The latest to quit in protest are Brian Geary, Donal O’Grady, Seamus Hickey and Wayne McNamara.
As Ireland’s World Cup soccer torture was unfolding in Paris, Limerick GAA officials were meeting in the Gaelic Grounds where confirmation of the latest withdrawals were made known to the executive officers.
Leader Sport understands that the quartet contacted Limerick GAA chairman Liam Lenihan last evening to confirm their decision to follow Damien Reale and James Ryan out of the panel in protest at the manner of McCarthy’s wholesale changes.
Geary, O’Grady, Hickey and McNamara would represent a wealth of inter-county experience.
Hickey was this season nominated for a GPA All-Star while Geary and O’Grady have amassed over 60 championship appearances between them. Monaleen centre-back Geary made his Limerick debut back in 1999 while O’Grady is a midfield regular since 2004.
Three weeks ago, on October 28, Justin McCarthy called a meeting of the remainder of his 2009 panel to plan for the new season and it became clear that regulars such as Mark Foley, Stephen Lucey, Niall Moran, Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Donie Ryan and Mike O’Brien had all been omitted. Within days Damien Reale and James Ryan withdrew from the panel in protest.
Now a further four players have departed leaving McCarthy, Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey with just 12 players remaining from the 2009 panel that was beaten by 24-points in the All-Ireland semi-final by Tipperary.
Leader Sport contacted manager Justin McCarthy this Thursday morning, but he only offered “no comment”.
Limerick GAA chairman Liam Lenihan and secretary Mike O’Riordan were also contacted, but neither were willing to comment only to say that PRO Helen Cross would issue a statement. The brief statement has reiterated that the officers of the county board are continuing to give their full backing to Justin McCarthy.
“At a meeting of the management committee of Limerick County Board it was decided unanimously to support Justin McCarthy and his management team for 2010,” explained the one-line statement from the executive.
Until this Wednesday’s night’s dramatic withdrawals it had been hoped that the fall-out from McCarthy’s wholesale changes to the Limerick senior hurling panel had petered out.
With the endorsement of Limerick GAA officials McCarthy, Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey had continued their progress towards assembled a new panel. Two full-strength teams lined up in Martinstown last Friday night and another trial game is planned to take place on the weekend after next.
Management plan to take a break at that point until the New Year when another trial will help them select their final panel ahead of the first round of the Waterford Crystal Cup in mid-January.
The planned trial on the weekend of November 28-29 would offer management an opportunity to look at a number of players that missed the earlier trials as their clubs were involved in local and provincial championships. However, this saga will no doubt take a number of twists before the next planned trials.
There will, no doubt, be calls for the removal of Justin McCarthy even though he has been afforded the backing of all Limerick GAA chiefs.
Back in the summer of 2008 when McCarthy lost the support of the Waterford players, he resigned.
Over 30 per cent of McCarthy’s initial 2010 panel of 18 have now walked out and that was after his initial clearout of another 30 per cent of the 2009 panel.
Just 12 members of the 2009 panel remain and the focus will now turn in their direction.
Jerome O’Connell
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