Inquiry may be needed, says Farrell

GPA chairman Dessie Farrell believes that an inquiry may be needed to resolve the row which has erupted between Cork hurlers and the Cork County Board.

Members of the inter-county panel will meet senior Board officials following the public spat between the two groups that developed after players publicly expressed grievances in the past week.

Farrell said that if no satisfactory conclusion could be reached, an investigation should begin to solve the dispute.

Describing the attitude of some Cork officials towards the GPA this year as “a throw back to the dark ages”, Farrell felt that if answers from the county board did not suffice, the players should consider such an inquiry.

“It is absolutely scandalous that this situation was allowed to develop to the extent that it did in Cork,” he said. “And if there is found to be intimidation and bully-boy tactics used by officials to stop players from joining a players’ association, then there is definitely a need for an investigation into what went on.

“For something like this to arise in this day and age is unbelievable. What Cork hurlers were subjected to can’t be tolerated by the GPA, and shouldn’t be tolerated by the GAA. It is absolutely disparaging to see administrators behave the way they did.

“Thankfully, this is an isolated case, but something has to be done, to show officials they cannot treat players in this manner.”

The effect on Cork hurlers was plain to see in Thurles in their meek championship surrender to Galway, but there are wider issues at stake.

Ironically, only last week, the GPA discovered a letter written by legendary Cork hurler James Kelleher, describing the atrocious manner in which Cork hurlers were treated, in deference to the officials and administrators.

“It looks like the Cork officials shot themselves in the foot on this one anyway,” Farrell said.

“If you look at the teams left in the remainder of the championship, and even those contesting the quarter finals, every team has a healthy GPA membership and there was no detrimental factor for any of them.

“Cork footballers have been very active in the GPA since our inception and we never had any problems with them. So, it beggars belief as to why this situation was allowed to arise and develop with the hurlers.

“And the ordinary GAA man in Cork deserves some answers as well, if this sort of treatment has been dished out to their county team, and adversely affected their season. Some officials have a lot to answer for.”

The GPA, who last week launched the awarding of a car to player of the year in both codes, received its first public backing from a county board when Donegal chairman Danny Harkin spoke in support of the GPA’s request for a flat rate of expenses.

Harkin went on record as saying the players’ association was under-selling itself with the proposal of €127 a week.