No resolution in sight as Rebel hurlers vote to remain on strike

A SECRET ballot taken by the Cork hurlers last night resulted in a unanimous decision to remain on strike with their footballing counterparts with both panels prepared to forego a season’s action if necessary.

The vote was taken at a meeting of the two panels in the Commons Inn hotel in Cork where the players were briefed by their representatives on developments in the stand-off, including the latest proposals put forward by LRC chief Kieran Mulvey and GAA Director General Paraic Duffy.

Significantly, player sources have indicated that it was “always intended” to discuss the proposals tabled by Mulvey and Duffy at a meeting of both panels. Though attention last night focused on the footballers’ suggestion that the hurlers return to action, in a larger context it is believed that the respect in which Duffy is held by the players may facilitate progress going forward.

Hurler Tom Kenny outlined the sequence of events in yesterday’s meeting. “There was a motion put forward by the footballers that maybe the hurlers should go back and play the games this year,’’ he said. ‘‘The footballers left the room and we took a secret ballot and it was unanimously agreed we back the footballers this year because it would directly affect us in the coming year.”

Kenny stressed that both panels were prepared to forego a season’s action if necessary: “As part of those two secret ballots it was a given that we might not see any action in hurling and football this year, and the players have accepted that.”

Kenny and Cork’s 2007 football captain Derek Kavanagh, were both speaking to RTÉ’s Sunday Sport, and Kavanagh said the players’ position had not changed since their original statement — declaring they would not participate under the new system of manager appointments introduced by the county board — was issued to the Irish Examiner last November.

“We’re still against going back playing. When we issued that statement back then we were committed to, if it took it, missing a year out with Cork in hurling and football, so be it.”

Responding to suggestions that working with new manager Teddy Holland for one season might be acceptable to the football squad if the new selectors were to step down, Kavanagh said: “No — that was discussed in the meeting, but a whole lot of things were discussed in the meeting. And the representatives in the meeting rejected it straightaway.”

Kavanagh stressed that the players were happy with the lines of communication between themselves and their representatives at the negotiations.

“Almost on a daily basis reps have been contacting players or players have been contacting reps. Everything’s been going through, and everyone knows everything, basically. There’s been a lot of beating around the bush but I think it comes down to the simple fact — we’re pleading with Teddy Holland his selectors to step down for the good of Cork GAA.”

Meanwhile County PRO Bob Ryan last night re-iterated that the players had expressed a willingness to accept Teddy Holland as football manager during the negotiations early last week but demanded his selectors step down.