McCarthy Now An Advantage

26th Feb 2009

McCarthy Now an Advantage: The Tables Have Turned
Finbarr Barry

Man's downfall: rule books and their interpretations.

The tables have turned so much in the Cork GAA stand-off that it is now a major advantage for the pro-player side that Gerald MacCarthy remains as the Cork senior hurling coach.

For the Cork County Board and Gerald MacCarthy it must have been shocking to hear reports of the overwhelming support for the players, not to mention their unexpected standing ovation from club chairmen last Sunday.

No matter what spin the County Board's PR company dress up the current strategy with, all subscribers to Frank Murphy's stance will have been struck by the vehement opposition to them among the grass roots of Cork GAA.

It will be tough. Spinning the latest bolstering of support for the players that is. The only defence yet again has been waving a rule book and pretending that its "business as usual" - like the pathetically loyal generals of a crumbling dictatorship.

Outside Pairc Úi Chaoimh, the sound of the revolution (called for by the last manager to win an All-Ireland) is getting louder by the day. Inside the bunker the same mantra is being repeated like worried Hare Krishnas, "rules, rules, rules".

First those who supported the players were alleged to be a small minority. Then over 10,000 Corkonians who marched in support of the players were branded "shoppers" who happened to be in the city centre following a few nuts jobs like us with flags and drums.

Then we weren't "real" fans and any non paid-up members of clubs, despite their monstrous revenue raising potential for Cork GAA, didn't matter. Now the players getting a standing ovation from over 140 clubs is irrelevant.

MacCarthy's entrenched stance now mobilising root and branch

No. No. It's not in the book lads. There are no rules about this.

The choice of tactic from the CCB executive now appears self-defeating. Ironically it is now the presence of Gerald MacCarthy which has become the driving force behind the root and branch revolution.

Had the board given the St. Finbarr's man the boot much earlier, the players would have settled for his head and little more. The pressure coming into the season with a new manager would have been high. The smaller anti-player grouping and hurling G.O.W.L.'s would have been waiting to roar dissent at the first puck of a ball. Next season some other rule book compliant obstacle would have been slung in the players' way.

Instead MacCarthy's now ludicrously untenable position has won over some of the biggest sceptics. The threat to the administrators' positions is now very real. Instead of scoring yet another own goal they may now be substituted off the field altogether.

Credible journalists, initially diplomatic and balanced, are now openly ridiculing the board. Radio and TV appearances from Cork GAA officials have become comical. The misfortunate development squad are being sent into regular trouncings. The board themselves have more or less admitted, through Croke Park's document, that they are incapable of making an un-politicised choice when it come to selecting hurling and football managers.

Last coach to win an All-Ireland with Cork John Allen has called for a "real revolution".

The board's media war is being lost too despite the, no doubt, heavy fees charged by the PR company hired by the County Board to shine the turd. BY the way this where the dirty twenties we hand over at the turnstiles are shipped off to. This where o2's cash is going.

Among all GAA enthusiasts there has always been a deep feeling that Frank Murphy and company were playing far too much politics with the national sport in Cork. The air of mystery and lack of open accountability regarding the executive's operations has always perplexed and often enraged clubs and supporters. Not going to vote with us, is it? Aren't you the fella looking for a new roof for your club house?

Each Irish passport holder is entitled to feel a connection to Ireland's national sports no matter how tenuous their involvement. Sure, there has to be rules, regulations, members, administrators and county secretaries but when those who abuse power for their own gain are shown up they must be removed. No individual owns hurling or Gaelic football. It belongs to the people.

If the executive decided to ditch MacCarthy a few weeks ago this particular chapter in the pedantic off-field politics of Cork GAA would have been closed but now it seems this chapter may be the end of the book itself.