Hurling controversy rages on

LESS than four weeks after Justin McCarthy was given a vote of confidence by a majority of Limerick GAA clubs, the clubs of the county could vent their frustration on the executive officers of the County Board.
Next Tuesday night a specially convened County Board AGM and the first County Board meeting of the New Year will take place in Claughaun. While unconfirmed, a vote of no confidence in the officers of the top table could be proposed.
Just the election of a new Development Officer is on the agenda for the AGM. Among the items on the schedule for the County Board meeting, which follows immediately after the AGM, is the ratification of John Tuohy as a new selector in Justin McCarthy’s management team.


This could hand club delegates the opportunity to speak about the on-going inter-county hurling debacle.
McCarthy and selectors; Brian Ryan, Liam Garvey and new-comer Tuohy were dealt a fresh blow on New Year’s Eve when a further four players withdrew from the panel - Gavin O’Mahony, Tom Condon, Denis Moloney and Stephen Walsh.
The management team are now left with just six members of the 31-strong 2009 panel - Paul Browne (Bruff), Paudie McNamara (Murroe-Boher), David Breen (Na Piarsaigh), Bryan O’Sullivan (Kilmallock), Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock) and Dave Moloney (Blackrock).
Limerick’s first competitive game of 2010 is on January 24 when they face either Cork or UCC in the quarter-final of the Waterford Crystal Cup.
As well as the 12 players that have withdrawn management face further problems selecting a panel for this game as they will not be able to select players currently attending third level college while county champions South Liberties and Blackrock will be in action in their respective All-Ireland club semi-finals. Among those ruled out for the Waterford Crystal Cup because of college commitments will be Bryan O’Sullivan and Graeme Mulcahy (both UCC) and Paul Browne (LIT).
This Tuesday night in UL the new-look Limerick hurling panel trained for the first time.
A total of 27 players attended a they commenced preparations for the Waterford Crystal Cup.
While the Waterford Crystal Cup game is just over two weeks away, Limerick do not open their league campaign until February 21.
In round one of the NHL Limerick entertain Galway and then six days later Cork are visitors to the Gaelic Grounds when the first inter-county hurling fixture takes place under the floodlights.
Over the festive period and prior to the latest withdrawals, a trio of former Limerick hurling managers (Eamonn Cregan, Richie Bennis and Tom Ryan) were quoted in the media calling for Justin McCarthy to step down for the ‘good of Limerick hurling’.
There can be no doubting that the new-look hurling panel will face an uphill battle to record victories, but McCarthy and selectors do have the backing of the executive officers of the County Board and the clubs of the county - the week prior to Christmas, club delegates voted in favour (70-54) of retaining the services of McCarthy as manager for a second season.
The vote meant that Limerick will go forward into the new season without household names such as Brian Geary, Seamus Hickey, Damien Reale, Brian Murray and Donal O’Grady who are all among the 12 players that are wanted by management, but have made themselves unavailable.

Development Officer
Two candidates remain in contention to fill the vacant position of Limerick GAA Development Officer ahead of next Tuesday’s specially convened AGM. Liam O’Sullivan (Claughaun) and Gerry Philips (Monagea) remain in the race to fill the void left by the departure of Eibhear O’Dea.
Were Philips to be elected it would force yet another specially convened AGM as he is the currently entering his fifth year as Limerick GAA Coaching Officer.

Jerome O’Connell