AGM off as Limerick hurling crisis rumbles on

THE Limerick hurling saga is set to drag on after tonight’s specially-convened County Board AGM and the first county board meeting of the year were both postponed due to the adverse weather conditions.

The decision was taken on Sunday with both meetings rescheduled for Tuesday night, January 18 in Claughaun.

There had been speculation that the clubs of the county could possibly table a vote of no confidence in the board executive officers.

County Board PRO Helen Cross insisted that the executive had no choice but to postpone the meetings.

“The weather conditions are very bad at the moment in Limerick, particularly in areas in the west of the county. In places like Mountcollins, Abbeyfeale and Tournafulla it’s treacherous at the moment.

“A lot of our delegates would have difficulty in travelling to the meeting and you couldn’t ask them to try and get into the city in such weather. The best decision was to postpone the meeting until next week.”

The agenda for the specially- convened County Board AGM solely consists of the election of a new development officer to the board executive, with Liam O’Sullivan (Claughaun) and Gerry Philips (Monagea) set to contest the position. The AGM will be followed by the first county board meeting of the year where amongst the items on the schedule is the ratification of John Tuohy as a new selector in Justin McCarthy’s management team.

This item could provide club delegates with the opportunity to raise the matter of the ongoing hurling debacle.

Meanwhile former Limerick goalkeeper Timmy Houlihan has been handed a dramatic chance to revive his intercounty hurling career under McCarthy.

Houlihan is one of the players currently in training under McCarthy’s watch as the under-fire manager prepares for the seasonal Waterford Crystal Cup opener on January 24. Limerick county board secretary Mike O’Riordan indicated last night that McCarthy has yet to finalise his squad but confirmed that Houlihan is currently involved.

It is also believed that more trial matches are planned before McCarthy decides upon his panel of players for the Waterford Crystal tournament and beyond. Houlihan, 27, won three successive All-Ireland U-21 medals with Limerick from 2000-2002 and cemented a place as a regular senior player during that time. Houlihan was involved at various times until 2005 before being replaced by Brian Murray as first choice goalkeeper in 2006.

However, Adare clubman Houlihan did feature during the 2006 season when he came on as a substitute in the heavy All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Clare in Ennis.

Kerry and Kilkenny natives are other players under consideration by McCarthy, who is holding firm in his position despite being without all but six of the panel from last year’s All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary.

Former Kerry goalkeeper Tadhg Flynn, currently playing his club hurling with Ahane in Limerick, looks set to battle it out with Houlihan for the number one shirt.

Kilkenny native Anthony Owens is currently hurling with the South Liberties club and is tipped for a place in Limerick’s half forward line.

James Mann of Patrickswell is also involved at the present time and he is a relative of Limerick’s newly elected Munster Council delegate Oliver Mann.

Former minor star Sean Herlihy of Monagea, who has tasted Fitzgibbon Cup action with Limerick IT, is another well-known player who will feature in the new regime, as well as South Liberties captain Shane O’Neill. David Moloney, who scored the winning point for Blackrock in the recent Munster junior club hurling final, is one of the six players from last year’s squad still involved. Paul Browne (Bruff), Paudie McNamara (Murroe-Boher), David Breen (Na Piarsaigh), Brian O’Sullivan (Kilmallock) and Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock), are the others.