Hurling legends Carey, Whelahan back strike

HURLING legends DJ Carey and Brian Whelahan last night warned GAA chiefs they will go “as far as they have to” to support Cork’s hurling rebels.

Carey and Whelahan were on opposite sides in yesterday's Leinster club final in Portlaoise, but were united in their belief that players around the country will not stand idle if Cork's County Board attempt to go beyond the 30 striking hurlers for a team next year.

"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 that far (selected 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 players. It will go as far as it has to go. Players are important to me; the Cork players did their bit this year, but it's the old situation: 'we're administration, we're first, we're the ones getting paid, and we'll make the decisions.'

"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."

Birr's Brian Whelahan drew comparisons with the World Cup fiasco in Saipan, warning: "Bad man-management allowed it fester beyond repair, and now we're seeing the same thing again."

Carey was even more forthright. "This is just another instance to show what administration thinks of players, and they're really showing in Cork now what they think of their own. No feeling, no respect, no nothing the way they look at it is, there are plenty of lads to hurl, if you won't. No matter how big a name you are, how good a player, that's the way it is - if you won't do it, there are plenty of lads to replace you. And that's the attitude they've always had.

"It's very unfortunate that players have got to go down this road, but it appears as if they were left with no choice. What they're looking for is minimal, and I for one can't understand why it hasn't been given. I know in the Kilkenny County Board, they go away out of their way to facilitate players; whether it's through Brian Cody, or a spokesman for the players, we are well looked after. When you have a county like Cork not prepared to go any distance to meet the players, it's just very regrettable. If people are in a position of leadership and can't sort out the problem, they've got to look at themselves first, and ask should they be in that position.

"The most important people in the game are the players, and if they (Cork County Board) can't see what the needs of those players are, especially when they've being told what those needs are, they should sit down and ask themselves the question, 'should I be in this position at all?' "

Whelehan blasted: "It's not the first time this has gone on in Cork. In his recent book, Justin McCarthy outlined many previous problems. You can say what you like, but the players are the shop window, and if you don't look after your players, if they're not treated well, what's the point of it all? We can have the best stadiums in the world, we have one already, but what's the point in having the bricks and mortar if you're not looking after the players, those who are giving their all? But it's not just the team management, my criticism would be totally of the clubs in Cork. If they can't get up and back their own players at County Board level, well then there's a big, big problem. It's about time someone stood up to whatever powers-that-be, and face them down. It's like a dictatorship down there."

Another Allstar, Birr's Johnny Pilkington added: "Who's going to wear Joe Deane's jersey if Deane won't? It would be an insult to the Cork panel if anyone else takes those jerseys. I'm surprised it happened in Cork, but delighted they're taking a stand on it."

Kilkenny ace Charlie Carter maintained he was always well looked after with the black and amber. "I'd know a lot of the boys from Cork, and I don't think they'd ask for too much. Only if it was dire straits would they take an action like this, and it looks that way at the moment. I couldn't see something like this happening in Kilkenny, I think our lads have gone with the times, but that doesn't seem to have happened down there. Maybe fellas have been in there for too long, maybe they'd need to have a look at themselves, but they'd need to do it soon, because it won't be long 'til we're all back in training, and they could be left behind."