The_Banker
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The clubs have spoken....
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Cork clubs vent anger at County Board
By Brendan Larkin
A DRAMATIC call was made by John O’Brien, Servicing Officer of the Cork and Munster Vocational Schools Councils, for a root and branch analysis of the Cork County Board, at a meeting of all clubs at the Community Hall, Clonakilty last night.
Over 250 representatives (102 clubs, 52 juniors, 50 senior/intermediate) gathered to hear harsh criticism of the officers of the County Board and in particular secretary Frank Murphy, by a host of speakers who expressed their sheer frustration at the impasse involving the 2008 senior hurlers and their coach Gerald McCarthy.
Mr O’Brien said he understood the county secretary will be 65 years old this year and the clubs needed to know what his intentions were regarding the job.
"We also need to know what Mr Murphy’s contract is and I will be asking that at Tuesday night’s meeting at the Rochestown Park Hotel.
"We have been beating around the bush long enough on this issue and getting nowhere. It’s time for courageous decisions to be taken; hard questions need to be asked.
"The Director General Padraic Duffy and President elect Christy Cooney referred to a root and branch analysis needing to be done and I would certainly endorse that."
Clonakilty official John McCarthy said there was a huge communication gap between the County Board and the club.
"There appears to be only a one way track. It’s a shocking way to be treating people who are working extremely hard on the ground promoting the games."
Referring to the recent address of a county board meeting by Gerald McCarthy the Clon delegate said asking the delegates to vote by a show of hands was not the way to conduct business.
"It’s time for the clubs of this county to take back control of our association. I would applaud the players who said they would accept whatever decision the clubs made and would disband.
"If Gerald McCarthy decided to take a similar stand this matter would be over by now. We need new delegates with fresh ideas to represent us at the county board.
"I’m not including the Clonakilty delegate in that but the majority of the present delegates do not reflect the views of their clubs at county board meetings."
‘We reneged on responsibilities and we need to address that’
The Randal Óg delegate said it was time to call a spade a spade. "I cannot understand how a group of people could sit around a table and pick Gerald McCarthy as manager of the senior hurling team know full well that he was not wanted by the players.
"Gerald McCarthy was given two years as coach and he failed miserably. If that happened in my club the manager would be kicked out the door."
The Blarney delegate said it was not as hard as people thing to change the county board. "We have reneged on our responsibilities over the years and we need to address that now, but it can only be done through the structures of the association."
The St Mary’s delegate called on every senior and intermediate club present to force this issue onto the floor at next Tuesday night’s meeting, and put the wishes of their clubs forward.
"I would also call on all divisional officers to hold a meeting and instruct their delegates to vote according to the wishes of the clubs."
The Banteer delegate called for a withdrawal of all clubs from playing activity from the first of April saying that it was one way to get the players back playing.
"It would be interesting to see what the reaction of the board would be if we took that kind of action.
"The county chairman is the man to solve this impasse and he should do what he was elected to do. Gerald McCarthy is being used as a pawn in this struggle."
At the conclusion of the meeting which lasted almost two hours, it was unanimously agreed that the host club would send the following motion to the County Board: "We the Clonakilty GAA Club call on the Cork County board to call a special convention to deal with the present impasse."
irishexaminer.ie
[broken link removed]
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Cork clubs vent anger at County Board
By Brendan Larkin
A DRAMATIC call was made by John O’Brien, Servicing Officer of the Cork and Munster Vocational Schools Councils, for a root and branch analysis of the Cork County Board, at a meeting of all clubs at the Community Hall, Clonakilty last night.
Over 250 representatives (102 clubs, 52 juniors, 50 senior/intermediate) gathered to hear harsh criticism of the officers of the County Board and in particular secretary Frank Murphy, by a host of speakers who expressed their sheer frustration at the impasse involving the 2008 senior hurlers and their coach Gerald McCarthy.
Mr O’Brien said he understood the county secretary will be 65 years old this year and the clubs needed to know what his intentions were regarding the job.
"We also need to know what Mr Murphy’s contract is and I will be asking that at Tuesday night’s meeting at the Rochestown Park Hotel.
"We have been beating around the bush long enough on this issue and getting nowhere. It’s time for courageous decisions to be taken; hard questions need to be asked.
"The Director General Padraic Duffy and President elect Christy Cooney referred to a root and branch analysis needing to be done and I would certainly endorse that."
Clonakilty official John McCarthy said there was a huge communication gap between the County Board and the club.
"There appears to be only a one way track. It’s a shocking way to be treating people who are working extremely hard on the ground promoting the games."
Referring to the recent address of a county board meeting by Gerald McCarthy the Clon delegate said asking the delegates to vote by a show of hands was not the way to conduct business.
"It’s time for the clubs of this county to take back control of our association. I would applaud the players who said they would accept whatever decision the clubs made and would disband.
"If Gerald McCarthy decided to take a similar stand this matter would be over by now. We need new delegates with fresh ideas to represent us at the county board.
"I’m not including the Clonakilty delegate in that but the majority of the present delegates do not reflect the views of their clubs at county board meetings."
‘We reneged on responsibilities and we need to address that’
The Randal Óg delegate said it was time to call a spade a spade. "I cannot understand how a group of people could sit around a table and pick Gerald McCarthy as manager of the senior hurling team know full well that he was not wanted by the players.
"Gerald McCarthy was given two years as coach and he failed miserably. If that happened in my club the manager would be kicked out the door."
The Blarney delegate said it was not as hard as people thing to change the county board. "We have reneged on our responsibilities over the years and we need to address that now, but it can only be done through the structures of the association."
The St Mary’s delegate called on every senior and intermediate club present to force this issue onto the floor at next Tuesday night’s meeting, and put the wishes of their clubs forward.
"I would also call on all divisional officers to hold a meeting and instruct their delegates to vote according to the wishes of the clubs."
The Banteer delegate called for a withdrawal of all clubs from playing activity from the first of April saying that it was one way to get the players back playing.
"It would be interesting to see what the reaction of the board would be if we took that kind of action.
"The county chairman is the man to solve this impasse and he should do what he was elected to do. Gerald McCarthy is being used as a pawn in this struggle."
At the conclusion of the meeting which lasted almost two hours, it was unanimously agreed that the host club would send the following motion to the County Board: "We the Clonakilty GAA Club call on the Cork County board to call a special convention to deal with the present impasse."
irishexaminer.ie
[broken link removed]
