Meeting is ‘last chance saloon’, says Cusack
The players have invited chairmen of junior, intermediate and senior clubs in order to make their case in the ongoing dispute in Cork GAA following Tuesday night’s vote of confidence in hurling manager Gerald McCarthy from the Cork County Board.
“We’ll push on with the meeting,” said Cusack yesterday. “We know guys are being dissuaded from going there in an effort to embarrass us. All we’ve tried to do is get our story out there, anyone can ask us any questions, and that’s what we want to do.
“We’re doing this because it’s a very important part of our lives, but we’d prefer not to be part of this type of Cork. If that’s the way it goes, then it’ll be the end for a number of guys, because they’ll be too old by the time it comes around again. Some of the younger guys will have time to go back — that’s up to every guy himself.
“If that’s the way it goes, then so be it. We had a good time for 10 years, we did our best, we tried to change things for the better. We wanted to leave something better behind us, and in every discussion — the players will tell you this — we’ve always spoken about the future. We can’t do something that’ll damage the future.
“We’ll be very disappointed that it’s ended this way. We’ve as much pride in that jersey as anyone else, and a lot of us have been playing for Cork since we were 14, but if that’s the way it has to end, that’s the way it has to end.”
In a lengthy 96fm radio interview yesterday with Neil Prendeville, Cusack, John Gardiner and Tom Kenny reiterated their position, rejecting suggestions that the players were not united and calling for structural change within the GAA in Cork.
Cusack said that the personal criticism of Sean Óg O hAilpín by Gerald McCarthy had made it impossible for the men to share a dressing-room again but added that statements issued by McCarthy and the board were designed to deflect attention away from the main issues.
“We’d encourage people to read those statements,” said Cusack. “I firmly believe that the people of Cork can see through this.
“We understand Gerald McCarthy would fight his corner. He’s a proud man and he’s a tough man. We have an issue with the talk of commercialism and professionalism.”
Cork GAA chairman Jerry O’Sullivan also spoke on the programme and was asked by John Gardiner why Gerald McCarthy was reappointed.
“Leaving personalities aside and basing it on performance, why would you want to put him (Gerald McCarthy) back in if, for the last two years he hasn’t reached any finals and hasn’t been successful with Cork?”
O’Sullivan rejected suggestions that the board did not want the hurlers to be successful and stressed that the decision regarding Gerald McCarthy had been made “and was not going to be revisited”.
Gerald McCarthy participated briefly in the discussion, denying that the 2008 players had spoken to him since he was re-appointed.
The meeting, schedule for the Maryborough House, will start at 7 pm and is open to the club chairmen plus one other member of every club - senior, intermediate and junior (hurling and football) - in the county.
It is understood that media representatives will not be present at the meeting itself.
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