Pete Finnerty to coach Mayo hurlers

[slow corner back]

there is not doubt that hurling has grown in mayo in the last 10 years, we have 6 senior clubs which all have juvenile clubs plus  in the last number of years juvenile clubs have been started in claremorris, ballyvary and moytura (ballinrobe) this is in spite of all the roadblocks put in our way.
so while we will never be in the same league as the galways, kilkennys of this world we can still aspire to be at least at the top level of christy ring and who knows if a special bunch of hurlers came along together we might give the higher counties a rattle for a few years.
but the harsh realities of life in a football county is you spend most of your energies fighting to keep the sport alive as opposed to moving it on to a higher plain and when the people who could really help you don't give a toss you are fighting a losing battle.   

Just ask the hurlers of Down, The portaferry PRO was giving off stink about how the down board acted in relation to the changes to the hurling format two weeks ago. It relegated down to div 2 and the Down county board voted in favour of it!!!

[heurebag]

i hear finerty is gonna bring with him johnny mc intyre for metal side of trainin

[billy the kid]

I think the GPA should be ashamed of themselves they are undermining everything the GAA stands for.  What they are asking for is Pay for |Play dressed up in fancy clothes.

They are an elitist Organisation who are only concerned with themselves and I firmly believe its a case of a few leading the many.

Don't get me wrong i totally agree with players being treated well and looked after if they get injured but they are always looking for more and more.

Currently every season inter-county players in Derry get:

2 pairs of boots
2 full kits a season,
2 full sets of training gear. (1 wet and 1 normal)
1 rain jacket
1 zip up top
1 jumper
2 polo shirts
1 tracksuit
Home training Equipment
Free access to state of the art gym

All the above are official Derry gear from O neills with emblems and crests and this is only the gear I KNOW FOR CERTAIN they get!

Also they have access to a top class physio, team doctor dietician and heart screening facilities.

they receive meals after ALL games and on the way to away games

they get fed after every training

and they also get VERY GOOD rebates on their mileage expenses.

Again these are jut the things i KNOW FOR CERTAIN!!

for each national league game they receive 4 passes each allowing friends and family to gain admission to the games for FREE and the passes can be used for both hurling and football even if only involved in one code.

They receive at least 2 and sometimes more FREE tickets for ALL championship matches they are involved in

They receive 2 good tickets for the all Ireland final in their code (hurling or football) for FREE

Before the club championship begins they receive a pass allowing them to gain FREE entry to ALL championship matches within the county in EITHER code at ANY level
 
The above list was given to me when I asked a PRESENT COUNTY PLAYER from our club about conditions at inter-county level.

I don't think anyone would begrudge them these things as the gear and medical farcicalities are a MUST and so are the mileage expenses and the meals.

The other stuff are added perks and again I would say Just right they are training very hard and giving a big commitment to Our County.

Looking at the list I would say our county players are fairly well looked after wouldn't you? And this is just the example of our county alot of other counties like Armagh and Tyrone get even more gear and perks which again is fair enough.

But to ask for money and to make out that they are so hard done by and listening to some of their leaders you'd think some were hardly fit to feed themselves and on the way to financial ruin is an absolute myth and border line lie!! Nobodies making them play!!!

What ever happened to being proud to play for your county and pride in the jersey? That used to be enough to make people play for their counties.

Has Pride and honour fallen of the radar of the GPA in their obsession with self-worth and self-gain.
If pride in the jersey and being honoured to represent your County plus the list i have supplied aren't enough to make individuals play for OUR county teams do we really want them to? The type of character who would undermine the very fabric of our great organisation to line his own pockets.   

I was also informed by the County player from my own Club that most county players don't want to strike but are being openly pressurised to do so. Is this Democracy?

Its also evident the GPA are so far removed from the grassroots GAA and the supporters that they haven't noticed that the vast majority are strongly against it, but why would they listen to us mere mortals?

Down Manager Ross Carr has the right idea:

If these prima donnas strike and refuse to play Each County should find a panel of players who will represent their counties for pride honour and the other perks i listed. There would be a stampede to trials and it would totally negate the strike and render their actions futile and meaningless.

We cannot let the elitist few hold the rest of us to ransom while they try to gain financially for doing what most TRUE Gaels consider an Honour and a privilege – PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTY  

[mrroscommonman]

haha wat a joke da footballers are bad but dder hurlers anre 100000000000000 times worse!!!!!

[billy the kid]

What you on about??

[Bord na Mona man]

Any update on how Finnerty might be approaching things.
He should organise a few "clear the air" rows with the county board to make his mark!

[tayto]

there is not doubt that hurling has grown in mayo in the last 10 years, we have 6 senior clubs which all have juvenile clubs plus  in the last number of years juvenile clubs have been started in claremorris, ballyvary and moytura (ballinrobe) this is in spite of all the roadblocks put in our way.
so while we will never be in the same league as the galways, kilkennys of this world we can still aspire to be at least at the top level of christy ring and who knows if a special bunch of hurlers came along together we might give the higher counties a rattle for a few years.
but the harsh realities of life in a football county is you spend most of your energies fighting to keep the sport alive as opposed to moving it on to a higher plain and when the people who could really help you don't give a toss you are fighting a losing battle.   

I read recently that Mayo has doubled it's playing population in the last X [cant remember if it's five or ten] number of years. It'd be great to see the likes of Mayo emerge as a genuine dual county, Pissed off to hear about the county board but sadly not all that surprised, someone should get Paudie Butler on the case, part of his brief is to make sure hurling funding goes to hurling and that co boards dont shaft hurling development.

[MaroonAndWhite]

If the County Board try shafting Finnerty, I predict that the chariman will require extraction from the plasterboard wall in McHale Park  Legend up our way, a hard man and loves his hurling. If his enthusiasm doesnt rub off, theres no hope for them.

[GaillimhIarthair]

If the County Board try shafting Finnerty, I predict that the chariman will require extraction from the plasterboard wall in McHale Park  Legend up our way, a hard man and loves his hurling. If his enthusiasm doesnt rub off, theres no hope for them.

Your spot on there M&W in relation to Finnerty.  Never played against him in the auld hurling but had the pleasure of "trying" to put manners on him when he was togging for Tuam RFC.  He was one hard, stubborn bas***d. A legend though and I'd expect him to rattle a few cages in the Mayo CC if they try and mess with any of his preperations next year.  Really hope it works out for him and Mayo hurling continues to make progress both within the county and on the national stage.

[mannix]

Well done to Mayo on landing a good manager. A lot of work needed all over, but, its not now,rather in the next 10-15 years if the youth movement is done right that you will see Mayo become a bit of a pain for the big boys.

[Bord na Mona man]

Well done to Mayo on landing a good manager. A lot of work needed all over, but, its not now,rather in the next 10-15 years if the youth movement is done right that you will see Mayo become a bit of a pain for the big boys.

Fair play to Mayo if they do make genuine strides.
It is a county that would have seemed hostile to hurling, as they are so desperate for football success.
A few more football only counties need to start moving in the same direction.

[neilthemac]

its some of the football officers in county mayo and provincial quarters who are hostile to hurling, in a huge way.

most people would play anything if given the chance - especially children

its not the fact they are just increasing playing numbers in Mayo which is impressive, but the actual formation and running of new clubs in football areas which draw players from 3/4 surrounding football clubs. just getting the people to push these clubs is a huge achievement

its organised this way to get around the daft rule the Mayo board insist on enforcing in relation to players from one club playing hurling with another who also have a football team...

[spectator]

Mayo will play in Division 2 of the National Hurling League next year and Finnerty's presence within the Mayo camp is likely to lead to drive for league honours.
They will play in the Connacht League and the Leinster based Keogh Cup prior to commencing National League action.

It seems looking in from the outside that some sound, understated hurling development has been taking place in Mayo for quite a while. With little or no fuss, progress has been made from a position where there were very few hurling clubs to one where there now seems to be a good spread of clubs.

Not uncoincidentally I suspect, the senior team has made great progress too & now almost rival Ros as regards the number of established clubs & level they can compete at. With the right approach, you'd have to say that Mayo has the population to push on & become a reasonably credible dual county.

Given the opposition to hurling in the county - eg. treatment of FrankBrowne & Mayo senior hurlers etc - can any of the Mayo lads posting here give an outline of how ye've gotten to this stage? I get the sense of hurling development being carried in a very sensible, low key, sustainable way in spite the stated county board 'spanners in the works' etc.

How is it happening on the ground? What's the blueprint in Mayo?

[ludermor]

Martin Linnane (Sylvie's brother) set up a club in Belmullet about 15 years ago ( may be more) and within a couple of years they were challenging for honors and have a steady representation on county teams. It is some achievement for him ( and others I'm sure) as the nearest hurling club at the time would have been 2 hours drive away.

[neilthemac]

the full time Hurling Officer in the county seems to drives most of the development