Bennis stirs Limerick hurling row

GAA legend Phil Bennis has accusedLimerick GAA chiefs of ‘bully-boy tactics’ in a growing dispute over a motion to convention to create a separate county hurling board.

Bennis, former Limerick senior manager and wing-back on the 1973 All-Ireland-winning side, was a member of a group who came together this year with a view to improving hurling on Shannonside and end their trophy famine. The result of their deliberations was a motion to the county convention, proposed by the Murroe-Boher club, which called on the board to establish a dedicated county hurling committee.

However in late November, a letter signed by county secretary Mike O’Riordan, was sent to every club in Limerick stating: “The County Executive is totally against the idea of establishing another layer of administration in the county and would have the view that this adhoc (sic) self appointed and self regulated group are undermining the County Board.”

Bennis slammed the response which he claims is undemocratic. He blasted: “Bully-boy tactics, that’s what we’re seeing in Limerick at the moment. Democratic? Definitely not!”

The ‘self regulated group’ referred to in the letter is the Hurling Committee Motion Group, a gathering of 16 individuals (14 of whom are former inter-county hurlers), four from each of the four divisions in Limerick. Amongst them is Bennis and Kilfinane’s Pat Heffernan, a selector under Donal O’Grady in 2011 and a former chairman of the South Limerick board.

The stand-off between JustinMcCarthy and his 2009 squad was the trigger for the formation of the group but Bennis insisted that their focus is not solely the senior county side.

He revealed: “We first met in June and then every two weeks after that — we actually met the county board twice, and on the second occasion a member of the board suggested that we should have a smaller representation from each side, maybe four, to continue discussions. This never happened, and why, I don’t know.

“We came to the conclusion that the county board is over-worked and decided it would be a good idea to help them out. We thought they would welcome this help with open arms. Our idea is that just as the football board has done wonders for gaelic football in the county, a hurling committee, made up of dedicated people from every hurling club in the county, would do the same for hurling.

“We wouldn’t be on the committee — we’re nobodies. We are just trying to get this established. The motion is clear, that a steering committee would be picked and they — not us — would pick this hurling committee. That committee would then meet and would have to come up with ideas for the betterment of hurling in Limerick. Times are changing, and we have to move with those changing times, or we’ll be left behind.”

In response to the county executive’s missive to the clubs, the hurling committee motions group has issued a written response, in which they outline their disappointment with the action of the executive.

“We are happy to let the convention delegates decide as to the merits of our efforts and our arguments, which is the appropriate place to argue one’s case. The issuing of this letter prior to the convention seem to suggest that open, honest debate is not welcomed in GAA circles.

“Such attitudes give rise to confrontation and can lead to the type of impasse that we saw in 2010. We are happy to leave it to the proper forum to discuss these issues and we hope that all clubs and delegates who have the interest of Limerick hurling at heart will come to a similar conclusion — the current structures do not work and probably have not worked for some years, so change is needed.

“We feel that if Limerick hurling affairs are given the opportunity to be managed in a similar way to the football board then this gives our county the best possible means for achieving success in the near future.”

The letter goes on to outline their vision for the betterment of Limerick hurling, under nine headings – Leadership, Fixtures, Coaching/Management, Parity (with the Football Board), Club Championships, Culture, Schools/Educational, Marketing, Finance.

“We need to do something, and fast,” continued Bennis. “Fifteen years ago there were eight senior hurling teams in Limerick city, six senior teams in west Limerick, now there are only two in each. I read lately where Tyrone played ten hurling games this year and won only one, and they’re disgusted over that, are holding a special meetings to debate it – Tyrone!

“Limerick lost every match they played in league and championship, and there’s nothing about it.”

Pat Heffernan insisted the good of Limerick hurling is their sole aim. “Someone has to be answerable for that. And they have to be answerable to someone, but that’s not the case. You shouldn’t have a situation where a guy is given a two-year term with no review, no matter how bad the first year – if they’re not doing a good job, they should be answerable.

“Down through the years you’ve had politics and personalities playing a huge part in Limerick hurling. That has to end. There are good men in charge of the various Limerick hurling teams this year, but what’s to say that we won’t be back again to the old ways in a year’s time? We need a dedicated hurling committee to oversee the development of Limerick hurling, at every level. If we can get that motion passed that’s our job done, and what we wanted was a fair and open debate at the convention. This (Executive letter) is an attempt to bully the clubs, it’s not democracy.”