Murray - the latest hurler to opt out

All-Star (2007) goalkeeper Brian Murray is the latest hurler to opt out of the Limerick hurling panel.
Brian Murray’s departure brings to eight the number of players to walk away from Justin McCarthy’s panel in the aftermath of his initial wholesale changes to the panel. Of Limerick’s panel of 31 this season, just 10 now remain.
Brian Murray joins James O’Brien, Brian Geary, Seamus Hickey, Donal O’Grady, Wayne McNamara, Damien Reale and James Ryan on the list of hurlers who have withdrawn from the panel in protest.
It emerged over the weekend that some of the players have also declined a meeting with Justin McCarthy.
“Justin has said he is available to talk to any player who wishes to meet him,” confirmed Limerick County Board PRO Helen Cross.
“But I understand that they have declined his offer,” said the Ahane woman.
The PRO said that the decision taken last week by leading Limerick GAA officials to give a unanimous vote of confidence to the hurling management was not taken lightly.
“At a meeting of the county Management Committee in the Gaelic Grounds on Wednesday night (October 18) it was decided unanimously to support Justin McCarthy and his management team for 2010.
“The meeting ran from 7.30pm to 11.30pm - they went through everything and just felt that they needed to support Justin McCarthy as manager,” she said.
“The meeting was told that Justin will leave his door open for any of the players and is willing to talk to them.
“It’s a pity that things like this have to happen, but hopefully it will be resolved, because these situations can take a while to recover,” added Cross.
The PRO pointed out that Justin McCarthy’s reign in charge was given the backing of the clubs of the county at the October County Board meeting.
However the latest saga to engulf Limerick hurling only broke in late October.
“After the performance in Croke Park you would have imagined that they’d have come out with all guns blazing, but maybe time is a great healer and dissatisfaction was not as prominent as might have been expected and the clubs ratified the appointment at October’s meeting,” she recalled.
Meanwhile on the field of play Limerick junior A hurling champions Blackrock have booked their place in the Munster final - on December 13 they will meet Fermoy in the decider.
After last Friday night’s extra-time county final win over Glin Mountcollins again needed extra-time yesterday afternoon to overcome Tipp’s Knockavilla Kickhams. Next Sunday Mountcollins will travel to Waterford to face Kilgobnet in the Munster junior A football championship semi-final. South Liberties won the Munster intermediate hurling title yesterday and they now travel to London in three weeks time to face St. Gabriel’s in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

JEROME O’CONNELL