Cork players threaten strike over selectors issue

[his holiness nb]

How soon do they need to confirm the Dublin game will / wont go ahead??

Wednesday now, surely it has to be yes or no today??

[Gnevin]

The County Board have quite cleverly passed the ball back to the players. They are now between a rock and a hard place. If they refuse to accept binding arbitration they will appear unreasonable, Ciork will not play in the NFL or NHL this year and the players will be blambed. If they accept it thjey will end up accepted far less than they started the whole row over in the first place.

Remember this row didn't start over Teddy Holland.

But won't play under him , i think that would be a precondition for them entering talks

[zoyler]

If there is a precondition such as 'Teddy Out' there can hardly be equitable arbitration so it would be back to square one

[Aristotle Flynn]

Antrim CANNOT play in 2008 Munster SHC
13 February 2008


The Munster Council chairman has revealed that it's impossible for Antrim to replace Cork in this year's Munster senior hurling championship.

There were rumblings that the Glensmen could be invited into the competition if the Rebels are unable to settle their internal differences, but Jimmy O'Gorman says it would not be possible for Antrim to feature in the 2008 Munster SHC:

"They would have to make an official application to the Munster Council first and then we'd look at it. There has been no application made up to now.

"It can't happen now for 2008 no matter what, because that application would have to be made and looked at and then sanctioned."

[Bacon]

The representatives of the players - now known as the 12 apostles - are meeting tonight. A meeting of all the palyers can't be arranged due to work commitments. They will be considering the County Board's offer of binding arbitration.

In my view they'd be mad not to go with it. If they don't they will be effectively ending their inter county careers and whole country will blame them for wrecking the leagues and championships.

The likes of Sean Og will go from hero to zero in weeks. No PR company in Ireland will touch him with a barge pole. Without county hurling he'll just be another nice young fella who works in a bank.

[Aristotle Flynn]

When is the meeting?

I wish they wouldn't use nick names like the 12 Apostles.

[ExiledGael]

The only reason the players would agree to this is pressure. It makes no sense according to their stance all along. But the county board have forced them into a whole, with the help of a few others. Really sad situation.

[his holiness nb]

The representatives of the players - now known as the 12 apostles

Did you get that from the star or the mirror?

Apostles my arse, I'd have a stronger nickname for them 

[quidnunc]

Óg-Seán's Twelve

[Lecale2]

The meeting of the 12 apostles broke up tonight with the players saying they wanted to seek clarification on the offer of binding arbitration.

[stephenite]

The meeting of the 12 apostles broke up tonight with the players saying they wanted to seek clarification on the offer of binding arbitration.

If they're the apostles (seriously, who the f**k came up with that?) then who is their Messiah? Is it Donal Og or is he merely another apostle, Dessie Farrell maybe?

I wonder who'll be Judas, my guess is Anthony Lynch

[SouthArmaghBandit]

They are all Judas's if you ask me!

Are the Cork games on this weekend or not? I thought they had until yesterday to sort it out or Croke Park would throw them out of the leagues. More empty threats from Mr Brennan?

[AZOffaly]

I presume this 'binding arbitration' possibility has given them a lifeline. If the footballers are due to play this weekend though, they'll be out of the League at least. I'd say they'll be given as much rope as they possibly can, bearing in mind fixture congestion, the other teams and supporters.

It really benefits no-one for a county to pull out of the League, no matter what county.

[Maximus Marillius]

I have a great deal of sympathy for the cork players. Derry witnessed a county board totally shaft Eamon Coleman RIP in '94', the players initially said they would not play under Moran, who said he would stand down if the players wanted, he went back on his word, anyway....the players did not stick together and that was their death nail as a footballing force. Brolly alluded to this in a recent article he wrote on the Cork matter. Regardless who is right or wrong...the cork players have to stick together in whatever they agree or it will rip the teams heart in half...and that will finish them on the field for a long time

[orangeman]

Yes they should stick together alright but they should stick together ON the pitch !