Cork hurlers call on clubs to rally behind them

Following a lengthy press conference in Douglas last night, the 2008 Cork senior hurling panel have urged supporters to back the Rebels through their clubs in a bid to end the current impasse between the players and the Cork County Board.

The rallying call from the hour-and-a-half long press conference, attended by all 30 of the striking players, was a call that clubs and supporters must get behind the squad and generate healthy debate.

For the first time the players have raised the issue of disbanding, with John Gardiner confirming that the players will be left with little alternative if Gerald McCarthy is not removed as manager.

"I think we will have no choice. What is going to happen in a year or two years' time? If the Cork people want to stick with him we will have no choice but to disband," he said.

"Some fellas are not getting any younger so who knows what is going to happen in two years' time? Of course we are going to disband."

Asked if they would block any member of the 2008 panel from playing for McCarthy, Gardiner insisted: "We made it clear at the start, it is not the fault of any player. There are failings in the board, there are failings at executive level, and the way Gerald reacted when he was appointed, there are failings there also. We have made it clear at this stage."

Donal Óg Cusack's club Cloyne have put forward a motion to tomorrow night's Cork County Board meeting that nothing would be decided in relation to the future of Gerald McCarthy as Cork senior manager until it is debated fully at County Board level.

2008 captain Gardiner read from a 3000-word statement during which he reiterated the players' willingness to represent Cork hurling with pride.

Later in an open question-and-answer session, Gardiner said that the players had regretted what had happened in the previous two years and he called for a return to the management style and professional approach witnessed under John Allen during the 2003-2006 era.

"Going back to the previous four years the platforms were perfect. The training was spot on with everyone going in the same direction. Last year everyone was going in difference directions.

"Do I regret the last two years? Definitely, this is a huge decision here. I want to play for Cork - anyone that says we throw down tools at the drop of a hat is totally mistaken. We are principal men - we want to win and do our best for Cork. The platform should be there to succeed - the last two years it wasn't there."

Veteran defender Diarmuid O'Sullivan also echoed Gardiner's sentiments.

"2007 was painting over cracks - us as players kept painting over the cracks. Other players and counties are happy to train and play to compete - we train to win and we play to win. Driving on we constantly want to top of the roll of honour."

He added: "2007 was a season of papering over cracks - two more seasons under Ger, in the current climate, we would be wasting our time. Why waste three or four nights a week? We are only about one thing - not player power, not struggles - this group of 30 players here, this group of players is about winning.

"We are a different animal and we train and compete to win. That is us in a nutshell - we compete, we train, we play to win."

Speaking in Irish, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín said that the main message from the Cork hurlers is that they want to be back on the playing fields and that the players are suffering.

"An príomh teachtaireacht atá againn ná tá fonn orainn bheidh ag imirt ar na pairceanna imeartha, agus na himreoirí ag fullaingt anseo.

"Caithfidh athrú díreach a dheanamh agus ní beaganin...fáil readh leis agus tusú arís glán...go cloisigh siad ar na tuairim atá againn agus cé chomh olc agus atá an choras. Sin an príomh aidim agus an fís atá againn."

Ó hAilpín also expressed his disgust that the Cork hurlers were forced to withdraw their services for a third time, since he joined the squad in 1996.

"I'm getting flashbacks - I was in this situation six years ago and nothing has changed," he explained.

"Six years younger with the likes of Alan Browne, Fergal Ryan, Mark Landers flanking me, the elder players at that time.

"A lot has been said and done but where do we go from now? There needs to be change, we are sick of it, we are sick and tired of it. We have been made out that we caused it - we didn't - we are a product of the system."

And Ó hAilpín reissued the call that the supporters need to have their say in this process.

"More of the Cork public need to get involved and have their say - for the last 30 years they have had no say.

"I've had five managers - players are transient, managers are transient - county board delegates are not.

"It's as much the supporters association as it is ours, it's their money they are going to be spending and going into a recession we need their backing as much as they need ours," he added.

Donal Óg Cusack welcomed the healthy debate generated within his own club, which contains supporters for and against the arguments of the players.

"Cloyne has a couple of high profile people on either side - that motion was passed by Cloyne. I am a member of that executive, I am Chairman of Games development there," the goalkeeper said.

"Paudie (O'Sullivan), Diarmuid (O'Sullivan), myself and Gerry O'Sullivan are all club members.

"I have never seen Gerry O'Sullivan to use the Cloyne club as leverage in any of these debates, nor have I.

"We disagree on a lot of things but a healthy thing that they have tried to put forward some sort of solution."