Cork's hurlers claim 'vendetta' against them

The Cork senior hurlers have challenged comments made by manager Gerald McCarthy and the County Board as the dispute between players and officials continued.

The squad claimed in a statement exclusively released to the Irish Examiner last night, that the campaign against them in the row over McCarthy’s re-appointment “can only be interpreted as constituting a vendetta”.

They again insisted they do not want the right to pick the manager and, in the course of a lengthy statement, the players also claimed a Board member on the seven-man selection committee stated McCarthy was the “second-best man for the job”.

“We recognise the upset and annoyance which these situations have caused Cork GAA people over recent years,” said a player representative. “But we’re concerned by what we see as attempts to mislead the Cork GAA public…"

Addressing the key point of what role players should be allowed in selecting a manager, last night's statement says: “The players don’t say they have the right to pick the manager, (their wish was to be involved in the selection process) nor do they want the right to pick the manager. The players have the right, according to binding arbitration, to have a two-sevenths representation in the process to appoint a new manager. The players didn’t decide this, it was decided by Kieran Mulvey in binding arbitration.”