County Board On The Ropes

9th Mar 2009

County Board on The Ropes
Finbarr Barry

There's always an uncomfortable period at the end of a boxing match or any other martial art where the clear loser must be given a chance to prove that he is not as weak as his body portrays before the fight is ended by the referee.

Your lookin' kinda shook up old man.

Lurching numbly with puffy eyes and a bloodied mouth struggling to suck in oxygen, the fighter makes various attempts to pretend to the referee and his opponent that everything's ok - desperately hoping he can last until the bell and survive another round.

On paper, in a sport where perceptions and bank balances are tied so closely together a fighter stopped in the last round sounds like better value than one who copped out on the 10th or 11th.

There's little pleasure in seeing a battered boxer swaying uncontrollably in those last few minutes of a bout with the pretence of order about his body only convincing himself.

The victor-elect, glances around in momentary disbelief expecting his opponent's corner to throw in a white towel between him and his wobbling foe but for some unknown reason - never doubt that stupidity may be one - the corner remains silent. The champ turns back, with a cruel and cold reluctance to deliver the knock out blow.

Crowd sets off from Kennedy Park towards Pairc Úi Chaoimh.

This week will more than likely see the end of the Cork GAA dispute in some shape or form as the county board executive wobble on the ropes. Nobody wanted it to come to this but the arrogance of the beaten fighter has made us immune to the punishment that is in store.

On Sunday, we cowered under flimsy umbrellas as the pounding icy droplets eventually found a way into our boots and down the back of our necks while our dull destination slowly appeared through the industrial clamour of the marina. The arrogance of the county board has brought us to this.

Some of the 4,500 supporters entered the stadium. Others remained outside - not willing to contribute to the coffers of a discredited and arrogant opponent now on the ropes. Those of us who went inside were rewarded with some unexpected sunshine and a decent game of football as Cork took Fermanagh apart.


The non-appearance of the county secretary reminded many of No-Show-Kenny, Dublin's boxing "hero" who failed to turn up for a recent showdown. Kenny has told the nation that he had an injustice done against him in the Olympic final but when his Chinese opponent turned up for a rematch the Dubliner was nowhere to be found.

Dilema: some fans just couldn't stomach putting more money into the County Board's PR campaign.

The chants of "Frank Out" that rung around the ground at half time might have actually spurred the county secretary and his cronies on even more with the most motivating GAA cliché of all time: everyone is writing us off. This time those of us with the liberty to do so are writing them off because we know it will happen.

The well documented ineptitude of the local administration reared its head later on as the stadium announcer proclaimed a "substitution on the Monaghan team". The uncovered stand boomed with laughter. The Fermanagh crowd cringed. What an insult though - they couldn't even get the name of the county right.

A few minutes later, in true County Board style, the same gaffe incredibly gnawed its way out of the P.A. yet again. "Substitution on the Monaghan team".

For Christ's sake would somebody please go up there and roar in his face that it's Fermanagh and not Monaghan out on the field!

Don't let the blue sky make you think we weren't freezing our sliothars off!

In many ways this dithering old announcer sums up the Cork County Board. An inability to analyse one's mistakes, failure to listen to feedback and failure to read the facts for what they are.

In any other sport this half-wit gombeen approach to administration would be seen as embarrassing, insulting, awful - in the weird world of Cork GAA admin where standards are pitifully low however it's grand, fine, nothing to worry about, only a small thing - shut up now and mind your own business.

The Cork County Board executive bear every resemblance to a wilting scrapper on the ropes but this bloody fight is in 20th round and the audience has had enough. It hasn't been a contest since round two but somehow, someway our opponent has survived by fooling the referee with his posture.

Battered and demoralised the losing fighter is still being encouraged by his corner to battle on. Reality and facts have long been dispensed. Toe curling meaningless clichés about pride and honour are still roared at him from his mentors while he takes the bruising for their twisted egos.

Full time, injury time and extra time have passed in this silly drawn out saga and nobody seems to know exactly when the final bell will toll but toll it will. Just like it did over the weekend for Bishop Magee and those who suffered clerical abuse in Cloyne - there's only so much blood one can bleed.