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Players launch stunning attack on County Board
TWENTY-FOUR of the 2009 Limerick senior hurling panel have launched a stunning broadside at the County Board and Justin McCarthy's senior management team.
Although Bruree's James O'Brien returned to training last week having initially withdrawn from the squad in late 2009 in protest over Justin McCarthy's decision to drop 12 of last year's panel in October twenty-four estranged players released a statement last night which accuses both the County Board and the senior management team of making a "deliberate and concerted effort" to end their resistance.
The statement reads: "There has been a deliberate and concerted effort by members of the county board, the team management and the backroom team to influence the thinking of club delegates and the wider Limerick public.
"There has also been a deliberate and concerted effort to influence the younger players who have pulled out of the 2010 panel, with huge pressure being put on using one player against another in trying to persuade them to change their minds.
"We will not play under the current management despite rumours, stories and spins to the contrary, most of them coming from the County Board and the current management team.
"There will be no more players returning to training. It is now up to the club delegates to address the matter with the County Board executive tomorrow night. The future of Limerick hurling is in their hands."
On Tuesday night (March 9) the County Board will convene a club delegate meeting in Claughaun with the protracted impasse surrounding Justin McCarthy's senior hurling panel sure to be discussed.
Over the weekend 16 estranged Limerick players met in Knocklong where they held a training session under Derry O'Donovan who trained the inter-county team during Eamonn Cregan's time as manager.
Limerick have lost both of their National Hurling League outings to Galway and Cork respectively in recent weeks and face Waterford next Sunday at Fraher Field, Dungarvan (2.30pm).
Following the news last week that Bruree's James O'Brien had returned to training with Justin McCarthy's senior hurling squad the rumour mill switched into overdrive on Thursday when O'Brien was marked absent at a subsequent training session. Work commitments however had forced O'Brien to miss that get together and the Bruree man attended training on Saturday morning in Martinstown.
Meanwhile the Munster Council has ratified the transfer of Newtown-Shandrum's Sean O'Riordan to Limerick. O'Riordan played against Ballyhale in a recent All-Ireland club semi-final and won a Munster minor medal with Cork in 2006.
The County Board have also indicated that they expect three members of the Blackrock's All-Ireland junior A hurling winning team to return to training with Limerick on Tuesday night. Although the County Board are hopeful that Richie McCarthy, Dave Moloney and Brian Moloney will now join the squad it is unknown at this point what course of action that trio will follow.
In the wake of Saturday's unforgettable Dr. Harty Cup final replay rdscoil Rs will now have to steel themselves for another tilt at Thurles CBS next Thursday afternoon, March 11 (throw-in 2.30pm).
rdscoil Rs will return to Nenagh's McDonagh Park nourished by their scintillating display on Saturday which saw the Limerick college play the majority of the second half while reduced to 14 men and then land an equaliser in extra time injury time.
That amazing clash finished rdscoil Rs 2-21 Thurles CBS 4-15. After the game, which involved 42 scores in all, rdscoil Rs manager Derek Larkin summed up the mood with a word of praise, not just for rdscoil Rs, but also for Thurles CBS.
"That was unbelievable stuff and the credit must go to both teams, two fantastic teams, fantastic hurling and a brilliant spectacle. The Harty Cup is built on games like that and I think that game will go down as one of the best finals and one of the best contests ever.
"We've gone to three legs now and it's going to take a hell of an effort the next day to win it."
At varying intervals during Saturday's extraordinary contest it looked as if either side had the winning of the game in their sights - rdscoil Rs had all the momentum in the first half, then Thurles CBS in the second before rdscoil mounted a stunning comeback to force extra time. rdscoil Rs forced the issue initially in extra time before the Tipp lads responded in kind.
"Yeah, I think both sides had it and lost it, but neither side could pull away and I suppose that is testament to both teams. Neither of them wanted to give up and as I said last week we don't give up, we play it to the bitter end and Thurles obviously do as well. It would probably have been a shame for there to be a winner there today. Obviously it would have been nice if it was us at the same time."
A second replay is now required to seperate the sides. And, Derek Larkin is more than confident that his inspirational rdscoil Rs side can rise to the challenge once more: "Absolutely, it's no problem at all. It's a testament to the lads themselves and their commitment.
"They don't want to lose and they don't know the word 'lose'. It's just not in their vocabulary. And hopefully it will stay that way."
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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