Squareball, gaa shop, gaa gear, gaa tshirts, clothing, merchandise.

Timid young bachelors the length and breadth of Ireland will be girding their loins this week and heading southwards to observe one of the great spectacles of Irish sport. Yes, it’s that time of the month again as the cream of Ireland’s womanhood gathers to compete for the annual Ashbourne Cup hosted this year by UCC. And, after two days bating the shite out of each other with as much sledging and carnage as any of the lads can manage, the cailini deas will gather in some nefarious venue for an evening of raucous revelry, sinking jager bombs, washed down with God knows what else before accosting some innocent young fella and stealing his flower.

Cathriona Foley, who captained Cork to All Ireland glory in September, will lead the UCC challenge along with her inter-county team-mate Orla Cotter, Tipp players Jill Horan and Aoife McLoughney and Kilkenny’s Amy Butler.

They meet 2008 beaten finalists WIT in Saturday’s semi-final who will look to Wexford star Ursula Jacob. Her return of 1-07 in last year’s semi-final ensured a premature exit for UCC. She will be supported by Kilkenny duo Keeva Fennelly and Ann Dalton while Therese Shortt from the Premier County will lend her inter-county experience to the side.

Foley is excited about UCC’s chances. “We played well enough in the quarter-final, and we hope we can continue our form. There is so much talent out there, so we will take nothing for granted.”

UCC’s chances are further boosted by a strong backroom team of current Cork inter-county players Aoife Murray and Mary O’Connor.

Favourites and Cup holders UCD travel south in fine form. Ashbourne player of the tournament from last year Susie O’Carroll (Kildare) lines out with Cork star Rena Buckley who will come face to face with her county colleagues.

Said Buckley “We’re looking forward to the weekend with four very good teams in the semi-finals. We’re up against CIT so we’re focusing on that match first. We’re hoping to get into the final and as everyone knows anything can happen in a final, especially an Ashbourne final.”

Sisters Una and Mary Lacey (Wexford) make this formidable UCD side Cup favourites in their bid for three-in-a-row.

The Dubliners take on underdogs CIT, who will be reliant on Tipperary’s Julie McGrath, as well as Eimear O’Sullivan, Michelle Browne and Charlotte Kearney.

In the Ashbourne Shield, NUIG take on Garda College Saturday afternoon followed by UUJ vs UL.

Ashbourne Fixtures

Ashbourne Cup Saturday 21st – Venue Mardyke

UCC V WIT 1.30pm REF Eamonn Browne

UCD V CIT 3.15pm REF Cathal Egan.

Ashbourne Shield Saturday 21st – Venue UCC Farm

NUIG V Garda College 1.30pm REF Ollie Webb

UUJ V UL 315pm REF John Morrissey

Ashbourne Cup Sunday 22nd Final Pairc Ui Rinn

Time 3.30pm. REF Eamonn Browne

Ashbourne Shield Final Sunday 22nd – Venue UCC Farm

1.15pm REF Cathal Egan

Athlone IT claimed their third Purcell Cup in six years, following a terrific final that wasn’t decided until extra time, in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick yesterday. They celebrated their success in the time-honoured fashion favoured by camogs over the years with a sleep over at a friends house and plenty of hot chocolate and biscuits. Not.

In the end, they recorded a six-point win over Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, 3-13 to 2-10, Kate Kennedy securing the victory with her goal in the second period of extra time.

The Limerick College’s brave bid came unstuck in added time, and according to Athlone IT joint manager Camillus King, their superior fitness was a major factor.

“The girls put in the work, they trained three nights over the past few months and they were still flying even after 80 minutes.”

The victory was all the more significant as the midland’s side started without regular wingback Irene Leech from Kinvara, who was missing due to a family bereavement. On Saturday, before playing their semi-final against IT Tralee, her team-mates attended her mother’s funeral in Galway.

Athlone IT led 1-7 to 1-3 after 30 minutes, the goal from Offaly’s Arlene Watkins, who incidentally top-scored with 2-3. However, after a titanic struggle, Mary I leveled 2-9 to 1-12 at full time, through the outstanding contribution of Clare county player Carina Roseingrave (totalled 2-8). However, Athone pulled away in added time, hitting 2-1 to the Limerick team’s solitary point.

In Saturday’s other semi-final, Mary Immaculate defeated St Patrick’s Drumcondra.

Meanwhile, the Shield final, produced another epic encounter, with Queen’s University Belfast emerging narrow winners over NUI Maynooth, 0-11 to 2-3. Managed by Down boss Joe Baldwin, their defence was sublime. Armagh star Colette McSorley was in tremendous form, notching 0-7, while Sinead McHugh and Catherine Walsh, despite coming up short, bagged two fine Maynooth goals.

Tigerish Tyrone defender Ryan McMenamin’s decision to ‘cup’ Paul Galvin’s ‘nads during Sunday’s match in Omagh has raised a few eyebrows amongst other things. Almost as noteworthy as the incident itself have been the various ways in which the media have tried to explain the incident without saying “Ricey grabbed Galvin by the balls.” There you have it – we’ve said it. Just like Ricey, Talking Balls boldly goes where no man has gone before.

***

Jack O’Connor certainly went for it on Sunday in Omagh too. Sitting in the front row of the stand Talking Balls had a bird’s eye view of the Kerry mentors raising the fists in triumph at the home support. What we really want to know tho’ was just what Colm McCullagh said to O’Connor that made him lose the plot. He was running around like a mad thing trying to get at McCullagh to give him a schlep. Best bit was when O’Connor came back out and in passing the Tyrone squad warming down give them an exceedingly wide berth.

***

Was there any significance to the fact that over 10,000 turned up in Cork City Centre the other week to support the Cork 2008 hurling panel whilst just over 2,000 turned up to watch the continuity panel lose to Dublin? Does anyone know the last time Cork lost to Dublin in a senior hurling match? After last weekend does anyone know the last time Cork hurlers lined out with seven defenders as they did against Tipp in what was clearly a damage limitation exercise? Does anyone care anymore.

***

Talking Balls was browsing around the other day and came upon a brochure for an outfit called McKeever who have produced footballs that bear a surprising likeness to the famous O’Neills Size 5. Such was the similarity to O’Neills that we thought the iconic brand had changed name by deed poll. Further investigation reveals that they haven’t – rather a rival sports accessories company has been set up. Imitation is the highest form of flattery then isn’t it?

***

Nicky Brennan has revealed that the naming rights of Croke Park are not up for grabs following the news that Lansdowne Road won’t be called that at all – rather it will be known as the Aviva Stadium. Talking Balls reckons the Powers that Be should take the money and run – after all punters will always call it Croke Park no matter what cobblers the marketing men and women come up with.

***

Ulster firebrand Micheal Greenan has made his views clear on the Powers That Be’s decision to allow Munster’s Heineken Cup semi final to go ahead at Croker should they get that far. As far as Micheal’s concerned: “It is all just a joke. There is no point in even talking about it any more.” Talking Balls certainly hopes Micheal keeps on talking on this one – technically he’s correct of course.

by Michael Forde Leinster PRO

Division 1A :
Laois slip to second place in division 1A of the Bord Gais Energy NFL, after they were beaten by table toppers Tyrone on Sunday last. The O’Moore girls went in at the break trailing by a single point (2-5 to 1-7) and could only manage to notch up a further four points in the second period while the red hand county tagged on seven points to run out eventual winners (2-12 to 1-11). Laois will be looking to get their league campaign back on track on Sunday next when they play host to Armagh in Mountmellick. When both sides met in last seasons NFL, the Orchard county had a point to spare at full time (1-8 to 1-7). However on Sunday next the Laois side will be looking to turn the tables on Armagh and collect all three points.

Division 1B:
Kildare were once again on the receiving end on Sunday last when they were well beaten by a strong Dublin side (4-11 to 0-10), Aishling Jennings was Kildares top scorer with six points (five from frees), Brianne Leahy and Noelle Earley were also on target for the Kildare side.On Sunday next they head north to take on Monaghan, in what will be another stern test for the visitors, and while the Farneys come into this game as favourites, the Lily whites will not be handing over all three points with out giving a good account of themselves.

Division 1B:
Dublin are riding high on the crest of a wave after notching up their second win in the Bord Gais Energy NFL campaign with a convincing win over Kildare,to keep preesure on the Rebelettes, with eight Dublin players getting their names on the score sheet, however the jackies were kept scoreless for at least twenty minutes in the second half by a hard working Kildare side.
On Sunday next, Dublin head West to Monivea, to take on a determined Galway side, and it’s a game that the westerners can not afford to lose, although both sides shared the points last season, the girls from the capital will be looking to take all three points home this time round, before their showdown with reigning league champions Corks on the 1st of March.

Division 2A:
Wexford notched up their first win of the Bord Gais Energy NFL, with a five point win over Westmeath (0-11to 0-6) on Sunday last. The model county led throughout the game, going in at the break with a five point lead and although the Lake county girls upped their game in the second half, to pare the Wexford lead back to just two points, the Wexford side found an extra gear to ensure that they were first to cross the winning line, best for Wexford were Mary O’Neill, Shelly Doyle, Fiona Kavanagh, Fiona Rochford and Leona Tector.
On Sunday next, Wexford welcome Leitrim to Bunclody for their third round game in the Bord Gais Energy NFL. Both sides last met in the 2007 IFC final, and on that occasion Leitrim were the victors (0-17 to 1-10).The visitors come into Sundays game on the back of two losses, their most recent was against Waterford, on that occasion they were beaten by the narrowest of margins (1-8 to 0-12). Wexford also suffered at the hands of the Deise side (3-6 to 3-9) in their first round game, so Sundays game should be a good test for an improving home side.

Division 2A:
Westmeath’s first game in the Bord Gais Energy NFL against Wexford ended in defeat, the Lake county had a long wait to start their NFL campaign, they were due to play Tipperary in the first round but that game had to be called off due to bad weather.
On Sunday next they play host to Sligo, it’s a game that the Westmeath side need to win to stay in touch with table toppers Waterford.
The visitors to Pairc Chiaran, Athlone on Sunday next have two games under their belt in the Bord Gais Energy NFL the Yeats county side have registered one win against Leitrim, losing their second games by a single point to Tipperary.

Division 2B:
Meath, fielded a slightly weakened side against Longford on Sunday last and it was the Royals that dug the deepest (1-11 to 1-9) to collect all three points to kick start their Bord Gais Energy NFL campaign, Gillian Bennett was in top form for the Royals, raising the white flag on nine occasions. The Meath management team will delighted with the determination shown by the girls through out the game and sets them up for their visit to Kinawley, Co. Fermanagh on Saturday next when they take on Fermanagh under lights, in the third round of the NFL, Throw in is at 7.30pm.

Division 2B:
Longford will be disappointed to lose out to Meath on Sunday last, but they can take a number of positives from their first NFL games as they prepare to take on Cavan in Kingspan Breffni Park on Sunday next. The Breffnies had a narrow win over Fermanagh (0-10 to 1-6) in round one, but they were well beaten by Down (3-6 to 6-12) in their second round game. Longford are more than capable of getting their first points of the season in Breffni park on Sunday next.

Division 3A:
Carlow Under a new management team led by Geraldine Maher, have hit the ground running with their first win in the Bord Gais Energy NFL, the Floral county beat Offaly (1-19 to 3-9), however the home side did not have it all their own way, especially in the second half. Carlow went in at the break with a commanding (0-15 to 1-5), but they took their foot off the gas in the second period to allow the Faithful county to close the gap to four points, but it was the Carlow side that registered the most important three points on the Div 3A league table.

Division 3A:
Offaly have lost their opening two games in this years Bord Gais Energy NFL , on Sunday next they will be hoping to get back to winning ways and notch up their first win in this years NFL campaign, when they play host to Limerick in Rhode. The Treaty county have also suffered two heavy defeats to both Louth and Roscommon in this years NFL so its all to play on Sunday next for both sides.

Division 3B:
Wicklow and Kilkenny will go head to head on Sunday next, in what is a must win game for the Garden county. Kilkenny have already three points on the board when they pulled off a convincing win over Derry (6-3 to 0-8) in their first round game. Wicklow on the other hand, fielded an under strength team against Antrim and they were unlucky to lose out to the Saffrons (3-6 to 4-6) in their first round game.

Over the past five years Wicklow have recorded three wins out of five games played against Kilkenny in the NFL, with the cats two wins coming in the 2007 (2-6 to 2-8) and 2008 (3-8 to 2-7) NFL season. Looking at the stats from Kilkenny’s game against Derry , they seemed to have a preference for going for goals with Marie Ryan, Marie Dargan, Miriam O Keeffe, Grainne Daly all contributing to raise the green flag for the cats, so it will be vital that the Wicklow back line are in top form to keep the Kilkenny forwards from getting through to Emer Mileys goal line on Sunday next.
The latest from the Wicklow camp is that they have a number of experienced girls returning to the squad from injury, and they hope to be at full strength for this important clash.

Donal Og Cusack on behalf of the Cork hurlers has issued a statement through the GPA to players in all 32 counties explaining the reasons for the ongoing dispute in the Rebel County.

Dear Players,

We, the Cork hurling panel of 2008, are writing to you as an inter-county colleague to inform you of the facts behind our current dispute with the Cork Co Board executive and team management.

We believe it is important for every county footballer and hurler to be aware of the situation because of the misleading spin being produced by our critics, in particular the claim that we are ‘unreasonable’. We are not. We are passionate, committed hurling men who, together as a united panel, have taken a stand to ensure that the best standards are applied to every element of our preparation. There has been NO intimidation of younger players by senior members of the panel and everything we do and say, is arrived at by consensus.

We have no delusions about who we are or what we’re about. We make no secret about our ambition to win for Cork but we do not complain when mistakes are made or games are lost; when there is a better team against us, we will be defeated; all we have sought since 2002 is that there is a genuine intention in our county to work together for one purpose. Yet again, the Cork Co Board Executive under the leadership of Secretary Frank Murphy has ensured that this cannot happen.

It is no coincidence that most of the regularly successful counties and management teams enjoy good relationships with their county boards with efficient lines of communication operating at all times. These are essentials.

Despite the fact that Gerald McCarthy is at the centre of the current impasse and has chosen to personalise it, the origins of the dispute lie firmly in the actions of the Cork panel in 2002 when a stand was taken against the Co Board executive to improve preparation standards and conditions. This action was taken despite severe intimidation by certain officials. We believed, passionately, that in the pursuit of excellence, an excellent environment must first be created. In the eyes of a number of officials, we had committed an act of treason and they have taken every opportunity since then, to undermine and divide the squad.

Since 2002, the Cork hurling public and indeed the GAA public at large has been misled by a Cork executive driven by an agenda to take back ‘control’ at all or any cost. We would like to put the record straight for our playing colleagues.

This is the sequence of events which have led to the current situation.

- As part of the resolution to the dispute involving the appointment of the Cork football manager in 2006/2007, we were given a role in the selection process for the appointment of the hurling manager in 2009. We entered this process in good faith, assuming, naively as we now know, that our views would be considered carefully. However, we soon realised it was a sham.

- We expressed, privately, our reservations to the Board about Gerald McCarthy after his two-year tenure. We had said nothing over those two years despite our shortcomings. However, our views were ignored and the Board decided to push ahead and reappoint the manager, without any contest. As we had attended meetings, the Board believed we had ‘technically’ engaged in the process and ploughed on with the ratification.

-Out of respect to Gerald, we met him in private and expressed the views of the panel to him in person and in private. We explained that we no longer had confidence in him as a manager. We also told him we believed he was being used by the Board Executive to further their agenda. He rejected our views.

- The Cork panel informed the Board on numerous occasions that the only man we did NOT want as manager was Gerald McCarthy. Their response was to reappoint him immediately.

- Since then, we believe the manager has been in a compromised position, supported by the Co Board Executive, and he has spent the past two months engaged in an unedifying PR battle opening and closing the door on the panel and issuing personalised attacks on certain individual players.

- Forced to criticise the manager’s ability only as a coach and a manager due to the actions of the Board Executive, we have NOT commented on him personally. We have not spoken about his business activities, his interests or his personal traits. He did not afford certain members of our panel the same respect.

After our press conference last week, we are now in the position where we are seeking the support of the Cork hurling public. If that support is not forthcoming we will disband as a panel and every player is free to return if he so wishes. We do not and will not hold any ill-feeling towards those who return or those currently involved with the Cork set-up.

As players, we have been proud to represent our clubs and our county with the very best of our efforts. Whether those efforts include the principled stands we have taken over the past six years is now for the Cork people to decide.

If the Cork GAA members are happy with the current Co Board situation then so be it. If not, then the time has come for them to end this ridiculous series of disputes.

-We do NOT want to choose our own manager

-We do NOT want to cause trouble or difficulties

-We do NOT want to sully the name of Cork GAA

We have called on our club members to take back control of the GAA in their county. In the meantime, we will not yield to the latest attempt by the Cork Co Board executive to ride roughshod over our principles. We have the courage of our convictions to see that through no matter what happens.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the players and squads who have expressed their support for us to date.

While we are aware that our situation may seem a million miles away to certain players and squads, particularly those who enjoy excellent relations with their Board, there are wider implications for the treatment of players at local and national level at stake nonetheless. The Cork squad has always supported the GPA philosophy – that the role of the modern-day player must be acknowledged and respected properly. This is an issue at the heart of the current negotiations between the GPA and the GAA on official recognition which you, no doubt, are closely monitoring.

We thank you for taking the time to study this information and for all your genuine support to date. We wish you and your squad the very best for the season ahead.

Donal Og Cusack
On behalf of The 2008 Cork Hurling Squad

Saturday, 14th February, 2009
Bord Gáis Energy Ladies NFL Round 2

Bord Gáis Energy Division 1:
Mayo v Kerry, Ballinrobe, 3.00pm, (D. McEnery)
Monaghan v Clare, Emyvale, 2.30pm, (J. Murray)

Bord Gáis Energy Division 3:
Limerick v Roscommon, Martinstown, 12.30pm, (G. Guinan)

Sunday, 15th February, 2009
Bord Gáis Energy Ladies NFL Round 2

Bord Gáis Energy Division 1:
Donegal v Armagh, Castlefin, 2.00pm (G. McCrystal)
Tyrone v Laois, Pomeroy, 2.00pm, (S. O’Neill)
Galway v Cork, Cregg Corrandulla, 1.30pm, (D. Byrne)
Dublin v Kildare, Naomh Mearnóg, 2.00pm, (J. Flood)

Bord Gáis Energy Division 2:
Leitrim v Waterford, Leitrim Gaels GAA, 2.00pm, (M. Farrelly)
Westmeath v Wexford, Mullingar Shamrocks, 2.00pm, (K. Tighe)
Tipperary v Sligo, Templemore, 2.00pm, (G. McMahon)
Down v Cavan, Downpatrick, 2.00pm, (J. Gallagher)
Meath v Longford, Trim, 1.00pm, (T. Lennon)

Bord Gáis Energy Division 3:
Carlow v Offaly, Tinryland, 2.00pm, (M. Doherty)

There’s nothing better in times of recession than to tell people to get on their bike and get some work. Especially those peskey students with their six hours lectures a week, lying about watching Neighbours and Hollyoaks, drinkin’ beer, ridin’ horses and backin’ women. Maybe a few of the lazy hoors crawl out of bed now and then to go and kick football or puck a sliotar. In the past there were scholarships available for that sort of thing but not any more you’ll be glad to hear.

In a move that clearly demonstrates their leadership position in modern Ireland, players’ body the GPA has announced that in future i.e. from now on, their GPA Energise Student Sport Scholarship Scheme will be confined to “students who promote the Energise Sport brand in a number of ways.”

Now that’s a wheeze that arch Tory Norman Tebbit would have been proud of. So instead of taking it for granted that they will be rewarded for being reasonably talented sportsmen, these fellas now have to hawk Club Energise product on the College campus bar/shop/dispensing machine or to the University Student Pole Dancing Squad or whoever wants it; or through their own club and through retail and licensed premises. In addition they should be available for photo calls and other PR opportunities. For this they will get between €500 and €1500. Mighty stuff altogether.

This is all due to the “overwhelming demand” for the scholarships we’re told. Saves Club Energise a few shekels too in their sales force sans doubt as Del Boy might say!

Anyhow, IF you can do all this, then you will be deemed a suitable candidate my son!

The GPA asserts that it is dedicated to player welfare and the rights of players. Indeed according to the GPA website, you can join if you are a current inter-county player, a former inter-county player, or you can become an associate member presumably if you aspire to be an intercounty player or just want to be associated with the GPA.

That’s all great… unless you are part of the current Cork senior hurling squad that is.Yes Dessie Farrell, GPA chief executive, has told members of the 2009 Cork hurling squad that they are not welcome to join the players’ body.

Farrell stressed that members of the makeshift panel would not be allowed to join until such time as the ongoing dispute on Leeside was resolved. Dessie has revealed that no member of this year’s panel had applied for GPA membership and he was firm when asked if application forms would be accepted while the standoff with the 2008 players continues.

“No, I don’t think we could look into that until the situation was resolved down there. Obviously, there is a little bit to be played out but hopefully that will become apparent in the coming weeks and the situation will be rectified.”

So what happens if the 2009 Panel don’t get the gear they are entitled to, or if one of them fails a drug test etc etc. Looks like, smells like, and probably is tough shit.

As their Mission Statement says, “The GPA is committed to protecting and promoting all aspects of player welfare and to the provision of a collective voice for inter-county players.”

By Michael Moynihan from The Examiner.

EMBATTLED Cork hurling manager Gerald McCarthy suffered another setback yesterday with the resignation of Martin Walsh, the team’s logistics manager for the last two seasons.

Walsh said yesterday that McCarthy’s ongoing criticism of the 2008 senior hurling panel was the reason he was stepping down. “I thought Gerald’s interview on Saturday was very unfair,” said Walsh. “Anyone who ever worked with Donal Óg Cusack knows he’ll listen to you. He wouldn’t make you feel uncomfortable, no matter what you’re saying; he’d do anything for you. He, Sean Óg and John Gardiner, as player reps, did everything they could to help Gerald over the last two seasons.

“The reason I’m stepping down now is that it’s hard enough listening to things being said about the players, what they’re getting out of the game and so on. Babs Keating’s attack on Diarmuid and Paudie O’Sullivan last week — and on their father Jerry — was very unfair as well. Babs probably has a hidden agenda, maybe he’s getting back at modern players.

“Donal Óg Cusack is an easy target for fellas to have a go at, an easy man to blame. As is Frank Murphy on the other side, in fairness. But to me Donal Óg is the ultimate professional — he, Sean Óg, Tom Kenny, they’re lads who’ll go to any lengths to get that extra one per cent out of themselves. To say Donal Óg doesn’t want to be coached and so on — I know he’d row in 100% behind anyone who could improve things. That’s the way he is — he’s a great man for the organisation. So is Sean Óg.”

Walsh credited facilitator Cathal O’Reilly with improving the atmosphere in the group last year, but agreed with the players who felt the quality of training had slipped.

“Cathal did fantastic work with the group — you could see them pulling together. He got them to gel and to build trust. But the one thing is that respect is a two-way street. You see what’s being written about the players and you have to ask is there respect there? If there’s no respect in the dressing-room, you have no business being there.

“Were things as bad as people say? Yes, they were. Jerry Wallace put in fierce work to keep things going last year, so did Brian Roche, but the players came from a background where Declan Kidney was watching them train, where people involved with Kilkenny would watch the sessions. The players are doing the training and if they feel that it’s gone from up here to down there, then it must have gone back. People forget the work the two trainers, Jerry Wallace and Seanie McGrath, put in under Donal O’Grady and John Allen.”

Walsh was involved with the 2009 team up to Sunday’s defeat to Dublin at Páirc Ui Chaoimh but had also continued to work with the 2008 panel.

“I felt this would be resolved, and that it was my duty to help the (2008) lads and make sure they could come back to play for Cork. You talk about pride in the jersey. These players have the ultimate pride in the jersey. Part of my job was to collect jerseys after games, and not one of them would throw the jersey to you. They hand the jersey back. They wait to sign autographs, to stand for photographs — I was at training for them at quarter to five, they’d start arriving at quarter past five and the last man would leave at ten o’clock. They’re superb men and they’re being dragged through the dirt here, when all they want is to get back to where Kilkenny are, to win All-Irelands.”

Walsh acknowledged the pressure on the new panel and on the county board.

“There are good men in the board — (chairman) Jerry O’Sullivan and (PRO) Ger Lane are friends of mine and they’re good men. Jerry is a sound man, he has club men and sons involved and it’s difficult for him. I got on well with Gerald as well, but he’s being left out on a limb here. It’s difficult for the 2009 players. There are grand guys there who could be developed, but they’re getting tarred with this thing. I’m a players’ man and I wouldn’t knock them, they answered the call, but they’ll probably be easy targets.”

Walsh, chairman of Ballinacurra GAA club, refuted suggestions the players were motivated by personal gain.

“At least 10 Cork players have been down there to help us in Ballinacurra, and all it cost us was a lunch for Shane O’Neill and some crystal we gave Sean Óg after he presented trophies. All the talk about money for them is rubbish. How come nobody is talking about Donal Óg and Kevin Hartnett working for Alan Kerins in Zambia, or about the fact that they’re getting 20 people to go out there again in October?”

Walsh sees more pressing problems for Cork GAA.

“If the board can leave their greatest asset, the players, on the outside, have another 30 footballers threatening to go — and maybe another 50 players who won’t play — then something has to give. It’s grand saying people are looking after underage teams and so on, but we’re not promoting ourselves. I’m my club’s East Cork Board delegate, and I see clubs amalgamating at minor, pushing for twelve-a-side at U21. We’re holding our own but stronger clubs are coming back to our level.”

“You’d wonder just how strong the GAA is in Cork. We should be pushing our inter-county hurlers and footballers, not knocking them. Rugby and soccer motor away at their own thing. Why can’t we?”

Halifax and The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) have announced plans to expand the Halifax GPA Hurling Twinning programme for 2009 by increasing squad visits for the second year of the scheme. The 2009 Programme kicked off two weeks ago when Galway hurlers David Forde and David Collins paid their first visit to the hurlers of South Down (Non Ards).

The Twinning Programme, aimed at promoting hurling and fostering ambition in the non-traditional counties, will see counties from the Lory Meagher and Nicky Rackard Cups paired with their counterparts at McCarthy Cup level for the forthcoming season.

Under the scheme, players and/or coaches from the top hurling counties travel to the ‘twinned’ county to oversee a coaching session where advice, experience, tactics, training and coaching guidance are provided. The event is also publicised in the local media to help promote the game in the region.

Uptake for the inaugural year in 2008 exceeded expectations with eight squad visits taking place including high profile trips by hurlers from Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Waterford, Clare, Offaly Antrim and Wexford. This year, it is expected that two visits per squad will take place to further increase the benefits brought by the programme.

While the Rackard and Meagher panels will benefit directly from this link, it is hoped once again that, where possible, local coaches, schools and development squads in the region could also be included during the visits. Leveraging the talent and profile of the top hurling sides is seen as a very effective way to promote the game in the non-traditional hurling counties. The local media will be kept informed about all visits and developments.

Commenting on plans for the second year of the Twinning arrangements, GPA chief Dessie Farrell said: “The GPA was delighted with the response from hurlers to the programme last year, particularly so from the McCarthy squads who were more than willing to support the scheme. I know that top hurlers have been travelling voluntarily to the non-traditional counties for years – what we are trying to do is encourage more of that on a formal basis. There is a great sense of loyalty among the hurling community and thanks to the support of Halifax, we can help to promote the game locally and encourage more interaction between hurlers.”

Halifax have an ongoing commitment to developing Gaelic Games and its players at all levels through partnerships with the GPA and through Dermot McArdle’s GaelicPerformance camps as well as supporting clubs through several other local initiatives such as the Halifax Club Fair Play Award. Speaking at the announcement of the 2009 programme, Karl Manning, Director of Retail Sales at Halifax said, “The Hurling Twinning Programme is an extremely worthwhile initiative which Halifax is once again proud to be involved with. Credit is due to the GPA for overseeing the launch and growth of this scheme and also to the players who devoted their own free time last year and have committed to doing so again over the coming months.

“The passion of the players at all levels is the key to the success of the Hurling Twinning Programme and this will help fuel the sport amongst non-traditional counties. We have already seen that this programme works and if we can sustain this progress there will be a real and lasting impact on hurling at all levels.”

The scheme is part of the GPA’s on-going commitment to develop the game and is being organised on the ground by the GPA. Last year’s draw paired the following 24 counties together for an initial two-year cycle.

Monaghan & Tipperary
Cavan & Waterford
Louth & Clare
Tyrone & Limerick
Donegal & Kilkenny
Non Ards (Down) & Galway
Fermanagh & Cork
Fingal & Laois
Sligo & Offaly
Leitrim & Antrim
Longford & Wexford
Warwickshire & Dublin