Newcestown's Eamonn Sheehy slams Cork GAA chiefs

Newcestown selector Eamonn Sheehy launched a scathing attack on the Cork County Board in the wake of their Munster final defeat, labelling the treatment of the suspended Daniel Twomey as “shambolic”.

Twomey, top-scorer in the county final, was sent off on a straight red card during last Saturday week’s Division 1 league final and, according to Sheehy, did not learn of his fate from the Cork GAA Hearings Committee until three hours before the clash with Wolfe Tones.

“We got really messed around since last Saturday when Fermoy beat us. We were really messed around by the Cork County Board and the Hearings Committee. Our preparations were really disrupted by it,” fumed Sheehy.

“At 11am [on Saturday] morning, we found out if Daniel Twomey was going to be playing or not. In this day and age, it is an absolute disgrace what is going on. We made several phone calls on Friday to the secretary of the Hearings Committee inside in the County Board and we could not get an answer after being told on Thursday that we would get an answer at 9 or 10am on Friday morning. That is simply not good enough.

“We put off naming our team on Thursday night because we couldn’t name it. It is shocking, absolutely shocking. The administration in our county, I just wonder at times. It is no wonder Cork hurling is the way it is.

“We got no reason either when the call came through at 11am why the decision was held up.”

On a day where the Newcestown forwards struggled to impose themselves, highlighted by the fact that nine of their 15 scores were from the placed-ball and the two goals arrived late on, Sheehy lamented Twomey’s absence.

“He is one of our big leaders. He was man of the match in the county final. He was an awful, awful loss.

“The County Board forced our hand with regard to playing that league final. Riverstown pulled the pitch last week. We thought the game would go off. Then we heard they were after tossing for it above in the County Board and the game was going to be played in Newcestown. We were told it had to be played. It is an absolute joke.

“This is our third weekend on the bounce out. We are only human beings at the end of the day. The way we have been treated, I won’t mince my words, is absolutely shambolic.”

And yet for all their grievances, had the game continued for another minute or two more, the Munster title could well be resting in West Cork this morning.

“We gave it our best shot in the closing stages. We ran out of time in the end. We made mistakes and they punished us for them. “