Glen and Bride Rovers issue apologies
Both clubs were thrown out of the championship following a brawl during the clubs’ game on June 27.
Initially the county board had issued each club with a €7,500 fine but this was reduced to €2,000 by the Cork County Board’s hearings committee, which also determined the clubs should be expelled from the championship.
Last night the Blackpool club issued the following statement: “The Evening Echo Cork County Championship has always been the top priority of Glen Rovers Hurling Club. Over the years our contribution and commitment to this competition is well documented and is a source of pride to our club. Glen Rovers Hurling Club accepts that the standards displayed at half-time on the 27th of June 2010 in the game against Bride Rovers were not acceptable.
“The club wishes to unreservedly apologise to Coiste Chontae Chorcai and to the Cork GAA public for the actions of its members. Glen Rovers Hurling Club has requested the hearings committee to reconsider its recent decision and will abide by any further decision taken by this committee without pursuing the matter through any other channels.”
Later in the evening Bride Rovers issued a statement vowing that “incidents such as these have no place in the game and are taking steps internally to ensure that such events will be never be repeated again.” They too have called on the hearings committee to reconsider its recent decision. The statement read: “We, Bride Rovers GAA Club, apologise unreservedly for our role in the unacceptable events which took place during our Senior Hurling Championship game with Glen Rovers on June 27. We have been honoured to be part of this Championship since 2004 and sincerely regret the occurrence of these events. We fully acknowledge that the behaviour displayed during the period prior to half time and on the way to the dressing rooms area was totally unacceptable and we deeply regret any distress caused to patrons attending the game, match officials, grounds staff and any negative publicity these events may have created for our Association. We apologise to Coiste Chontae Chorcaí, to the County Hearings Committee, to the competition sponsors and to the wider Cork GAA community. The Club fully realise that incidents such as these have no place in the game and are taking steps internally to ensure that such events will be never be repeated again. We have requested the hearings committee under rule to reconsider its recent decision; the club will abide by any further decision taken by this committee. This will be the only avenue the club will pursue and will not be appealing to any other higher authority.”
If the hearings committee were to reverse the expulsions it would relieve a huge fixtures headache for the Cork County Board.
Expelling Glen Rovers merely leaves St Finbarr’s, their opponents in the next round, with a bye, but Bride Rovers’ expulsion from the relegation play-offs with Cloyne, Blackrock and Blarney is likely to cause bigger problems, as clubs would be unlikely to accept their senior status being compromised by the removal of another candidate for relegation.
