Council delegates condemn hurling league criticism

Central Council delegates have voiced anger at suggestions they are out of touch with their county boards in regard to the structure of the National Hurling League.

At Saturday’s meeting in Croke Park, officials including Waterford’s Paddy Joe Ryan expressed displeasure at claims they are not properly representing their counties.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner last week, Offaly secretary Tommy Byrne said county chairmen and secretaries should attend Central Council meetings as they are more in touch with the concerns of their counties.

It comes as Central Council has been criticised for voting in a hurling league structure that has hurt traditional hurling counties such as Limerick, Clare, Wexford, Offaly and now Cork after their relegation play-off defeat to Clare yesterday. It has been mooted the league system would be changed were Cork to be relegated although the new structure linking Division 1A and 1B with quarter-finals appears to be in stone for next year.

Although Cork could still win the Division 1 title next year, the prospect of less attractive home games is sure to hurt their cut of gate receipts.

Byrne said last week: “I think it should be the county chairman and secretary at those Central Council meetings, they are far more familiar with what’s going on.

“It needs to be revisited. Limerick lost one league game in three years, were beaten by only one point by Dublin last Saturday, but they’re still down in the lower division, back where they were for another year.

“Now you have Cork or Clare to come down — what chance does that give the likes of Offaly and Wexford, even Limerick? And only five matches — even the players are complaining. They train, train, train, all that effort for so few games. We’re finished with the league now, it’s only the beginning of April, and we have no matches for nine weeks.

“We spent €10.1m on O’Connor Park that has to be paid. Surely the league can be managed better than this?”