Minor manager lashes top brass

LIMERICK’S preparation for next Wednesday’s Munster minor football championship clash with Cork has been greatly hindered. That’s the view of team manager John Colbert ahead of the April 15 provincial first round tie on Leeside. The Abbeyfeale man has hit out at Limerick GAA’s top brass for giving the team “very little hope of competing at their optimum”.
Speaking to Leader Sport this Tuesday Colbert hit out at a lack of co-operation: “I requested to the county board that the under-21 games fixed for Thursday, April 9 and minor championship games fixed for April 10 be postponed in order to rest the players.
“To back this up I provided a letter from our physiotherapist detailing that this rest period was essential,” said Colbert who added that a number of the players are carrying niggling injuries.
“Unfortunately this fell on deaf ears at the board meeting on Monday last,” he sighed.
“I have no doubt that the majority of these minors will be walking around in late June, July and August with absolutely no GAA football games to play,” explained the Fr. Casey’s man, who is joined in the minor football management team by Joe Lee (Newcastle West), Paul Moloney (Bruff) and John Ryan (Oola).
“It is every young boys’ dream to play for his county at any level.
“My only wish is that they are given the opportunity to give of their best - something that is not allowed under this current set-up.”
The squad for next Wednesday’s first round game came together on October 4 of last Autumn when under-17 trials were arranged.
A total of 83 players were put through the hands of management before a final squad was selected - representing 18 different clubs.
“Due to a directive from Croke Park we were not allowed collective training until March 1.
“This was to eliminate player burnout at minor level,” said Colbert.
“I fully support this even though I firmly believe it benefits the stronger counties as they are competing in the Corn Ui Mhuiri and as a result their players are constantly playing at a higher level.”
He continued: “Since March 1 I now find that the vast majority of our panel have played under-21 at least three games, minor championship two games and either junior, intermediate or senior county league games.
“Some of these young guys are playing two to three games in a seven-day period - this goes completely against the Croke Park theory of player burn out.
“This gives our team preparation for inter-county very little hope of competing at their optimum.”
A total of 11 members of the squad were also involved at inter-county minor level last season.
“We have played a number of challenge matches and these went pretty well overall,” reported John Colbert of games against Galway, Laois, Carlow, Kerry and others.
David O’Donovan, Rob Henehan and Eoghan O’Connor are the main injury worries ahead of the trip to Cork.
Limerick will be captained by one of the Kilmallock trio and central to hopes of a historic win will be Croom duo, Cormac Behan and Aidan Morrissey, Aidan O’Sullivan of Bruff, Michael Sheehan of Fr. Casey’s and Darragh Bonfil of Monaleen.
If Limerick defeat Cork they will progress directly to the semi-final on May 13. If defeated, Limerick will enter the backdoor system where the losers of the Clare-Waterford game awaits.

Jerome O'Connell