Cork board to meet players before making move on coach

CORK GAA chiefs will wait until after a planned face-to-face meeting with the senior hurlers in a fortnight before deciding on a course of action to replace manager Bertie Óg Murphy and possibly his team of selectors.

Murphy's resignation, revealed in yesterday's Irish Examiner, won't be formally confirmed until next week's meeting of the County Board but his decision is final. However, he has declined to make any comment on the matter, or offer an explanation for his action.

Board chairman Jim Cronin pointed out news of Murphy's decision had not reached them yet but he did not question the accuracy of the report. He made it clear nothing will be done until after the Executive meets with the players.

The news that Bertie Óg had decided to opt out after only one year in the position is not entirely surprising given the circumstances of the team's defeat by Galway in the second round of the qualifier competition on July 14.

Based on the unprecedented level of public criticism by senior players subsequently over issues such as gear, travel, GPA membership and access to gym facilities it's obvious the team was not in a position to give its best. The controversy was further fuelled by suggestions of conflict between players and individual selectors.

In the aftermath of the Galway defeat, arguably the team's most embarrassing since the failure to Waterford in a replay in 1989, Murphy conceded management and players had a shared responsibility. More pertinently, he said that as coach he had been embarrassed by the standard of hurling they produced.

"I thought we did not seem to want the match as much as Galway,'' he said.

While he was not prepared to make a direct criticism of the players, he did imply that they did not give of their best in the game.

"Obviously you would have to be disappointed. I am normally associated with a team that performs well and if we are beaten it's not through lack of effort or not playing good hurling.''

While Cork did manage to beat Limerick in their first-round qualifier, their performance in the championship against Waterford wasn't convincing.

In the National League final against Kilkenny, a number of players staged a GPA-motivated protest by pulling their socks down for the parade. Many observers feel seeds of discontent emanating from that action undermined the team and the manager.

Considering there have been ongoing rumours of player dissatisfaction with the Cork management set-up, it's felt that Board Executive could face a crisis if further conflict is not avoided.

However, Jim Cronin isn't contemplating such a possibility at this stage: "The first thing we have to do is meet with the players. Nothing can be forecast until that meeting takes place.

"We will see where we will go from there. And, as soon as we know where we are, we will obviously put somebody in place.

"There won't be any great rush but at the same time there shouldn't be any reason to delay either.''

Gerald McCarthy's name is the one which has been mentioned most as a possible successor.

There has also been speculation that Sean O'Leary might be interested and that an approach could be made to Blackrock coach Timmy Murphy.

Sean O'Gorman is the current U-21 coach, with a further year to serve, but sources close to him indicate he would not be interested.

Justin McCarthy, of course, would be an obvious replacement but for the fact he is committed to Waterford for the foreseeable future. More significantly, as he outlined in his book, he would find it hard to believe he would be offered the job.

Interestingly, his former Passage club-mate David Keane has taken over in Limerick.

While Gerald McCarthy's track record more than qualifies him for the position, the belief is he would only take over the position on his terms in other words that he would be able to pick his own selectors.

While the Executive might be prepared to concede on these grounds to him or somebody else selling the idea to the clubs would be another matter.

They continue to uphold the principle of giving the county champions automatic representation as well as supplying the team captain.

Back in 1993, after St Finbarrs won the last of their 25 county championships, Gerald McCarthy turned down the offer of coaching Cork when he could not be guaranteed a place on the selection committee. The 'Barrs nominated Tony O'Shaughnessy instead and Johnny Clifford took over as coach, filling the position for two years until Jimmy Barry-Murphy took over following Cork's victory in the 1995 All-Ireland minor final.

Clearly, it's going to be difficult to resolve. Firstly it will involve the other four selectors (Pat McDonnell, Frank Murphy, PJ Murphy and John Meyler) having to stand down. Secondly, the Executive may have to change the method of appointing selectors to meet the demands of the new manager.