corkery said that the footballers would now be joining forces with the hurlers in the coming days and would jointly meet with the county board in a bid to resolve the issue.

He refused to comment on whether the footballers had any contact with the county board yesterday. Members of the hurling panel briefed the footballers on their decision to resume talks, but were not present for the passionate debate on strike action by the football panel.

Coach Larry Tompkins was fully briefed on the players’ decision, but was not invited to last night’s meeting. It leaves the county board executive facing a new round of discussions with representatives of the football panel.

Players committee chairman Jarlath Burns admitted to being unsurprised by the development.

“Really my position is no different, I really hope that everything sorts itself out. It was not entirely unexpected. The footballers are standing in solidarity with the hurlers as you would expect.”

Burns last night spoke with hurler Seanie McGrath, Cork’s representative on the players’ committee.

“At the moment it is still an internal issue, from what Seanie told me, most of the issues are local and both the footballers and hurlers want it to be dealt with inside Cork at the moment. I was encouraged by some of what Seanie told me but I think that there is still some ground to be covered.

“The situation should become a lot clearer after the convention on Sunday.”

Ironically the development comes as the row between the senior footballers and County sponsors O2 has been settled.

Representatives of the mobile phone giant met with players from both inter-county senior panels after football captain Colin Corkery last week claimed that a number of players did not wear the gear provided and were unhappy with the role being played by the sponsors.

However O2 brand and PR manager Mark Lee said that he was very satisfied that his talks with Corkery and dual star Diarmuid O’Sullivan in Cork on Tuesday had cleared the air.

“I was very happy with the meeting. We discussed a number of issues and discussed Colin’s comments which were made in the media,” Mr Lee said yesterday.

“But it seems that much of what he had to say arose out of other issues with the county board, which were unrelated to the sponsorship deal.

“It would be fair to say that all parties are happy with the outcome of our talks,” Mr Lee added.

He did not wish to be drawn on the current impasse between the panels and the county board.

However he admitted that O2 would be “absolutely” happy to assist in supplying additional gear, as demanded by the hurlers in their list of demands to the Board.