O’Neill ‘relishing’ hurling debate

GAA President Liam O’Neill is relishing a national debate on the future of how hurling is governed and played.

At yesterday’s Allianz Hurling League launch, O’Neill revealed plans are in place to commence discussions on how the game can be improved.

He admitted the rationale behind the move follows comments by Kilkenny legends Eddie Keher and Brian Cody who have expressed fears in recent months about the direction hurling is travelling.

Cody this week admitted fears that the physicality is being removed from the sport, while last month Keher, in this newspaper, called for the scrapping of yellow and red cards.

O’Neill noted: “Hurling was never a cynical game, but it is now starting to become one, due to the unjust penalties imposed for fouls by players full of honest endeavour. With the introduction of all these restrictions and penalties, and now the proposed introduction of black cards for hurlers, the players are appearing to be treated and regarded as the ‘bad guys’ of our games.”

Against this backdrop, O’Neill feels it is time for the GAA to take such “comments on board and do something about it”.

“We’ll discuss it at Central Council. Eddie’s contribution is on the table a while but Brian Cody weighing in on Monday makes it serious. Obviously there is an appetite for discussion. So let’s do it.

“We haven’t had a discussion on hurling or how it’s played, for a while.

“We got 13,900 responses to the Football Review Committee survey, and I think in that survey 20% expressed a view they wanted further development of hurling. So it’s in that context we’ll do it.”

Keher referenced the controversial dismissals of Henry Shefflin, Pa Horgan and Ryan O’Dwyer last year to support his argument but O’Neill confirmed that deliberations won’t be confined to the cards controversy.

This, says O’Neill, is an opportunity to have a wider look at hurling.

“Wouldn’t it be lovely if the debate was open and we looked at hurling now, looked at where we want hurling to go, and say ‘right, let’s start the debate’ and plan the process of doing that.

“Who knows where it will go, but I’m not going to dictate. We want to listen to people’s views, Central Council will make suggestions.

“We’ll go off then and take those suggestions on board and see how we can engage with those who have an interest in hurling. That’s about it, really.”

And O’Neill insisted that the debate won’t be driven from the top down.

“Everyone who plays hurling owns hurling,” he declared. “We all belong to hurling and hurling belongs to us all. There’s no doubt about that.

“The young boy who dreams of being Setanta in a county that’s not successful is just as worthy as the young boy who lives in the county where success comes naturally.

“Everybody’s opinion counts and everyone’s feelings on hurling count.”

And the GAA President is keen for discussions to begins as soon as possible.

He continued: “Let the debate begin. It’s been put up to us that people want a debate. Let the debate begin as soon as possible. Let’s get down to it, as soon as possible after Congress.

“I’m looking forward to it, I’m excited by it. I think it’s great people care enough about hurling to make the public comments they’ve made, and I think it’s incumbent on us to take that on board and do something about it.”

Based on the opinions expressed by current players Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny) and Podge Collins (Clare) at the launch yesterday, it looks as though there will be revision on the cards at least.

Tommy: “I just think there shouldn’t be anyone sent off for silly offences. Let lads be sent off if they deserve to be but over the last number of years there are players getting sent off for just small things. I’d be happy enough that lads just get sent off for big offences and it should be left at that.”

Podge (to laughter): “I’d be a bit worried if Tommy was chasing me! Ah no, like Tommy said, a few small things that happened over the last few years — maybe if the ref were to take a second, maybe have a few words with the linesman before making a decision, and if it is a red card, a fella should go, but if it’s something small, unintentional, a yellow card would suffice.

“The last thing you want is to see a game spoiled after 20 minutes with a man getting sent off for something silly — make it as enjoyable for the people as possible by keeping 30 men on the pitch.”