Marshall u-turns and now available for Super League final
He made it known to selectors chief Taylor Vard yesterday that he was ready to compete for his country, as it battles relegation from the lucrative league. It is a major breakthrough in the row that has beset the sport and came at a show in Gijon, Spain, attended by both men.
Unfortunately, it may have come too late to see the Antrim-based rider included in the team, with the deadline for submissions coming yesterday.
Marshall, who had said he would not compete for Ireland until the selectors resigned, was reticent to talk about his volte face. However, he said fellow riders James Kernan and Peter Charles had been influential.
“James asked me if I would go to Barcelona and I said yes,” was all he would say, explaining that enough words had been spoken in the past.
Asked what his thoughts would be if the selectors said they appreciated his change of heart but felt obliged to go with the team first selected, he said that was their prerogative.
Vard welcomed the development.
“This is a step in the right direction. It’s better late than never, but it is possible that it is too late,” said the Dubliner, who must be wondering why Marshall did not make such a decision at last Tuesday’s crisis meeting of riders and management.
It is thought the selectors will this weekend discuss whether to include Marshall in the team, though in doing so they would have to consider which man to drop from the list submitted yesterday: Billy Twomey, Cian O’Connor, Shane Breen, Dermott Lennon and Capt Shane Carey.
If the selectors did include Marshall, then they would also have to convince the show organisers to accept the change. Marshall’s name was not included in the original long-list.
Kernan tried to explain Marshall’s reasoning: “Harry did it for the good of the country and to try to keep us in the Super League. He still has a lot of grievances, but he’s swallowed his pride and is prepared to compete at Barcelona. It’s a good thing that he is already in Spain.”
A similar move by Marshall’s fellow disaffected rider Jessica Kürten did not emerge last night at time of going to press.
Kürten and Marshall previously said they would not ride with Cian O’Connor, but both have now seemingly rowed back on that.
Ireland are last in the Super League on 15 points, 3.5 behind the Netherlands and a further half point behind Belgium.
Meanwhile, Trevor Coyle and Over Time GMS starred in Gijon yesterday, jumping one of only two double clears as Ireland placed joint third in the second division Samsung League Nations Cup. Also on the team were: Conor Swail (Poncho, 4-8), Ryan Crumley (Baltimore, 8-4) and Cameron Hanley (Hippica Kerman, 12-9).
